AMERICA
Trump’s Threats, FAA Action, and Key US-Japan Decisions
1. FAA Lifts Groundstop on American Airlines Flights After Technical Issue
An American Airlines groundstop was lifted today after a brief technical failure halted all flights within the US. Christmas Eve holiday travel plans were ruined for millions of Americans who hoped to have a holiday getaway. Flights resumed after the groundstop lifted, and American Airlines has given assurance that safety takes precedence till the technical problem ends.
2. Trump Threatens to Regain Control of Panama Canal
President-elect Donald Trump has promised that the US will take back the Panama Canal, which was ceded to Panama in 1999, under treaty. He blasted the US for giving away the canal, then hinted that it should be returned to his country if “moral and legal” principles were not satisfied. Panama’s President, Jose Raul Mulino, rebuked Trump’s statements, emphasizing that the canal belonged to Panama. Trump had also raised issues over areas of the canal believed to be under operations of China.
3. Trump Vows to Expand Death Penalty in Second Term
President-elect Donald Trump promised further death penalty statutes for “rapists, murderers, and monsters” in his second term. This announcement comes in the heels of last President Biden’s conversion of sentences from death row to life imprisonment without parole. Trump had presided over the most federal executions in modern history during his first term: 13. The public sentiment is now that support for state-killing is declining, as seen by an increase in opposition to 43% in 2024.
4. US-Japan Steel Deal Faces Biden’s Final Decision
Nippon Steel’s $15 billion deal to acquire US Steel will finally boil down to a decision from US President Joe Biden. The government panel failed to reach a consensus on national security risks, thereby tossing up the decision on whether or not the deal should go forward. The two companies appear to favor the transaction, however opposition by labor unions and political figures to the deal is problematic. Biden, on the other hand, has got 15 days to decide with possible implications for US-Japan relations in which this decision will be playing out.
5. NASA Probe’s Historic Flyby of the Sun
NASA’s Parker Spacecraft will penetrate the Sun’s corona, the region around the sun where it begins to have a physical shape, creating history by flying into it closer than any anywhere else has so far had a human-made object fly. This spacecraft is going to fly 6.1 million kilometers from the Sun’s surface where its parameters expected by the mission will have endured extreme heat and speeds, with the fastest expected being 692,000 kilometers/hour. Its health will be confirmed by mission operators on Friday after the passing flyby event. This probe’s goal now will be breaking huge science ground to return data concerning the Sun.
ASIA
Bangladesh, Iran, Pakistan, and the Latest Regional Developments
1. Bangladesh Seeks LNG Cargo for January Delivery
Bangladesh’s Rupantarita Prakritik Gas Co Ltd (RPGCL) is on the lookout for an LNG cargo for delivery between January 30-31, as indicated in a tender document. This tender will be closed on December 29. RPGCL had recently issued tenders for LNG cargoes for delivery on January 5-6 and 16-17.
2. Bangladesh PM’s Son Denies Corruption Allegations in Nuclear Deal
Sajeeb Wazed, the son of deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, dismissed the allegations of corruption in the $12.65 billion Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant deal in 2015 as “falsehood” and part of a “smear campaign.” The Anti-Corruption Commission of Bangladesh is investigating illegal financial transactions involving the family and his offshore accounts. Wazed, who lives in the United States, denied the allegations, claiming they have no offshore accounts.
3. Iran Lifts Ban on WhatsApp and Google Play
Iran has lifted a ban on WhatsApp and Google Play, preparing the ground for a major adjustment in internet freedom. It is part of extensive changes in the country’s internet policies. The event is regarded as a watershed moment for freedoms online concerning the region since it might even prove a significant turning point for the country in this regard. It has a much larger footprint in shaping access to and censorship of the internet in Iran.
4. Pakistan to Acquire 40 Chinese J-35 Stealth Fighters
Pakistan is acquiring 40 Chinese J-35 stealth fighter jets, making it the first foreign country to receive this fifth-generation aircraft from China. The delivery of these aircraft to Pakistan will take place in the next two years and will significantly change the regional dynamics concerning India. The agreement followed high-level meetings between the Chinese military officials and their Pakistani counterparts in another aspect of the expanding defense tie-up.
MENA
Middle East Tensions: Syria, Iran, Israel, and War Crimes Investigations
1. Syria’s Rebel Factions Agree to Integrate Under Defence Ministry
While one of the leaders of a group that sided with the rebels stated that this has also been posted on the Syrian announcement of the de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, this decision followed a meeting with group leaders, which organized significant movement in the restructuring of Syria post-civil war. They are not being part of this merger with the Defence Ministry by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). This is construed as the biggest development since the evolution of the Assad regime.
2. Iran Suspends Flights to Syria Until Late January
Iran has announced suspension of all flights to Syria until January 22, 2025. This was due to a new leadership after the fall of Bashar al-Assad. According to the Iranian Civil Aviation Organization, the suspension is because the government’s new Syrian authorities cannot issue entry permits. Thousands of Iranians poured out from Syria following the takeover of this rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. Iranians travelling to Syria have received warnings from the Iranian government.
3. Israel Confirms Assassination of Hamas Leader Ismail Haniyeh
Israel’s Minister of Defence Israel Katz last summer confirmed the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, a defining moment in the alignment of the two. Katz similarly said similar would happen to the leadership of the Houthi rebel group in Yemen. This marks yet another point added to the ongoing tensions in the region.
4. Syria’s Authorities Open to Investigate Assad’s War Crimes
A new investigative team of the UN reported that authorities to the new Syria have been “very receptive” to probing crimes that are war. The International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism for Syria is getting prepared to mobilize in order for it to secure any present evidence. The emphasis by the team is about the need to collect records before they all are destroyed. This is about efforts in the direction of prosecution of genocide, crimes against humanity, and some war crimes influenced by the ongoing Syrian conflict.
EUROPE
Global Developments: Tragedy, Evacuations, Political Shifts, and International Influence
1. Worsbrough Crash: Man Dead, Toddler Critical
A 30-year-old man died, and a toddler is hospitalized after a car accident caused by a blue VW Polo on West Street in Barnsley last Sunday. The car collided with a wall and struck two pedestrians, a 56-year-old man who died at the scene and a one-year-old boy who was rushed to a “beginning hospital” with serious injuries. The case is being investigated by the police.
2. Eiffel Tower Evacuated Due to Technical Issue
An evacuation was ordered at the Tower of Eiffel in Paris on December 24, because of the ringing fire alarm followed by a technical fault involving short circuit in the elevator power rail. Emergency services then guided tourists to safety from the site and remained closed for investigations and maintenance. No fire was confirmed or danger presented to visitors.
3. Al-Assad’s Fall: A Major Blow to Russia’s Influence
Bashar al-Assad’s regime has already been invalidated in alleyways by Syrian rebels and the resistance of Ukraine against the overhead, indicating Russians’ declining regional power. Under Moscow, Assad went into exile, which indicates waning strength of Russia’s influence over Syria and the Middle East. According to Ukrainian officials, Russian military loses rooted in Ukraine are inclusive of the ones that cannot go further in supporting Assad. The collapse of a regime according to reports puts to doubt even the credibility of Russia among its allies.
4. Maia Sandu Sworn in for Second Term as Moldova’s President
Maia Sandu was sworn in new as President of the Republic of Moldova for her second term and promised to bring the country closer to the EU. In this spirit, she urged the European Union to support Moldova against Russian attempts during crises and emphasized Moldovan resilience. Sandu won over 55.03% in the elections that handed her victory in a runoff presidential contest against a Russia-friendly opponent. Moldova is now facing security threats, particularly from the Transnistria breakaway region which is backed by Russia.
