AMERICA
US Homelessness, Election Trends, Canada-US Tariffs, and Mexico’s Grave Discovery
1. US Homelessness Hits Record High Amid Housing Crisis
According to a new HUD report, homelessness in the US increased by 18% in 2024, resulting in more than 771,000 individuals being affected. Most of this increase is due to a lack of affordable housing, inflation, and stagnant wages. The report also notes an alarming increase of 33% in the number of homeless children. Experts warn of the urgent need to change policy to deal with the impending crisis.
2. 2024 US Election Trends: Trump’s Resurgence and Voter Shifts
In the 2024 US presidential elections, Donald Trump had a marginal victory with 49.9 percentage points in votes out of 312 Electoral votes. Even after being accused of numerous crimes and trying to destabilize democracy, most voters still leaned economic rather than towards democracy. Changes in persuasion among Black and Latino men, coupled with increasing discontent on abortion and foreign policy (most especially as regards the US stance on Israel), indicated great changes in demographic composition. Although polarization remains at an all-time high, the extent to which these shifts will shape future US politics is yet to be determined.
3. Canadian Ministers Meet Trump Aides Over Tariffs
Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly and Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc are meeting with Trump advisers in Florida to talk over the 25% US tariffs on Canadian goods. The talks would primarily focus on the economic consequences of such tariffs and addressing Canada’s efforts against illegal drug trafficking and migration. The government of Trudeau prioritizes US-Canada relations amid intensified political scrutiny.
4. 12 Bodies Found in Clandestine Graves in Northern Mexico
Authorities in Chihuahua, Mexico, discovered 12 bodies in 11 graves in Ascension, close to the US border. The remains were found on December 18 and are presently being analyzed for identification and cause of death. The area has been plagued by violence as a result of organized crime and drug trafficking. Since 1952, Chihuahua has recorded nearly 4,000 missing persons, and over 120,000 people are missing across Mexico.
ASIA
South Korea’s Political Crisis and Economic Impact Amid Global Cultural Craze
1. South Korea’s Impeachment Crisis Deepens
Han Duck-soo, acting president of South Korea, has been impeached on December 27, 2024, because of his participation in the political mess that followed the event of President Yoon Suk Yeol. This happens to be the second in the series of impeachments in two weeks; thus, stirring the vibrant, yet shaky, politics of the nation. It has now been moved to the constitutional court, where the fate of Yoon lies hanging in the balance. Citizens, however, continue to live in anxiousness as the political crisis seems to unfold.
2. South Korea’s Impeachment Drama Continues
It is a unanimous vote that the South Korean constitutional court requires to impeach President Yoon because there are three vacancies in the court. The opposing parties in parliament have approved new nominees while the ruling party boycotted them. Acting President Han Duck-soo would not appoint the justices without bipartisan support which was the cause of his impeachment. Political crisis further deepens with the uncertainty on court decision.
3. South Korean Won Falls Amid Political Uncertainty
South Korea’s won couldn’t suffer more on the way down, as it traded at 1,475.4 per dollar, taking a 0.53 percent age drop just as the parliamentary vote was about to come up. Jae-hwan prognosis analyst Huh propounds that impeaching Han Duck-soo as acting president would drag political instability into the country. The market tumbled down because of the worries raised with the interim command of Choi Sang-mok indicating the possibility of entailing lasting disorder.
4. Pāua Pie Mania Sweeps New Zealand
A little café in New Zealand has made a big thing over its pāua (black foot abalone) pie, flaky pastry encasing a creamy spiced sauce. Now, this little-seen seafood delicacy has gained cult status, drawing large crowds to a tiny beach community. Its fame spreads further and more, and this café is going to be very famous.
MENA
Global Conflicts Escalate: Health Crises, Attacks, and Debates on Boxing
1. Should Boxing Be Banned?
The controversial sport continues to attract people into its fold but more importantly, is tantalizing with matches that have hundreds, if not millions, tuning in. Health experts, however, do assert that such sports have risks entailing predilection for concussions, traumatic brain injuries, and long-term brain injuries. Safety measures may be instituted, yet the sport in itself has the brutality that might question its future. Not that, boxing is popular and lucrative enough that banning should not even be an option.
2. Israeli Forces Attack Kamal Adwan Hospital in Gaza
Israeli armies storm ambiguously at the Kamal Adwan public hospital situated in the northern sector of Gaza and burned a significant portion of it, forcing evacuation of 350, including 75 patients. The hospital remained an isolated one and severed contact between staff and patients. The Israeli military claim that the hospital is an arm of a Hamas stronghold; this is mostly a pretext for attacks against these medical facilities. During the raid, five medical staff were said to have been killed.
3. Escalating Tensions: Israeli Attacks on Yemen and Houthi Missile Response
Israel has intensified the bombings on Yemen, targeting main infrastructures and facilities such as the major airport and port city. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that there are going to be more bombardments as the conflict escalates; in response, Houthi rebels fired a missile aimed at Tel Aviv. Such attacks have marked a significant escalation in hostilities between the two sides. These attacks only heighten concerns about the further deterioration in regional stability, with both sides not showing any signs of trying to de-escalate the situation at hand and growing fears of broader conflict in the Middle East.
4. Gaza Health Crisis Deepens Amid Israeli Attacks
The severity of extreme cold in Khan Younis, Gaza, claimed the life of yet another Palestinian health worker, and amid all these happenings, dire humanitarian conditions arise after more than a year of Israeli blockades. Four babies died recently of cold and malnutrition, living in tents without heaters. Millions of people have been displaced by the Israeli offensive that started in October 2023, and there are shortages of everything, including food, water, and medical aid. The number of dead in Gaza has already risen to more than 45,000, and humanitarian agencies have raised alarms over impending starvation.
EUROPE
International Tensions Rise: Espionage, Protests, Accountability, and Peace Talks
1. Russia Jails US Citizen for Biotechnology Espionage
Eugene Spector, a US citizen born in Russia, has been sentenced to 15 years in a Russian penal colony for leaking biotechnology secrets to the United States. Accused of acting on behalf of the Pentagon, he provided sensitive biotechnological data for genetic screening systems. This sentence adds to the existing conviction for bribery and comes at a time when relations between the US and Russia are strained because of the Ukraine conflict.
2. US Sanctions Bidzina Ivanishvili Amid Protests in Georgia
The US has announced us Sanction on Bidzian Ivanishvili, the ruling Georgian Dream founder, on charges of undermining his country’s democratic institutions and aligning with Russia. The protests were largely supported by demonstrations against the suspension of the accession talks with the European Union by the government. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken denounced Ivanishvili’s actions that upended public tranquility. Sanctions freeze his assets in the US and add to earlier penaties on Georgian officials connected with the crackdown on protests.
3. Serbian Students Demand Accountability for Novi Sad Tragedy
University students across Serbia have united to protest against government dynamics in the aftermath of a collapse of a concrete awning which killed at least 15 people on the Novi Sad train station on November 1. Beyond this, the tragedy has brought much attention to corrosive practices and shoddy construction. A weekly traffic blockade of 15 minutes is observed in memory of the victims; protests condemn the government of President Vučić. So far, 13 people have been arrested by prosecutors, but doubts about the investigation remain in the public arena.
4. Slovakia Offered as Neutral Site for Ukraine Peace Talks
Russian President Vladimir Putin extended an open invitation to Slovakia to host peace talks with Ukraine following the controversial Moscow visit of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico. Negotiations with Putin were preceded by Slovakia’s dependency on Russian gas and Kyiv’s refusal to extend transit contracts causing Fico’s diplomatic outreach with Moscow. The visit proved instigatory in Bratislava; detractors denounced it as betrayal against the EU and NATO unity. According to Putin, Slovakia’s stance on Ukraine is “neutral” and, therefore, acceptable for Moscow.
