December 2025

Hainan Free Trade Port Signals China Trade Ambitions

Hainan Free Trade Port Signals China Trade Ambitions

December 18, 2025 2:22 am

China has formally separated its southern island province of Hainan from the mainland customs system, creating a sweeping duty free zone aimed at attracting foreign investment and strengthening Beijing’s bid to join a major trans Pacific trade pact.

The move, announced on Thursday, turns the island into the Hainan Free Trade Port, a project Chinese officials describe as a test case for deeper economic opening and a potential Hong Kong style commercial hub. Hainan’s economy is roughly comparable in size to that of a mid ranked country, and its land area is similar to Belgium.

Under the new system, goods …

India Business Visa Reform Eases Entry For Foreign Engineers

India Business Visa Reform Eases Entry For Foreign Engineers

December 18, 2025 1:58 am

India has overhauled its business visa rules to make it easier for foreign engineers and technicians to work in the country, a move expected to help manufacturers that rely heavily on Chinese specialists for factory operations and technical support.

The government said the changes are designed to cut paperwork and speed up approvals for professionals involved in factory installation, commissioning, maintenance, and production. The reform is seen as a practical step to ease long standing bottlenecks faced by Indian firms using imported machinery.

India’s Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade said it launched a new digital platform last …

John Terry Opens Up On Dark Thoughts After Moscow Final Miss

John Terry Opens Up On Dark Thoughts After Moscow Final Miss

December 17, 2025 7:06 am

Former Chelsea captain John Terry has spoken candidly about the emotional toll of his missed penalty in the 2008 UEFA Champions League final, revealing that the aftermath pushed him into one of the darkest moments of his life. The final, played in Moscow against Manchester United, ended in heartbreak for Chelsea after Terry slipped during his decisive spot-kick, striking the post in a moment that has since become one of the most iconic images in Champions League history.

Reflecting on the experience years later, Terry described returning to the team hotel after the match and struggling to process what had …

Asian Markets Drift As US Jobs Data Dims Rate-Cut Hopes

Asian Markets Drift As US Jobs Data Dims Rate-Cut Hopes

December 17, 2025 6:55 am

Asian equities traded mixed on Wednesday as fresh US labour market data failed to revive expectations for another interest rate cut next month, while oil prices climbed following President Donald Trump’s order to block sanctioned Venezuelan tankers.

Investor sentiment across the region remained cautious after Federal Reserve officials signaled they were unlikely to lower borrowing costs for a fourth consecutive policy meeting. Lingering concerns over elevated technology valuations and the pace of returns from heavy investment in artificial intelligence continued to weigh on risk appetite.

Markets had been focused on the delayed release of key US non-farm payrolls data. Figures …

Venezuela Condemns U.S. Oil Blockade As ‘Irrational’

Venezuela Condemns U.S. Oil Blockade As ‘Irrational’

December 17, 2025 6:42 am

Venezuela’s government on Tuesday sharply criticized President Donald Trump’s announcement of a naval blockade targeting sanctioned oil tankers traveling to and from the country, calling the move reckless and warning it could further destabilize an economy already under severe strain.

In a statement released by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro, Caracas accused Washington of acting with “utter irrationality,” arguing that the blockade amounted to an attempt to seize Venezuela’s natural wealth by force. “The President of the United States intends to impose a supposed naval blockade on Venezuela with the aim of stealing the riches that belong to our …

Rob Reiner Murder Charges Filed Against Son

Rob Reiner Murder Charges Filed Against Son

December 17, 2025 4:26 am

The younger son of filmmaker and political activist Rob Reiner was formally charged on Tuesday with first degree murder in the stabbing deaths of his parents, whose bodies were discovered inside their Los Angeles home over the weekend, authorities said.

Prosecutors identified the suspect as Nick Reiner, 32, who now faces two counts of first degree murder in connection with the killings of his father, actor director Rob Reiner, 78, and his mother, photographer and producer Michele Reiner, 70. The case has stunned Hollywood and the wider Los Angeles community.

Los Angeles police said officers were called to the Reiners’ …

Japan Fiscal Spending Push Meets Market Jitters

Japan Fiscal Spending Push Meets Market Jitters

December 17, 2025 4:10 am

Japan’s prime minister said on Wednesday that the country must lean on targeted government spending to strengthen growth and lift tax revenue, pushing back against calls for sharp budget restraint as markets react nervously to rising debt levels.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told a business policy forum in Tokyo that her administration remains committed to reviving a still fragile economy through carefully planned fiscal support, even as government borrowing costs rise.

“When I say proactive fiscal policy, I am talking about the strategic deployment of fiscal stimulus,” Takaichi said in a statement read at an economic panel hosted by …

Liverpool Parade Car Attack Driver Jailed For 21 Years

Liverpool Parade Car Attack Driver Jailed For 21 Years

December 17, 2025 3:52 am

A British man who drove his car into a crowd celebrating Liverpool’s Premier League title has been sentenced to 21 and a half years in prison after admitting dozens of serious criminal charges linked to the attack.

Paul Doyle was jailed on Tuesday for injuring 134 people, including eight children, when he ploughed into Liverpool soccer fans during the club’s victory parade in May. Prosecutors said the attack lasted just over a minute but left lasting physical and emotional damage on victims across the city.

Doyle, who pleaded guilty last month, admitted to 31 offenses, including nine counts of …

Reuters/England Doctors Strike Begins Amid NHS Flu Surge

England Doctors Strike Begins Amid NHS Flu Surge

December 17, 2025 2:30 am

Doctors in England will begin a five day strike on Wednesday, escalating a long running dispute over pay and working conditions as hospitals face rising pressure from a sharp increase in flu cases.

The walkout involves resident doctors, previously known as junior doctors, who account for nearly half of England’s medical workforce. Their action comes at a critical moment for the National Health Service, which has warned of mounting strain on hospitals as winter illnesses spread.

Health officials say the timing of the strike could worsen delays for patients. According to NHS England, flu hospital admissions jumped by more than …

Bondi Shooting Charges: Suspect Faces 15 Murder Counts

Bondi Shooting Charges: Suspect Faces 15 Murder Counts

December 17, 2025 2:14 am

Australian prosecutors have charged Naveed Akram with 59 criminal offenses, including 15 counts of murder and one count of committing a terrorist act, following a mass shooting that killed 15 people at Bondi Beach in Sydney during a Hanukkah celebration.

New South Wales Police said the charges relate to Sunday’s attack, which authorities have described as a terrorist incident and the deadliest mass shooting in Australia since 1996. Akram is the only surviving suspect. The second gunman, identified as his father, Sajid Akram, was shot dead during a confrontation with police at the scene.

Police said Naveed Akram, who was …

Kano Mosque Killing Sparks Unrest As Police Probe Attack

Kano Mosque Killing Sparks Unrest As Police Probe Attack

December 16, 2025 11:20 am

An elderly Islamic cleric, Ladan Zubairu, was killed early Monday during a dawn prayer session at Yusuf Garko Mosque in the Maraba Quarters area of Kano, Nigerian authorities said, sparking unrest that briefly rattled the neighborhood.

Police said the suspected attacker was chased down by residents moments after the killing and beaten to death by a mob. His home was later set on fire before security forces intervened and restored calm.

The victim’s son, Isa Kasim, told reporters that his father had gone to the mosque before sunrise to call worshippers to prayer, a routine he had followed for years. …

Ukraine War Reparations Commission Launched In Europe

Ukraine War Reparations Commission Launched In Europe

December 16, 2025 11:00 am

European leaders have agreed to create a new international body to assess and award compensation to Ukraine for the vast destruction caused by Russia’s war, marking one of the most concrete steps yet toward holding Moscow financially accountable.

The International Claims Commission for Ukraine was formally established at a conference in The Hague after a treaty was signed by 35 countries. The Netherlands based commission will review and rule on claims for war related damage, potentially unlocking hundreds of billions of dollars in reparations.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who attended the summit alongside senior European officials, said accountability was essential …

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𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬, 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐘𝐨𝐫𝐤, is a nonpartisan online news portal founded on the truth to provide you with weekly, insightful articles written with precision and current updates on current events from Africa in particular and the rest of the world in general. All of our reports undergo extensive fact-checking to ensure their veracity, and we adhere strictly to the facts, no matter whose ox is gored.

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