[allAfrica] Africa's governance debate no longer whispers; it argues loudly. At the centre of that argument sit Rwanda and Ethiopia--two countries often praised for results, yet criticised for methods. Together, they force an uncomfortable question: must political freedom wait for development, or does postponing it carry its own dangers?

The idea of «a united Europe from Lisbon to Vladivostok» will ultimately give way to the reality of a divided, militarized, and economically weak continent

Yury Ushakov pointed out that Moscow had not seen the proposals yet

An air raid warning is currently in effect for the Sumy Region

One of the attackers was killed and another two were detained

According to Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, «there is a one million percent guarantee that it’s impossible»

Margot Webb, a former actress, told The Mail on Sunday that she was fed up with his 'endless bragging' about their short-lived relationship.

The annual event in London 's Hyde Park has been criticised for years for extortionate prices and huge crowds.

The surgery-addicted Mexican model, whose real name is Denise Ivonne Jarvis Gongora, plunged to her death from the Patong Tower Hotel on the Thai island of Phuket on Tuesday.

SINGAPORE – A total of 44 people were taken to the hospitals after an accident involving two double-decker buses in Jurong West on the morning of Dec 14.In response to queries from The Straits Times, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to the accident slightly before 11am.Upon SCDF's arrival, a person was trapped in the driver's seat of a bus, it said. The person was rescued using hydraulic rescue equipment, it added.Forty-two passengers and two bus drivers were taken to the hospitals, the authorities said. Police said a 49-year-old bus driver is assisting with ongoing investigations.Bus service 98, operated by Tower Transit, had rear-ended an SBS Transit-run bus service 99, which was stationary, at 10.54am in Jurong West Avenue 1, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said in a Facebook post at about 2.10pm.Those who were injured have been taken to the hospitals and are receiving medical attention, LTA said, adding that it and both transport operators are investigating the accident.LTA said: «We would like to apologise for the hurt and distress caused by this accident.»

After more than eight decades, James Burrowes had just about given up hope of ever knowing what truly happened to his uncle Tom, an Air Force crew member who disappeared in World War II.

Brown University in Rhode Island has been put under lockdown amid reports that 'multiple victims' were shot by an active shooter on Saturday evening, with the suspect at large on the campus.

Margot Webb, a former actress, told The Mail on Sunday that she was fed up with his 'endless bragging' about their short-lived relationship.

The humble daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh made do by sitting on the floor of a packed Great Western Railways service from London to Bristol.

The BJP has strongly criticized West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee following chaos at Salt Lake Stadium during Lionel Messi's visit. Leaders accused the state government of gross mismanagement, demanding accountability and punishment for those responsible. The incident saw fans protesting, leading to vandalism and a police baton charge, with many ticket holders unable to see the football star.

India has intensified its aid to Sri Lanka following Cyclone Ditwah, deploying an Engineer Task Force to restore critical infrastructure and providing extensive medical support. The Indian Army is working with Sri Lankan counterparts to rebuild damaged bridges, while Operation Sagar Bandhu delivers essential medicines and humanitarian assistance, underscoring India's commitment to its neighbor's recovery.

The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust is undertaking extensive preparations to manage a large influx of pilgrims at the Ram Temple complex in Ayodhya, with special emphasis on crowd management, infrastructure development and security arrangements.

Goa authorities are aggressively inspecting and sealing nightclubs for safety and licensing violations following a deadly fire. Teams are checking all establishments, with two already shut down for lacking fire safety and structural integrity. The crackdown aims to prevent further tragedies during the festive season, with liquor sales now restricted after 11 pm.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Delhi unit President Saurabh Bharadwaj on Sunday criticised Chief Minister Rekha Gupta over the worsening air quality in the national capital, stating that she is unaware of the Air Quality Index (AQI) and its parameters, adding that she must leave the pollution problem for the experts to deal with.

Another 184 people are missing

Ukrainian commanders are chaotically deploying brigade forces to various parts of the frontline in the Kharkov Region in an attempt to stop Battlegroup North from advancing

Air raid warnings are currently in effect for the Odessa, Nikolayev, and Sumy regions

A man sustained a mine-blast trauma and multiple shrapnel injuries to his legs

Balitsky noted that energy personnel were «working non-stop» to restore supplies as soon as possible, but the weather was complicating repair efforts

Singapore on Friday (Dec 12) joined six other countries to enter a new US-led multilateral framework on economic security and technology.The framework, named Pax Silica, combines the Latin word «pax» - meaning peace, stability and long-term prosperity, and the word «silica» which refers to the compound that is refined into silicon used in computer chips that enable artificial intelligence (AI). According to the US State Department, the framework is intended to secure supply chains, trusted technology and strategic infrastructure. The inaugural summit on Dec 12 involved partners which the State Department said are home to the most important companies and investors powering the global AI supply chain.Writing on his X account, Undersecretary of State Jacon Helberg said the Pax Silica declaration operationalises US President Donald Trump's insight that artificial intelligence is the «new backbone of economic power».«This is the first time countries are organising around compute, silicon, minerals and manufacturing as shared strategic assets,» Helberg said. 

SINGAPORE – A total of 44 people were taken to the hospitals after an accident involving two double-decker buses in Jurong West on the morning of Dec 14.In response to queries from The Straits Times, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to the accident slightly before 11am.Upon SCDF's arrival, it said, a person was trapped in the driver's seat of a bus. The person was rescued using hydraulic rescue equipment, SCDF said.Bus service 98, operated by Tower Transit, had rear-ended an SBS Transit-run bus service 99, which was stationary, at 10.54am in Jurong West Avenue 1, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said in a Facebook post at about 2.10pm.Those who were injured have been taken to the hospitals and are receiving medical attention, LTA said, adding that it and both transport operators are investigating the accident.LTA said: «We would like to apologise for the hurt and distress caused by this accident.»When ST arrived at the scene at around 12.30pm, the police have cordoned off the accident site. SCDF personnel were also there.Some of the injured were being attended to at a shelter near a HDB block.

Charles, 77, revealed in a video message that his treatment will be significantly scaled back in the New Year after he responded 'exceptionally well' to treatment following his diagnosis in February.

Lapland in the Arctic Circle is famously associated with Father Christmas, and the Finnish city of Rovaniemi even proclaims itself to be his official hometown.

A private jet which took off from Singapore's Changi Airport skidded off the runway after landing at New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido on Friday (Dec 12) evening.The incident occurred shortly at about 6.40pm, reported Kyodo News Agency and Japan's NHK broadcasting network.There were five passengers on board, including a small child, along with three flight attendants. No injuries were reported, according to firefighters who rushed to the scene.The aircraft's fuselage was not damaged and there was no fire, added NHK.One of the New Chitose Airport's two runways was closed, but other aircraft operation were not affected, according to Japanese broadcaster HBC News, which posted a video of the aftermath on its YouTube channel.The aircraft appeared to have overshot the runway upon landing, coming to a stop on snow-covered ground.The report added that it was snowing at New Chitose Airport at the time. Authorities are investigating the incident.It was the second flight incident to have occurred in the region that day.

SINGAPORE - Even the best teachers struggle with large classes, a sentiment echoed by primary and secondary school teachers The Straits Times spoke to.With Singapore's plans to hire more than 1,000 teachers annually over the next few years, teachers say they hope the added manpower will eventually result in smaller class sizes.Average class sizes grew slightly from 2023 to 2024, based on the latest figures. In primary schools, the average class size rose from 33.6 to 33.8. In secondary schools, it increased from 32.6 to 32.9, and in junior colleges, from 23.1 to 23.2.The pupil-to-teacher ratio in primary schools was 15.6 in 2024, up from 14.5 in 2020. In secondary schools, the student-to-teacher ratio increased from 11.9 to 12.7 over the same period.The number of teachers fell from 30,396 in 2023 to 29,605 in 2024, even as the student cohort continued to shrink. Primary 1 enrolment, for example, dropped from 39,372 to 37,785 over the same period.

The Congress is holding a major rally at Ramlila Maidan to protest alleged «vote chori» and issues with electoral rolls. Top leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, will address the gathering. The party claims to have collected over five crore signatures nationwide, criticizing the Election Commission's neutrality and demanding electoral reforms.

In a captivating viral video, an Indian vlogger shared his experience in Australia, where he stumbled upon a touching handwritten note on a car after a trivial parking accident. This simple yet profound act, complete with contact information for potential damage claims, stood in stark contrast to the reactions often seen in India.