News from January 23, 2025 at 2 PM

Only two days after a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli Defense Forces raided the West Bank city of Jenin on October 21, killing at least nine Palestinians and injuring 35. Hamas and Islamic Jihad called for public resistance. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the operation as a 'large-scale and significant military action' aimed at combating the 'Iranian axis'. Since the Gaza conflict in October, the security situation in the West Bank has deteriorated, with hundreds of deaths and thousands of arrests. Palestine is divided between Hamas-controlled Gaza and Fatah-governed West Bank. Hamas urged a general mobilization against Israeli forces, while Fatah has not publicly commented. Despite the ceasefire agreement taking effect, there are doubts about its implementation. President Donald Trump revoked sanctions on Israeli extremist settlers, a move welcomed by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

On January 22, 2025, a new fast-moving wildfire erupted in Los Angeles County, prompting evacuations in the region. The Hughes fire, which ignited near Castaic Lake in a mountainous area, rapidly spread to over 5,000 acres in just two hours. Although no homes or businesses have been damaged yet, the area is under a red flag warning due to high fire risk. The fire is near two massive blazes that destroyed multiple neighborhoods earlier this month. Additionally, two smaller fires have ignited near San Diego and Oceanside. Officials from Cal Fire noted that current winds are expected to strengthen, potentially allowing the blaze to grow further.

On January 21, 2025, Thailand legalized same-sex marriage, with over a hundred couples tying the knot in a major shopping mall in Bangkok. Ann 'Waaddao' Chumaporn reflects on the arduous journey to achieve the equal marriage law. The first Pride march in Thailand took place 25 years ago, facing numerous challenges. In 2009, a planned march in Chiang Mai was canceled due to violence threats. Despite general tolerance, securing equal rights required significant effort. Chakkrit 'Ink' Vadhanavira and his partner left the entertainment industry due to societal pressure. Positive portrayals of LGBT characters in Thai dramas have shifted public perceptions. The 2019 and 2023 elections saw strong performances by parties supporting equal marriage, facilitating the law's passage. Thailand, now one of the few Asian countries to legalize same-sex marriage, aims to attract more LGBT tourists.

A fire at a popular ski resort hotel in north-west Turkey has killed 76 people. The blaze broke out at the 12-storey wooden-clad Grand Kartal Hotel in Bolu at 03:27 local time (00:27 GMT) when 234 people were staying there, and took 12 hours to extinguish. An investigation is underway, with conflicting reports on the hotel's safety standards; nine people, including the hotel's owner, have been arrested. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed accountability for negligence. Flags are at half-mast nationwide as funerals begin. Rescue teams are searching for any remaining bodies. The cause of the fire is unknown, but initial reports suggest it started in the hotel's fourth-floor restaurant.

On March 30, 2023, in London, United Kingdom, Prince Harry settled his privacy lawsuit against Rupert Murdoch's UK newspaper group, which admitted unlawful actions at its Sun tabloid for the first time, concluding the intense legal battle. Harry's lawyer, David Sherborne, stated that the group agreed to pay substantial damages, reportedly an eight-figure sum. Harry had accused the group of unlawfully obtaining his private information from 1996 to 2011. The trial, scheduled to start on Tuesday, was canceled after a last-minute settlement. NGN issued a full apology for the serious intrusion into Harry's and his late mother, Princess Diana's, private lives. NGN has previously paid hundreds of millions in settlements for phone-hacking and other unlawful information gathering but had always denied wrongdoing at The Sun.

On January 22, the Yemen-based Ansar Allah (Houthi) movement announced the release of the crew of the Galaxy Leader cargo vessel, as part of a ceasefire deal for the Gaza Strip. UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg stated that this move is a step in the right direction, ending over a year of arbitrary detention for the crew. The release was mediated by Oman, and the crew members were brought to Oman. The ship, flying the Bahamian flag, is owned by a British company and operated by a Japanese company, with 25 crew members from various countries. The Houthis also announced continued strikes on Israeli territory and blocking of pro-Israeli vessels in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait until Tel Aviv ceases its military operations in the Gaza Strip.

The Nepali government announced that it will significantly increase the climbing permit fees for the southern slope of Mount Everest starting September 1, 2025, marking the first adjustment in nearly a decade. The fee for spring climbing will rise from $11,000 to $15,000, for autumn from $5,500 to $7,500, and for winter and monsoon seasons from $2,750 to $3,750, representing a 36% increase. The permit validity will be shortened from 75 days to 55 days. The move aims to protect the Everest ecosystem, though specific plans have not been disclosed. Climbers have noted environmental changes on Everest, which experts believe may be linked to global warming.

A regional court in Murcia, Spain, ruled in January that solo parents can request the same total amount of paid parental leave as couples, following a November decision by Spain's constitutional court that prohibited discrimination against children in single-parent families. This allows solo parents to take 32 weeks of paid leave. Barcelona-based lawyer Carla Vall noted that new parents in other regions can cite this ruling when applying for benefits. The case was initiated by Silvia Pardo Moreno, a 44-year-old single mother who was denied her request for 32 weeks of leave and had to return to work earlier.

On Wednesday, a methane explosion in a coal mine in southern Poland injured 16 miners. The incident occurred at the Knurow-Szczyglowice mine, more than 850 meters deep, according to the ambulance service. Lukasz Pach, director of the Regional Emergency Medical Service in Katowice, stated that 14 people have been transported to hospitals, while one miner is still being brought to the surface and is expected to be taken to a hospital by helicopter. Aleksander Chowaniec, deputy head of the State Mining Authority, told state-run broadcaster TVP Info that 44 people were in the area when the gas ignited, with victims suffering burns. JSW shares fell 2.3% at 1132 GMT.

According to CNBC, CNN, a unit of Warner Bros Discovery, plans to lay off hundreds of employees on January 23 as it refocuses on a global digital audience. The move aims to rearrange its linear TV lineup and develop digital subscription products, reducing production costs and consolidating teams. Some shows produced in New York or Washington may move to Atlanta, where production is cheaper. Additionally, NBC News, owned by Comcast, is also planning layoffs this week, with fewer than 50 employees affected. Earlier in January, The Washington Post and the Associated Press announced layoffs to address operational challenges.