News from January 3, 2025 at 2 PM

On the morning of January 1, a deliberate vehicle attack occurred in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, resulting in at least 15 deaths and over 30 injuries. The suspect was shot dead. Hours later, a Tesla pickup truck exploded outside the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, killing one person and injuring seven others lightly. Police found explosives and fireworks launchers. Both incidents involved vehicles rented from the same rental platform. The FBI is investigating the New Orleans incident as an act of terrorism, and President Biden stated that the Justice Department is examining any links between the two incidents. The suspect in the New Orleans attack is suspected of being influenced by ISIS. The incidents have sparked concerns about the security situation in the US.

Earlier on Friday, Yonhap reported that the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials sent its officers to the presidential residence to execute an arrest warrant for South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol. However, South Korean soldiers from the Capital Defense Command and the presidential security service prevented investigators and police officers from entering and searching the residence. After more than five hours of standoff, South Korean investigators decided to temporarily halt the execution of the arrest warrant. A decision on further actions regarding Yoon's arrest will be made after reviewing today's events. No one has been arrested yet for obstructing law enforcement officers. The arrest warrant for Yoon remains valid until January 6.

Hospital staff in the Gaza Strip reported that at least 30 people, including children, were killed in Israeli strikes overnight and into Friday morning. The strikes hit various locations in Central Gaza, including Nuseirat, Zawaida, Maghazi, and Deir al Balah. Dozens were also killed the previous day, bringing the total death toll in the past 24 hours to 56. The Israeli army did not comment on the latest strikes but stated it had targeted Hamas gathering points and command centers, taking measures to mitigate civilian harm. Thursday's strikes hit Hamas security officers and an Israeli-declared humanitarian zone, killing freelance journalist Omar al-Derawi. Early Friday, Israel faced missile attacks from Yemen, triggering air raid sirens but causing no immediate injuries. Ceasefire talks, stalled for 15 months since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, were set to resume, with an Israeli delegation authorized by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu heading to Qatar for negotiations. Israel's offensive has killed over 45,500 Palestinians in Gaza, with women and children comprising more than half of the fatalities.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico stated that Ukraine's halt of Russian gas transit was an act of 'sabotage by Zelensky.' The Slovak government will discuss the issue next Tuesday in Brussels and consider retaliatory measures. Fico mentioned that his party, Direction - Social Democracy, is ready to negotiate within the coalition to stop electricity supply to Ukraine and significantly reduce support for Ukrainian citizens in Slovakia. On January 1, the transit of Russian gas to Europe through Ukraine was completely halted due to Kiev's refusal to extend the agreement. Earlier, Gazprom said that Ukraine's refusal deprived the Russian company of the technical and legal opportunities to use this gas supply route. European gas transportation operators have confirmed the end of supplies to Austria, Italy, Moldova, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic via this route.

US President Joe Biden officially decided on January 3 to block Nippon Steel's proposed $14.9 billion acquisition of US Steel, ending a long-running and contentious merger plan. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States had referred the decision to approve or block the deal to Biden. Despite opposition from some senior advisers concerned about potential damage to US-Japan relations, Biden proceeded with the veto. Nippon Steel had paid a significant premium to acquire the second-largest US steel producer in a December 2023 auction, but faced resistance from the powerful United Steelworkers union and politicians. Biden has expressed his desire for US Steel to remain domestically owned and operated, while President-elect Donald Trump vowed to block the deal upon taking office on January 20. Despite this, US Steel shareholders overwhelmingly approved the acquisition in April last year. The two companies had attempted to address concerns, with Nippon Steel offering to relocate its US headquarters to Pittsburgh and promising to honor all agreements between US Steel and the USW. This week, a source revealed that Nippon Steel had also proposed giving the US government veto power over any potential cuts to US Steel's production capacity. Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba had urged Biden to approve the merger to avoid undermining recent efforts to strengthen ties between the two key allies. Japan's stock market was closed for a public holiday on January 3, while US Steel shares closed down 4.1% on January 2.

On January 2nd, the Muan Police Department in South Korea began investigating parties related to the Muan Airport plane crash, establishing a special investigation unit on suspicion of occupational negligence resulting in death. The police are obtaining data on the compliance of runway beacon stations, communication contents between the control tower and pilots, and aircraft maintenance records. The cockpit voice recorder data from the crashed plane has been converted into audio files, while the flight data recorder will be sent to the U.S. for analysis. In the afternoon of the 2nd, the wreckage of the crashed plane caught fire again, but was quickly extinguished by firefighters, with no casualties. The Korean police have issued travel bans on Jeju Air's representative director Kim Ripyeong and another senior executive, to further investigate those responsible for the accident.

On January 3rd local time, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot arrived in Damascus, Syria. He will meet with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and the leader of the Syrian 'Sham Liberation Organization,' Ahmad al-Shara. The French Foreign Ministry stated that this marks the first visit by senior government ministers from major Western countries to Syria since the end of the Assad regime. The meeting is highly anticipated, signaling a potential shift in relations between Western nations and Syria. Discussions are expected to cover regional security and political situations. Specific outcomes of the visit have not yet been disclosed but are seen as a significant diplomatic breakthrough.

On January 3, a mixed-use building in Seongnam City, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, caught fire, originating from a restaurant kitchen on the first floor. The building, which has five underground and eight above-ground floors, was engulfed in smoke. The fire department responded promptly, and the fire has been initially extinguished. Dozens of people have been rescued or self-evacuated, but the exact number of casualties remains unconfirmed. Media outlets including Yonhap News Agency and YTN TV reported the incident, with footage showing firefighters in operation at the scene.

On Thursday, a small plane crashed through the roof of a furniture manufacturing building in Fullerton, California, killing two people and injuring 19. The deceased were believed to be on the plane, while the injured were inside the building. Eleven people were hospitalized, and eight were treated and released at the scene. The plane crashed less than two minutes after taking off from Fullerton Municipal Airport. Security footage showed the plane tilting as it dove into the building, causing an explosion and black smoke. Firefighters and police responded, battling the blaze and evacuating nearby businesses. The pilot had reported an emergency landing to air traffic control, but the specific issue with the plane remained unclear. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the accident. The Fullerton City Council called the crash a 'solemn tragedy,' with the mayor pledging support for those affected and efforts to uncover the incident's details.

On January 3, 2025, Russia launched an overnight drone attack on Ukraine, resulting in the death of one civilian and injuries to four others in the Kyiv region. The Ukrainian air force reported that 60 out of 93 Russian drones were shot down, while 26 drones were 'lost' due to Ukraine's use of electronic warfare. Mykola Kalashnyk, acting governor of the Kyiv region, stated that a truck driver was killed by drone debris, which also damaged several private houses and injured four people, including a 16-year-old boy. The military said that Russian drones targeted nine Ukrainian regions, causing damage to residential and commercial buildings in the Donetsk region in the east and the Chernihiv region in the north.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Donald Trump's unpredictability could influence Russia and help end the Russia-Ukraine war. He hopes the Trump administration will soon engage with Russia but emphasizes that any peace plan must fully consider Ukraine's position. In an interview, Zelensky said Trump could play a decisive role in stopping Vladimir Putin. Trump vowed to quickly end the war, but Kyiv fears it might mean territorial concessions. Zelensky has been trying to establish contact with Trump's team, worried about reduced U.S. aid. He stressed the need for security guarantees for Ukraine, including EU membership and NATO invitation, which Moscow strongly opposes. Currently, Russian forces are advancing in the eastern front, while Ukrainian troops conducted precision strikes and still control parts of the territory.

The Palestinian Authority temporarily suspended the broadcast of Qatar's Al Jazeera TV over 'inciting material,' as reported by the Palestinian official news agency WAFA. A ministerial committee comprising the culture, interior, and communications ministries decided to halt the broadcaster's operations, citing content that was 'inciting, deceptive, and stirring strife.' The decision is not expected to be enforced in Hamas-controlled Gaza, where the Palestinian Authority lacks power. Last week, Al Jazeera faced criticism from the Palestinian Authority for its coverage of the weeks-long standoff between Palestinian security forces and militants in the Jenin camp in the occupied West Bank. Fatah, the faction controlling the Palestinian Authority, accused the broadcaster of sowing division in 'our Arab homeland in general and in Palestine in particular,' urging Palestinians not to cooperate with the network. In September, Israeli forces issued a military order to Al Jazeera to shut down its operations after raiding its bureau in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

Venezuela's government has offered a $100,000 bounty for the arrest of opposition leader Edmundo López. The announcement follows López's outspoken criticism of the administration's economic policies. Despite the government's allegations of sedition, López has maintained his innocence. He has reportedly sought asylum in a foreign embassy. The opposition has decried the reward as a blatant attempt to silence dissent, amid growing unrest and clashes between protesters and security forces.

Rosita Missoni, co-founder of the renowned Italian knitwear brand Missoni, has passed away at the age of 93. The news was confirmed by Attilio Fontana, president of Italy's Lombardy region, who lamented her death as a significant loss for Italy and Lombardy. Born in 1931 in Golasecca, Lombardy, Rosita founded the luxury brand with her husband Ottavio in 1953. They established a machine-knitwear workshop in Gallarate, northwest of Milan. The brand's breakthrough came in 1958 with a large order from a Milanese department store. Missoni's first catwalk show was in 1966, followed by a presentation at the Pitti Palace in Florence in 1967, which gained global fame due to a controversy over the transparency of the clothing. Ottavio died in 2013, and their daughter Angela took over the fashion house in the late 1990s, while Rosita continued to work on the Missoni Home line.

On January 3, 2025, Apple agreed to pay $95 million to settle a lawsuit alleging its devices eavesdropped on users without permission. The plaintiffs claimed Apple used its virtual assistant Siri to listen to customers and shared voice recordings with advertisers. Apple denies any wrongdoing and states it has permanently deleted Siri audio recordings collected before October 2019. Lead plaintiff Fumiko Lopez alleges she and her daughter were recorded without consent and received targeted ads as a result. The class action is set for a decision on February 14 in a Northern California court. Eligible US users could receive up to $20 per Siri-enabled device owned between 2014 and 2019. By settling, Apple avoids the risk of a potentially larger payout. The company has been involved in several class action lawsuits in recent years.

The number of flu patients in hospitals in England has quadrupled over the last month, with NHS chiefs warning of a 'very concerning rate' of increase. Latest data indicates 5,000 patients were treated in hospitals at the end of last week, nearly 3.5 times higher than the same period in 2023. The head of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine described the pressure on hospitals as 'unacceptably awful,' with flu pushing them to breaking point. Health officials also warn of the impact of extreme cold weather this weekend on vulnerable patients and the health system. Prof Julian Redhead, NHS national clinical director for urgent and emergency care, noted that flu pressures did not ease before the new year, with over 5,000 daily hospital cases by last week's end and rising rapidly. Hospitals have added extra beds this year to cope with flu and other winter viruses. Matthew Taylor, CEO of the NHS Confederation, stated that while the NHS has taken advance measures, the service is in a state of national vulnerability. Approximately 12,200 patients waited over an hour in ambulances before hospital care. Dr Adrian Boyle, head of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, criticized the 'unacceptably awful' pressures on emergency departments, citing avoidable harm and excess deaths. Hospitals in various English regions have restricted visits and mandated face masks to prevent flu spread. Significant increases in flu hospitalizations were also reported in Scotland and Wales.

A worker digging clay in a southern England limestone quarry discovered unusual bumps leading to the find of a 'dinosaur highway' and nearly 200 tracks dating back 166 million years. In June, a team of over 100 people excavated the Dewars Farm Quarry in Oxfordshire, expanding previous paleontology work and offering insights into the Middle Jurassic period. Kirsty Edgar, a micropaleontology professor at the University of Birmingham, said the footprints reveal details about dinosaur lives. Four sets of tracks show paths of giant, long-necked herbivores, possibly Cetiosaurus, while a fifth set belongs to the 9-meter predator Megalosaurus. Emma Nicholls, a vertebrate paleontologist at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, noted that recent discoveries prove new evidence of these animals remains to be found. Nearly 30 years ago, 40 sets of footprints in the area were deemed scientifically significant, but are now mostly inaccessible. This summer's team took over 20,000 digital images and used drones for 3D models. Duncan Murdock, an earth scientist at the Oxford museum, said the detailed preservation helps recreate the dinosaurs' environment. The findings will be exhibited at the museum and featured on the BBC's 'Digging for Britain' program next week.

Fiji police said on Thursday they are investigating an incident involving two crew members of Australian airline Virgin Australia who were allegedly raped and robbed in Nadi in the early hours of New Year's Day. The crew members were on a layover in the popular tourist destination before their scheduled departure the next day, according to Acting Commissioner of Police Juki Fong Chew. Virgin Australia, aware of the incident, has sent personnel to Fiji to provide support but did not offer further details to Reuters. The investigation revealed that some Virgin crew members had visited a nightclub in Nadi, where two were reportedly victimized after leaving the club to return to their hotel. Fiji, a popular South Pacific tourist destination, received 76,845 visitors in November, mainly from Australia, New Zealand, and North America, per the country's tourism website. Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has not yet responded to a Reuters request for comment.

On January 2, 2025, the FBI released new surveillance video to reinvigorate its search for a suspect who placed pipe bombs in Washington the night before the January 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol. The footage from January 5, 2021, shows the individual placing a bomb near a bench outside the Democratic National Committee building and another at the Republican headquarters, both near the Capitol. The bombs were deactivated by police and did not explode. Despite receiving over 600 tips and offering a $500,000 reward, the FBI has not identified the suspect in four years. David Sundberg, assistant director of the FBI Washington field office, hopes more information will emerge. It is unclear if the bombs were linked to the Capitol riot, but their discovery diverted police resources. President-elect Trump's 2024 election victory is set to be certified in Congress on Monday, before his second-term inauguration on January 20. The FBI described the suspect as about 5 feet 7 inches tall and released a map of his walking route that night. The suspect's nondescript gray sweatshirt and pants, and the 15-hour gap between planting and discovery of the bombs, have hindered the investigation. The FBI previously released video of the suspect wearing distinctive black and gray Nike Air Max Speed Turf shoes. During the January 6, 2021, Capitol melee, rioters breached police barricades, assaulting about 140 officers and causing over $2.8 million in damage. Trump has pledged to pardon some of the nearly 1,600 people criminally charged for participating in the riot.

Meta has announced that Joel Kaplan, the current vice president of global policy, will replace Nick Clegg as the chief global affairs officer. Clegg decided to step down for personal reasons, citing the new year as an appropriate time to move on. Kaplan, who previously served as White House deputy chief of staff under former President George W. Bush, sparked controversy in 2018 by attending Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing. Clegg joined Meta in 2018 and helped the company navigate intense scrutiny over its influence on elections and efforts to control harmful content, including the Cambridge Analytica data scandal. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg expressed gratitude for Clegg's contributions and looked forward to Kaplan's new role. Kevin Martin, a former Federal Communications Commission chairman, will succeed Kaplan as vice president of global policy.

Donald Trump criticized the UK Labour Government's energy tax policy on social media, calling it a major mistake for taxing North Sea oil and gas producers. He urged opening up the North Sea, opposing wind energy development. This follows US firm Apache's plan to exit the North Sea by 2029. The UK government aims to fund energy transition through increased taxes, facing energy dependency and industry pressures.

Starting January 1, Milan, Italy, has implemented a stricter outdoor smoking ban, prohibiting smoking within a 10-meter radius of others, with fines ranging from 40 to 240 euros for violators. The ban applies only to traditional tobacco products, excluding e-cigarettes. According to AFP, this is the strictest outdoor smoking ban in Italy, aimed at improving air quality and promoting healthier lifestyles. In 2020, the Milan City Council passed a decree to improve air quality, and since 2021, outdoor smoking regulations have been in place at bus stops, parks, cemeteries, and open-air stadiums. The new ban covers all public spaces, but smoking is allowed if more than 10 meters away from others.