DAILY NEWS Stream – December 16, 2024

Syria: Hundreds of thousands celebrate “Victory Day” across Damascus, Latakia and Homs following Assad’s flight to Russia, marking end of 13-year civil war that killed 500,000 (Sky News)

Damascus [Syria]: Thousands gather at Umayyad Square for first Friday prayers since Assad’s fall, as opposition leader Ahmad al-Sharaa calls for peaceful celebrations and transition toward building new Syria (The Times of Israel)

G7 nations pledge to respect Syria’s territorial integrity during transition after Assad regime falls, with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer calling for cautious, inclusive governance (RBC Ukraine)

European Commission announces delivery of 100 metric tons of humanitarian supplies to Syria via Türkiye, pledging €4 million in additional aid as European Commission President von der Leyen plans talks with Türkiye’s President Erdoğan (DPA International)

Ukraine offers food aid to Syria as Russian wheat supplies halt after Assad’s fall, with Ukrainian Agriculture Minister Koval expressing openness to rebuilding relations with new Syrian leadership (RBC Ukraine)

Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan reveals how they convinced Russia and Iran to abandon Assad during Syrian uprising, preventing bloodshed by discussing with leaders in Doha [Qatar] before Assad’s fall (RBC Ukraine)

Türkiye’s President Erdoğan offers to mediate Sudan-UAE [United Arab Emirates] tensions after brokering Ethiopia-Somalia deal, emphasizing peace, stability and territorial integrity in call with Sudan’s military leader Burhan (The Independent)

President Trump calls for eliminating Daylight Saving Time across US, citing inconvenience and costs, as 30 states consider legislation to end biannual clock changes (Sky News)

Fox News poll reveals 33% of US voters believe Biden will be remembered as one of the worst presidents, with the majority hurt by his economic policies amid inflation concerns and hopeful anticipation of President Trump’s 2025 inauguration (Sky News Australia) SupremeMasterTV.com/NWN

special envoy to Ukraine Keith Kellogg predicts the Russia-Ukraine conflict will likely end in months, emphasizing President Trump’s unique leadership and bold diplomatic acumen that enable Him to “play three-dimensional chess” on the world stage (baotintuc.vn)

Ukrainian drones targeted a fuel infrastructure facility in Russia’s Oryol region, sparking a fire, with additional drone strikes reported in Krasnodar and nearby regions (The Independent)

President Trump’s team is engaging with Biden officials and Ukrainian leaders on potential peace efforts, as the President vows to pursue a ceasefire immediately upon taking office (Wall Street Journal)

President Trump hosts Apple CEO Tim Cook at Mar-a-Lago [Florida] following recent meetings with tech leaders like Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos, as big tech seeks improved relations ahead of the President’s second term (AP)

President Trump’s team considers merging or eliminating top bank regulating agencies in Washington, including Federal Deposit Insurance Corp [FDIC] and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency [OCC], as Efficiency Commissioners Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy (vegetarian) lead sweeping changes to streamline the federal government and reduce excessive regulation (Reuters)

Tech billionaire Elon Musk and US President Trump strengthen ties with Mar-a-Lago [Florida] meetings, as Mr. Musk’s mother Maye praises Trump family’s kindness and shares how President Trump’s 18-year-old son Barron and Mr. Musk bonded over a discussion about colonizing Mars during Thanksgiving (Fox Business)

Vietnam’s semiconductor industry is rapidly advancing, with new policies, investment funds, and international partnerships, as major corporations like NVIDIA and Samsung expand operations, while domestic startups and talent development flourish (Znews)

11-year-old girl from Sierra Leone rescued after clinging to tire inner tubes for three days in the Mediterranean following a boat sinking that left 44 migrants presumed dead (BBC)

Americas and Caribbean region report record 12.6 million dengue cases in 2024, nearly triple last year’s count. Brazil tops the list with 10 million cases as climate change expands mosquito range (Euronews)

Experts warn vapes containing food allergens like nuts and dairy trigger life-threatening reactions in children, with hospital cases up 733% since 2020 and patients as young as four affected (Daily Mail)

University of California- Berkeley [US] researchers discover concerning levels of PFAS “forever chemicals” in California’s rural well water, potentially linked to agricultural operations using contaminated fertilizers and pesticides (Alternet)

University of Granada [Spain] study reveals mixed effects of metal exposure on childhood obesity, with lead, cadmium and arsenic increasing risk while molybdenum, chromium and cobalt show protective properties (News Medical)

UK indefinitely bans puberty blockers [medicines that suppress male or female hormones, often used by transsexuals] for teens under 18, except in clinical trials, citing safety concerns and insufficient research into their long-term effects (The New York Times)

United Nations Environment Programme report warns of billions of tons of annual topsoil loss through overgrazing and deforestation, threatening food security as soil supports majority of food production (Daily Trust)

UK’s number of “highly food secure households” drops from 87% to 83% amid climate crisis, particularly affecting young, disabled and low-income households. Northern regions face greatest impact, with Scotland showing lowest overall food security at 89% (The Guardian)

Boston [US] faces combined threat of natural land subsidence and rising sea levels, sinking 1.5 inches [3.8 centimeters] per decade, with historic areas built on infill sediment most at risk (WGBH)

Havana [Cuba]: Activists expose severe animal neglect at 26th of July Zoo, documenting malnourished antelope and deteriorating facilities amid calls for enforcement of animal welfare laws (CiberCuba)

Global Canopy report finds 80% of Brazil’s major beef and leather companies lack deforestation commitments, despite receiving US$100 billion in funding from financial institutions amid Amazon rainforest concerns (The Independent)

PETA exposes snack company Mondelēz International, the maker of Oreo cookies, cruel mouse experiments involving force-feeding human feces and high-fat diets before killing them, calling for ban on animal testing through PETA’s Eat Without Experiments program (PETA)

Beware: The global leather industry generates up to US$407 billion annually by brutally slaughtering over a billion animals, including dogs and cats in China, while causing severe environmental damage and worker health risks (Vegan FTA)

China completes 1,800-mile [2,900-kilometer] tree belt the “Three-North Shelterbelt” around barren Taklamakan Desert after a 46-year effort, increasing national forest coverage to 25% and Xinjiang province’s from 1% to 5% since the project started in 1949 (Good News Network)

Study reveals earliest-ever evidence of human-canine relationships in Americas at Swan Point [Alaska, US] from 12,000 years ago, indicating dogs were “man’s best friend” at least 2,000 years earlier than previously recorded on the continent (Good News Network)

British telecom company Virgin Media O2 develops AI grandmother “Daisy” to combat phone scams, outsmarting fraudsters with 40-minute conversations that waste their time and prevent them from targeting vulnerable elderly (Sunny Skyz)

David Baker, Demis Hassabis and John M. Jumper win 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for groundbreaking research that led to AlphaFold, an AI system that predicts and designs protein structures with up to 90% accuracy (DW)

Astronomers discover massive quantity of water floating in distant quasar, 140 trillion times larger than Earth’s oceans and 12 billion light-years away, revealing water’s prevalence in early universe (Indy 100)

Santa Maria del Focallo [Sicily]: 2,500-year-old shipwreck discovery reveals ancient Greek-Carthaginian maritime trade routes, featuring unique hull construction and multiple anchors (Oman News)

Google unveils “astonishing” experimental quantum chip called Willow that completes calculations in minutes that would take today’s fastest supercomputers septillions [trillions of trillions] of years, marking experimental breakthrough in error reduction (Sky News)

New X-ray image by Chandra X-ray Observatory shows a black hole jet in the galaxy Centaurus A [13.05 million light-years from Earth] colliding with an unidentified object, C4, forming a V-shape and raising questions about its mysterious nature (Gizmodo)

Microsoft founder Bill Gates says he prefers vegan yogurt over dairy, highlighting environmental benefits and market potential of sustainable dairy alternatives (VegNews)

Veganuary 2025 vegan challenge gains ##celebrity support as Hollywood star Woody Harrelson, acclaimed British actress Bethany Antonia, and others share exclusive plant-based recipes for campaign’s free eCookbook, alongside tips from renowned chefs – more info at Veganuary.com (Veganuary)

Analysis: Denmark’s plan for a carbon tax on intensively raised animal emissions can serve as a model for Europe as the industry generates substantial share of European greenhouse gases (Euronews)

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center [US] study shows high-fiber vegan diet may prevent multiple myeloma in at-risk patients, with participants losing 8% excess body weight and showing improved health markers (HealthDay)

Explainer: British Dietetic Association confirms well-planned vegan diets suit all life stages, including infants, as research and parents’ experiences demonstrate babies can meet their nutritional needs on a vegan diet (The Vegan Society)

British biotech company Multus launches Proliferum B, an AI-developed animal-free alternative to fetal bovine serum, promising an ethical alternative with superior cell growth performance for lab testing (Vegconomist)

Wisconsin [US]: Wood County Sheriff’s Department provides guidance on reporting animals in distress during extreme cold, explaining how state laws require adequate shelter while encouraging concerned citizens to call law enforcement (On Focus)

Star-crossed lovers: Orphaned Amur tigers Boris and Svetlaya, released separately in the Pri-Amur region, defy the odds as Boris treks 120 miles [193 kilometers] to reunite and have cubs with Svetlaya more than one year later, a love story that inspires hope for the endangered species’ repopulation (The New York Times)

Canadian meat-free company CULT Food Science executes binding Letter of Intent to acquire The Better Butchers for US$2 million, aiming to advance mycelium-based meat alternatives (Vegconomist)

Swiss vegan company Planted’s co-founder Pascal Bieri discusses European vegan market leadership, pricing strategies, and consumer messaging, emphasizing taste and availability over technological aspects in product marketing (Vegconomist)

Monash University [Australia] researchers develop innovative vegan yogurt using sweet lupins and oats, achieving dairy-like texture through probiotic fermentation (Vegconomist)

Seattle [US] plant-based company Rebellyous Foods partners with Dot Foods for nationwide distribution of vegan chicken products through 5,020 distributors, expanding access to affordable plant proteins (Vegconomist)

Elevating quote of the day: “Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right.” – His Excellency Abraham Lincoln

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