In WION's global markets and economic health check for 2024, first, let's look at how top global markets performed in this year. Watch in for more

Global markets and economic health check for 2024

At least ten people lost their lives and over 35 were injured in New Orleans after a man drove a pickup truck into a crowd during the early hours of New Year’s Day and opened fire when his vehicle came to a halt. As per media reports, the injured have been admitted to different hospitals. As per a report by CNN, the suspect behind the attack was shot dead by law enforcement officers. Watch in to learn more.

New Orleans Truck Attack: President Biden Says New Orleans Attacker 'Inspired Likely By ISIS'

The French president Emmanuel Macron looked back at a turbulent 2024 in his New Year's Eve address and took responsibility for the instability caused by dissolving Parliament. He also called for snap elections halfway through the year and took responsibility for that too. Watch in for more details!

France's Macron acknowledges that dissolving parliament in 2024 brought instability

At least 10 people including two children have been killed and four others have been wounded in a shooting in Montenegro's Cetinje; police identified the attacker as 45-year-old Aleksandar Martinovic the country's interior Minister told local media that he died from injuries on route to the hospital after shooting himself. Watch in for more details!

Montenegro mass shooting: 2 children among 10 killed in Montenegro shooting

Israel has warned that it will intensify its strikes in Gaza if Hamas continues its rocket fire. Over the past week, Hamas militants have repeatedly launched rockets, particularly from northern Gaza, where the Israeli military is conducting a major offensive. Watch in for more details!

Israel-Hamas war: 15 killed in strikes targeting Jabalia & adjacent refugee camp

Staying with news from West Asia, Syria's Foreign Minister, Assad al-Shabani, has arrived in Saudi Arabia. The visit comes as part of Damascus' effort to renew its relations with Riyadh, following the severance of ties between the two countries in 2012 during the Civil War.

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shabani lands in Riyadh in a bid to renew ties

South Korean investigators have intensified their probe into Sunday's air crash that killed 179 people in the worst aviation disaster on its soil. South Korea has sent the two retrieved black boxes to the U.S. for analysis. 
The crash, the country's worst aviation disaster, has sparked grief, anger, and an urgent call for answers. Grief mingles with growing frustration as South Korea grapples with its deadliest aviation disaster in decades, with long queues at Muan Airport's memorial. Watch in for more details!

Jeju Air plane crash: What went wrong in South Korea's deadliest aviation disaster?

Russian gas exports to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/end-of-russian-gas-via-ukraine-sparks-unease-in-eastern-europe-8582275" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">European Union</a> nations via Ukraine have come to an end following the expiry of a five-year transit agreement. This marks the end of a decades-long arrangement that has allowed Moscow to transport gas through Ukrainian territory since 1991.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that his country would no longer allow Russia to "earn additional billions on our blood."&nbsp;
Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-korea-plane-crash-investigators-extract-data-from-black-box-will-be-sent-to-us-for-analysis-8583039">South Korea plane crash: Investigators extract data from black box, will be sent to US for analysis</a>
In a statement, the ministry said, &ldquo;We have stopped the transit of Russian gas. This is a historic event.&rdquo; It added that Ukraine's gas transport infrastructure had been prepared well in advance for the termination of the agreement.
Gazprom, Russia&rsquo;s state-controlled energy company, confirmed the end of gas exports through Ukraine, adding that the supply stopped at 08:00 local time (05:00 GMT) on Wednesday.
Kyiv hopes that blocking the gas transit will weaken Russia&rsquo;s financial position. However, Moscow has slammed the move, arguing that it harms Ukraine more.
<h2>Blocking Russian gas transit via Ukraine to have 'drastic' impact: Slovak PM Robert Fico</h2>
Slovakia, which is heavily dependent on Russian energy supplies, condemned the decision. Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/zelensky-says-ukraines-nato-membership-is-achievable-but-diplomats-need-to-fight-for-it-786058">Robert Fico</a> said, "Halting gas transit via Ukraine will have a drastic impact on us all in the EU but not on the Russian Federation." He added in a video posted on Facebook that Europe would ultimately bear the cost.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-vows-response-after-state-media-blocked-on-telegram-in-eu-8577944">Russia vows response after state media blocked on Telegram in EU</a>
In contrast, some EU nations, including Poland, welcomed the move. The Polish government called the move &ldquo;another victory&rdquo; against Moscow.
The European Commission said that most member states were prepared to manage the change. However, the development could cause trouble for Moldova, a non-EU nation that relies heavily on Russian gas to fuel its primary power station.
Although the transit agreement has ended, Russia retains the ability to supply gas to Hungary, Turkey, and Serbia via the TurkStream pipeline, which runs across the Black Sea.
(With inputs from agencies)

World: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that his country would no longer allow Russia to "earn additional billions on our blood." Ukraine’s energy ministry said that this was “in the interests of national security.”

Russian gas exports to European Union nations via Ukraine have come to an end following the expiry of a five-year transit agreement. This marks the end of a decades-long arrangement that has allowed Moscow to transport gas through Ukrainian territory since 1991. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that his country would no longer allow Russia to "earn additional billions on our blood." Also read: South Korea plane crash: Investigators extract data from black box, will be sent to US for analysis In a statement, the ministry said, “We have stopped the transit of Russian gas. This is a historic event.” It added that Ukraine's gas transport infrastructure had been prepared well in advance for the termination of the agreement. Gazprom, Russia’s state-controlled energy company, confirmed the end of gas exports through Ukraine, adding that the supply stopped at 08:00 local time (05:00 GMT) on Wednesday. Kyiv hopes that blocking the gas transit will weaken Russia’s financial position. However, Moscow has slammed the move, arguing that it harms Ukraine more. Blocking Russian gas transit via Ukraine to have 'drastic' impact: Slovak PM Robert Fico Slovakia, which is heavily dependent on Russian energy supplies, condemned the decision. Prime Minister Robert Fico said, "Halting gas transit via Ukraine will have a drastic impact on us all in the EU but not on the Russian Federation." He added in a video posted on Facebook that Europe would ultimately bear the cost. Also read: Russia vows response after state media blocked on Telegram in EU In contrast, some EU nations, including Poland, welcomed the move. The Polish government called the move “another victory” against Moscow. The European Commission said that most member states were prepared to manage the change. However, the development could cause trouble for Moldova, a non-EU nation that relies heavily on Russian gas to fuel its primary power station. Although the transit agreement has ended, Russia retains the ability to supply gas to Hungary, Turkey, and Serbia via the TurkStream pipeline, which runs across the Black Sea. (With inputs from agencies)

Ukraine war: Kyiv halts Russian gas flow to Europe, calls it 'historic'

A widespread blackout struck nearly all of Puerto Rico early Tuesday, plunging over 1.3 million customers into darkness as the U.S. territory prepared for New Year’s celebrations. Authorities indicated that power restoration efforts could take up to two days, leaving residents without electricity during a critical time.

Massive Power Outage Hits Puerto Rico On New Year's Eve

Puerto Rico Experiences Power Outage On New Year's Eve

Tensions between China and Taiwan have escalated as China intensifies its military pressure on the island, coinciding with increased support from the United States for Taiwan’s defense. The situation raises concerns over regional stability and the potential for conflict in the Indo-Pacific.

China's Aggression Against Taiwan Escalates Amid US Support

A South Korean court has issued an arrest warrant for impeached and suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol as law enforcement officials seek to detain him over his declaration of martial law, which lasted just about six hours. Watch in for more details!

South Korean Court Issues Arrest Warrant For Embattled President Yoon Suk Yeol

Syria's new rulers have appointed Maysaa Sabrine, formerly a deputy governor of the Syrian central bank, to lead the institution as the first woman to do so in its more than 70-year history, a senior Syrian official said. Watch in for more details!

Syria's Central Bank Gets First Woman Governor

Belgium has become the first European Union country to ban disposable e-cigarettes, with the ban taking effect from the 1st of January. Part of a national anti-tobacco plan, the ban targets the health risks and environmental damage caused by single-use vapes, which are popular among teens. Disposable vapes, filled with high nicotine levels, contribute to pollution through plastic and lithium batteries. Watch in for more details!

Belgium First EU Country To Ban Disposable E-Cigarettes

The U.S. Treasury Department has claimed that a China state-sponsored actor was behind a cyber breach earlier this month. According to a letter to Congress, the breach resulted in the access of some of the U.S. Treasury Department's workstations. In this letter to the leadership of the Senate Banking Committee, the Treasury said that, based on available indicators, the incident has been attributed to a China state-sponsored advanced persistent threat actor. Watch in for more details!

US Treasury Department Claims Chinese Hack; Beijing Rejects Allegations Of Sponsoring Cyber Attacks

As the year comes to an end, the United Nations has urged the world to pull back from the road to ruin, warning that climate change sparked a trail of extreme weather and record heat in 2024. The UN's weather and climate agency has said that the outgoing year is set to be the warmest ever recorded, capping a decade of unprecedented heat. Watch in for more details!

Top 10 Hottest Years On Record Have Happened In Last 10 Years: UN

Cleanup was underway after a strong storm system spread hail, rain, high winds, and tornadoes across the southern U.S. over the weekend, killing at least four people. As of Monday afternoon, over 30 tornadoes had been confirmed, as crews worked through about 50 reports of tornado damage spanning from Texas to South Carolina. Watch in for more details!

Deadly Tornadoes Devastate South; Over 30 Tornadoes Spun From Texas To South Carolina

A federal appeals court has upheld a $5 million verdict that Jean Carroll won against Donald Trump, after a jury found the former U.S. president liable for sexually abusing and later defaming the former magazine columnist. Trump maintains he has never encountered Carroll. The case continues despite Trump having won a second four-year White House term. His inauguration as the 47th president of the United States is scheduled to take place on January 20th. The 119th Congress will convene on January 3rd, with new members being sworn in, and the House will vote on a speaker on January 5th. Trump has thrown his support behind Speaker Mike Johnson. Watch this report for more details!

Trump Endorses Mike Johnson Ahead Of Speaker Election: 'Good, Hard-Working, & Religious Man'

South Korea Political Turmoil: Law Enforcement Officials Seek To Arrest Yoon Suk Yeol

Protests have intensified in Kenya recently, driven by widespread concerns over a series of abductions targeting government critics. On Monday, demonstrators gathered in Nairobi to demand the release of individuals who are believed to have been detained or taken by authorities. Watch in for more details!

Kenya Protests: Several Arrested As Protesters Rally Against Abductions

A scathing report from the U.S. Helsinki Commission accuses Russia of launching hybrid attacks on NATO territory. It claims that since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, sabotage operations across North America and Europe have intensified. If true, how has Moscow managed to target NATO and the West singlehandedly, despite severe sanctions? Our next report reveals more. Watch in for more details!

Russia-Ukraine War: NATO Must Take Shadow War Seriously: Report

As 2024 draws to a close, China’s economy continues to grapple with the challenges that have emerged post-COVID-19 pandemic. Despite some positive signs of recovery, the country faces significant struggles, particularly in its real estate sector. The collapse of the housing market, once a driving force behind decades of economic growth, has left millions of households financially exposed and eroded confidence in the future. Watch in for more details!

China's Economic Outlook Uncertain As 2025 Looms

2024 – A year that kept the world on its toes, shattering expectations and rewriting the rulebook on politics and global stability. 

On 'Did You Believe?', we break down the stories that stunned, shocked, and shaped 2024. Watch in for more details!

From Spark To Spotlight: How It Started Vs Where Are We Now?

The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged China to share crucial data and access to help understand the origins of COVID-19, five years since the pandemic's emergence emphasizing the need for transparency, the WHO stated that without it, the organization cannot adequately prevent and prepare for future epidemics and pandemics. 
Since its emergence in Wuhan, China, in late 2019, COVID-19 has claimed millions of lives, ravaged economies, and pushed healthcare systems to the brink. Watch in for more details!

Covid-19 Pandemic: 5 Years On, Quest For Origins Continues

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