Summary

Lockheed Martin UK’s chief, Paul Livingston, defended the F-35 stealth jet program after Elon Musk called it obsolete due to advances in unmanned drones.

Livingston emphasized the F-35’s unmatched capabilities, including stealth, battlefield data-sharing, and cost-efficiency by replacing multiple aircraft types.

While Musk labeled the program overly expensive and poorly designed, Livingston argued drones alone can’t match the F-35’s capabilities or defend against threats like China’s J20 jets.

Despite criticism over cost and reliability, the F-35 remains integral to NATO defenses, with widespread adoption across 19 nations, including the UK.

Greenland’s elected leader said the gigantic Arctic island is not for sale after Donald Trump once again raised the issue of “ownership and control” of the vast territory that has been part of Denmark for more than 600 years.

“Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and will never be for sale. We must not lose our long struggle for freedom,” Greenland’s prime minister, Múte Egede, said in a written comment.

The US president-elect on Sunday announced that he had picked Ken Howery, a former envoy to Sweden, as his ambassador to Copenhagen, and commented on the status of Greenland, a semi-autonomous part of Denmark.

“For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

A Guardian investigation has found workers in France’s champagne industry are being underpaid and forced to sleep on the streets and steal food to stave off hunger.

Workers from west Africa and eastern Europe in the town of Épernay, home to the headquarters of some of the world’s most expensive champagne brands, including Moët & Chandon and Mercier, claim that they are either not being paid for their work or illegally underpaid by vineyards near the town.

The Guardian found workers in the town sleeping on the streets or in tents as the vineyards did not provide accommodation. Other workers staying in a nearby village said they had been forced to steal food from local people as they did not have anywhere to buy provisions.

Yet the champagne industry has been hit by a string of controversies related to its treatment of grape-pickers, with four workers dying from suspected sunstroke during last year’s harvest. In a case scheduled to go to court early next year, four people, including a vineyard owner, have been charged with human trafficking.

Summary

The Magdeburg Christmas market attack, where a Saudi refugee drove a car through crowds, killing five and injuring over 200, has fueled political debate in Germany.

The Saudi suspect, critical of Islam and supportive of the far-right AfD, complicates narratives, as he does not fit typical attacker profiles.

The AfD has blamed “uncontrolled migration” for the attack, using it to push anti-immigration rhetoric ahead of elections, while anti-racism groups accuse the party of exploiting the tragedy.

Security lapses are under scrutiny, and tensions remain high amid mourning and polarized reactions.

Summary

France’s Flamanville 3 nuclear reactor, its most powerful at 1,600 MW, was connected to the grid on December 21 after 17 years of construction plagued by delays and budget overruns.

The European Pressurized Reactor (EPR), designed to boost nuclear energy post-Chernobyl, is 12 years behind schedule and cost €13.2 billion, quadruple initial estimates.

President Macron hailed the launch as a key step for low-carbon energy and energy security.

Nuclear power, which supplies 60% of France’s electricity, is central to Macron’s plan for a “nuclear renaissance.”

Summary

South Korea estimates over 1,000 North Korean troops have been killed or injured since joining Russia’s war in Ukraine, while Ukraine claims casualties exceed 3,000.

Intelligence reports suggest up to 12,000 North Korean soldiers have been deployed, with Pyongyang supplying drones and heavy artillery to Russia.

South Korea warns this may bolster North Korea’s military capabilities, increasing regional threats.

Moscow and Pyongyang formalized a defense pact in June, while Russia reports battlefield gains in eastern Ukraine amidst intense drone bombardments from Kyiv.

Summary

Honda, Nissan, and Mitsubishi have confirmed merger talks to form the world’s third-largest carmaker by annual sales, aiming to tackle challenges from Chinese competition and the shift to electric vehicles.

The proposed merger, through a joint holding company, seeks to combine resources as Japan’s automakers struggle with declining sales and costly EV transitions, lagging behind leaders like Toyota and Chinese rivals BYD.

Nissan’s former CEO Carlos Ghosn criticized the plan, citing overlapping operations, while executives called it a pivotal move amid unprecedented industry changes. Mitsubishi will decide on joining by January’s end.

Summary

Israel and other US allies are reportedly concerned Elon Musk may pose a security risk, fearing he could share sensitive information.

These concerns arose amid at least three federal security reviews into Musk and SpaceX for failing to comply with protocols protecting national security.

The US Air Force recently denied Musk high-security clearance, and Israel's Defense Ministry labeled him a "wild card" during discussions about his Starlink network.

Musk’s contacts with foreign leaders, including calls with Vladimir Putin, and past controversies have heightened scrutiny over his actions and potential risks.

Dozens of MPs in Justin Trudeau’s Liberal party have now agreed that Canada’s embattled prime minister must abandon his post after last week’s catastrophic resignation of his deputy – a sign he has completely lost support from what were crucial loyalists.

Several Canadian media outlets, including the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and the Toronto Star, reported over the weekend that 51 of Ontario’s Liberal MPs met virtually and agreed collectively that Trudeau’s time in office has expired.

There are a total of 75 Liberal MPs in the province that is the country’s most populous and represents where most of the party’s support lies, indicating the core of the Liberals have abandoned Trudeau.

Canada’s public broadcaster also reported that 21 Liberal MPs have publicly called on Trudeau to resign since the exit of Chrystia Freeland, who was his deputy prime minister and finance minister until her abrupt resignation on 16 December.

Summary

Australia has approved the extradition of former U.S. Marine Daniel Duggan to the United States over allegations he illegally trained Chinese military pilots in 2010 and 2012.

Duggan, who renounced his U.S. citizenship and has been in an Australian prison since 2022, faces up to 60 years in prison if convicted.

Prosecutors allege he received $61,000 for the training.

Duggan denies the charges, and his family has criticized the Australian government for failing to protect him, expressing disappointment and weighing further options.

Summary

Qatar warned it’ll halt gas exports to the EU if fined under the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, which fines companies for human rights or environmental impacts, up to 5% of global revenue.

Qatari Energy Minister Saad Sherida al-Kaabi criticized the law as unworkable for QatarEnergy, a key LNG supplier to Europe.

The directive, part of the EU’s net-zero 2050 strategy, faces criticism but is set to be implemented by 2027.

The EU emphasizes its alignment with international standards and proportional enforcement of the rules.

Summary

Tibetan protests against China’s Gangtuo dam on the Jinsha river led to a severe crackdown, with hundreds arrested and reports of beatings.

The dam would flood culturally significant sites, including monasteries, and displace over 4,000 residents.

Protests arose from fears of forced relocation, inadequate consultation, and threats to Tibetan heritage.

Beijing defends the project as clean energy development, but critics call it exploitation of Tibetan land and culture.

Rights groups warn of seismic risks and environmental harm, while the crackdown has tightened surveillance and silenced dissent in the region.

Summary

Guatemalan authorities rescued 160 children from the Lev Tahor sect, known for extremist practices including child marriage and abuse, during a raid on their farm in Oratorio.

Prosecutors suspect forced pregnancies, mistreatment, and rape.

Two days later, sect members tried to break into the care center housing the children, clashing with police in an effort to take them back.

Authorities secured the children and ensured their protection.

The Jewish Community of Guatemala disavowed the sect and supported investigations to protect vulnerable minors from further harm.

Summary

A video allegedly showing the capture and interrogation of Australian Oscar Jenkins, who fought for Ukraine, has raised concerns.

In the footage, Jenkins, bound and struck during questioning, identifies himself as a 32-year-old biologist.

The Australian government is working to verify the video and ensure his wellbeing, urging Russia to uphold international humanitarian law for prisoners of war.

Ukrainian Australian groups called for urgent efforts to secure Jenkins’ release.

Summary

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, marking a rare visit by an EU leader since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Talks focused on gas transit, Ukraine, and bilateral relations, with Fico opposing Ukraine's refusal to renew a key gas deal and sanctions on Russia's nuclear program.

Fico, known for his pro-Russia stance, has ended Slovak military aid to Ukraine and criticized EU sanctions.

The visit, condemned by Slovak opposition parties, underscores Fico's divergence from mainstream EU policies on Russia and Ukraine.

Summary

The UK economy stagnated in Q3 2024, with 0.0% GDP growth, down from an initial estimate of 0.1%.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s new government faces economic challenges, exacerbated by business tax hikes announced in October.

Analysts predict zero growth for the second half of 2024, while weak exports, falling business confidence, and stagnant living standards signal broader concerns.

Critics urge reevaluation of tax policies, as businesses brace for declining activity and rising costs into 2025.

Summary

German police arrested a man in Bremerhaven after he posted a TikTok video threatening to stab individuals with Arab or "southern" appearances at a local Christmas market.

The suspect, who claimed to have "nothing to lose," planned the attack for December 25 but was apprehended quickly after public reports.

The arrest follows heightened tensions after a deadly car attack at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, where five people were killed and 200 injured.

Security at Christmas markets across Germany remains intensified.

Summary

Ukraine’s 13th National Guard Brigade conducted its first all-robot assault, using ground and aerial drones to clear Russian positions in Kharkiv Oblast.

The operation involved surveillance, explosive, and gun-armed robots, demonstrating Ukraine’s advanced military robotics.

While robots excel in surveillance and attack, their limitations in holding ground, particularly against jamming and maintenance challenges, underscore the continued importance of human infantry.