China expressed strong opposition to the new US tariffs, which include a 10 percent base tariff on global imports and an additional 34 per cent targeting China. Beijing condemned the move as violating international trade norms, harming global economic development, and destabilising supply chains. The Chinese commerce ministry urged Washington to cancel the tariffs.
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President Trump has appointed Sean Curran as the new director of the US Secret Service. Curran, who has protected Trump and his family, previously served as special agent in charge of Trump's security detail and was recently promoted to deputy special agent in charge of the Presidential Protective Detail.
Former Vikings punter Chris Kluwe was arrested in handcuffs after he protested the installation of a MAGA plaque at his local library. ​“MAGA is profoundly corrupt, unmistakably anti-democracy, and, most importantly, MAGA is explicitly a Nazi movement. You may have replaced a swastika with a red hat, but that is what it is,†Chris Kluwe said invoking both shock and applause from the residents.
Pope Francis sat out mass and his traditional Angelus prayer from hospital on Sunday, with a Vatican health official saying the 88-year-old pontiff needed to preserve his strength for the Church's busy Jubilee year. - Busy Jubilee year - The head of the health office for the Italian Bishops' Conference, Massimo Angelelli, told AFPTV it was "absolutely necessary for him to recover his strength" as "the Jubilee is still long."
A US biotech company successfully edited genes in mouse embryos to produce thick, woolly hair, marking a step towards creating a mammoth-like elephant. Colossal Biosciences aims to use similar modifications on endangered Asian elephants, sparking debates about the true impact of such de-extinction efforts.
President-elect Donald Trump provoked controversy by refusing to extend Christmas greetings to federal death-row inmates whose sentences were commuted by President Joe Biden. Trump harshly criticized the clemency decision, telling the inmates to 'GO TO HELL.' He also addressed international issues, targeting China, Canada, and promoting US interests in the Panama Canal and Greenland.
Md Nahid Islam, convenor of the Jatiya Nagorik Party (JNP), emphasized the need for a new constitution and governance structure to establish true democracy in Bangladesh. He highlighted JNP's aim to create a 'Second Republic' and the necessity of a new constituent assembly. JNP is focusing on expanding its grassroots presence and addressing accountability for past political killings.
The White House's sharing of a Ghibli-style image of convicted fentanyl trafficker Virginia Basora-Gonzalez ignited online debate. Basora-Gonzalez, arrested in March by ICE, was criticized and defended by different users, highlighting mixed sentiments towards the arrest and social media portrayal.
Trump's top executive orders to redefine US: Border walls, birthright citizenship and more
Belarus's authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko moved the 2025 presidential election to January to avoid protests, ensuring a likely seventh term. Lukashenko relies heavily on Russian support, hosting tactical nuclear weapons, and has harshly suppressed dissent, with many opponents jailed or exiled. The vote takes place amid fierce repression and fear.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged EU leaders to support a limited truce with Russia, focusing on air and sea warfare to test Moscow's willingness for peace. He proposed a halt to attacks on civilian infrastructure and the Black Sea, emphasizing Europe's involvement in any discussions affecting its security. This call follows tense US-Ukraine relations.