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A South Korean court has issued a detention warrant for impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, according to the country's anti-corruption agency. The warrant relates to Yoon's controversial six-hour martial law decree earlier this month, which investigators are examining as a possible act of rebellion.The crisis began when President Yoon was impeached on December 14 by the opposition-controlled National Assembly. During his brief martial law declaration, he sent security forces to block parliament, though lawmakers still managed to enter the chamber and unanimously overturn his decree. Since then, Yoon has refused to cooperate with investigators or allow searches of his office. While presidents typically have immunity from prosecution, this protection doesn't extend to charges of rebellion or treason.The political turmoil has only intensified as the opposition has now also impeached Acting President Han Duck-soo over a dispute about Constitutional Court appointments. […]

Ireland has implemented stricter hate crime legislation with the commencement of the Criminal Justice (Hate Offences) Act 2024. This new law increases prison sentences for crimes proven to be motivated by hatred. The move comes in response to rising hate crime statistics reported by Garda Síochána (Irish police). Justice Minister Helen McEntee stated the legislation sends a "clear message" against hate-motivated attacks and reinforces the commitment to protecting vulnerable communities. She emphasized that targeting individuals based on protected characteristics will now result in prosecution for hate crimes. Previously, Ireland was one of the few EU countries without specific hate crime legislation, despite Garda Síochána recording such offenses. Recorded hate crimes increased by 7.5% in 2023 and by 29% in 2022, highlighting the need for legal reform. The new act aims to address this gap and has received broad public support. […]

Nearly 40 tornadoes swept across five southern U.S. states over the weekend, resulting in four deaths and widespread damage. The severe weather system affected Texas, North Carolina, Louisiana, Georgia, and Arkansas, causing extensive property destruction and widespread power outages. Mississippi reported two fatalities, with deaths occurring in Adams County and Lowndes County. The state also recorded at least ten injuries, and approximately 32,000 residents remained without power by Monday morning, down from 100,000 immediately after the storms. In Texas, the Storm Prediction Center issued a rare "particularly dangerous situation" designation for a tornado watch on December 28, a warning level used for only about 7% of annual tornado events. A 48-year-old woman died in Brazoria County near the Gulf Coast, and four others sustained non-critical injuries. Montgomery County, north of Houston, saw significant damage with 300 buildings affected, including 30 […]

Russia and Ukraine have conducted a significant prisoner exchange facilitated by the United Arab Emirates. While the Russian defense ministry reported exchanging 150 soldiers from each side, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that 189 Ukrainians had returned home. Among those released to Ukraine were defenders of the Azovstal steel plant and Mariupol, which fell to Russian forces in May 2022 after a prolonged siege, as well as personnel from the Chernobyl nuclear facility. Two civilians captured in Mariupol were also included in the exchange. Zelensky shared images of released prisoners on a coach displaying Ukrainian flags, reaffirming his commitment to freeing all captives. The Russian defense ministry confirmed their released personnel are now in Belarus receiving medical care and contacting their families. Russian human rights commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova released video footage showing soldiers in military and winter clothing preparing to […]

South Korea's acting President Choi Sang-mok has ordered an emergency inspection of all airline operations following a devastating crash at Muan International Airport that killed 179 people. The Jeju Air flight crash-landed and burst into flames, with only two crew members surviving. The directive comes as another Jeju Air Boeing B737-800 returned to Seoul's Gimpo International Airport shortly after takeoff on Monday due to landing gear issues. The aircraft model is the same as the one involved in Sunday's crash, and comprises 39 of Jeju Air's 41-plane fleet. Sunday's ill-fated flight 7C2216 crashed after attempting to land following a bird strike warning. The plane skidded off the runway and hit a wall around 09:00 local time. The victims, aged between three and 78 years old, included two Thai nationals, with the remaining passengers believed to be South Korean. Boeing has […]