While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, Dec 2, 2024
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Syrian and Russian aircraft staged deadly strikes on Dec 1 in support of the government.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
Syrian government loses Aleppo after lightning rebel offensive: Monitor
Government forces lost control of Syria’s second city Aleppo on Dec 1 for the first time since the country’s civil conflict began, a war monitor said, after a lightning offensive dealt a severe blow to President Bashar al-Assad.
An Islamist-dominated rebel alliance launched its assault on forces of the Iranian- and Russian-backed government on Nov 27, the same day a fragile ceasefire took effect in neighbouring Lebanon between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah after two months of all-out war.
The jihadist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group and allied factions now “control Aleppo city, except the neighbourhoods controlled by the Kurdish forces”, Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, told AFP.
Reputed head of crime family narrowly misses out on Dublin parliament seat
REUTERS
Gerard Hutch, named in a court case last year as the head of a well-known crime family in Ireland, narrowly missed out on a seat in Ireland’s parliament on Dec 1 despite a surge of support in deprived areas of the Dublin Central constituency.
Hutch, better known as “The Monk”, finished in fifth place of a four-seat constituency. He had been widely seen as favourite to take the final seat earlier on Dec 1 before a late surge by Labour Party rival Marie Sherlock.
Hutch was arrested in Spain as part of an international investigation into money laundering by the Hutch Organised Crime Group, but was released in early November on bail, Irish state broadcaster RTE reported.
Trudeau promised Trump tougher border controls, says top Canada official
REUTERS
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised President-elect Donald Trump that Canada would toughen controls over the long undefended joint border, a senior Canadian official said on Dec 1.
Trudeau flew to Florida on Nov 29 to have dinner with Trump, who has promised to slap tariffs on Canadian imports unless Ottawa prevents migrants and drugs from crossing the frontier.
Canada sends 75 per cent of all goods and services exports to the United States and tariffs would badly hurt the economy.
Liverpool inflict more pain on Man City to extend Premier League lead
EPA-EFE
Liverpool opened up a nine-point lead at the top of the Premier League as Manchester City’s crisis deepened in a 2-0 defeat at Anfield on Dec 1.
Cody Gakpo’s 12th-minute goal was scant reward for the Reds’ first-half domination and they sealed an 18th win in 20 games under Arne Slot thanks to Mohamed Salah’s penalty.
City are now 11 points off the runaway leaders down in fifth and winless in seven games, including six defeats.
Verstappen wins, teams title race goes on after Norris penalty
EPA-EFE
Max Verstappen avenged his overnight demotion from pole position by clinching his ninth win of the season and 63rd of his career with a dominant triumph for Red Bull in Dec 1’s crash-hit and controversial Qatar Grand Prix.
In a race shaped by a litany of stewards’ decisions and penalties, including a harsh late 10-second ‘stop-go’ for Lando Norris of McLaren, the newly-crowned four-time world champion was flawless as he came home six seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
That result meant McLaren, even with Oscar Piastri finishing third, were unable to clinch a first constructors title since 1998 and have to try again in the final race in Abu Dhabi next weekend.
