Year: 2024

Bangkok (AFP) – New Vietnamese internet rules requiring Facebook and TikTok to verify user identities and hand over data to authorities came into force on Wednesday, in what critics say is the latest attack on freedom of expression.

Rome (AFP) – Christians across the world celebrated Christmas Wednesday, with the mood darkened by wars and a massive Christmas morning attack on Ukraine by Russia and a plane crash in Kazakhstan.

Banda Aceh (Indonesia) (AFP) – With flickering candles and the sound of organs, hundreds of Catholics held a muted Christmas Eve mass in Indonesia’s Aceh province, the only one under ultraconservative Islamic law in the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation.

Beijing (AFP) – Japanese foreign minister Takeshi Iwaya on Wednesday raised “serious concerns” over China’s military buildup as he met counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing, Tokyo said.

Buenos Aires (Argentina) (AFP) – Some 3,000 homeless people sat down for a festive Christmas charity dinner on Tuesday in the center of Buenos Aires, at a time when more than half of Argentina’s population is affected by poverty, one year into ultra-liberal Javier Milei’s term in office.

Sydney (AFP) – Skippers of the supermaxi yachts in the Sydney-Hobart bluewater classic are bracing for a fast start on Thursday and a wild first night at sea with gale-force winds forecast.

Tokyo (AFP) –

Mumbai (AFP) – From riding pillion on zooming motorbikes to round-the-clock airport stakeouts, India’s celebrity-hunting paparazzi photographers have gone from “outcasts” to becoming a key part of Bollywood’s vast film industry machine.

Sydney (AFP) – Novak Djokovic is confident he can still win Grand Slams, starting at the Australian Open, with the Serbian kickstarting his bid for an unprecedented 11th title and record 25th major crown in Brisbane this week.

Melbourne (AFP) – Batsman Travis Head was declared fit for the Boxing Day Test against India on Wednesday in a big boost for Australia while Scott Boland was confirmed as the injured Josh Hazlewood’s replacement.