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The US Treasury on Monday (Dec 30) told Congress that a China state-sponsored actor was behind a cyber breach earlier this month that successfully accessed some of its workstations.&nbsp;
It said the China-backed hacker compromised a third-party cybersecurity provider and was able to remotely access the workstations.&nbsp;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/salt-typhoon-white-house-confirms-ninth-us-telecom-hacked-in-chinese-spying-campaign-8573316">The White House confirms a new breach in a Chinese cyber campaign</a>
The US Treasury Department, in a letter to the Senate Banking Committee, said: "Based on available indicators, the incident has been attributed to a China state-sponsored Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) actor."
<h2>Classified documents compromised?</h2>
A treasury spokesperson revealed that some unclassified documents were accessed during the cyberattack. The compromised third-party security provider, BeyondTrust, alerted the US Treasury about the breach.
According to an AFP report, BeyondTrust has been working with law enforcement partners to ascertain the impact of the attack. In the meantime, it has been taken offline.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/japan-approves-55bn-mammoth-defence-budget-as-it-gears-up-to-take-on-china-threat-8570660">Japan approves $55bn mammoth defence budget as it gears up to take on China threat</a>
"The compromised BeyondTrust service has been taken offline and there is no evidence indicating the threat actor has continued access to Treasury systems or information," said the spokesperson.
While the Treasury did not provide any further details about the attack, it said additional information would be released in a supplemental report.
It added that the US Treasury Department will would continue working to protect the US financial system from threats and that it "takes very seriously all threats against our systems, and the data it holds".
<h2>What is Advanced Persistent Threat (APT)?</h2>
According to AFP, an APT is a cyberattack where the intruder or hacker "establishes and maintains unauthorised access to a target," while managing to remain undetected for a sustained period.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/north-korean-cyber-actors-were-behind-the-308-million-cryptocurrency-heist-says-us-and-japan-786407">North Korean cyber actors behind $308 million cryptocurrency heist, say US and Japan</a>
<h2>The China threat</h2>
In recent years, the United States and several other nations have voiced alarm over the rise in Chinese government-backed hacking activity. However, China refutes the allegations and previously in a statement has said that it is against all forms of cyberattacks.
(With inputs from agencies)
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The Treasury informed the Senate Banking Committee about the breach, emphasising the involvement of a China state-sponsored actor in the cyberattack.

The US Treasury on Monday (Dec 30) told Congress that a China state-sponsored actor was behind a cyber breach earlier this month that successfully accessed some of its workstations. It said the China-backed hacker compromised a third-party cybersecurity provider and was able to remotely access the workstations. Also read | The White House confirms a new breach in a Chinese cyber campaign The US Treasury Department, in a letter to the Senate Banking Committee, said: "Based on available indicators, the incident has been attributed to a China state-sponsored Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) actor." Classified documents compromised? A treasury spokesperson revealed that some unclassified documents were accessed during the cyberattack. The compromised third-party security provider, BeyondTrust, alerted the US Treasury about the breach. According to an AFP report, BeyondTrust has been working with law enforcement partners to ascertain the impact of the attack. In the meantime, it has been taken offline. Also read | Japan approves $55bn mammoth defence budget as it gears up to take on China threat "The compromised BeyondTrust service has been taken offline and there is no evidence indicating the threat actor has continued access to Treasury systems or information," said the spokesperson. While the Treasury did not provide any further details about the attack, it said additional information would be released in a supplemental report. It added that the US Treasury Department will would continue working to protect the US financial system from threats and that it "takes very seriously all threats against our systems, and the data it holds". What is Advanced Persistent Threat (APT)? According to AFP, an APT is a cyberattack where the intruder or hacker "establishes and maintains unauthorised access to a target," while managing to remain undetected for a sustained period. Also read | North Korean cyber actors behind $308 million cryptocurrency heist, say US and Japan The China threat In recent years, the United States and several other nations have voiced alarm over the rise in Chinese government-backed hacking activity. However, China refutes the allegations and previously in a statement has said that it is against all forms of cyberattacks. (With inputs from agencies)

US Treasury confirms cyber breach linked to China-backed hacker

The World Health Organisation on Monday implored China to share data and access to help understand how COVID-19 began, five years on from the start of the pandemic that upended the planet.
COVID-19 killed millions of people, shredded economies, and crippled health systems.
"We continue to call on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-a-first-dna-from-silk-road-reveals-ancient-chinas-multiracial-past-672828">China</a> to share data and access so we can understand the origins of Covid-19. This is a moral and scientific imperative," the WHO said in a statement.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-chief-tedros-narrowly-escaped-israeli-attack-on-yemen-airport-8573279">WHO chief Tedros narrowly escaped Israeli attack on Yemen airport</a>
"Without transparency, sharing, and cooperation among countries, the world cannot adequately prevent and prepare for future epidemics and pandemics."
The WHO recounted how on December 31, 2019, its country office in China picked up a media statement from the health authorities in Wuhan concerning cases of "viral pneumonia" in the city.
"In the weeks, months and years that unfolded after that, COVID-19 came to shape our lives and our world," the UN health agency said.
"As we mark this milestone, let's take a moment to honour the lives changed and lost, recognise those who are suffering from COVID-19 and Long Covid, express gratitude to the health workers who sacrificed so much to care for us, and commit to learning from Covid-19 to build a healthier tomorrow."
<h2>'Same weaknesses'</h2>
Earlier this month, the WHO's Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus addressed the issue of whether the world was better prepared for the next pandemic than it was for Covid-19.
"The answer is yes, and no," he told a press conference.
"If the next pandemic arrived today, the world would still face some of the same weaknesses and vulnerabilities that gave COVID-19 a foothold five years ago."
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hospital-or-hamas-lair-who-says-israeli-raid-put-gazas-last-major-hospital-out-of-service-8571974">Hospital or Hamas lair? WHO says Israeli raid put Gaza's last major hospital 'out of service'</a>
"But the world has also learnt many of the painful lessons the pandemic taught us, and has taken significant steps to strengthen its defences against future epidemics and pandemics."
In December 2021, spooked by the devastation caused by Covid, countries decided to start drafting an accord on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response.
The WHO's 194 member states negotiating the treaty have agreed on most of what it should include, but are stuck on the practicalities.
A key fault line lies between Western nations with major pharmaceutical industry sectors and poorer countries wary of being sidelined when the next pandemic strikes.
While the outstanding issues are few, they include the heart of the agreement: the obligation to quickly share emerging pathogens&nbsp;and then the pandemic-fighting benefits derived from them, such as vaccines.
The deadline for the negotiations is May 2025.
Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION&nbsp;audience.

World: "We continue to call on China to share data and access so we can understand the origins of Covid-19. This is a moral and scientific imperative," the WHO said in a statement.

The World Health Organisation on Monday implored China to share data and access to help understand how COVID-19 began, five years on from the start of the pandemic that upended the planet. COVID-19 killed millions of people, shredded economies, and crippled health systems. "We continue to call on China to share data and access so we can understand the origins of Covid-19. This is a moral and scientific imperative," the WHO said in a statement. Also read: WHO chief Tedros narrowly escaped Israeli attack on Yemen airport "Without transparency, sharing, and cooperation among countries, the world cannot adequately prevent and prepare for future epidemics and pandemics." The WHO recounted how on December 31, 2019, its country office in China picked up a media statement from the health authorities in Wuhan concerning cases of "viral pneumonia" in the city. "In the weeks, months and years that unfolded after that, COVID-19 came to shape our lives and our world," the UN health agency said. "As we mark this milestone, let's take a moment to honour the lives changed and lost, recognise those who are suffering from COVID-19 and Long Covid, express gratitude to the health workers who sacrificed so much to care for us, and commit to learning from Covid-19 to build a healthier tomorrow." 'Same weaknesses' Earlier this month, the WHO's Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus addressed the issue of whether the world was better prepared for the next pandemic than it was for Covid-19. "The answer is yes, and no," he told a press conference. "If the next pandemic arrived today, the world would still face some of the same weaknesses and vulnerabilities that gave COVID-19 a foothold five years ago." Also read: Hospital or Hamas lair? WHO says Israeli raid put Gaza's last major hospital 'out of service' "But the world has also learnt many of the painful lessons the pandemic taught us, and has taken significant steps to strengthen its defences against future epidemics and pandemics." In December 2021, spooked by the devastation caused by Covid, countries decided to start drafting an accord on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response. The WHO's 194 member states negotiating the treaty have agreed on most of what it should include, but are stuck on the practicalities. A key fault line lies between Western nations with major pharmaceutical industry sectors and poorer countries wary of being sidelined when the next pandemic strikes. While the outstanding issues are few, they include the heart of the agreement: the obligation to quickly share emerging pathogens and then the pandemic-fighting benefits derived from them, such as vaccines. The deadline for the negotiations is May 2025. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

WHO urges China to share data on COVID-19 origins five years after pandemic began

ISRO's PSLV-C60 rocket successfully launched the SpaDex satellite, designed for an important space docking experiment. This mission marks a significant achievement in India’s space exploration efforts, advancing research in space technology and docking capabilities.

ISRO Successfully Launches SpaDeX for Crucial Space Docking Experiment

Croatia is preparing for the second round of its presidential runoff election, with candidates intensifying their campaigns as voters prepare to make their final choice. The outcome could significantly impact the country's political future.

Croatia Gears Up for Round 2 of Presidential Runoff

Russia and Ukraine have carried out a major prisoner exchange, with over three hundred soldiers from both sides released in a deal mediated by the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
According to Russia&rsquo;s Ministry of Defence, 150 Ukrainian prisoners of war were exchanged for the same number of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-vows-response-after-state-media-blocked-on-telegram-in-eu-8577944" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Russian</a> troops. In a statement, the ministry said, &ldquo;On Dec. 30, as a result of the negotiation process, 150 Russian servicemen were returned from territory controlled by the Kyiv regime. In return, 150 Ukrainian prisoners of war were handed over.&rdquo;
Also read: <a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/how-us-support-strengthened-israel-and-ukraine-in-their-wars-8574196" aria-label="How US support strengthened Israel and Ukraine in their wars">How US support strengthened Israel and Ukraine in their wars</a>
The ministry added, "Currently, all Russian servicemen are in the territory of the Republic of Belarus, where they are receiving the necessary psychological and medical assistance, as well as the opportunity to contact their relatives. All released servicemen will be delivered to the Russian Federation for treatment and rehabilitation in medical institutions of the Russian Ministry of Defense."&nbsp;
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that 189 Ukrainians had been released as part of the exchange. "We are working to free everyone from Russian captivity. This is our goal. We do not forget anyone," he said.
President Zelensky added that those released included defenders from key locations: Azovstal, Mariupol, the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, and Snake Island. Among the released prisoners were soldiers, border guards, officers, and two civilians captured in Mariupol.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/search?title=ukraine" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Ukraine&rsquo;s government</a> said that Moscow has so far released a total of 3,956 individuals both military personnel and civilians, through prisoner swaps since the war began.
<h2>'Very soon our guys will celebrate New Year in their native land'</h2>
Video shared by Russia&rsquo;s human rights commissioner, Tatyana Moskalkova, showed soldiers in winter gear standing near buses. Moskalkova thanked them for their service, &ldquo;I thank you for your service, patience, and courage,&rdquo; while wishing them a happy New Year.
"Very soon our guys will embrace their relatives and friends and celebrate the New Year in their native land," she wrote in a Telegram message.
Meanwhile, Zelensky posted images of Ukrainian soldiers holding yellow-and-blue flags while seated on a coach bus after their release. This marked the 59th prisoner exchange since the beginning of Russia&rsquo;s full-scale invasion and was one of the largest swaps to date.
(With inputs from agencies)

World news: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that 189 Ukrainians had been freed as part of the exchange. "We are working to free everyone from Russian captivity. This is our goal. We do not forget anyone," he said.

Russia and Ukraine have carried out a major prisoner exchange, with over three hundred soldiers from both sides released in a deal mediated by the United Arab Emirates (UAE). According to Russia’s Ministry of Defence, 150 Ukrainian prisoners of war were exchanged for the same number of Russian troops. In a statement, the ministry said, “On Dec. 30, as a result of the negotiation process, 150 Russian servicemen were returned from territory controlled by the Kyiv regime. In return, 150 Ukrainian prisoners of war were handed over.” Also read: How US support strengthened Israel and Ukraine in their wars The ministry added, "Currently, all Russian servicemen are in the territory of the Republic of Belarus, where they are receiving the necessary psychological and medical assistance, as well as the opportunity to contact their relatives. All released servicemen will be delivered to the Russian Federation for treatment and rehabilitation in medical institutions of the Russian Ministry of Defense." Also read: Russia 'not satisfied' with Donald Trump's Ukraine peace plan: Report Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that 189 Ukrainians had been released as part of the exchange. "We are working to free everyone from Russian captivity. This is our goal. We do not forget anyone," he said. President Zelensky added that those released included defenders from key locations: Azovstal, Mariupol, the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, and Snake Island. Among the released prisoners were soldiers, border guards, officers, and two civilians captured in Mariupol. Ukraine’s government said that Moscow has so far released a total of 3,956 individuals both military personnel and civilians, through prisoner swaps since the war began. 'Very soon our guys will celebrate New Year in their native land' Video shared by Russia’s human rights commissioner, Tatyana Moskalkova, showed soldiers in winter gear standing near buses. Moskalkova thanked them for their service, “I thank you for your service, patience, and courage,” while wishing them a happy New Year. "Very soon our guys will embrace their relatives and friends and celebrate the New Year in their native land," she wrote in a Telegram message. Meanwhile, Zelensky posted images of Ukrainian soldiers holding yellow-and-blue flags while seated on a coach bus after their release. This marked the 59th prisoner exchange since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion and was one of the largest swaps to date. (With inputs from agencies)

Russia-Ukraine war: Moscow, Kyiv exchange 300 prisoners in UAE-brokered deal

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched its year-end mission called the "Space Docking Experiment" on Monday (Dec 30). The mission is also known as SpaDex.&nbsp;
In the latest allegations, the German government has accused billionaire Elon Musk of trying to influence the country's elections through repeated public endorsements of the far-right party.&nbsp;
In other news around the globe, Azerbaijan said on Monday (December 30) that Moscow has assured it will hold those responsible for the Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash accountable.
<a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-space-agency-isro-launches-spadex-mission-8578903" aria-label="Watch: Indian space agency ISRO launches SpaDeX mission">Watch: Indian space agency ISRO launches SpaDeX mission</a>
<img src="https://img-cdn.thepublive.com/fit-in/1280x720/filters:format(webp)/wion/media/media_files/2024/12/30/4LfiPdQGsHitRMFKvYNG.png" alt=" ISRO launches SpaDex mission. Photograph: (X@ISRO) ">
India's space agency, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), on Monday (Dec 30) launched its year-end mission: the "Space Docking Experiment," also&nbsp;known as SpaDex. The mission&mdash;on the PSLV-C60 rocket&mdash;was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.&nbsp;
<a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/germany-accuses-elon-musk-of-trying-to-influence-elections-with-afd-endorsements-8578786" aria-label="Germany accuses Elon Musk of 'trying to influence' elections with AfD endorsements">Germany accuses Elon Musk of 'trying to influence' elections with AfD endorsements</a>
<img src="https://img-cdn.thepublive.com/fit-in/1280x720/filters:format(webp)/wion/media/media_files/2024/12/28/c98MlSk6WfQRj7At2zYe.png" alt=" File image of Elon Musk Photograph: (Reuters) ">The German government has accused Elon Musk of trying to influence the country&rsquo;s elections&nbsp;through repeated public endorsements of&nbsp;the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD).
<a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/azerbaijan-plane-crash-russia-promised-to-punish-those-responsible-for-tragedy-says-baku-8578235" aria-label="Azerbaijan plane crash: Russia promised to punish those responsible for tragedy,&nbsp;says&nbsp;Baku">Azerbaijan plane crash: Russia promised to punish those responsible for tragedy,&nbsp;says&nbsp;Baku</a>
<img src="https://img-cdn.thepublive.com/fit-in/1280x0/filters:format(webp)/wion/media/media_files/2024/12/28/zUofdANco9XiM6UHtnYV.jpg" alt=" Left: Russia President Vladimir Putin; Right: Azerbaijan plane crash Photograph: (Reuters) " style="width: 1280px;">Azerbaijan said on Monday (December 30) that Moscow has assured it will hold those responsible for the Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash accountable.&nbsp; The plane, which Azerbaijan claims was hit by Russian air defences, crash-landed in Kazakhstan on December 25, causing the deaths of 38 out of the 67 passengers onboard.
<a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-korea-plane-crash-8578104" aria-label="South Korea plane crash: Govt orders emergency airline inspections after Jeju Air disaster claims 179 lives">South Korea plane crash: Govt orders emergency airline inspections after Jeju Air disaster claims 179 lives</a>
<img src="https://img-cdn.thepublive.com/fit-in/1280x720/filters:format(webp)/wion/media/media_files/2024/12/29/8ki7qWKhas8Ut2wwCeYl.jpg" alt=" The Jeju Air plane crash in South Korea. Photograph: (Yonhap news agency via X) ">
South Korea's acting president Choi Sang-mok on Monday (December 30) ordered an urgent safety review of the nation's airline operations following a Jeju Air crash on Sunday that claimed the lives of 179 people.&nbsp;
<a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/stop-employing-females-or-talibans-latest-act-to-curb-women-rights-in-afghanistan-8577855" aria-label="'Stop employing females or...': Taliban's latest order to curb women's rights in Afghanistan">'Stop employing females or...': Taliban's latest order to curb women's rights in Afghanistan</a>
<img src="https://img-cdn.thepublive.com/fit-in/1280x0/filters:format(webp)/wion/media/media_files/2024/12/30/p5Mq1z44Ck7Jtv7XdWSd.png" alt=" Women in Afghanistan Photograph: (AFP) " style="width: 1280px;">In the latest move to curb women's rights in Afghanistan, the Taliban issued warnings to all foreign non-profit organisations (NGOs) to stop employing women or they will be banned from operating in the country.&nbsp;
<a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/unitedhealthcare-employees-get-trained-to-deny-medical-claims-ex-employee-8578769" aria-label="UnitedHealthcare staff gets trained to deny medical claims: Ex-employee">UnitedHealthcare staff gets trained to deny medical claims: Ex-employee</a>
<h2 class="gh-archive-page-post-title"><a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/unitedhealthcare-employees-get-trained-to-deny-medical-claims-ex-employee-8578769" aria-label="UnitedHealthcare staff gets trained to deny medical claims: Ex-employee"><img src="https://img-cdn.thepublive.com/fit-in/1280x0/filters:format(webp)/wion/media/media_files/2024/12/30/PSpaGSWGoILQtxVFcv9K.png" alt=" UnitedHealthcare CEO&nbsp;Brian Thompson, who was shot dead in New York in December. Photograph: (AFP) " style="width: 1280px;"></a></h2>
A former employee of UnitedHealthcare has revealed that the company used to give systematic training to employees to deny medical claims.
<a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/politics-over-manmohan-singhs-ashes-immersion-bjp-claims-rahul-gandhi-partying-in-vietnam-8578606" aria-label="Politics over Manmohan Singh&rsquo;s ashes immersion; BJP claims Rahul Gandhi &lsquo;partying&rsquo; in Vietnam">Politics over Manmohan Singh&rsquo;s ashes immersion; BJP claims Rahul Gandhi &lsquo;partying&rsquo; in Vietnam</a>
<img src="https://img-cdn.thepublive.com/fit-in/1280x720/filters:format(webp)/wion/media/media_files/2024/12/28/f378zskdRelbUlaYTakr.jpg" alt=" Congress leader and media department chairman Pawan Khera said, &quot;Senior Congress leaders did not accompany the family to gather and immerse the ashes of Manmohan Singh out of our deference to the privacy of the family.&quot; Photograph: (X/@RahulGandhi) ">
The debate surrounding the immersion of the ashes of former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh after the funeral intensified on Monday (December 30), with Congress saying that senior party leaders refrained from accompanying his family to respect their privacy.
<a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-confirms-arrest-of-italian-journalist-cecilia-sala-for-violating-the-law-8578626" aria-label="Iran confirms arrest of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala for &lsquo;violating the law&rsquo;" rel="dofollow">Iran confirms arrest of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala for &lsquo;violating the law</a>
<img src="https://img-cdn.thepublive.com/fit-in/1280x720/filters:format(webp)/wion/media/media_files/2024/12/30/LFEYomEYm2Tqr5mcnlVe.png" alt=" Italian journalist Cecilia Sala, who has been arrested by Iran for violating the law. Photograph: (AFP) ">
Iran confirmed on Monday that it had arrested Italian journalist Cecilia Sala for "violating the law", state&nbsp;media reported, a move decried by Italy as "unacceptable".&nbsp;
<a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/icc-awards-2024-jasprit-bumrah-nominated-for-sir-garfield-sobers-trophy-for-mens-cricketer-of-the-year-8578356" aria-label="Bumrah rewarded with twin ICC Awards nominations for a staggering 2024">Bumrah rewarded with twin ICC Awards nominations for a staggering 2024</a>
<img src="https://img-cdn.thepublive.com/fit-in/1280x720/filters:format(webp)/wion/media/media_files/2024/12/30/nlnU5k5nWxFgPfLGzeln.jpg" alt=" Bumrah rewarded with twin ICC Awards nominations for a staggering 2024 Photograph: (AFP) ">
Ace Indian seamer Jasprit Bumrah got rewarded for his supreme performance in Tests this year with two nominations in the latest ICC Awards 2024 - Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for Men&rsquo;s Cricketer of the Year and ICC Men&rsquo;s Test Cricketer of the Year.
<a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/diljit-dosanjh-pays-warm-tribute-to-dr-manmohan-singh-at-his-guwahati-concert-watch-8578425" aria-label="Diljit Dosanjh pays tribute to Manmohan Singh at Guwahati concert, watch">Diljit Dosanjh pays tribute to Manmohan Singh at Guwahati concert, watch</a>
<img src="https://img-cdn.thepublive.com/fit-in/1280x720/filters:format(webp)/wion/media/post_attachments/files/2024/10/28/462956-your-paragraph-text-2024-10-28t160528323.jpg" alt=" Diljit Dosanjh pays tribute to Manmohan Singh at Guwahati concert, watch">
Diljit Dosanjh is at the fag end of his Dil-Luminati tour in India. The singer's concerts in various Indian cities are widely shared on social media. On Sunday, Diljit performed at Guwahati's Sarusajai Sports Complex.&nbsp;

World News: Here is a compilation of the top 10 stories from across the world. Click on the headlines to read the full stories.



The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched its year-end mission called the "Space Docking Experiment" on Monday (Dec 30). The mission is also known as SpaDex. In the latest allegations, the German government has accused billionaire Elon Musk of trying to influence the country's elections through repeated public endorsements of the far-right party. In other news around the globe, Azerbaijan said on Monday (December 30) that Moscow has assured it will hold those responsible for the Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash accountable. Watch: Indian space agency ISRO launches SpaDeX mission India's space agency, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), on Monday (Dec 30) launched its year-end mission: the "Space Docking Experiment," also known as SpaDex. The mission—on the PSLV-C60 rocket—was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. Germany accuses Elon Musk of 'trying to influence' elections with AfD endorsements The German government has accused Elon Musk of trying to influence the country’s elections through repeated public endorsements of the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD). Azerbaijan plane crash: Russia promised to punish those responsible for tragedy, says Baku Azerbaijan said on Monday (December 30) that Moscow has assured it will hold those responsible for the Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash accountable. The plane, which Azerbaijan claims was hit by Russian air defences, crash-landed in Kazakhstan on December 25, causing the deaths of 38 out of the 67 passengers onboard. South Korea plane crash: Govt orders emergency airline inspections after Jeju Air disaster claims 179 lives South Korea's acting president Choi Sang-mok on Monday (December 30) ordered an urgent safety review of the nation's airline operations following a Jeju Air crash on Sunday that claimed the lives of 179 people. 'Stop employing females or...': Taliban's latest order to curb women's rights in Afghanistan In the latest move to curb women's rights in Afghanistan, the Taliban issued warnings to all foreign non-profit organisations (NGOs) to stop employing women or they will be banned from operating in the country. UnitedHealthcare staff gets trained to deny medical claims: Ex-employee A former employee of UnitedHealthcare has revealed that the company used to give systematic training to employees to deny medical claims. Politics over Manmohan Singh’s ashes immersion; BJP claims Rahul Gandhi ‘partying’ in Vietnam The debate surrounding the immersion of the ashes of former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh after the funeral intensified on Monday (December 30), with Congress saying that senior party leaders refrained from accompanying his family to respect their privacy. Iran confirms arrest of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala for ‘violating the law Iran confirmed on Monday that it had arrested Italian journalist Cecilia Sala for "violating the law", state media reported, a move decried by Italy as "unacceptable". Bumrah rewarded with twin ICC Awards nominations for a staggering 2024 Ace Indian seamer Jasprit Bumrah got rewarded for his supreme performance in Tests this year with two nominations in the latest ICC Awards 2024 - Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for Men’s Cricketer of the Year and ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year. Diljit Dosanjh pays tribute to Manmohan Singh at Guwahati concert, watch Diljit Dosanjh is at the fag end of his Dil-Luminati tour in India. The singer's concerts in various Indian cities are widely shared on social media. On Sunday, Diljit performed at Guwahati's Sarusajai Sports Complex.

Top 10 world news: ISRO launches SpaDeX mission; Germany accuses Musk of 'trying to influence' elections, and more

A federal appeals court upheld a $5 million verdict on Monday (December 30) in favour of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-sues-des-moines-register-and-top-pollster-vows-more-lawsuits-against-them-784795">E. Jean Carroll</a>, a former magazine columnist, in her case against US President-elect Donald Trump.&nbsp;
A jury had previously found Trump liable for sexually abusing and defaming Carroll, and the appeals court rejected Trump&rsquo;s request for a new trial just weeks before he is set to retake office.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/abc-news-settles-defamation-lawsuit-with-donald-trump-agrees-to-pay16mn-784060">ABC News settles defamation lawsuit with Donald Trump, agrees to pay $15mn</a>
The Second Circuit Court of Appeals said that Trump&rsquo;s legal team failed to show any errors in the district court's rulings or present sufficient grounds to justify a new trial. 
&ldquo;We conclude that Mr. Trump has not demonstrated that the district court erred in any of the challenged rulings. Further, he has not carried his burden to show that any claimed error or combination of claimed errors affected his substantial rights as required to warrant a new trial,&rdquo; the court said in its ruling.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/germany-accuses-elon-musk-of-trying-to-influence-elections-with-afd-endorsements-8578786">Germany accuses Elon Musk of 'trying to influence' elections with AfD endorsements</a>
Trump&rsquo;s lawyers argued that the district court had allowed "inflammatory" evidence, including the 2005 <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-trumps-deposition-video-in-e-jean-carrolls-rape-lawsuit-made-public-589441">Access Hollywood tape</a>, in which Trump&nbsp;was heard saying that &ldquo;when you&rsquo;re a star,&rdquo; &ldquo;you can do anything,&rdquo; such as grabbing women &ldquo;by the pussy.&rdquo; They also objected to testimony from two other women&mdash;Jessica Leeds, who claimed Trump groped her on a plane in the 1970s, and Natasha Stoynoff, who alleged Trump forcibly kissed her at Mar-a-Lago in 2005.
<h2>Trump vs. E. Jean Carroll case</h2>
In 2023, a jury awarded Carroll $2.02 million for sexual assault and $2.98 million for defamation after finding Trump liable for sexually abusing her in the 1990s and then defaming her when she went public with her accusations. However, the jury did not find Trump guilty of rape.
Separately, in January 2024, another jury ordered Trump to pay Carroll $83.3 million for defamation after concluding that his denial of her allegations in 2019 harmed her reputation. Trump had dismissed Carroll's claims, saying he did not know her, she was "not my type," and that she made up the allegations to promote her memoir.
(With inputs from agencies)

World News: In 2023, a jury awarded E. Jean Carroll $2.02 million for sexual assault and $2.98 million for defamation after finding Trump liable for sexually abusing her in the 1990s and then defaming her.

A federal appeals court upheld a $5 million verdict on Monday (December 30) in favour of E. Jean Carroll, a former magazine columnist, in her case against US President-elect Donald Trump. A jury had previously found Trump liable for sexually abusing and defaming Carroll, and the appeals court rejected Trump’s request for a new trial just weeks before he is set to retake office. Also read: ABC News settles defamation lawsuit with Donald Trump, agrees to pay $15mn The Second Circuit Court of Appeals said that Trump’s legal team failed to show any errors in the district court's rulings or present sufficient grounds to justify a new trial. “We conclude that Mr. Trump has not demonstrated that the district court erred in any of the challenged rulings. Further, he has not carried his burden to show that any claimed error or combination of claimed errors affected his substantial rights as required to warrant a new trial,” the court said in its ruling. Also read: Germany accuses Elon Musk of 'trying to influence' elections with AfD endorsements Trump’s lawyers argued that the district court had allowed "inflammatory" evidence, including the 2005 Access Hollywood tape, in which Trump was heard saying that “when you’re a star,” “you can do anything,” such as grabbing women “by the pussy.” They also objected to testimony from two other women—Jessica Leeds, who claimed Trump groped her on a plane in the 1970s, and Natasha Stoynoff, who alleged Trump forcibly kissed her at Mar-a-Lago in 2005. Trump vs. E. Jean Carroll case In 2023, a jury awarded Carroll $2.02 million for sexual assault and $2.98 million for defamation after finding Trump liable for sexually abusing her in the 1990s and then defaming her when she went public with her accusations. However, the jury did not find Trump guilty of rape. Separately, in January 2024, another jury ordered Trump to pay Carroll $83.3 million for defamation after concluding that his denial of her allegations in 2019 harmed her reputation. Trump had dismissed Carroll's claims, saying he did not know her, she was "not my type," and that she made up the allegations to promote her memoir. (With inputs from agencies)

Court rejects Trump’s bid for new trial in E. Jean Carroll sexual abuse, defamation case

US President-elect Donald Trump on Monday (Dec 30) endorsed Mike Johnson ahead of the Speaker election. He took to his social media platform Truth Social and praised Johnson by calling him a good, hard-working and religious man. "Mike has my complete and total endorsement," the Republican wrote.&nbsp;
In his post, Trump wrote, "We are the Party of COMMON SENSE, a primary reason that we WON, in a landslide, the magnificent and historic Presidential Election of 2024. ALL SEVEN SWING STATES, 312 ELECTORAL COLLEGE VOTES, AND THE POPULAR VOTE BY MILLIONS OF VOTERS (Despite large-scale voter fraud taking place in numerous states, including California, where votes are ridiculously still being counted, or under review!), ALL WON WITH EASE, CALM, &amp; PROFESSIONALISM. Republicans are being praised for having run a &ldquo;legendary&rdquo; campaign!"&nbsp;
Also read | <a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/can-trump-overturn-bidens-pardons-president-elect-vows-to-pursue-death-penalty-vigorously-786624" aria-label="Can Trump overturn Biden's pardons? President-elect vows to pursue death penalty 'vigorously'">Can Trump overturn Biden's pardons? President-elect vows to pursue death penalty 'vigorously'</a>
"Democrats are being excoriated for their effort, having wasted 2.5 Billion Dollars, much of it unaccounted for, with some being used to illegally buy endorsements ($11,000,000 to Beyonc&eacute;, who never even sang a song, $2,000,000 to Oprah for doing next to nothing, and even $500,000 to Reverend AL, a professional con man and instigator, who agreed to &ldquo;interview&rdquo; their &ldquo;star-spangled&rdquo; candidates, Kamala and Joe)," the upcoming US resident further added in his post.&nbsp;
Trump continued, "We ran a flawless campaign, having spent FAR LESS, with lots of money left over. They ran a very expensive &ldquo;sinking ship,&rdquo; embracing DOJ &amp; FBI WEAPONIZATION against their political opponent, ME. BUT IT DIDN&rsquo;T WORK, IT WAS A DISASTER!!! LET'S NOT BLOW THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY WHICH WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN. The American people need IMMEDIATE relief from all of the destructive policies of the last Administration. Speaker Mike Johnson is a good, hard-working, religious man. He will do the right thing, and we will continue to WIN. Mike has my Complete &amp; Total Endorsement. MAGA!!!"&nbsp;
<iframe width="600" style="max-width: 100%; border: 0;" src="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/113742374534233751/embed" class="truthsocial-embed" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>

<script src="https://truthsocial.com/embed.js" async="async"></script>

<h3>Speaker election&nbsp;</h3>
Mike Johnson is expected to be elected in the upcoming election scheduled to be held on January 3 with a 219-215 majority.&nbsp;
Also read | <a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bald-eagle-declared-us-national-bird-biden-wraps-term-by-enacting-50-new-laws-786656" aria-label="Bald Eagle declared US national bird as Biden enacts 50 new laws">Bald Eagle declared US national bird as Biden enacts 50 new laws</a>
<h3>Trump's mixed reaction to Johnson&nbsp;</h3>
Trump recently criticised former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy after he agreed to raise the debt ceiling during the Biden administration. Trump called it the "one of the dumbest political decisions made in years". Trump disliked that Johnson did not suspend the decision.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)
&nbsp;

World News: Mike Johnson is expected to be elected in the upcoming election scheduled to be held on January 3 with a 219-215 majority. 

US President-elect Donald Trump on Monday (Dec 30) endorsed Mike Johnson ahead of the Speaker election. He took to his social media platform Truth Social and praised Johnson by calling him a good, hard-working and religious man. "Mike has my complete and total endorsement," the Republican wrote. In his post, Trump wrote, "We are the Party of COMMON SENSE, a primary reason that we WON, in a landslide, the magnificent and historic Presidential Election of 2024. ALL SEVEN SWING STATES, 312 ELECTORAL COLLEGE VOTES, AND THE POPULAR VOTE BY MILLIONS OF VOTERS (Despite large-scale voter fraud taking place in numerous states, including California, where votes are ridiculously still being counted, or under review!), ALL WON WITH EASE, CALM, & PROFESSIONALISM. Republicans are being praised for having run a “legendary” campaign!" Also read | Can Trump overturn Biden's pardons? President-elect vows to pursue death penalty 'vigorously' "Democrats are being excoriated for their effort, having wasted 2.5 Billion Dollars, much of it unaccounted for, with some being used to illegally buy endorsements ($11,000,000 to Beyoncé, who never even sang a song, $2,000,000 to Oprah for doing next to nothing, and even $500,000 to Reverend AL, a professional con man and instigator, who agreed to “interview” their “star-spangled” candidates, Kamala and Joe)," the upcoming US resident further added in his post. Trump continued, "We ran a flawless campaign, having spent FAR LESS, with lots of money left over. They ran a very expensive “sinking ship,” embracing DOJ & FBI WEAPONIZATION against their political opponent, ME. BUT IT DIDN’T WORK, IT WAS A DISASTER!!! LET'S NOT BLOW THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY WHICH WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN. The American people need IMMEDIATE relief from all of the destructive policies of the last Administration. Speaker Mike Johnson is a good, hard-working, religious man. He will do the right thing, and we will continue to WIN. Mike has my Complete & Total Endorsement. MAGA!!!" Speaker election Mike Johnson is expected to be elected in the upcoming election scheduled to be held on January 3 with a 219-215 majority. Also read | Bald Eagle declared US national bird as Biden enacts 50 new laws Trump's mixed reaction to Johnson Trump recently criticised former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy after he agreed to raise the debt ceiling during the Biden administration. Trump called it the "one of the dumbest political decisions made in years". Trump disliked that Johnson did not suspend the decision. (With inputs from agencies)

Donald Trump endorses Mike Johnson ahead of Speaker election

The United States on Monday announced nearly $6 billion in additional military and budget assistance for Ukraine as President Joe Biden uses his final weeks in office to surge aid to Kyiv before President-elect Donald Trump takes over.
Biden announced $2.5 billion in additional security assistance for Ukraine.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the United States has made available $3.4 billion in additional budget aid to Ukraine, giving the war-torn country critical resources amid intensifying Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure.
"At my direction, the United States will continue to work relentlessly to strengthen Ukraine&rsquo;s position in this war over the remainder of my time in office," Biden said in a statement.
Also read | <a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/germany-accuses-elon-musk-of-trying-to-influence-elections-with-afd-endorsements-8578786" aria-label="Germany accuses Elon Musk of 'trying to influence' elections with AfD endorsements">Germany accuses Elon Musk of 'trying to influence' elections with AfD endorsements</a>
Under USAI, military equipment is procured from the defence industry or&nbsp;partners, rather than drawn from American stocks, meaning it can take months or years to arrive on the battlefield. Yellen said&nbsp;the direct budget assistance, provided in coordination with the U.S. Agency for International Development and the State Department, marked the final disbursement under the 2024 Ukraine Security Supplemental Appropriations Act.
The U.S. Congress has approved $175 billion in total assistance for Ukraine since Russia's invasion of Ukraine nearly three years ago, according to the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. As per reports, the Russians have been using North Korean troops to bolster their fighting position.
North Korean forces are&nbsp;experiencing mass casualties&nbsp;on the front lines of Russia's war against Ukraine, with 1,000 of their troops killed or wounded in the last week alone in Russia's Kursk region, White House spokesperson John Kirby said on Friday.
Biden said the new assistance would provide Ukraine with "an immediate influx of capabilities that it continues to use to great effect on the battlefield and longer-term supplies of air defence, artillery, and other critical weapons systems."
Nearly three years into the war, Washington has committed billions of dollars in aid for Ukraine, but it is uncertain if the aid will continue at that pace under Trump, who succeeds Biden on Jan. 20.
Trump has said he wants to bring the war to a swift end.
During the presidential campaign, Trump questioned the level of U.S. involvement in the conflict, suggesting European allies should bear more of the financial burden.
Some of his fellow Republicans, who will control both the House of Representatives and Senate starting next month, have&nbsp;also cooled on sending more aid to Kyiv.
Also read | <a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/unitedhealthcare-employees-get-trained-to-deny-medical-claims-ex-employee-8578769" aria-label="UnitedHealthcare staff gets trained to deny medical claims: Ex-employee">UnitedHealthcare staff gets trained to deny medical claims: Ex-employe</a>
A U.S. official said the $3.4 billion in budget funding brings the total in U.S. budget aid to Ukraine to just over $30 billion since Russia's invasion in February 2022. Most of those funds are used to keep Ukraine's government running by paying salaries to teachers and other state employees.
Washington has separately provided approximately $61.4 billion in security assistance to Kyiv since the start of the war, according to the Pentagon.
Biden said the defence department is in the process of delivering hundreds of thousands of artillery rounds, thousands of rockets, and hundreds of armoured vehicles, "which will strengthen Ukraine&rsquo;s hand as it heads into the winter."
Yellen said continued economic aid for Ukraine was crucial to allow it to maintain government services and continue to defend its sovereignty, warning against moves to cut funding.
"Ukraine&rsquo;s success is in America&rsquo;s core national interest," she said, vowing to continue to pressure Moscow with sanctions and to help position Ukraine to achieve a just peace.
"We must not retreat in this effort."
<div class="post-content">
Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.
</div>

World: Biden's announcement includes $1.25 billion in military aid drawn from U.S. stockpiles and a $1.22 billion Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) package. 

The United States on Monday announced nearly $6 billion in additional military and budget assistance for Ukraine as President Joe Biden uses his final weeks in office to surge aid to Kyiv before President-elect Donald Trump takes over. Biden announced $2.5 billion in additional security assistance for Ukraine. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the United States has made available $3.4 billion in additional budget aid to Ukraine, giving the war-torn country critical resources amid intensifying Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure. "At my direction, the United States will continue to work relentlessly to strengthen Ukraine’s position in this war over the remainder of my time in office," Biden said in a statement. Also read | Germany accuses Elon Musk of 'trying to influence' elections with AfD endorsements Under USAI, military equipment is procured from the defence industry or partners, rather than drawn from American stocks, meaning it can take months or years to arrive on the battlefield. Yellen said the direct budget assistance, provided in coordination with the U.S. Agency for International Development and the State Department, marked the final disbursement under the 2024 Ukraine Security Supplemental Appropriations Act. The U.S. Congress has approved $175 billion in total assistance for Ukraine since Russia's invasion of Ukraine nearly three years ago, according to the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. As per reports, the Russians have been using North Korean troops to bolster their fighting position. North Korean forces are experiencing mass casualties on the front lines of Russia's war against Ukraine, with 1,000 of their troops killed or wounded in the last week alone in Russia's Kursk region, White House spokesperson John Kirby said on Friday. Biden said the new assistance would provide Ukraine with "an immediate influx of capabilities that it continues to use to great effect on the battlefield and longer-term supplies of air defence, artillery, and other critical weapons systems." Nearly three years into the war, Washington has committed billions of dollars in aid for Ukraine, but it is uncertain if the aid will continue at that pace under Trump, who succeeds Biden on Jan. 20. Trump has said he wants to bring the war to a swift end. During the presidential campaign, Trump questioned the level of U.S. involvement in the conflict, suggesting European allies should bear more of the financial burden. Some of his fellow Republicans, who will control both the House of Representatives and Senate starting next month, have also cooled on sending more aid to Kyiv. Also read | UnitedHealthcare staff gets trained to deny medical claims: Ex-employe A U.S. official said the $3.4 billion in budget funding brings the total in U.S. budget aid to Ukraine to just over $30 billion since Russia's invasion in February 2022. Most of those funds are used to keep Ukraine's government running by paying salaries to teachers and other state employees. Washington has separately provided approximately $61.4 billion in security assistance to Kyiv since the start of the war, according to the Pentagon. Biden said the defence department is in the process of delivering hundreds of thousands of artillery rounds, thousands of rockets, and hundreds of armoured vehicles, "which will strengthen Ukraine’s hand as it heads into the winter." Yellen said continued economic aid for Ukraine was crucial to allow it to maintain government services and continue to defend its sovereignty, warning against moves to cut funding. "Ukraine’s success is in America’s core national interest," she said, vowing to continue to pressure Moscow with sanctions and to help position Ukraine to achieve a just peace. "We must not retreat in this effort." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Biden administration announces $5.9 billion military aid to Ukraine

The German government has accused Elon Musk of trying to influence the country&rsquo;s elections through repeated public endorsements of the far-right party <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/germany-afd-organises-march-in-magdeburg-site-of-deadly-christmas-market-attack-786617" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Alternative for Germany (AfD)</a>.
Government spokesperson Christiane Hoffmann said, &ldquo;It is indeed the case that Elon Musk is trying to influence the federal election.&rdquo; Her comments came in response to Musk&rsquo;s posts on X, formerly Twitter, and an opinion piece published over the weekend in support of the AfD.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/elon-musk-endorses-german-far-right-afd-in-op-ed-opinion-editor-resigns-in-protest-8574191">Elon Musk endorses German far right AfD in op-ed; opinion editor resigns in protest</a>
While acknowledging Musk&rsquo;s right to put out his views, Hoffmann added, &ldquo;He is free to express his opinion. One does not have to share this opinion. After all, freedom of opinion also covers the greatest nonsense."
Hoffmann called Musk&rsquo;s endorsement &ldquo;a recommendation to vote for a party that is being monitored (by domestic intelligence) on suspicion of being right-wing extremist and which has already been recognised as partly right-wing extremist.&rdquo;
<h2>&nbsp;AfD is Germany&rsquo;s 'last hope': Musk</h2>
Musk, who will&nbsp;serve as an adviser to Donald Trump&rsquo;s upcoming administration, called the AfD Germany&rsquo;s &ldquo;last hope&rdquo; in a guest opinion piece for the Welt am Sonntag newspaper. After his opinion piece was published, the paper&rsquo;s commentary editor resigned in protest.
In the article, written in German, Musk defended the AfD, saying, &ldquo;The portrayal of the AfD as right-wing extremist is clearly false, considering that Alice Weidel, the party&rsquo;s leader, has a same-sex partner from Sri Lanka! Does that sound like Hitler to you? Please!&rdquo;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/elon-musks-problematic-post-on-german-politics-sparks-accusations-785767">Elon Musk's 'problematic' post on German politics sparks accusations of interference</a>
The controversy comes as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/germany-heads-for-snap-elections-on-february-23-after-chancellor-olaf-scholzs-party-coalition-collapsed-775589">Germany prepares for parliamentary elections</a> on 23 February, following the collapse of the coalition government led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
This is not the first time Musk has faced criticism from Germany over his political comments. He previously wrote on X that &ldquo;only the AfD can save Germany,&rdquo; drawing widespread criticism. At the time, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach called Musk&rsquo;s actions &ldquo;undignified and problematic,&rdquo; adding that they might equate election interference.
Last month, Musk even called Chancellor Olaf Scholz a &ldquo;fool&rdquo; on X. He defended his involvement in German politics by citing his &ldquo;significant investments&rdquo; in the country.
The AfD is currently polling in second place in the opinion polls. A strong performance by the AfD in the election could complicate coalition-building, as mainstream parties have ruled out working with the AfD at either state or federal levels.
(With inputs from agencies)

World: German government spokesperson Christiane Hoffmann said, “It is indeed the case that Elon Musk is trying to influence the federal election.” 

The German government has accused Elon Musk of trying to influence the country’s elections through repeated public endorsements of the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD). Government spokesperson Christiane Hoffmann said, “It is indeed the case that Elon Musk is trying to influence the federal election.” Her comments came in response to Musk’s posts on X, formerly Twitter, and an opinion piece published over the weekend in support of the AfD. Also read: Elon Musk endorses German far right AfD in op-ed; opinion editor resigns in protest While acknowledging Musk’s right to put out his views, Hoffmann added, “He is free to express his opinion. One does not have to share this opinion. After all, freedom of opinion also covers the greatest nonsense." Hoffmann called Musk’s endorsement “a recommendation to vote for a party that is being monitored (by domestic intelligence) on suspicion of being right-wing extremist and which has already been recognised as partly right-wing extremist.” AfD is Germany’s 'last hope': Musk Musk, who will serve as an adviser to Donald Trump’s upcoming administration, called the AfD Germany’s “last hope” in a guest opinion piece for the Welt am Sonntag newspaper. After his opinion piece was published, the paper’s commentary editor resigned in protest. In the article, written in German, Musk defended the AfD, saying, “The portrayal of the AfD as right-wing extremist is clearly false, considering that Alice Weidel, the party’s leader, has a same-sex partner from Sri Lanka! Does that sound like Hitler to you? Please!” Also read: Elon Musk's 'problematic' post on German politics sparks accusations of interference The controversy comes as Germany prepares for parliamentary elections on 23 February, following the collapse of the coalition government led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz. This is not the first time Musk has faced criticism from Germany over his political comments. He previously wrote on X that “only the AfD can save Germany,” drawing widespread criticism. At the time, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach called Musk’s actions “undignified and problematic,” adding that they might equate election interference. Last month, Musk even called Chancellor Olaf Scholz a “fool” on X. He defended his involvement in German politics by citing his “significant investments” in the country. The AfD is currently polling in second place in the opinion polls. A strong performance by the AfD in the election could complicate coalition-building, as mainstream parties have ruled out working with the AfD at either state or federal levels. (With inputs from agencies)

Germany accuses Elon Musk of 'trying to influence' elections with AfD endorsements

A former employee of UnitedHealthcare has revealed that the company used to give systematic training to employees to deny medical claims. The former employee Natalie Collins told NewsNation that there used to be two to three months of training initially for the new employees, with supervisors standing behind and monitoring how fast an employee got the call of the customer off. She claimed there was not a single instruction about how to pay the claim.&nbsp;
She said in her statement, "We weren't given proper instruction to actually pay the claim, and there weren't enough monies in certain files in certain companies to pay the claims."&nbsp;
Also read | <a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-confirms-arrest-of-italian-journalist-cecilia-sala-for-violating-the-law-8578626" aria-label="Iran confirms arrest of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala for 'violating the law'">Iran confirms arrest of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala for 'violating the law'</a>
"We would have to just get the client off the phone as fast as we could," she added.&nbsp;
Collins said that when desperate customers used to cry over the call for money, the supervisors used to laugh. She quit her job after she attempted to approve the payment for a widow and a mother of five, whose husband died due to cancer. She said her supervisor told her to deny the claim and get her off the call.&nbsp;
"They just wouldn't allow me to submit the claim. There would be alerts on each claim telling us that either we had to put it back in our queue and it would go to someone else, 30 days later, 60 days later," she said.&nbsp;
Collins said she condemns the violence, but she understands public anger. She said, "I don't believe anyone should die, but people are angry. People have reasons to be very angry, and I feel that to my bones. I've seen it, I lived it, I processed them, and I denied them."&nbsp;
<h3>Murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO&nbsp;</h3>
Also read | <a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/s-korean-plane-crash-over-60k-cancel-jeju-air-flight-reservations-after-tragedy-8578487" aria-label="South Korean plane crash: Over 60,000 people cancel Jeju Air flight reservations after tragedy, says report">South Korean plane crash: Over 60,000 people cancel Jeju Air flight reservations after tragedy, says report</a>
UnitedHealthcare came into headlines after its CEO Brian Thompson was shot dead in New York earlier in December. Luigi Manginoe, an Ivy League graduate, was arrested as a suspect in the murder but he pleaded not guilty. Investigation revealed that he was not a client of UnitedHealthcare but he took up the murder as vigilante work.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

World: Collins exposed a troubling workplace culture where supervisors allegedly mocked the distress of customers, highlighting a lack of empathy and professionalism.

A former employee of UnitedHealthcare has revealed that the company used to give systematic training to employees to deny medical claims. The former employee Natalie Collins told NewsNation that there used to be two to three months of training initially for the new employees, with supervisors standing behind and monitoring how fast an employee got the call of the customer off. She claimed there was not a single instruction about how to pay the claim. She said in her statement, "We weren't given proper instruction to actually pay the claim, and there weren't enough monies in certain files in certain companies to pay the claims." Also read | Iran confirms arrest of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala for 'violating the law' "We would have to just get the client off the phone as fast as we could," she added. Collins said that when desperate customers used to cry over the call for money, the supervisors used to laugh. She quit her job after she attempted to approve the payment for a widow and a mother of five, whose husband died due to cancer. She said her supervisor told her to deny the claim and get her off the call. "They just wouldn't allow me to submit the claim. There would be alerts on each claim telling us that either we had to put it back in our queue and it would go to someone else, 30 days later, 60 days later," she said. Collins said she condemns the violence, but she understands public anger. She said, "I don't believe anyone should die, but people are angry. People have reasons to be very angry, and I feel that to my bones. I've seen it, I lived it, I processed them, and I denied them." Murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Also read | South Korean plane crash: Over 60,000 people cancel Jeju Air flight reservations after tragedy, says report UnitedHealthcare came into headlines after its CEO Brian Thompson was shot dead in New York earlier in December. Luigi Manginoe, an Ivy League graduate, was arrested as a suspect in the murder but he pleaded not guilty. Investigation revealed that he was not a client of UnitedHealthcare but he took up the murder as vigilante work. (With inputs from agencies)

UnitedHealthcare staff gets trained to deny medical claims: Ex-employee

All on board except two crew members were  killed in a plane crash in South Korea on December 29. The aircraft skidded off the runway during landing, collided with a wall, and burst into flames at Muan International Airport, killing 179. Watch in to learn more!

South Korea Plane Crash Leaves 179 People Dead, What Effects Do Bird Strikes Have On Flights?

Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States, died on Sunday (Dec 29) at the age of 100, his non-profit foundation announced. According to the Crater Center, he died "peacefully" at his home in Plains, Georgia, "surrounded by his family". Watch in for more details!

Jimmy Carter: Consequential Policy Decisions During His Tenure As 39th U.S. President

Amid the ongoing H-1B visa debate, Elon Musk has expressed strong support for foreign tech workers, advocating for the expansion of visa opportunities. His stance comes as tensions rise over visa policies that impact the U.S. tech industry's workforce.

H-1B Visa Row: Elon Musk Takes Hard Stance, Supports Foreign Tech Workers

More than 60,000 people have cancelled their flight reservations with Jeju Air following the fatal crash of the South Korean airline's flight 7C2216 on Sunday (Dec 29).&nbsp;
According to a report by the Yonhap news agency on Monday, Jeju Air said that about 68,000 flight reservations&mdash;over 33,000 for domestic travel and 34,000 for international travel&mdash;had been cancelled as of Monday afternoon.
The report said that the majority of the cancellations occurred at 9 am Sunday, when flight 7C2216 of Jeju Air crashed, killing 179 of the 181 people on board. The survivors of the crash were two crew members.
<h2>Travel agencies report spike in cancellations of tour packages</h2>
The report by Yonhap also said that apart from Jeju Air flight reservations&nbsp;being cancelled, local travel agencies in South Korea also reported a spike in cancellations of tour packages in the wake of the crash.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-korea-plane-crash-8578104" rel="dofollow">South Korea plane crash: Govt orders emergency airline inspections after Jeju Air disaster claims 179 lives</a>
Speaking to the news agency, a travel agent said, "We had about 40 inquiries regarding travel cancellations on Sunday alone."
"We saw about double the usual amount of cancellations and a 50 per cent decrease in bookings," the travel agent added.
<h2>Sunday's crash is the deadliest air disaster in decades</h2>
Flight 7C2216 of Jeju Air crashed while landing at the Muan International Airport in Muan County, South Korea. Citing authorities, a report by the news agency Reuters said the bodies of all 179 victims were retrieved from the crash site on Sunday night.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-korean-prosecutors-seek-arrest-warrant-for-yoon-after-ousted-president-skips-questioning-for-the-third-time-8577341" rel="dofollow">South Korean prosecutors seek arrest warrant for ousted president Yoon as he defies summons</a>
The accident marked the worst air disaster in South Korea in decades. Last, 66 people&nbsp;were killed in a plane crash in 1993.
<h2>Malfunction of landing gear is direct cause of crash</h2>
The direct cause of the crash was the malfunction of the landing gear, but the specific reason for this failure remains under further investigation.
Reuters reported that Seoul was working to identify the victims, while various government agencies are providing support to the families of the deceased.
The government announced a week-long period of national mourning.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

World: Jeju Air said that about 68,000 flight reservations—over 33,000 for domestic travel and 34,000 for international travel—had been cancelled by Monday afternoon.

More than 60,000 people have cancelled their flight reservations with Jeju Air following the fatal crash of the South Korean airline's flight 7C2216 on Sunday (Dec 29). According to a report by the Yonhap news agency on Monday, Jeju Air said that about 68,000 flight reservations—over 33,000 for domestic travel and 34,000 for international travel—had been cancelled as of Monday afternoon. The report said that the majority of the cancellations occurred at 9 am Sunday, when flight 7C2216 of Jeju Air crashed, killing 179 of the 181 people on board. The survivors of the crash were two crew members. Travel agencies report spike in cancellations of tour packages The report by Yonhap also said that apart from Jeju Air flight reservations being cancelled, local travel agencies in South Korea also reported a spike in cancellations of tour packages in the wake of the crash. Also read | South Korea plane crash: Govt orders emergency airline inspections after Jeju Air disaster claims 179 lives Speaking to the news agency, a travel agent said, "We had about 40 inquiries regarding travel cancellations on Sunday alone." "We saw about double the usual amount of cancellations and a 50 per cent decrease in bookings," the travel agent added. Sunday's crash is the deadliest air disaster in decades Flight 7C2216 of Jeju Air crashed while landing at the Muan International Airport in Muan County, South Korea. Citing authorities, a report by the news agency Reuters said the bodies of all 179 victims were retrieved from the crash site on Sunday night. Also read | South Korean prosecutors seek arrest warrant for ousted president Yoon as he defies summons The accident marked the worst air disaster in South Korea in decades. Last, 66 people were killed in a plane crash in 1993. Malfunction of landing gear is direct cause of crash The direct cause of the crash was the malfunction of the landing gear, but the specific reason for this failure remains under further investigation. Reuters reported that Seoul was working to identify the victims, while various government agencies are providing support to the families of the deceased. The government announced a week-long period of national mourning. (With inputs from agencies)

South Korean plane crash: Over 60,000 people cancel Jeju Air flight reservations after tragedy, says report

Following the tragic plane crash in South Korea, Pope Francis has expressed his condolences and prayers for the victims and their families. The disaster has sparked global sympathy, with many leaders offering support during this difficult time.

South Korea's Plane Crash: Pope Francis Says Praying For Plane Crash Victims

With increasing dissatisfaction among the Canadian population regarding Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government, Canada has announced plans to hold parliamentary elections by 2025. The move comes as public frustration with political leadership and policies continues to rise.

Canada to Hold Parliamentary Elections By 2025 Amid Growing Discontent With Trudeau Government

Iran confirmed on Monday that it had arrested Italian journalist Cecilia Sala for "violating the law", state media reported, a move decried by Italy as "unacceptable".&nbsp;
"Cecilia Sala, an&nbsp;Italian&nbsp;citizen, travelled to Iran on December 13, 2024, with a&nbsp;journalist's visa and was arrested on December 19, 2024, for violating the law of the Islamic Republic of Iran," the official IRNA news agency said, citing a statement by the culture ministry without elaborating.
"Her case is currently under investigation," added the ministry, which oversees and accredits foreign journalists in Iran.&nbsp;
Sala reported to be 29, last posted on X on December 17 with a link to a podcast entitled, "A conversation on patriarchy in Tehran".
She had previously reported from Ukraine on its war with Iran's ally, Russia.&nbsp;
Chora Media, an&nbsp;Italian&nbsp;podcast publisher for which Sala worked, said she had travelled from Rome to Iran on a&nbsp;journalist&nbsp;visa and was due to return on December 20.
Also read | <a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/missing-indian-student-22-found-dead-in-edinburg-police-8578332" aria-label="Missing Indian student, 22, found dead in Edinburgh: Police">Missing Indian student, 22, found dead in Edinburgh: Police</a>
On Friday, Italy denounced Sala's arrest as "unacceptable"&nbsp;and said she has been held in Tehran's Evin prison. Italy's ambassador to Tehran, Paola Amadei, has visited her.
Italian&nbsp;Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on Saturday that efforts to free Sala were "complicated".
Italian&nbsp;Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's office has said she is "following the complex affair" closely.
Iran's culture ministry confirmed Monday that Sala had been allowed consular assistance and that she "has been in contact with her family by phone".
<h2>Others held in Iran </h2>
Sala's arrest took place days after the United States and Italy arrested two Iranian nationals over export violations linked to a deadly attack on American servicemen.
Mahdi Mohammad Sadeghi and Mohammad Abedininajafabadi were accused of "conspiring to export sophisticated electronic components from the United States to Iran in violation of US export control and sanctions laws", a US Department of Justice statement said, with the latter suspect arrested in Italy at Washington's request.
The statement added that the illegally exported technology was used in a January drone strike that killed three US servicemen in Jordan.
Iran denied any involvement in the attack.
Earlier this month, Tehran formally protested the arrests to the Italian charg&eacute; d'affaires and the Swiss ambassador to Tehran, who represents US interests there.
Also read | <a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/dominique-pelicot-has-taken-the-decision-to-not-appeal-the-verdict-lawyer-8578244" aria-label="France mass rape: Dominique&nbsp;Pelicot&nbsp;has decided not to appeal, says lawyer">France mass rape: Dominique&nbsp;Pelicot&nbsp;has decided not to appeal, says lawyer</a>
Several other Europeans remain in custody in Iran, which has conducted multiple prisoner exchanges with Western governments in recent years, often brokered by Oman or Qatar.&nbsp;
French couple Cecile Kohler and Jacques Paris have been jailed since May 2022 on charges of espionage, a capital offence in Iran.
In June, Iran released two Swedes, one of them a European Union diplomat, in exchange for a former official held in Sweden, in a swap mediated by Oman.
In 2023, Oman also brokered the release of six European detainees in Iran, including Belgian aid worker Olivier Vandecasteele, who had been convicted of espionage and spent more than a year in custody.
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World: Chora Media, an Italian podcast publisher for which Sala worked, said she had travelled from Rome to Iran on a journalist visa and was due to return on December 20.

Iran confirmed on Monday that it had arrested Italian journalist Cecilia Sala for "violating the law", state media reported, a move decried by Italy as "unacceptable". "Cecilia Sala, an Italian citizen, travelled to Iran on December 13, 2024, with a journalist's visa and was arrested on December 19, 2024, for violating the law of the Islamic Republic of Iran," the official IRNA news agency said, citing a statement by the culture ministry without elaborating. "Her case is currently under investigation," added the ministry, which oversees and accredits foreign journalists in Iran. Sala reported to be 29, last posted on X on December 17 with a link to a podcast entitled, "A conversation on patriarchy in Tehran". She had previously reported from Ukraine on its war with Iran's ally, Russia. Chora Media, an Italian podcast publisher for which Sala worked, said she had travelled from Rome to Iran on a journalist visa and was due to return on December 20. Also read | Missing Indian student, 22, found dead in Edinburgh: Police On Friday, Italy denounced Sala's arrest as "unacceptable" and said she has been held in Tehran's Evin prison. Italy's ambassador to Tehran, Paola Amadei, has visited her. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on Saturday that efforts to free Sala were "complicated". Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's office has said she is "following the complex affair" closely. Iran's culture ministry confirmed Monday that Sala had been allowed consular assistance and that she "has been in contact with her family by phone". Others held in Iran Sala's arrest took place days after the United States and Italy arrested two Iranian nationals over export violations linked to a deadly attack on American servicemen. Mahdi Mohammad Sadeghi and Mohammad Abedininajafabadi were accused of "conspiring to export sophisticated electronic components from the United States to Iran in violation of US export control and sanctions laws", a US Department of Justice statement said, with the latter suspect arrested in Italy at Washington's request. The statement added that the illegally exported technology was used in a January drone strike that killed three US servicemen in Jordan. Iran denied any involvement in the attack. Earlier this month, Tehran formally protested the arrests to the Italian chargé d'affaires and the Swiss ambassador to Tehran, who represents US interests there. Also read | France mass rape: Dominique Pelicot has decided not to appeal, says lawyer Several other Europeans remain in custody in Iran, which has conducted multiple prisoner exchanges with Western governments in recent years, often brokered by Oman or Qatar. French couple Cecile Kohler and Jacques Paris have been jailed since May 2022 on charges of espionage, a capital offence in Iran. In June, Iran released two Swedes, one of them a European Union diplomat, in exchange for a former official held in Sweden, in a swap mediated by Oman. In 2023, Oman also brokered the release of six European detainees in Iran, including Belgian aid worker Olivier Vandecasteele, who had been convicted of espionage and spent more than a year in custody. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Iran confirms arrest of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala for ‘violating the law’

A 22-year-old student from the Indian state of Kerala, who went missing in Edinburgh, Scotland, was found dead on Friday (Dec 27). According to police, a dead body was found in the Almond River near Newbridge in Edinburgh and is believed to be of Santra Elizabeth Saju. "Formal identification has not yet been completed; however, the family of Santra Saju has been informed," police said in a statement.&nbsp;
Also read | <a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/carterpuri-an-indian-village-named-after-former-us-president-282226" aria-label="Carterpuri, an Indian village named after former US President Jimmy Carter">Carterpuri, an Indian village named after former US President Jimmy Carter</a>
Santra reportedly hailed from Perumbavoor in Kerala's Ernakulam and had gone to the United Kingdom (UK) to study at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh. Media reports said she went missing on December 6 and was last seen between 9:10 pm and 9:45 pm at a store where she used to work. Police have previously released CCTV footage of her in which she was seen wearing a black coat and black face mask.&nbsp;
On December 27 in the morning, police received a call regarding a body in the water near Newbridge, The Scotsman reported.&nbsp;
Santra's family and friends described her disappearance as "out of character". They said they were "sick of worry" after her sudden disappearance.&nbsp;
Also read | <a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/punjab-bandh-indian-farmers-call-to-disrupt-road-rail-traffic-on-dec-30-8576262" aria-label="Punjab bandh: Indian farmers call to disrupt road, rail traffic on Dec 30">Punjab bandh: Indian farmers call to disrupt road, rail traffic on Dec 30</a>
Despite the statement by the family, police said her case is not being treated as suspicious. The police statement came even before the formal investigation was incomplete. Police further claimed that no third party was involved in the case.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)
&nbsp;

World: Police were alerted to a body found in the water near Newbridge on the morning of December, prompting an immediate investigation by local authorities.

A 22-year-old student from the Indian state of Kerala, who went missing in Edinburgh, Scotland, was found dead on Friday (Dec 27). According to police, a dead body was found in the Almond River near Newbridge in Edinburgh and is believed to be of Santra Elizabeth Saju. "Formal identification has not yet been completed; however, the family of Santra Saju has been informed," police said in a statement. Also read | Carterpuri, an Indian village named after former US President Jimmy Carter Santra reportedly hailed from Perumbavoor in Kerala's Ernakulam and had gone to the United Kingdom (UK) to study at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh. Media reports said she went missing on December 6 and was last seen between 9:10 pm and 9:45 pm at a store where she used to work. Police have previously released CCTV footage of her in which she was seen wearing a black coat and black face mask. On December 27 in the morning, police received a call regarding a body in the water near Newbridge, The Scotsman reported. Santra's family and friends described her disappearance as "out of character". They said they were "sick of worry" after her sudden disappearance. Also read | Punjab bandh: Indian farmers call to disrupt road, rail traffic on Dec 30 Despite the statement by the family, police said her case is not being treated as suspicious. The police statement came even before the formal investigation was incomplete. Police further claimed that no third party was involved in the case. (With inputs from agencies)

Missing Indian student, 22, found dead in Edinburgh: Police

New Delhi's air quality has improved to a "moderate" level, with the AQI reaching 183, offering some relief to residents. However, the region is currently facing a severe cold wave, affecting North India with plummeting temperatures and health concerns.

New Delhi's Air Quality Improves to 'Moderate' with AQI at 183 Amid Severe Cold Wave In North India

Azerbaijan said on Monday (December 30) that Moscow has assured it will hold those responsible for the Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash accountable.&nbsp;
The plane, which Azerbaijan claims was hit by <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/azerbaijan-airlines-suspended-flights-to-seven-russian-cities-following-the-crash-8570811">Russian air defences</a>, crash-landed in Kazakhstan on December 25, causing the deaths of 38 out of the 67 passengers onboard.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-korea-plane-carrying-181-people-crashes-at-muan-airport-plane-crash-people-killed-23-dead-or-injured-8574368">South Korea plane tragedy: Death toll rises to 179; crash site declared special disaster zone</a>
In a statement, Azerbaijan's General Prosecutor said that the head of Russia's Investigative Committee had told Baku, "Intensive measures are being carried out to identify the guilty people and bring them to criminal responsibility."
Russia has launched a criminal investigation into the incident but has not confirmed that the plane was struck by its air-defence system.
<h2>'Russian side wanted to cover up the issue': Azeri prez</h2>
On Sunday, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev demanded that Russia admit shooting at the passenger jet. He accused Moscow of trying to hide the true cause of the fatal crash. Speaking on state television, Aliyev said: "The facts are that the Azerbaijani civilian plane was damaged from the outside over Russian territory, near the city of Grozny, and almost lost control."
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/azerbaijan-president-confirms-plane-crash-caused-by-russian-shooting-regrets-false-narrative-8575645">Azerbaijan president confirms plane crash caused by Russian shooting, regrets &lsquo;false narrative&rsquo;</a>
He added, "We also know that electronic warfare systems put our plane out of control... At the same time, as a result of fire from the ground, the tail of the plane was also severely damaged."
While Aliyev said that the plane was hit unintentionally, he criticised <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-not-satisfied-with-us-president-elect-trumps-nato-freeze-and-peacekeeper-plan-for-ukraine-report-8576040">Russia</a> for allegedly trying to hide the details of the crash. He described Moscow's response as "regrettable and surprising," adding that it "clearly showed the Russian side wanted to cover up the issue".&nbsp;
&ldquo;For the first three days, we heard nothing from Russia except some absurd theories,&rdquo; Aliyev said.
The Kremlin said on Saturday that Russian President Vladimir Putin had apologised to Azerbaijan during a phone conversation about the "tragic incident." Putin accepted that Russian air defences were active in Grozny on December 25, when the Azerbaijan Airlines jet attempted to land before diverting.
However, the Kremlin's statement did not admit Russia&rsquo;s fault. Later that day, Putin called for a "transparent" investigation into the crash.
(With inputs from agencies)

World: The plane, which Azerbaijan claims was hit by Russian air defences, crash-landed in Kazakhstan on December 25, causing the deaths of 38 out of the 67 passengers onboard.

Azerbaijan said on Monday (December 30) that Moscow has assured it will hold those responsible for the Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash accountable. The plane, which Azerbaijan claims was hit by Russian air defences, crash-landed in Kazakhstan on December 25, causing the deaths of 38 out of the 67 passengers onboard. Also read: South Korea plane tragedy: Death toll rises to 179; crash site declared special disaster zone In a statement, Azerbaijan's General Prosecutor said that the head of Russia's Investigative Committee had told Baku, "Intensive measures are being carried out to identify the guilty people and bring them to criminal responsibility." Russia has launched a criminal investigation into the incident but has not confirmed that the plane was struck by its air-defence system. 'Russian side wanted to cover up the issue': Azeri prez On Sunday, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev demanded that Russia admit shooting at the passenger jet. He accused Moscow of trying to hide the true cause of the fatal crash. Speaking on state television, Aliyev said: "The facts are that the Azerbaijani civilian plane was damaged from the outside over Russian territory, near the city of Grozny, and almost lost control." Also read: Azerbaijan president confirms plane crash caused by Russian shooting, regrets ‘false narrative’ He added, "We also know that electronic warfare systems put our plane out of control... At the same time, as a result of fire from the ground, the tail of the plane was also severely damaged." While Aliyev said that the plane was hit unintentionally, he criticised Russia for allegedly trying to hide the details of the crash. He described Moscow's response as "regrettable and surprising," adding that it "clearly showed the Russian side wanted to cover up the issue". “For the first three days, we heard nothing from Russia except some absurd theories,” Aliyev said. The Kremlin said on Saturday that Russian President Vladimir Putin had apologised to Azerbaijan during a phone conversation about the "tragic incident." Putin accepted that Russian air defences were active in Grozny on December 25, when the Azerbaijan Airlines jet attempted to land before diverting. However, the Kremlin's statement did not admit Russia’s fault. Later that day, Putin called for a "transparent" investigation into the crash. (With inputs from agencies)

Azerbaijan plane crash: Russia promised to punish those responsible for tragedy, says Baku

Following the tragic plane crash in Azerbaijan, Russia has vowed to hold those responsible accountable. The incident has raised serious concerns about aviation safety and prompted immediate action from Russian authorities to ensure justice is served.

Azerbaijan Airlines Crash: Russia Pledges To Punish Those Responsible For Crash

Azerbaijan's president blames Russian ground fire for deadly plane crash in Kazakhstan. Watch to know more.

Azerbaijan Plane Crash: Aliyev Demands Compensation From Putin For Downing Airline

The Frenchman found guilty of drugging and raping his then-wife and soliciting dozens of men to do the same for more than a decade will not appeal his conviction, his lawyer said Monday.
Dominique&nbsp;Pelicot&nbsp;was convicted and jailed for 20 years earlier this month after a trial that horrified France and beyond, while 50 co-defendants were also convicted and handed various sentences of between three and 15 years.
Gisele&nbsp;Pelicot&nbsp;was hailed as a hero for her courage and dignity throughout the three-month trial. 
Also read | <a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-korea-plane-crash-8578104" aria-label="South Korea plane crash: Govt orders emergency airline inspections after Jeju Air disaster claims 179 lives">South Korea plane crash: Govt orders emergency airline inspections after Jeju Air disaster claims 179 lives</a>
"Dominique Pelicot has&nbsp;taken the decision to not appeal the verdict," his lawyer Beatrice Zavarro told AFP and Franceinfo. 
An appeal "would force Gisele (Pelicot) to undergo a new ordeal, new confrontations, which&nbsp;Dominique&nbsp;Pelicot&nbsp;refuses" to do, Zavarro said, adding that "it is time to finish judicially".
Monday is the last day for the defendants to file appeals, and 17 of&nbsp;Pelicot's co-defendants have already done so, according to Zavarro.
The convicted ringleader had been "astonished to see these appeals, especially (from) individuals who in the dock apologised to Gisele&nbsp;Pelicot," Zavarro said. 
"It seems to me that filing an appeal contradicts those words."
Following the guilty verdicts at the end of December, one of Gisele&nbsp;Pelicot's lawyers said she had no fear of a new trial.
"If it were to happen, she has already indicated to us that she would face it -- if she is healthy, obviously, since she is a lady who is now 72," Stephane Babonneau told France Inter radio.
Also read | <a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/un-report-highlights-extreme-weather-and-heat-fueled-by-climate-change-in-2024-8578072" aria-label="UN report highlights extreme weather and heat fueled by climate change in 2024">UN report highlights extreme weather and heat fueled by climate change in 2024</a>
"In any case, she has no fear of it, that is what she told us."
Gisele&nbsp;Pelicot&nbsp;has been praised for refusing to waive her right to a closed trial, saying she wanted to turn the tables on the shame associated with rape from victims to perpetrators.
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Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.
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World: Gisele Pelicot has been praised for refusing to waive her right to a closed trial, saying she wanted to turn the tables on the shame associated with rape from victims to perpetrators.

The Frenchman found guilty of drugging and raping his then-wife and soliciting dozens of men to do the same for more than a decade will not appeal his conviction, his lawyer said Monday. Dominique Pelicot was convicted and jailed for 20 years earlier this month after a trial that horrified France and beyond, while 50 co-defendants were also convicted and handed various sentences of between three and 15 years. Gisele Pelicot was hailed as a hero for her courage and dignity throughout the three-month trial. Also read | South Korea plane crash: Govt orders emergency airline inspections after Jeju Air disaster claims 179 lives "Dominique Pelicot has taken the decision to not appeal the verdict," his lawyer Beatrice Zavarro told AFP and Franceinfo. An appeal "would force Gisele (Pelicot) to undergo a new ordeal, new confrontations, which Dominique Pelicot refuses" to do, Zavarro said, adding that "it is time to finish judicially". Monday is the last day for the defendants to file appeals, and 17 of Pelicot's co-defendants have already done so, according to Zavarro. The convicted ringleader had been "astonished to see these appeals, especially (from) individuals who in the dock apologised to Gisele Pelicot," Zavarro said. "It seems to me that filing an appeal contradicts those words." Following the guilty verdicts at the end of December, one of Gisele Pelicot's lawyers said she had no fear of a new trial. "If it were to happen, she has already indicated to us that she would face it -- if she is healthy, obviously, since she is a lady who is now 72," Stephane Babonneau told France Inter radio. Also read | UN report highlights extreme weather and heat fueled by climate change in 2024 "In any case, she has no fear of it, that is what she told us." Gisele Pelicot has been praised for refusing to waive her right to a closed trial, saying she wanted to turn the tables on the shame associated with rape from victims to perpetrators. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

France mass rape: Dominique Pelicot has decided not to appeal, says lawyer

South Korea's worst plane crash involved a Boeing 737-800 with 181 people on board. The tragic accident highlights the challenges of air travel safety and the ongoing efforts to prevent such disasters in the future. This devastating event has left the nation in shock as investigations into the cause continue.

South Korea's Plane Crash: Biden, 'Deeply Saddened' By Korea Crash, Offers Assistance

Azerbaijan Plane crash: Russia will identify those guilty

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