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Severe forest fires are raging in Los Angeles, forcing more than 30,000 people to evacuate. The “Palisades Fire” has already burned 2,921 acres (1,182 hectares) of land between Santa Monica and Malibu, while the “Eaton Fire” near Pasadena grew to 400 acres (162 hectares) within a few hours. A third fire, the Hurst Fire in Sylmar, also led to evacuations. Injuries, including firefighters, were reported. The fires are destroying homes and threatening important facilities such as the Getty Villa Museum. Strong winds, drought and low humidity are making firefighting efforts difficult. Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency, while President Biden offered support. Traffic chaos and the danger to residents, including celebrities, are making the evacuation more difficult.

A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Tibet, killing at least 126 people and destroying over 3,600 homes. Over 30,000 people have been relocated while rescue teams continue to search for missing people. Temperatures as low as -18°C are making the situation more difficult. International sympathy has been expressed.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is facing a new attempt to arrest him for sedition after he unsuccessfully tried to impose martial law on December 3. Supporters and opponents demonstrate in front of his heavily secured residence. The arrest warrant was issued again, but the presidential guard blocked access. The authorities are considering the deployment of special forces, while the safety of citizens is a priority. Yoon denies the allegations and describes the investigation as unlawful.

Donald Trump, the soon-to-be US president, refused to rule out military or economic measures to acquire the Panama Canal and Greenland. He called these regions crucial to the economic security of the USA. He also hinted at turning Canada into a US state and called for increased defense spending by NATO countries (5% of GDP). Canada's and Denmark's governments sharply rejected these plans. Trump's expansive agenda and his demands have triggered diplomatic tensions.

Iran is trying to recover around 25 million barrels of oil worth 1.7 billion dollars from China, which have been stuck in Chinese ports since 2018 due to US sanctions. These were imposed under Donald Trump, who will take office again on January 20, 2025 and is expected to tighten the sanctions. The Iranian oil is stored in the ports of Dalian and Zhoushan, but high storage costs (over 450 million dollars) and outstanding payments are making it difficult to release it. Iran hopes to find a solution through diplomatic negotiations with China before new restrictions make sales even more difficult.

BYD is under pressure in Brazil after 163 Chinese workers were discovered working in “slave-like conditions”. In total, the company had brought 500 workers into the country on irregular visas. BYD is committed to adjusting working conditions while investigations continue. The allegations are straining relations between Brazil and China and jeopardizing BYD's global expansion plans.

German industrial orders and retail sales fell unexpectedly in November, reinforcing recession fears. Industrial orders fell by 5.4%, while analysts had expected stagnation. The transportation sector was hit particularly hard with a fall of 58.4%. Retail sales fell by 0.6%, despite the hoped-for boost from Black Friday. Analysts are forecasting weak development in the German economy, while political uncertainty and inflation are weighing on consumer spending.

On January 7, the last respects were paid to the late former US President Jimmy Carter at the Capitol in Washington, DC. Politicians from both parties paid tribute to Carter, who will be remembered as the 39th president and a committed humanitarian. Vice President Kamala Harris emphasized his modesty and merits. Carter's coffin was taken in a solemn procession to the Capitol Rotunda, where it will lie in state until Thursday. Carter, who was president from 1977 to 1981, died on December 29 at the age of 100. The state funeral will be followed by a memorial service at Washington National Cathedral on Thursday before Carter is buried in his hometown of Plains, Georgia.

Donald Trump's demand that NATO countries spend 5% of their gross domestic product on defense in future has met with cross-party rejection in Germany. Politicians such as Marcus Faber (FDP) and Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (FDP) consider the amount to be too high, but emphasize the need to agree on a realistic target that goes beyond the 2% target. Friedrich Merz (CDU) considers the percentage share to be less important than the actual expansion of the Bundeswehr. The debate on the size of the defense budget is also being initiated by Green Party politician Robert Habeck, who is calling for an increase to 3.5% of GDP in order to guarantee Germany's security.

Following the resignation of Chancellor Karl Nehammer, Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg will temporarily take over the leadership of the Austrian government. Federal President Van der Bellen appointed the 55-year-old ÖVP politician as interim chancellor. The right-wing populist FPÖ was tasked with forming a new government after negotiations between the ÖVP and other parties failed. FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl will now explore a possible coalition in talks with the ÖVP.

The death of Jean-Marie Le Pen, founder of the far-right Front National, sparked celebrations in France, particularly in Paris and other cities. The left-wing party Nouveau Parti Anticapitaliste organized the celebrations. Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau criticized the behaviour as “disgraceful”. Le Pen founded the party in 1972 and was often in the headlines for his provocative statements. President Macron described him as a historical figure of the far right.

More than 1,000 Mussolini supporters gathered at a rally in Rome and showed the fascist salute. The event commemorated the shooting of three neo-fascists in front of the former headquarters of the Movimento Sociale Italiano (MSI) on January 7, 1978. Despite the “saluto romano” being banned in Italy, the salute was repeated at the event. The police announced that they would identify the participants. Giorgia Meloni's ruling party, Fratelli d'Italia, has historical links to the MSI.

Donald Trump caused a stir at a press conference with a number of controversial statements. He announced a “golden age” for the USA and called on NATO countries to spend five percent of their GDP on defense. He also did not rule out using the US military to take control of the Panama Canal and Greenland and urged that the Gulf of Mexico be renamed the “Gulf of America”. Trump also announced that he would consider major pardons for Capitol Storm supporters and criticized environmental regulations on water conservation measures.

According to the report, the agricultural unions are calling for measures whose implementation is being delayed by the political instability caused by the dissolution of the National Assembly and the censorship of Michel Barnier's government.  The unions' demands also include a stop to the excessive transposition of standards and an improvement in import controls.

Hostage-taking in Rimbach: Bank employee freed unharmed A dramatic hostage-taking took place at a Volksbank branch in Rimbach, Hesse, on Tuesday morning.

Israel should prepare for a possible war with Turkey, warns the Nagel Committee. The Nagel Committee formed by the Israeli government has issued an urgent warning about the growing danger of a direct conflict with Turkey.  The report describes Turkey's attempt to re-establish influence over territories lost to the Ottomans as a major threat, possibly even more dangerous than the challenges posed by Iran. It also warns that Turkey could use Syrian forces as a proxy to foment instability in the region.

The Moldovan Prime Minister emphasized that the country's authorities are not giving up on the goal of fully reintegrating Transnistria. However, in his opinion, this plan should begin with the withdrawal of Russian troops illegally stationed in the region.

Donald Trump retracts his claim that he will end Russia's war against Ukraine within 24 hours of taking office. He now hopes to try to end the war against Ukraine within six months.

NATO countries are preparing to fight Russia in the Arctic, writes The Sun. Finland has signed an agreement with the US that allows US troops access to Finnish bases near Russia's borders.  However, there is a problem: the troops of the alliance's member states, unlike Russia's troops, are not able to operate permanently in harsh climatic conditions. NATO soldiers will simply not be able to survive long enough to make it to the first battle, experts say.

Congresswoman Taylor Greene has introduced a resolution calling for the Gulf of Mexico to be renamed the “Gulf of America”.  If passed, the Gulf would be renamed on all federal maps and documents within 180 days. Previously, Trump had stated during an open press conference at Mar-a-Lago that he would like to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the “American Gulf”.

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• Ireland: Large budget surplus due to Apple back taxes (ITR)
• NVIDIA: Unveils desk-sized AI supercomputer (TV)
• Mark Zuckerberg: Ends content moderation on Facebook and Insta (SPG)