WORLD

Israel’s recognition of Somaliland has set off alarm bells from Mogadishu to Addis Ababa, pulling the Horn of Africa into a widening geopolitical contest  COVER STORY | RONALD MUSOKE | When Israel announced on Dec.26 that it had formally recognised Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state, it triggered diplomatic shockwaves …

WASHINGTON | Xinhua |  The U.S. military launched a series of attacks against Venezuela early Saturday morning, reportedly capturing President Nicolas Maduro and flying him out of the country. Venezuela’s Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, speaking on a state-run television station, said the whereabouts of Maduro and his wife are unknown, asking …

NEW YORK, the United States | Xinhua | The past year ended with an ugly drama for Americans: thousands of pages of documents from sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s case were finally made public, yet many appeared as little more than fields of blacked-out text, entire pages obscured by heavy redactions. …

COMMENT | IAN BURUMA | It didn’t take long for Japan’s hawkish new prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, to rile the Chinese government. On November 7, just weeks after her election, Takaichi responded to a question in parliament about a possible Chinese attack or blockade against Taiwan by saying that it could constitute …

YANGON | Xinhua | As the old Myanmar saying goes, “Mango is the best fruit and tea is the best leaf.” For centuries, tea leaves have held a special place in Myanmar culture — not only brewed as a drink, but also eaten as fermented leaves and deeply rooted in …

NEW YORK | Xinhua | Democrat Zohran Mamdani was sworn in as New York City mayor on Thursday, becoming the first Muslim leader of America’s largest city by population with a vow to combat the city’s affordability crisis. In his inauguration ceremony, Mamdani reiterated his campaign promises to make the …

HONG KONG | Xinhua |  In 2025, the Asia-Pacific region faced a series of security challenges, ranging from recurring border conflicts, aggressive political rhetoric to domestic unrest in several countries. Despite these challenges, regional countries continue to express a shared commitment to peace and development, highlighting that dialogue and cooperation …

* A bullet train departed Yan’an on Friday, linking the sacred revolutionary heartland to the country’s high-speed rail network. * More than half of the new route crosses soft, water-sensitive loess, presenting world-class engineering challenges. * The line’s opening has brought China’s high-speed rail mileage to over 50,000 km. XI’AN, …

SOFIA | Xinhua | Bulgaria joined the eurozone and adopted the euro as its official currency on New Year’s Day, becoming the 21st member of the euro area. Throughout January, the Bulgarian lev (BGN) will remain in circulation alongside the euro. However, from Feb. 1, the euro will become the country’s …

  BEIJING | Xinhua | Xinhua News Agency on Monday unveiled its selection of the top 10 news stories that defined China in 2025. Below is a concise summary of these key events, listed in chronological order: 1. CPC launches Party-wide education campaign on improving conduct A comprehensive education campaign was …