A prominent Iranian pop singer who made a song urging women to remove their headscarves said Wednesday that he was willing to pay "a price for freedom" after being flogged 74 times by the authorities as part of his sentence. In a defiant subsequent post, "The person who is not willing to pay a price for freedom, is not worthy of freedom."
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Germany holds elections on Sunday after its three-party "traffic light" coalition collapsed last year and could soon have a "black-red" government while a "Jamaica" or "blackberry" alliance is less likely. - Colourful coalitions - Scholz's collapsed red-yellow-green coalition was dubbed the "traffic light" government.
Kash Patel, Trump's nominee for FBI Director, faces scrutiny over his impartiality and past controversial actions, including criticism of the FBI and alleged protocol breaches. Democratic senators are expected to challenge his qualifications, while Republicans view him as essential for reforming the FBI.
Pope Francis inaugurated the Holy Year at Rome's main prison, spreading hope to inmates. He re-enacted the door-opening gesture performed at St. Peter's Basilica, marking the start of the Jubilee year, which occurs every 25 years and attracts millions of pilgrims. The 2025 Jubilee is dedicated to hope, with a special mass for inmates planned.
Tencent has begun trialing its own AI reasoning model, "Hunyuan Thinker," alongside DeepSeek’s R1 chatbot in its Yuanbao chatbot, aiming for more human-like responses. The move intensifies China’s AI race, with companies like Baidu and BYD also integrating DeepSeek. While gaining traction, DeepSeek faces global scrutiny over data privacy, with South Korea joining several countries in restricting its use pending security reviews.
Hundreds of Congolese nationals protested at the EU offices in Pretoria, South Africa, demanding sanctions against Rwanda for supporting rebel group M23 in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The group recently seized Goma, sparking a humanitarian crisis. Protesters criticized a minerals deal between the EU and Rwanda, accusing Brussels of fueling the conflict. They called for similar sanctions against Rwanda and President Kagame as those imposed on Russia.
Momodou Taal, an international graduate student at Cornell University, has filed a lawsuit to block two executive orders by Trump that could lead to his deportation for pro-Palestinian activism. Taal, along with other plaintiffs, argues the orders suppress their free speech rights.
Israel's cabinet voted against attorney general Gali Baharav-Miara following her opposition to the dismissal of Shin Bet head Ronen Bar. The High Court of Justice has temporarily blocked Bar's dismissal.
Rwandan-backed M23 held its first public meeting in Goma since seizing the city, as they advanced towards Bukavu. After capturing Goma, the M23 broke a ceasefire and took the South Kivu town of Nyabibwe. The conflict has killed at least 2,900 people, with fears of further escalation. The M23 is pushing towards Kavumu, the last barrier before Bukavu, intensifying the regional conflict over mineral-rich areas.
President-elect Trump voiced support for 45,000 dockworkers locked in a labor dispute over automation. He argued that the cost savings from automation don't justify the job losses. Trump urged foreign shipping companies benefiting from US markets to prioritize American workers over machinery, especially given their record profits.
The US is planning potential sanctions relief for Russia to rebuild diplomatic ties and resolve the Ukraine conflict. The White House has directed state and treasury departments to outline specific sanctions reductions targeting entities and individuals. This indicates a readiness for negotiation possibilities with Russia.