- Taiwan’s President to Rally Tiny Pacific Allies to Counter China The New York Times
- Taiwan’s president departs for Pacific visit with a two-day stop in the US. China isn’t happy The Hill
- China criticizes Taiwanese president's plan to stop in Hawaii and Guam during trip to South Pacific The Associated Press
- Ahead of Taiwan president's Hawaii trip, China says it will defeat secessionism Reuters
- China warns U.S. ahead of Taiwan president’s Hawaii visit Honolulu Star-Advertiser
What to know about the plastic pollution crisis as treaty talks conclude in South Korea – The Associated Press
- What to know about the plastic pollution crisis as treaty talks conclude in South Korea The Associated Press
- Limit on plastic production still under debate as treaty talks come to a close The Hill
- Saudi Arabia Leads Pushback Against Global Plastic Treaty The New York Times
- Can countries agree to "end the world's plastic pollution crisis"? CBS News
- EU won’t surrender to oil states in plastic treaty negotiations POLITICO Europe
Robert Sobukwe, the South African leader once as revered as Mandela
Born 100 years ago, Sobukwe was a titan of South Africa’s anti-apartheid struggle.
Kosovo PM blames Serbia for explosion at canal supplying power plants
Blast cuts off crucial water supplies to two plants, with fears much of the country could be left without power.
Pariah state North Korea warmly welcomes Russia’s defence minister – Euronews
- Pariah state North Korea warmly welcomes Russia's defence minister Euronews
- North Korea's Kim: Russia has right to exercise self defence against Ukraine Reuters
- Russian defense minister visits North Korea for talks with military and political leaders The Associated Press
- Ukraine war briefing: Russia says military ties with North Korea ‘actively expanding’ The Guardian
- Ukraine updates: North Korea vows support for Russia's war DW (English)
Cornish tourist spot unveils spider-related haiku spun by Simon Armitage
Work first in a series from poet laureate about wildlife that exists in the Lost Gardens of Heligan
A new haiku by the poet laureate Simon Armitage has appeared on a garden wall in Cornwall, the first of a series of pieces celebrating the creatures that make their home among the woods, meadows and ferns there.
Armitage’s haiku, Web, celebrates the silky but deadly threads that spiders “darn” in the hedges at the Lost Gardens of Heligan and was unveiled together with an illuminated 2-metre recreation of a walnut orb-weaver spider as part of a midwinter night trail.
Web can be seen at Heligan Night Garden, which is open on select dates, until 4 January and Dwell will be published by Faber.
Continue reading...North Korea’s Kim says Russia has right to self-defence against Ukraine
Pyongyang will 'invariably support' Russia 'to defend its sovereignty', Kim tells visiting Russian defence chief.
BBC reports from mass protest at ‘crucial moment for Georgia’
The BBC's Steve Rosenberg reports from the centre of Tbilisi, as pro-Eu protesters clash with police.
Most in Germany want Australia-style social media ban: poll – DW (English)
- Most in Germany want Australia-style social media ban: poll DW (English)
- Australia bans social media for everyone under 16 Fox Business
- Australian Parliament bans social media for under-16s with world-first law The Associated Press
- Australia PM Albanese says Musk pushing agenda for X in social media ban criticism Reuters
- Protecting children or government overreach? Western Pa. reaction mixed on Australian social media ban TribLIVE
Why has Palestinian Authority’s Mahmoud Abbas nominated a successor now?
Rawhi Fattouh has been named to take over as interim president if Abbas steps down due to ill health.
At least 27 dead after boat capsizes in Nigeria
Latest tragedy to hit busy waterways leaves more than 100 missing, with causes ranging from turbulence to age of vessel.
‘Historic step’: what the UK papers say after landmark vote on assisted dying
Newspapers across the board cover the historic vote prominently, but with some more enthused about the outcome than others
Front pages in the UK on Saturday were dominated by the step taken by MPs toward legalising assisted dying in England and Wales by backing a bill that would give some terminally ill people the right to end their own lives.
The Guardian splashed with the news, describing it as a “historic vote” that paves the way for assisted dying, along with a photo of emotional supporters of the bill embracing.
Continue reading...Bark detective: dog trained to sniff out UK tree disease
Six-year-old spanador called Ivor taught to identify tree fungal-like organism killing trees and shrubs around UK
Sniffer dogs are usually found looking for contraband at airports and train stations, but the UK government is now dispatching trained hounds to find forest-harming pests.
A dog has been used for the first time in the UK to successfully identify tree disease. Researchers from Forest Research used a trained spanador – a cocker spaniel labrador cross – to find the tree pathogen Phytophthora ramorum.
Continue reading...Landmark space mission set to create artificial solar eclipses using satellites
Two satellites in Proba-3 mission expected to be launched on Wednesday in India and will work in tandem to study sun’s corona
Final preparations have begun for a landmark space mission that will use satellites flying in close formation to create artificial solar eclipses high above the Earth.
The Proba-3 mission is the European Space Agency’s first attempt at precise formation flying in orbit and calls for two spacecraft to loop around the planet in an arrangement that never deviates by more than a millimetre, about the thickness of a human fingernail.
Continue reading...‘Why would we wait?’: Lebanon starts to rebuild as ceasefire takes effect
Residents of Nabatieh say they do not expect the government to help and have set to work clearing the rubble
For two months, the only sounds in Nabatieh were the buzzing of an Israeli drone overhead and the dull thump of distant airstrikes. The day after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah came into effect, the drone was gone and southern Lebanon’s second largest city was filled with the sound of hammering and the clang of excavator buckets lifting rubble from blocked streets.
“We started repairs this morning, why would we wait? We have to stand on our own two feet,” said Wafiq Jaber, the owner of al-Sharq sweet shop in Nabatieh, on Thursday. He had watched six weeks earlier on his wifi-enabled cameras as Israeli bombs fell on one building after another until suddenly the footage cut and he knew his shop had been hit.
Continue reading...South Korean Navy Seal Knocks Out Controversial American Streamer Johnny Somali – Yahoo Entertainment
- South Korean Navy Seal Knocks Out Controversial American Streamer Johnny Somali Yahoo Entertainment
- Johnny Somali in Korea: A complete timeline of the U.S. streamer’s antics The Korea JoongAng Daily
- Who is Dalgeun Yu? Former South Korean SEAL team member reportedly facing charges for punching Johnny Somali Sportskeeda
- Timeline of allegations against Johnny Somali explored as former Korean soldier Dalgeun Yu arrested after assaulting streamer Soap Central
- Former South Korean special forces soldier faces jail after knocking out streamer Johnny Somali UNILAD
Romania’s parliamentary vote risks being overshadowed by presidential race chaos – The Associated Press
- Romania’s parliamentary vote risks being overshadowed by presidential race chaos The Associated Press
- Romania's far right expected to make gains in parliamentary election Reuters
- Romania votes in parliamentary election amid claims of Russian interference The Guardian
- Romanians vote as far right and Russia loom large DW (English)
- Romania’s RFK Jr. is all about good food and helping farmers POLITICO Europe
Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,010
These were the key developments on the 1,010th day of the Russia-Ukraine war.
Australians abroad at growing risk of being detained and ‘used as pawns’ by rogue nations, inquiry warns
Special envoy needed to help free citizens subjected to ‘hostage diplomacy’ by authoritarian regimes, senate committee finds
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Australia needs a specialist envoy dedicated to freeing its citizens arbitrarily detained by rogue nations, a senate committee inquiry has recommended.
The practice of “hostage diplomacy” is an increasing threat, the senate committee found, and Australians should be specifically warned that authoritarian regimes in some countries – naming China, Russia, North Korea, Iran, Afghanistan, Mali and Myanmar – arbitrarily detain Australian citizens.
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Continue reading...Family ‘devastated’ after two found dead in ‘confronting scene’ in Sydney’s west
Bodies discovered on Saturday morning after police were called to shop on Oxford Street in Cambridge Park following reports of an assault
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New South Wales police are appealing for information after two people were found dead with “significant injuries” in Sydney’s west on Saturday morning.
Officers were called to a shop on Oxford Street in Cambridge Park, near Penrith, after reports of an assault at about 9.40am.
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