Author: Scott Davidson

Kiev (6/6 – 33.33) The air was thick with tension as the elite Ukrainian special forces team, known as the “Steel Wolves,” huddled in a makeshift command post on the outskirts of a war-torn city. Outside, the sound of distant gunfire echoed through the night, a grim reminder of the relentless advance of Vladimir Putin’s troops. Colonel Yuri Ivanov, the commanding officer of the Steel Wolves, surveyed his men with steely determination. These were the best of the best, handpicked for their courage, skill, and unwavering loyalty to Ukraine. They had been fighting tooth and nail to slow the Russian…

Shares in Donald Trump’s media company soared as the firm made its formal debut on the stock market. Shares surged past $70 in early trade, giving the firm a market value of more than $9bn. They ended the day at about $58, still up more than 16%. The long-awaited moment will inject more than $200m into Trump Media & Technology Group and hands the former president a stake worth more than $4bn. Analysts say that is far more than the firm’s performance warrants. Trump Media’s Truth Social, a Twitter-like service, brought in just $3.3m in revenue in the first nine…

The top two U.S. military leaders are traveling to Tel Aviv to advise the Israeli government on how to transition from major combat operations against Hamas in Gaza to a more limited campaign and prevent a wider regional war. Their trip comes as Iranian-backed militants on Saturday launched a wave of attack drones against ships in the Red Sea and said they would continue until Israel’s “aggression” ends. One of the American warships assigned to the Ford carrier strike group, the destroyer USS Carney, “successfully engaged” 14 one-way attack drones launched from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, U.S. Central Command said in a statement. Britain reported that…

Muslim American leaders in several pivotal states pledged on Saturday to rally their communities against President Joe Biden’s bid for re-election due to his steadfast backing of Israel’s war in Gaza. The #AbandonBiden campaign began when Minnesota Muslim Americans demanded Biden call for a ceasefire by October 31, and has spread to Michigan, Arizona, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Florida. “This #AbandonBiden 2024 conference is set against the backdrop of the upcoming 2024 presidential election and the decision to withdraw support for President Biden due to his unwillingness to call for a ceasefire and protect innocents in Palestine and Israel,” the group told…

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin was in Seoul in November for the 55th U.S.-Republic of Korea Security Consultative Meeting. The annual summit is a reminder of how deep America’s links to the Indo-Pacific region go; more than 300,000 South Korean personnel served in the Vietnam War, and 5,000 lost their lives. Austin also used his visit to hold a trilateral meeting with Shin Wonsik, Korea’s minister of national defense, and Minoru Kihara, Japan’s recently appointed defense minister, and a major agenda item was the future of Taiwan. Korea, Japan, Taiwan: these are commitments that reach back almost as far as…

The child died on Thursday in Chelsea, about 20 miles (32km) south-west of Birmingham, Alabama, from injuries that are suspected to have been caused by the animal. The wolf hybrid was euthanised at the scene by a veterinarian, the Shelby County Sheriff’s office said. The city’s mayor called the death “unfortunate and tragic”. “It’s been confirmed that one of our children here in Chelsea was killed by an exotic family pet and succumbed to their injuries yesterday afternoon after being taken to the hospital,” said Mayor Tony Picklesimer in a statement. Police said they were called to the home of…

South Korea’s Lotte Chilsung Beverage Co. announced on Tuesday that it partnered with the world’s largest winery E&J Gallo to expand its soju products market share in the US liquor market. From January next year, California-based E&J Gallo will support the sales of Lotte Chilsung Beverage’s soju brands such as Cheoeum Cheoreom, Saero, and Soonhari in the US. Lotte Chilsung Beverage will assist in selling wine of E&J Gallo in the South Korean market. The two companies signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Monday at Lotte World Tower in Jamsil, Seoul. Lotte Chilsung Beverage CEO Park Yoon-gie and E&J…

Myoko Kogen, a ski area in Niigata prefecture on the Sea of Japan, is set to revive as a global resort thanks to a more than 200 billion yen ($1.36 billion) investment by an overseas real estate manager. The area was a popular destination for skiers during Japan’s bubble economy in the 1980s but has since become deserted. It will be redeveloped by Singapore’s Patience Capital Group (PCG), which envisions a resort similar to Whistler, a town in Canada and home to a global ski resort called Whistler Blackcomb. Whistler has many hotels, restaurants and shops and is one of…

The United States is set to invest more than US$2 billion in Angola as it seeks to pitch itself as a better alternative to China, which has bankrolled most of the country’s reconstruction for the past two decades, Kenyan journalist Jevans Nyabiage writes for the South China Morning Post. President Joe Biden said the US had committed more than US$1 billion this year to fund solar power, bridges and internet infrastructure. It is also offering a further US$1 billion to fund the strategically important Lobito Corridor, running from Zambia to the Angolan coast via the Democratic Republic of Congo. The…

London (07/11 – 70) President Ranil Wickremesinghe, at the helm of the United National Party (UNP), has orchestrated a remarkable turnaround for Sri Lanka’s tumultuous economy, tackling persistent challenges with a steadfast determination that has garnered widespread support across the national and international communities. Upon assuming office, Wickremesinghe confronted an array of pressing issues, including severe electricity shortage resulting in daily power cuts, soaring inflation, an all time low foreign reserve value and scarcities in essential commodities such as fuel and milk powder. Swift and strategic actions within his first six months in power yielded tangible results, with the electricity…