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S Korea orders air safety probe after deadly plane crash
LONDON (AP) — When had their say in 2024, their message was often: “You’re fired.” Some 70 countries that are home to half the world’s population held elections this year, and in many . From and to , and , voters tired of economic disruption and global instability rejected sitting governments — and sometimes turned to disruptive outsiders. The rocky democratic landscape just seemed to get bumpier as a dramatic year careened toward its end, with mass protests in and , an election and an attempt to impose Cas Mudde, a professor of international affairs at the University of Georgia who studies extremism and democracy, summed up 2024 in Prospect magazine as “a great year for the far right, a terrible year for incumbents and a troublesome year for democracy around the world.” Incumbents battered One message sent by voters in 2024: They’re fed up. University of Manchester political scientist Rob Ford has attributed the anti-incumbent mood to “electoral long COVID” -– lingering pandemic-related health, education, social and economic disruptions that have made millions of people unhappier and worse off. High inflation, fueled by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and mass displacement from that war and conflicts in the Middle East and Africa have added to the global unease. In South Africa, high helped drive a dramatic loss of support for the African National Congress, which had governed for three decades since the end of the . The party lost its political dominance in May’s election and was forced to go into coalition with opposition parties. Incumbents also were defeated in Senegal, Ghana and , where voters ousted the party that had been in power for 58 years since independence from Britain. Namibia’s extended its 34 years in power in December -– but only by a whisker. Uruguay’s leftist opposition candidate, , became the country’s new president in a November runoff that delivered another rebuke to incumbents. In India, the world’s largest democracy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party lost its parliamentary majority in a shock election result in June after a decade of dominance. It was forced to govern in coalition as the opposition doubled its strength in Parliament. Japanese politics entered a new era of uncertainty after Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s governing Liberal Democratic Party, which has ruled almost without interruption since 1955, suffered a major loss in October amid voter anger at party financial scandals. It now leads a minority government. The saw the right-of-center Conservatives ousted after 14 years in office as the center-left Labour Party swept to power in a landslide. But the results also revealed growing fragmentation: Support for the two big parties that have dominated British politics for a century shrank as voters turned to smaller parties, including the hard-right party Reform U.K. led by Nigel Farage. Authoritarians advance Britain is not alone in seeing a rise for the right. Elections in June for the parliament of the saw conservative populists and the far right rock ruling parties in France and Germany, the EU’s biggest and most powerful members. The anti-immigration National Rally party won the first round of in June, but alliances and tactical voting by the center and left knocked it down to third place in the second round, producing a and a fragile government that collapsed in a Dec. 4 no-confidence vote. In Austria, the conservative governing People’s Party was beaten by the far-right, pro-Russia Freedom Party in September, though other parties allied to keep it out of a coalition government. Nepotism and political dynasties continued to exert influence -– and to be challenged. After in February, Pakistan elected Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, younger brother of three-time leader Nawaz Sharif. Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s largest democracy, elected , son-in-law of the late dictator . Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the world’s longest-serving female leader, won in a January election that . Months later, her 15-year rule came to a tumultuous end: After mass student-led protests in which hundreds were killed, Hasina was ousted in August and fled to India. In Sri Lanka, voters also rejected a discredited old guard. Voters elected the Marxist as president in September, two years after an island-wide public movement by an engaged middle class removed the long-ruling Rajapaksa clan. Interference allegations Covert meddling and online disinformation were growing concerns in 2024. Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, said that this year it took down 20 election-related “covert influence operations around the world, including in the Middle East, Asia, Europe and the U.S.” It said Russia was the top source of such meddling, followed by Iran and China. In Romania, far-right candidate Călin Georgescu came from nowhere to win the first round of the presidential election in November, aided in part by a flood of TikTok videos promoting his campaign. Amid allegations of Russian meddling, Romania’s runoff two days before it was due to take place after a trove of declassified intelligence alleged Russia organized a sprawling campaign across social media to promote Georgescu. No date has yet been set for a rerun. Moldova’s won a November runoff against her Moscow-friendly rival in an election seen as pivotal to the future of one of Europe’s poorest nations. Georgia has seen huge protests since an election in October was won by the pro-Moscow Georgian Dream party, which suspended negotiations on joining the European Union. The opposition and the pro-Western president, Salome Zourabichvili, have accused the governing party of rigging the vote with Russia’s help. Uncertainty reigns Possibly the year’s most seismic result, in November’s U.S. presidential election, has America’s allies and opponents bracing for what the unpredictable “America-first” leader will do with his second term. And instability already reigns on several continents as the year ends. Venezuela has been in political crisis since a July election marred by serious fraud allegations which both President Nicolás Maduro and the opposition claim to have won. Amid opposition protests and a harsh crackdown, opposition candidate Edmundo González went into exile in Spain. In Mozambique, the Frelimo party that has ruled for half a century was declared the winner of an October election that the opposition called rigged. across the country South Korea’s conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol — weakened after the liberal opposition retained control in an April election -– astonished the country by declaring martial law in a late-night announcement on Dec. 3. Parliament voted to overturn the decision six hours later, and within days voted to impeach Yoon. The crisis in the deeply divided country is far from over. Democracy’s bumpy ride looks likely to continue in 2025, with embattled incumbents facing challenge in countries including Germany, where Chancellor lost a confidence vote on Dec. 16, triggering an early election likely in February. Canada will also vote in 2025, with the governing Liberals and increasingly divided after almost a decade in power. Seema Shah, head of democracy assessment at the Stockholm-based International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, said global surveys suggest support for the concept of democracy remains strong, but the numbers plummet “when you ask people how satisfied they are with their own democracy.” “People want democracy. They like the theory of it," she said. “But when they see it actually play out, it’s not living up to their expectations.” ___ Sheikh Saaliq in New Delhi, Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo and Gerald Imray in Cape Town, South Africa, contributed to this story.
Twelve electric rotors whirring, a van-size aircraft lifted vertically into a bright sky and cruised smoothly over an artichoke field. The 10-minute test flight in California, controlled from a nearby trailer, took Archer Aviation a small step closer to a future imagined for decades by dreamers, engineers and frustrated commuters: a time when it’s possible to soar over traffic in an air taxi. Archer is aiming to launch its first commercially operated flights with a pilot and passengers within a year in Abu Dhabi. Credit: Archer via AP Archer’s electrically powered mash-up of a helicopter and an aeroplane is among the first competitors seeking to earn certification to carry passengers under a category of aircraft envisioned under new rules by the US Federal Aviation Administration. Years after the world watched TV character George Jetson zip to work in his airborne cartoon commuter, the flying taxi may be on the cusp of reality. Archer is aiming to launch its first commercially operated flights with a pilot and passengers within a year in Abu Dhabi. A competitor, Joby Aviation, says it is aiming to launch passenger service in Dubai as soon as late 2025. Advancements in batteries and other technologies required for the futuristic tilt-rotor craft are moving so fast that they could soon move beyond the novelty stage and into broader commercial use in a matter of years. Both companies are laying plans to operate at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Loading “They have created these amazing new aircraft that really 10 or 15 years ago would’ve been unimaginable,” said Roger Connor, curator of the vertical flight collection at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum. “I think there’s something innately attractive about being able to leapfrog all of your terrestrial obstacles,” he said. “Who hasn’t wished that if you live in the suburbs that, you know, something could drop into your cul-de-sac and 15 minutes later you’re at the office.” Business success is by no means assured for these craft, called electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, or eVTOLs. Scaling the industry from a novelty ride for the wealthy to a broadly available commuter option would take billions more in start-up money, executives said, including building out a network of takeoff and landing areas (called vertiports) and charging stations.Trump vows to pursue executions after Biden commutes most of federal death row
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More night disruptions are scheduled for the M1 extension to Raymond Terrace project as work steams ahead on the major road project. Login or signup to continue reading The New England Highway eastbound off ramp to Anderson Drive and the John Renshaw Drive slip lane will be closed 7pm to 5am on December 2, 3 and 5. Work to install new traffic lights on Tomago Road and the Pacific Highway will also take place at the same times. Detours will be in place and over-size and special purpose vehicles will be escorted through the John Renshaw Drive closure. Intermittent stoppages and temporary speed reductions to 40km/h will also occur at the M1 at Beresfield and Black Hill, John Renshaw Drive at Beresfield, New England Highway at Tarro, Pacific Highway at Tomago and Heatherbrae and Old Punt Road near Pacific Highway at Tomago from 7pm to 5am December 2 to 6. Day work will also mean reduced speed limits are in place from 7am to 5pm on the same dates on Lenaghans Drive at Black Hill, Old Punt Road near Pacific Highway at Tomago and New England Highway Eastbound at Tarro. Night road closures have occurred for the past several weeks as part of the multi-billion dollar project. Major construction work will continue across the remainder of the project from 7am to 6pm Monday to Friday and Saturday from 8am to 5pm, as well as out of hours from 7pm to 5am Monday to Friday nights. The M1 Pacific Motorway extension to Raymond Terrace is expected to open in 2028. DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. Also includes evening update. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. WEEKLY Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. WEEKLY Get the latest property and development news here. WEEKLY Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. WEEKDAYS Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. WEEKLY Follow the Newcastle Knights in the NRL? Don't miss your weekly Knights update. TWICE WEEKLY Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday. WEEKLY Get news, reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert, ACM's exclusive motoring partner. TWICE WEEKLY Get real, Australia! Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over. AS IT HAPPENS Be the first to know when news breaks. DAILY Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! DAILY Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily!Broccoli and Stilton soup recipe will ‘boost your immunity’ with just 6 ingredients