U.S. Increasingly Isolated Over Israel and Gaza After Leading on Ukraine (www.nytimes.com)
Seventy-one per cent of Gaza’s population experiences extreme hunger, Euro-Med Monitor study says (euromedmonitor.org)
Exclusive: Israeli Military Censor Bans Reporting on these 8 Subjects (theintercept.com)
TheIntercept.com
On Christmas Eve, Bethlehem resembles a ghost town. Celebrations are halted due to Israel-Hamas war (apnews.com)
The normally bustling biblical birthplace of Jesus resembled a ghost town on Sunday, as Christmas Eve celebrations in Bethlehem were called off due to the Israel-Hamas war....
Salt can’t halt China’s food security push as saline soils yield vast harvests (www.scmp.com)
Argentine government to bill protesters for security costs at anti-Milei march (www.telegraph.co.uk)
Blacklisted Chinese chipmaker SMIC is working on 3nm process technology despite US sanctions that limit access to advanced tools (www.tomshardware.com)
Shipping giant Maersk prepares to resume operations in Red Sea (www.reuters.com)
Moldova's pro-European president Sandu says she will seek second term By Reuters (www.investing.com)
Beijing Records Most Hours of Sub-Zero Temperatures in December Since 1951 (www.voanews.com)
BEIJING — China’s capital Beijing has broken its record for hours of sub-zero temperatures in December dating back to 1951, after a cold wave swept swathes of the country and brought blizzards in its wake, sending temperatures towards historic lows....
Polish farmers end blockade of Ukraine border crossing (www.theguardian.com)
Ukraine says movement of lorries restored after suspension of protest, but truckers’ blockades of three other crossings continue...
16 people killed in attack in Nigeria (www.reuters.com)
Iranian Authorities Seize Sakharov Prize Awarded To Honor Mahsa Amini, Rights Groups Say (www.rferl.org)
Iranian authorities have seized the prestigious Sakharov Prize that was awarded by the European Parliament to honor Mahsa Amini, whose September 2022 death in custody sparked nationwide anti-government protests and who came to symbolize battle for human rights for Iranian women....
Israel to withdraw ground troops from Gaza in ‘new phase’ of war (new.thecradle.co)
Presidents of Iran and Egypt vow to move towards détente (www.tehrantimes.com)
How Chinese carmakers are overtaking Japanese, European rivals in South African market (www.scmp.com)
National security: China warns military buffs not to photograph classified equipment (www.scmp.com)
Peace On Earth Begins in Palestine (peoplesworld.org)
[photo above] A woman puts her hand prints in green paint on a mural of the Palestinian flag during an event showing solidarity with the Palestinian people and calling for peace in Gaza in Havana, Cuba, Oct. 23, 2023. | Ramon Espinosa / AP
Revealed: how US residents are funding illegal settlements in the West Bank (www.theguardian.com)
Russia's economic growth to slow in 2024 as high interest rates linger, Reuters poll shows (www.reuters.com)
Interest rates seen ending 2024 at 12%...
Guyana: UK to send warship to South America amid Venezuela tensions (www.bbc.com)
It comes after neighbouring Venezuela renewed its claim for a disputed part of Guyanese territory that is rich in oil and minerals....
‘They can kill us’: Fear and Sikh resilience in Canada city amid India spat (www.aljazeera.com)
That need for the community to defend itself no longer feels like a hypothetical scenario in this fast-paced suburban city, which has the slogan: “The future lives here”. Not since the assassination of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey in June....
Chinese experts call for accountability over wildfire emissions, but US scientist says blame game ‘makes no sense’ (www.scmp.com)
Iran Summons Russian Envoy Over Statement on Persian Gulf Disputed Islands (www.voanews.com)
DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES — Iran summoned Russia’s charge d’affaires after Moscow and Arab countries released a joint statement earlier this week challenging Iran’s claim to disputed islands in the Persian Gulf, state media reported Sunday....
Bumpy recovery for Asia’s aviation sector as flight disruptions persist amid pilot shortage, supply chain woes (www.scmp.com)
