World News

Israel and Hamas have agreed to a deal to halt the war in Gaza and free the remaining hostages, raising hopes of an end to the bloodiest round of fighting in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict’s history. The multiphase agreement comes days before Donald Trump takes office as US president. Trump’s warning that there would be “all hell to pay” if the hostages were not released before his inauguration on Monday helped inject renewed momentum into the long-stalled talks. A person close to the talks said a deal had been done. Previous attempts to broker a deal to end the 15-month conflict and secure the release of the 98 Israeli hostages still in Gaza — not all of whom are alive — had repeatedly foundered as Israel and Hamas refused to make the concessions necessary to reach an agreement. © Amir Cohen/Reuters The war was triggered by Hamas’s shock assault on Israel on October 7, 2023, during which militants killed 1,200 people, according to Israeli officials, and took another 250 hostage. Israel’s devastating retaliatory offensive has killed more than 46,000 people, according to Palestinian officials, as well as reducing much of Gaza, and fuelling a humanitarian catastrophe in the besieged enclave. This is a developing story

Summary

North Korean soldiers supporting Russia in its war with Ukraine are reportedly using suicide tactics to avoid capture, as seen in a recent incident where a soldier detonated a grenade during a Ukrainian operation.

Ukraine claims North Korea has deployed 11,000 troops, with over 3,000 killed or injured.

Defectors and analysts suggest these soldiers are brainwashed into sacrificing themselves for Kim Jong Un and fear being labeled traitors if captured.

Kyiv has offered to exchange captured North Korean soldiers for Ukrainians held in Russia.

Experts warn this deployment may enhance North Korea's future military capabilities.

Summary

Advisers to Donald Trump acknowledge that resolving the Ukraine war could take months, contradicting Trump's campaign pledge of a "Day One" peace deal.

Trump's incoming envoy, Keith Kellogg, suggested a 100-day target, but analysts consider even that timeline overly optimistic.

Russia has shown limited interest in proposed peace plans, and Trump's team is contemplating freezing battle lines and offering Ukraine security guarantees.

Progress has been slow, hampered by diplomatic complexities and legal concerns, such as Kellogg postponing a pre-inauguration Kyiv visit due to the Logan Act.

The number of cocaine users in France has nearly doubled to 1.1 million, with employees increasingly using the drug to cope with workplace pressures, a government report revealed on Wednesday.

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Five people were shot dead in Huitzilac, Mexico, while campaigning for local positions managing communal resources.

The attack occurred on the same street as another deadly shooting eight months prior, highlighting the town’s security concerns.

Meanwhile, body parts were discovered in Tabasco, adding to the escalating violence in the region.

Summary

China, dominating 50% of the global EV market, is leveraging its rapid electric vehicle (EV) export expansion to reshape global geopolitics.

With Chinese EV brands like BYD spreading worldwide, this transition parallels how U.S. oil dominance defined the 20th century.

As EVs reduce reliance on oil, the U.S.’s geopolitical influence tied to oil diminishes, while China’s role grows.

Widespread adoption of Chinese EVs could shift global alliances, granting China greater economic and political sway as energy independence weakens traditional oil-powered systems of control.

Women with little formal education trained to become solar technicians, transforming villages and tackling patriarchal norms

Summary

Germany's GDP contracted by 0.2% in 2024, marking the second consecutive year of economic decline after a 0.3% drop in 2023.

The economy has been hit by a cost of living crisis, driven by high energy prices following the loss of Russian gas supplies, inflation, and reduced export demand, especially from key markets like China.

Political instability has worsened the situation, with Chancellor Olaf Scholz's coalition collapsing in November over disagreements on debt policies, triggering snap elections amidst economic uncertainty.

South Korean authorities detained impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol early Wednesday, the country’s anti-corruption agency announced, following a tense, five-hour standoff at his heavily guarded mountain compound in Seoul.

But like TikTok, there have also been reports of censorship on RedNote when it comes to criticism of the Chinese government.

In Taiwan, public officials are restricted from using RedNote due to alleged security risks of Chinese software.

As more US users joined RedNote, some Chinese users have also jokingly referred to themselves as "Chinese spies", a reference to US officials' concerns that TikTok could be used by China as a tool for spying and political manipulation.

RedNote's Chinese name, Xiaohongshu, translates to Little Red Book, but the app says it is not a reference to Chinese communist leader Mao Zedong's book of quotations with the same name.

But security concerns have not deterred users from flocking to RedNote.

Sarah Fotheringham, a 37-year-old school canteen worker in Utah, says the move to RedNote is a way to "snub" the government.

"I'm just a simple person living a simple life," Ms Fotheringham told the BBC in a RedNote message.

"I don't have anything that China doesn't, and if they want my data that bad they can have it."

Marcus Robinson, a fashion designer in Virginia, said he created his RedNote account over the weekend to share his clothing brand and "be ahead of the curve".

Mr Robinson told the BBC he was was only "slightly hesitant" about accepting the terms and conditions of using the app, which were written in Mandarin.

"I wasn't able to actually read them so that was a little concerning to me," he said, "but I took my chance."

Summary

Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was detained following a large-scale law enforcement operation at his presidential residence.

Yoon, who declared martial law on Dec. 3 to counter an "anti-state" opposition, had defied multiple summons for questioning.

Law enforcement overcame barricades and resistance from Yoon's security service, detaining him under accusations of rebellion.

The liberal opposition supports his arrest, while Yoon's party calls it unlawful.

Yoon’s impeachment awaits a Constitutional Court ruling, which will decide whether he is formally removed or reinstated.

Summary

Ukraine launched its largest attack of the war, hitting targets up to 1,100 km into Russia, including ammunition depots, chemical plants, and industrial sites.

Strikes disrupted Russian infrastructure, with airports closed, schools shuttered, and drone damage reported in Saratov, Bryansk, and Tula regions.

Ukraine's attacks aim to hinder Russia's war capacity amid growing frontline challenges and troop shortages.

Russia claimed to intercept Western-made missiles and vowed retaliation.

Summary

The Philippines accused China of escalating aggression in the South China Sea after a Chinese coast guard vessel patrolled near Scarborough Shoal and approached 77 nautical miles from the Philippine coast.

The Philippines denounced this as an "unacceptable" provocation, with officials vowing not to back down and warning of possible new international legal action.

China defended its actions as lawful and warned against further "provocation."

Manila has strengthened alliances with countries like Japan to counter China's defiance of the 2016 Hague ruling invalidating its territorial claims.

Summary

A 24-country poll by the European Council on Foreign Relations shows European allies overwhelmingly oppose Donald Trump’s return to the White House, citing concerns for global peace.

Conversely, countries like India, China, Russia, and Brazil largely welcome a Trump 2.0 presidency, with many seeing him as committed to ending wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.

The survey reflects shifting global power dynamics, a weakening "Western alliance," and growing influence of transactional politics.

cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/52630161

Summary

Simon Vickers, 50, is on trial for the fatal stabbing of his 14-year-old daughter, Scarlett Vickers, during a kitchen play-fight at their Darlington home in July.

The court heard the family was throwing food and utensils while making dinner, and Vickers claims Scarlett accidentally impaled herself on a knife he was holding.

Prosecutors argue the wound was too deep to be accidental, alleging deliberate action.

Vickers denies murder and manslaughter, describing the incident as a tragic accident.

Summary

Norway leads the world in electric vehicle (EV) adoption, with EVs making up nearly 90% of new car sales in 2024 and over 30% of all cars on its roads.

This shift, driven by decades of policies like tax exemptions for EVs, higher taxes on fossil fuel cars, and perks like free parking, has put Norway on track to phase out new fossil fuel car sales by 2025.

The country's wealth, renewable hydroelectric power, and extensive charging network have enabled its EV revolution, serving as a model for other nations.