👋 खुरुमजरी*
Welcome to Thursday, where Syria’s rebel leader vows to close the prisons run by ousted President Bashar al-Assad, the UN calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and puzzle lovers get a Christmas challenge from a spy agency. In business daily Les Echos, Charlotte Meyer unpacks the growth of local currencies in France, where they are used to promote short supply chains, local economies and the ecological transition.
[*Khurumjari - Manipuri]
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Saudi Arabian daily Al Yaum celebrates the country's selection as host of the 2034 FIFA World Cup, framing it as a testament to the Kingdom's global ambitions and sports development under Vision 2030. Yet critics have labeled the move as “sportswashing,” highlighting concerns over Saudi Arabia's human rights record and labor practices. While FIFA President Gianni Infantino expressed confidence in the tournament driving “social improvements,” groups like Amnesty International warned of risks without stronger protections. The decision has also drawn scrutiny for its lack of competitive bidding, raising questions about FIFA’s transparency. From the Worldcrunch vault, here’s an OpEd about the Qatar World Cup as a symbol of capitalist greed.
🌎 7 THINGS TO KNOW RIGHT NOW
• Syria rebels to shut down Assad prisons, Blinken goes back to the Middle East. Syrian rebel forces plan to close the prisons run by former President Bashar al-Assad, after freeing thousands of prisoners from Saydnaya prison, referred to as a "human slaughterhouse" by human rights groups. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is traveling back to the Middle East this week. He will meet officials in Jordan and Turkey on Thursday and Friday to discuss the situation in Syria and a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. What’s next for Syria after the fall of Assad’s regime? Khaled Dawoud explores the question in this piece for Al-Manassa.
• Israeli strikes kill 35, UN demands immediate ceasefire. Palestinian news agency WAFA reported that at least 35 people were killed on Thursday in Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip. The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution calling for an "immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire" and a release of "all hostages" on Wednesday. Washington vetoed the text, as it did the last one. What are the hopes for peace in Gaza? Pierre Haski analyzes the situation in this piece for France Inter.
• FBI director to resign after Biden's term, Trump picks his leader for Voice of America. FBI director Chris Wray said he will resign at the end of Joe Biden's term. "This is the best way to avoid dragging the Bureau deeper into the fray," Wray said, adding that the move was “not easy" for him. Trump had previously announced he would name Kash Patel for the role. The president-elect also announced the nomination of former television news anchor Kari Lake at the head of the global media organisation Voice of America.
• Romania and Bulgaria granted full Schengen membership. The two EU member countries will become full-time members of the passport-free Schengen Area as of January 2025, closing a chapter that began in 2011. Austria, which firmly opposed the deal, lifted its veto during the meeting in Budapest. The accession comes with a key caveat: The introduction of checks at the land borders between Hungary and Romania, and between Romania and Bulgaria for at least six months.
• Somalia and Ethiopia come to an agreement over Somaliland. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that Somalia and Ethiopia have agreed to resolve their dispute over the breakaway Somaliland region. Erdogan saluted a "historic reconciliation" between the two countries in a joint news conference in Ankara on Wednesday. The agreement would eventually ensure that land-locked Ethiopia gains sea access. Technical talks will take place in late February to finalize the deal.
• Brazilian President Lula to undergo new medical procedure. The 79-year-old Brazilian president will undergo an additional medical procedure on Thursday, following the emergency surgery he had earlier this week to drain a hematoma. The endovascular procedure is part of his "therapy program" and will complement the earlier operation. Lula remains in the intensive care unit of São Paulo's Sírio-Libanês Hospital.
• Riddle me this! The British cyber-intelligence agency GCHQ published its annual Christmas card that doubles as a series of puzzles. The challenge, aimed at young people, encourages “ingenuity and perseverance” to crack the seven riddles hidden in the card. The goal of the card is not only to tease the brain during the holiday season but also to inspire young people to “consider what a career in cybersecurity and intelligence might have to offer,” said GCHQ Director Anne Keast-Butler.
#️⃣ BY THE NUMBERS
39
U.S. President Joe Biden commuted the sentences of roughly 1,500 individuals who were released on home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic and pardoned 39 people convicted of nonviolent crimes. This act marks the largest single-day clemency even in modern U.S. history. Those granted pardons include veterans, addiction counselors and community leaders, underscoring Biden’s focus on rehabilitation and second chances. The announcement follows Biden’s previous clemency actions, including pardons for marijuana possession and military service-related convictions.
📹 ON THIS DAY VIDEO — 4 HISTORY-MAKING EVENTS, IN 57 SECONDS
➡️ Watch the video: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY
📰 IN OTHER NEWS
🇸🇾 “The traitor of the family and the homeland.” Since he fled in the cover of the night to Russia with his wife and three children, Bashar al-Assad's entourage and extended family have expressed their anger and humiliation at his deception.
— DARAJ
💶 Increasingly widespread across France, local currencies are emerging as a new tool for promoting short supply chains, local economies and the ecological transition.
— LES ECHOS
🏳️🌈 In October 2024, Poland’s government presented a bill to introduce legally recognized civil partnerships for same-sex couples, bringing some hope to couples who have been waiting for years for the legislation to pass.
— GAZETA WYBORCZA
📣 VERBATIM
“I will fight to the end.”
— South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has vowed to “fight to the end” on Thursday following mounting political pressure as his own party nears a vote to impeach after his controversial martial law order last week. In a lengthy televised address, Yoon blamed the opposition for attempting to undermine his presidency, accusing them of being part of a larger plot to destabilize the country. “Whether they impeach me or investigate me, I will face it all squarely,” the leader said ahead of the impeachment vote that could take up to six months to process a decision.
✍️ Newsletter by Chloé Touchard & Ella Nigro
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