👋 Goeie!*
Welcome to Wednesday, where U.S. President-elect Donald Trump sets his sights on Greenland, Canada and the Panama Canal, some 30,000 residents are forced to flee Los Angeles wildfires, and a lost hiker found in Australia can thank his muesli bars. Meanwhile, Egyptian filmmaker and writer Basel Ramsis reflects on human connection, memory and the fight against dehumanization in Al-Manassa.
[*Frisian, The Netherlands and Germany]
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🗞️ FRONT PAGE
Jiefang Daily, the Shanghai committee of the Chinese Communist Party's newspaper, shows search and rescue efforts providing aid to the more than 400 people who have been rescued in Western China after a 7.1 magnitude earthquake hit the region on Tuesday. At least 126 people have been found dead so far, and more than 3,600 buildings are thought to have been destroyed by the quake, which also caused damage in parts of Nepal, Bhutan and Northern India.
🌎 7 THINGS TO KNOW RIGHT NOW
• Israeli strikes kill dozens in Gaza as U.S. pushes for ceasefire. Israeli military strikes across Gaza killed at least 22 people on Wednesday, as the U.S. stepped up efforts to establish a deal between Israel and Hamas and reach a ceasefire to end the war. The outgoing U.S. administration has called for a final push for a deal before President Joe Biden leaves office. Follow Worldcrunch’s international coverage of the Middle East here.
• Thousands flee as winds drive wildfires into Los Angeles. Strong winds drove the rapid growth of wildfires around the Southern California city with more than 30,000 people evacuated on Tuesday. Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley said despite the chaotic evacuation, there were no immediate reports of deaths.
• Sudan’s army claims to have advanced into the country’s second-largest city. Sudanese military forces have taken some areas previously controlled by rival rebel group, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Meanwhile, the U.S. has accused the RSF of committing genocide and imposed sanctions on its leader. On Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti, was being punished for his role in "systematic" atrocities against the Sudanese people during the 20-month conflict. To know more about the situation in Sudan, read this piece by Arabic daily Al-Manassa.
• Impeached South Korean president faces new arrest attempt in fortified compound. Acting President Choi Sang-mok urged on Wednesday authorities to "do their best to prevent any injuries to citizens or physical conflict between government agencies" while executing Yoon Suk Yeol’s arrest warrant.
• Trump ramps up threats to gain control of Greenland and Panama Canal. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has reiterated this desire, calling both critical to American national security during a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Both Denmark (Greenland is a Danish territory) and Panama have rejected any suggestion that they would give up territory. Read this piece by French analyst Pierre Haski on his predictions for Trump in 2025.
• Italian journalist detained in Iran last month returns to Rome. Cecilia Sala, 29, was arrested on Dec. 19, three days after an Iranian engineer was detained by Italian authorities in Milan on suspicion of supplying drone technology that led to the deaths of U.S. soldiers. Reports said she had been held in solitary confinement in Tehran's notorious Evin prison.
• Lost hiker survived 13 days on muesli bars and berries. A hiker who went missing for nearly two weeks in New South Wales, Australia has been found alive. Medical student Hadi Nazari, 23, went missing on Dec. 26 after he wandered off to take photos during a hike with his friends in Kosciuszko National Park. He reportedly survived on foraged berries and two muesli bars.
💬 LEXICON
Gulf of America
Donald Trump floated renaming the Gulf of Mexico to “Gulf of America” at a press conference on Tuesday. The U.S. president-elect said the renaming would be “appropriate” and “has a beautiful ring.”
📹 ON THIS DAY VIDEO — 4 HISTORY-MAKING EVENTS, IN 57 SECONDS
➡️ Watch the video: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY
📰 IN OTHER NEWS
🇯🇴 Officials in Arab countries are concerned that the Syrian insurgency will spread across borders, reigniting popular uprisings demanding deep political reforms. This is particularly the case in Jordan.
— DARAJ
✍️ How can we transcend the anonymity of numbers? Egyptian filmmaker and writer Basel Ramsis reflects on human connection, memory and the fight against dehumanization.
— AL-MANASSA
— FRANCE INTER
📣 VERBATIM
“I spoke to her, and she told me ‘I’ll see you soon.'”
— Italian journalist Cecilia Sala, 29, has been released from detention in Iran and is currently on a flight back to Rome. Her partner, fellow journalist Daniele Raineri, told Italian news agency Ansa: “I spoke to her, and she told me 'I'll see you soon,' she was emotional and overjoyed.” Sala was arrested on Dec. 19, 2024, just three days after she arrived in Iran on a journalist visa and was held in solitary confinement at Tehran's notorious Evin prison. The Italian government announced her release, citing “intensive efforts through diplomatic and intelligence avenues.” The circumstances surrounding her release remain unclear, although Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni thanked “all those who contributed to making Cecilia's return possible.”
✍️ Newsletter by Emma Albright & Jacob Shropshire
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