Iran rejects US and UK calls to end support for Houthi Red Sea attacks (www.theguardian.com)
Iran security chief praises ‘brave actions’ of Houthi rebels who have targeted Israeli-linked vessels in shipping lane...
South Korea's opposition chief stabbed in the neck, local media reports (www.cnbc.com)
South Korea’s opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung was stabbed in the neck during a visit to the southern port city of Busan on Tuesday, the Yonhap news agency reported....
Somaliland grants Ethiopia sea access in exchange for recognition – president (hornobserver.com)
HARGEISA (HORN OBSERVER) – Somaliland’s President, Muse Bihi Abdi, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali on Monday, granting Ethiopia a lease for a 20-kilometer sea base in the Red Sea....
Israel to pull some troops from Gaza as war enters new phase (www.reuters.com)
Iranian regime accused of raping and violating protesters as young as 12 (www.theguardian.com)
The report by Amnesty International is based on the testimonies of 12 women, 26 men, one girl and six boys who survived rape or other forms of sexual violence. Six survivors of rape were subjected to gang rapes by up to 10 male state agents, according to Amnesty.
Chinese military purge exposes weakness, could widen (www.reuters.com)
Separatist Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik vows to tear his country apart despite US warnings (apnews.com)
The Bosnian Serbs’ separatist leader vowed to carry on weakening his war-scarred country to the point where it will tear apart, despite a pledge by the United States to prevent such an outcome....
China deletes leaked stats showing plunging birth rate for 2023 (www.rfa.org)
While official figures won’t be confirmed until Jan. 17, the Mother and Infant Daily news service said 7.88 million babies were born across China 2023, 1.68 million fewer than in 2022.
China warns ‘military fans’ they could face prison for posting photos online (www.cnn.com)
In the age of open-source intelligence, one main way for Western experts to keep tabs on China’s military is by analyzing photos of new People’s Liberation Army equipment posted online by amateur enthusiasts....
Hamas, Islamic Jihad reject Gaza gov. overhaul for permanent ceasefire, Egyptian sources say (www.reuters.com)
Israel is taking scorched earth policy to a new level (www.aljazeera.com)
Phone, internet services cut off again across Gaza Strip (www.aa.com.tr)
UN resolution on Gaza aid criticised as ‘insufficient’, ‘meaningless’ (www.aljazeera.com)
Ukraine celebrates first Christmas on 25 December (www.bbc.com)
Many Ukrainian Orthodox Christians are preparing to celebrate Christmas on 25 December for the first time this year....
Polish president vows to veto spending bill in massive clash with new government (www.politico.eu)
On Wednesday, Poland’s new government moved to seize control of the country’s publicly owned television, radio and news agency from loyalists to the Law and Justice (PiS) party, which lost power following the October 15 parliamentary election. Duda was a PiS member and is still loyal to the party.
Polish minister ‘saw UK special forces operating in Ukraine’ (www.declassifieduk.org)
WSJ News Exclusive | How Putin’s Right-Hand Man Took Out Prigozhin (www.wsj.com)
Nikolai Patrushev, a top ally of the Russian leader for decades, put in motion the assassination of the mutinous chief of the Wagner mercenary group...
Container rates hit $10,000 as ocean freight inflation soars in Red Sea crisis (www.cnbc.com)
Angola leaves Opec oil cartel in output quota row (www.bbc.com)
5 million barrels of Russian oil on the way to India never arrived (markets.businessinsider.com)
Roughly five million barrels of Russian oil that was on the way to India never reached their destination, according to a Bloomberg report....
Zelensky: Military proposed to mobilize 450,000-500,000 soldiers (www.ukrinform.net)
War on Gaza: Important archaeological site 'mostly destroyed' by Israeli invasion (www.middleeasteye.net)
Islamic Jihad releases video of two Israeli hostages pleading for their release (www.reuters.com)
Nobel peace prize awarded to Barack Obama (www.theguardian.com)
US president in surprise win for ‘extraordinary efforts’ to improve world diplomacy and co-operation
Parliament winter session: India opposition fury as 141 MPs suspended (www.bbc.com)
On Monday, the opposition accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government of attacking democracy after a record 78 MPs were suspended in one day....
