World

Hong Kong has scrapped its COVID-19 app and a ban on arrivals visiting bars and restaurants within three days of arrival. The announcement comes after authorities in mainland China shut down an app for tracking domestic travel in Beijing’s latest move away from its harsh zero-COVID strategy. Hong Kong leader John Lee said the government had decided to drop the restrictions from Wednesday after considering the latest data and risks. […]

Peru's new president, Dina Boluarte, is planning on bringing general elections forward by two years to April 2024. In a televised address Boluarte said she would submit a bill to Congress to hold elections in April 2024 instead of April 2026. She declared a state of emergency in areas where protests have erupted. The move represents an about-turn as she had said upon taking office that she would serve out […]

At least three attackers have been killed by Afghanistan’s security forces after they opened fire at a Kabul hotel popular with Chinese nationals. A spokesman for the ruling Taliban, Zabihullah Mujahid, said unidentified armed men opened fire inside the multi-storey Hotel in central Kabul on Monday. Mujahid noted that no foreigner was killed, although two of them were injured while trying to escape the attack by jumping from the hotel […]

Iran has carried out its second execution linked to the nearly three-month wave of anti-government protests. The country's judiciary said Majid Rahnavard, who was hanged in the city of Mashhad, was convicted of stabbing and killing two members of the security forces. The first execution linked to the protests took place last Thursday, when Mohsen Shekari was hanged, triggering widespread condemnation. UK Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly, warned that the world […]

China faces a surge in COVID-19 cases after partially easing aspects of its zero-COVID policy. The warning from top epidemiologist, Zhong Nanshan, comes as official case numbers dropped in China. Nanshan noted that the epidemic in China is spreading rapidly, and under such circumstances, no matter how strong the prevention and control is, it will be difficult to completely cut off the transmission chain. The government made the changes minimizing the scope of mandatory […]

The United Nations has revealed that M23 rebels killed at least 131 civilians in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo late last month. In a preliminary investigation into the November 29-30 massacres in the villages of Kishishe and Bambo, the UN peacekeeping mission, and the Joint Human Rights Office found the killings were undertaken in retaliation for clashes between M23 and rival armed groups. Authorities in Kinshasa had earlier said more […]

Peru Police has detained impeached President Pedro Castillo, over rebellion and conspiracy to break the constitutional order. According to reports, Castillo was reportedly detained on his way to the Mexican embassy, hours after he tried to dissolve parliament. He has been moved to a police-run prison, but Mexico says it is willing to offer him asylum. The former president was removed from office by lawmakers on Wednesday after he declared […]

Dina Boluarte has been sworn in as Peru’s new president. The opposition-led legislature overwhelmingly voted in favour of removing Pedro Castillo. This comes after left-wing leader Castillo was removed in an impeachment trial. Congress asked Boluarte to take over following its impeachment vote, making her the first woman to lead the South American nation.

The Taliban have carried out their first public execution since the group's return to power in Afghanistan last year. A Taliban spokesperson said a man was killed at a crowded sports stadium in south-western Farah province after he confessed to murder. The Taliban's supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada issued the edict last month, ordering judges to impose punishments, including public executions, public amputations and stoning. But the execution, which took place on Wednesday, […]