North America
- Luigi Mangione, who was accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thomson earlier in the month, has four criminal charges filed against him, including one punishable by death (Dec 20). Luigi Mangione, who was accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thomson earlier in the month, has four criminal charges filed against him, including one punishable by death (Dec 20). This includes two counts of stalking, a firearms offense, and murder through use of a firearm, which then opens up the possibility of the death penalty. Mr Mangione arrived by helicopter in Manhattan on December 20 after being handed over from Pennsylvania. He was kept in handcuffs and was completely surrounded by officials and armed guards as he was led to the van that would take him to court
- suspects were caught on doorbell surveillance footage stealing a parcel off the front porch of a house in New Jersey (Dec 19). One suspect returned to the house, days later, to complain to the doorbell surveillance camera after the video of their theft appeared online when the victim posted it on a neighbouring monitoring app. The package consisted of four drinking glasses and baby items that costed about $74, according to the police in Gloucester Township, New Jersey. The suspect also returned one of the drinking glasses, which had already been broken.
- A 14-year-old teenage pupil and a teacher were shot dead and six others were injured at a Christian private school – by a 15-year-old shooter, who was identified as Natalie Rupnow (Dec 20). Natalie, was also a student at the school, who ultimately turned the gun on herself. Police in Wisconsin have reported that they received an emergency call from a second-grade teacher on the day of the shooting. The shooting took place in a study hall with students in mixed grades.
- US President-elect Donald Trump has consistently made jabs at Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, suggesting that Canada could become the “51st state” of the United States (Dec 19). He has been publicly calling Trudeau a “governor” and asserting that Canadians are eager to join their neighbour. This comes at a time of a tariff dispute and political turmoil in Canada. While such a scenario is highly unlikely, it does raise the question of whether Trump’s idea could ever become a reality.
- Canada’s Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland resigned from her post, due to disagreements with the Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on their response to the threat of tariffs from United States President Donald Trump (Dec 17). Trump announced a 25 percent tariff on Canada and Mexico border control and illegal drugs coming into the U.S. weren’t curtailed. She cited in her letter of resignation that the two had been “at odds about the best path forward for Canada”. Her resignation came hours before she was meant to provide an annual fiscal government update in parliament. Canada’s Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland resigned over disagreements with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on handling U.S. tariffs announced by President Trump. (Dec 17)
South America
- A tragic bus accident on the Fernao Dias national highway near Lajinha, Minas Gerais in Brazil, involving a bus and a truck, claimed the lives of at least 38 people last Saturday (Dec 21), making it Brazil’s worst highway accident since 2007. Reports indicate that a granite block from the truck struck the bus leading to a severe fire that complicated rescue efforts. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has called this a “terrible tragedy” and extended condolences and respect as authorities continue to support the affected families in this tragedy.
- A violent prison riot erupted in Villahermosa, Tabasco in Mexico leading to the deaths of seven inmates on Thursday (Dec 19). The riot began as state police attempted to transfer two high-risk inmates to a federal facility, sparking resistance from other prisoners armed with guns and knives. The confrontation left four police officers and six inmates injured. Fires and chaos ensued within the prison, and outside, anxious families demanded updates on their loved ones. Authorities later recovered an array of weapons, including an assault rifle and hand grenade.
- Scientists in Peru have discovered 27 new species, including an amphibious mouse and blob-headed fish in the Alto Mayo Area last Tuesday (Dec 18). Among them are a dwarf squirrel, eight fish species, three amphibians, and ten butterfly types. This region, a protected area with diverse ecosystems, faces environmental pressures from deforestation and agriculture despite its high conservation value.
- Around 700,000 Cubans, led by President Miguel Diaz-Canel and Raul Castro, protested outside the U.S. Embassy in Havana against the U.S. blockade and sanctions, calling them harmful to Cuba’s sovereignty and development (Dec 20). Approximately 700,000 Cubans gathered outside the U.S. Embassy in Havana to protest against the long-standing U.S. blockade of Cuba on Friday (Dec 20). Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, alongside former president Raul Castro, led the demonstration, vehemently criticising the US. for labeling Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism and for continuing stringent economic sanctions. Diaz-Canel called the measures “ruthless” and pledged resistance against any actions threatening Cuba’s sovereignty or socialist system. The protestors, including many healthcare workers, voiced their frustrations over the blockade’s impact on Cuba’s development and healthcare system.
- Around 700,000 Cubans, led by President Miguel Diaz-Canel and Raul Castro, protested outside the U.S. Embassy in Havana against the U.S. blockade and sanctions, calling them harmful to Cuba’s sovereignty and development (Dec 20). Approximately 700,000 Cubans gathered outside the U.S. Embassy in Havana to protest against the long-standing U.S. blockade of Cuba on Friday (Dec 20). Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, alongside former president Raul Castro, led the demonstration, vehemently criticising the US. for labeling Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism and for continuing stringent economic sanctions. Diaz-Canel called the measures “ruthless” and pledged resistance against any actions threatening Cuba’s sovereignty or socialist system. The protestors, including many healthcare workers, voiced their frustrations over the blockade’s impact on Cuba’s development and healthcare system.
Europe
- Eight Palestinian children arrived in Dublin to receive urgent medical treatment. (Dec 21) The children were evacuated from Gaza, accompanied by their carers and siblings. The children were evacuated from Gaza, accompanied by their carers and siblings. This was in response to Ireland’s plan to bring up to 30 children from Gaza for medical care this year. This plan was drawn out following a request form the World Health Organisation (WHO). Since then, the government has been working closely with the Irish Red Cross (IRC) and with the input of medical doctors. The Health minister recognises the “scale of horrific conflict by the Israeli military forces” and has agreed to provide not only translation services but appropriate psycho-social assessment for both patients and carers.
- France’s largest rape trial concluded with Dominique Pelicot sentenced to 20 years for drugging and abusing his ex-wife Gisèle Pelicot for a decade, alongside 50 others convicted on related charges. (Dec 19). 72-year-old Dominique Pelicot, ex-husband of Gisèle Pelicot, was sentenced to 20 years in jail for drugging, raping, and inviting strangers abuse her for nearly a decade. He was held on trial with 50 other men who were found guilty of at least one charge, despite their jailed time being less than what prosecutors demanded. This trial marks France’s largest ever rape trial.
- With the aid of Google Street View, images of a man – in Tanjueco, the northern province of Soria – loading a large white plastic bag into the boot of his car were found (Dec 18). These 360 degree images on the Google app allow users to see images of streets around the world. Fortunately, the street view camera captured the exact moment that the body of the victim was being kept in the trunk of his car, after which the dismembered remains were uncovered at a cemetery. The police are yet to arrest a suspect.
- Vladimir Putin, Russian president, said in his end-of-year conference on December 19, that Russia should have launched a full-scale invasion on Ukraine earlier and that they should have been better prepared before the invasion. With the hindsight that Putin has now, he said that there should have been “systemic preparation” for the 2022 invasion. The Russio-Ukrainian began in 2014, when Russian forces seized Crimea from Ukraine and then, eight years later when Peter tried to seize Kyiv. (Dec 19)
- The European Union’s executive has launched a formal investigation into TikTok over suspected foreign interference in Romania’s recent presidential election (Dec 16). The second-round vote was called off after intelligence documents revealed that 25,000 TikTok accounts were activated weeks before the first-round election. These accounts supported independent candidate Calin Georgescu, a far-right candidate who praised Russian President Vladimir Putin, despite denying being his fan. EU regulators will be investigating if TikTok’s advertising policies are in breach of the Digital Services Act (DSA).
Asia Pacific
- Malaysia will resume the search for flight MH370 with Ocean Infinity next year, 2025, exploring a new 15,000-square-kilometer area in the South Indian Ocean, nearly a decade after its 2014 disappearance. Malaysia has agreed to resume the hunt for flight MH370 last Friday (Dec 20), 10 years after the plane disappeared in 2014. After extensive negotiations with Texas-based marine robotics firm Ocean Infinity, the search has now expanded to continue into a new 15,000-square-kilometer (5,800-square-mile) site in the South Indian Ocean next year. The Boeing 777 plane vanished from radar shortly after taking off on March 8, 2014, following which, an expensive multinational search failed to turn up any clues, although debris washed ashore on the east African coast and Indian Ocean islands. A private search in 2018 by Ocean Infinity also found nothing.
- Thailand hosted regional talks on Myanmar’s civil war, involving neighboring countries, to address the ongoing violence since the 2021 coup and prevent further spillover into its borders. (Dec 19). Following a military coup that has divided the country into violence civil war since 2021, Bangkok – host to large-scale refugees from Myanmar – has led the two-day regional talks in an effort to curb further violence from spilling into Thailand’s borders. Thursday’s discussions were attended by foreign ministers and high-level representatives from Myanmar and its neighbors, Laos, China, India, Bangladesh and host Thailand.
- China’s Xi swears in the new leader of casino hub Macao, telling the city to diversify its economy. With the swearing in of the semi-autonomous region’s new Chief Executive, Sam Hou Fai coinciding with the 25th anniversary of its handover from Portugal to China in 1999, President Xi has stressed the need to diversify Macao’s economy, with its tourism-dependent economy and booming gambling hub vulnerable to any political or economic shocks. As its regional counterpart, Hong Kong, Macao’s unique political system has allowed it to become the only Chinese city where casino gambling is legal.
- South Korea’s acting president, Han Duck-soo, has vetoed several opposition-sponsored bills, intensifying domestic political tensions. This comes amid the country’s worst political crisis since the start of the Sixth Republic. Han has upheld his predecessor’s confrontational stance toward the opposition-controlled National Assembly. Among the vetoed legislation is the National Assembly Testimony Appraisal Act. This bill sought to strengthen lawmakers’ authority to summon individuals for parliamentary hearings and demand document submissions. It aimed to prevent individuals from refusing such requests by citing trade secrets or personal information. Meanwhile, impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol continues to defy the National Assembly by refusing to testify after his removal from office for declaring martial law during a prolonged political deadlock.
- Pakistan’s missile program is an ’emerging threat’, top US official says. A senior White House official has warned that Pakistan’s development of long-range ballistic missiles poses an emerging threat to the United States. Deputy National Security Adviser Jon Finer stated that Pakistan is advancing missile technologies capable of striking targets far beyond South Asia, potentially including the U.S. homeland. Finer’s remarks highlight concerns over Pakistan’s shifting nuclear and missile objectives, which have historically countered Indian aggression. The U.S. has imposed new sanctions on Pakistan’s ballistic missile program in response to these developments. Pakistan, however, maintains that its missile and nuclear programs are purely defensive and aimed at regional stability. U.S. officials have repeatedly raised concerns about the increasing power of Pakistan’s missile engines, which Islamabad has dismissed as biased. Relations between the two nations have soured amid a geopolitical realignment, and the U.S.’ withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
Middle East
- US scraps $10m bounty for arrest of Syria’s new leader Sharaa following extensive meetings with top-level U.S. officials last Friday (Dec 20). Assistant Secretary of State Barbara Leaf described her meeting with Sharaa in Damascus as “very productive” and said he appeared “pragmatic.” The U.S. delegation’s visit marks the first formal American diplomatic presence in Syria in over a decade, following the recent overthrow of Bashar al-Assad’s regime by HTS, which Washington still designates as a terrorist group. Discussions focused on U.S.-supported transition principles, regional developments, and efforts to combat IS, as well as seeking information on missing Americans, including journalist Austin Tice and psychotherapist Majd Kamalmaz.
- Gaza ceasefire talks between Hamas and Israel 90% complete, Palestinian official tells BBC (Dec 19). After a series of talks in October failed to produce a meaningful ceasefire to the bloody conflict that has killed thousands since October 7th, 2023, the re-engagement of the United States, Qatar and Egypt to mediate the negotiations has led to greater willingness from both Hamas and Israel for concessions. Although some issues over Israel’s continued military occupation remain, the potential three-stage ceasefire could mean the release of Israeli hostages, and resumption of aid into the battered Gaza.
- The Houthi movement, based in Yemen, is widely recognized as a terrorist organization by countries such as the United States, Saudi Arabia, and several other nations due to its violent tactics and attacks against civilians, including missile strikes on Israel. (Dec 21) A Houthi missile strike injures more than a dozen in Tel Aviv as a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas looms. The Yemen-based Houthis have continued missile strikes against Israel, with one missile striking a public park on Saturday (Dec 21). Despite the collapse of its allies in the region – including Hamas, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the Assad-led Syrian government – the Yemeni terrorist group have vowed to continue their attacks until the war in Gaza ends.
- Iran has suspended the “Hijab and Chastity Law” amid fears of renewed protests, following opposition from reformist leaders and caution after unrest sparked by Mahsa Amini’s 2022 death in custody.(Dec 20) Iran has suspended a controversial new dress code law amid concerns over potential nationwide protests against the regime. The controversial “Hijab and Chastity Law,” initially set to take effect on Friday (Dec 20), was halted by the National Security Council following opposition from key reformist leaders, including President Massoud Pezeshkian. While the Islamic Republic has long treated strict dress codes for women and girls as a national security priority, the 2022 protests ignited by the death of Mahsa “Zhina” Amini have caused top officials to reconsider further crackdowns. Amini, a young Kurdish woman, died in police custody after being detained for allegedly violating the dress code, fueling widespread unrest and heightened caution within the government.
Africa
- Tragic events occurred in Nigeria where 13 individuals, including four children, lost their lives in two separate stampedes at charity events last Saturday (Dec 21). In the capital, Abuja, a charity distribution by the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama district turned fatal when ten people were killed as they scrambled to receive food and clothing. The incident occurred early in the morning, leaving several others injured. Meanwhile, in Okija, Anambra State, three fatalities were reported at an event organized by a local philanthropist, where crowds surged even before the event commenced. Three incidents have primarily affected women and children, exacerbating the grief in communities already strained by Nigeria’s economic challenges.
- Twenty migrants lost their lives in a shipwreck off Tunisia’s coast near Sfax, during an attempt to reach Europe last Wednesday (Dec 18). The tragic incident occurred 15 miles offshore, a common launching point for Italy-bound migrants. The Tunisian National Guard reported that while they managed to rescue five people, they also retrieved the bodies of twenty. Despite increased maritime security measures in collaboration with European nations, such tragedies persist, underscoring the dangerous conditions on these migration routes. The UNHCR reports that over 1,100 deaths or disappearances have occurred this year in the central Mediterranean.
- French President Emmanuel Macron affirmed France’s support for Ethiopia’s bid to gain sea access during his visit to Addis Ababa on Saturday (Dec 21). His endorsement came during discussions with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and underscores a commitment to international laws and respect for neighboring nations. Their talks followed the Ankara Declaration setting the stage for negotiation on Ehtiopia’s sea access starting in February.
- Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dabaiba expressed strong opposition to Russia’s attempt to strengthen its military bases in eastern Libya last Friday (Dec 20). He stressed that Libya should not be used as a ground for international power struggles. This declaration follows Russia’s move to shift military equipment from Syria to Libya after the downfall of assad. Dababiba has been in contact with the Russian ambassador, demanding an explanation and emphasizing that such military expansions could worsen Libya’s ongoing instability.
- Contaminated water at Lake Chivero near Harare, Zimbabwe, led to the deaths of four rhinos and other wildlife due to bacteria, highlighting severe pollution from untreated sewage discharge. (Dec 18) This tragedy was confirmed after animals consumed water polluted with bacteria. The incident exhibits a severe pollution issue with Harare discharging about 210 megaliters of untreated sewage daily. Local authorities are calling for comprehensive solutions to prevent further environmental and public health issues and risks.
