U.S. House passes spending package to end government shutdown

The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday night passed a Senate-approved spending package, ending the congressional deadlock that led to the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.

The House voted 222-209 to pass the deal, two days after the Senate voted 60-40 to approve the spending package. The legislation now goes to President Donald Trump, who is expected to sign it soon.

The package would fund most federal agencies at current levels through Jan. 30, while providing full fiscal year funding for the Agriculture Department, the Veterans Affairs Department and military construction projects and the operations of Congress as well as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, whose funding was put in jeopardy amid the prolonged government shutdown.

China supports Global South in fighting climate change

China has made a "great contribution" in developing innovative green technologies and has supported the Global South in responding to climate change, a Brazilian environmental official has said.

"We have a problem of confronting the issue of climate change, which will require coordinated action by all countries," Brazilian Minister of Environment and Climate Change Marina Silva told Xinhua on Tuesday on the sidelines of the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), noting that countries from the Global South "have a contribution to make."

Silva highlighted China's role in innovation and facilitating access to technologies that help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

UN chief condemns attack on West Bank mosque

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday strongly condemned a reported attack by Israeli settlers on a mosque in Deir Istiya in the occupied West Bank, his spokesperson said.

"Such acts of violence and desecration of religious sites are unacceptable," said Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson. "Religious sites must be respected and protected at all times."

Dujarric said that Guterres condemns all attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians and their property in the occupied West Bank, adding that such incidents are part of an increasing pattern of extremist violence that is inflaming tensions and must stop immediately.

House Democrats release Emails linking Trump to Epstein

Emails released by House Democrats on Wednesday suggest U.S. President Donald Trump may have known about sex offender Jeffrey Epstein's abuse of underage girls, raising new questions about their relationship.

Democrats released messages showing Epstein wrote to author Michael Wolff in 2019 that Trump "knew about the girls," a phrase of unclear meaning.

This disclosure may tip the scales toward a vote on releasing all non-classified Epstein files, reviving a scandal that has been a major political headache for Trump.

G7 FMs urge Ukraine ceasefire

The Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers concluded their two-day meeting on Wednesday, issuing a joint statement that addressed the Ukraine crisis and the situation in the Middle East, along with several other topics.

The meeting, held under Canada's presidency, was also attended by foreign ministers from Brazil, India, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, South Korea, South Africa and Ukraine.

On the Ukraine crisis, the G7 ministers said an "immediate ceasefire is urgently needed," noting that they "agreed that the current line of contact should be the starting point of negotiations."

AU, UN discuss cooperation, development

The African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN) discussed the implementation of the cooperation frameworks between the two organizations as well as the joint action and challenges linked to peace, security, development and human rights at their ninth annual conference at the UN headquarters in New York on Wednesday.

The high-level discussions, co-chaired by Chairperson of the AU Commission Mahmoud Ali Youssouf and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, also included topics such as financing for development, climate action, as well as the implementation of the African strategy for women, peace and security agenda.

"Cooperation between our organizations has never been stronger or more necessary," with the world in turmoil, rocked by deadly conflicts, widening inequalities, climate chaos and runaway technologies, Guterres told a joint press conference after the meeting.