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Africa
Democratic Republic of Congo
(Wednesday), 29 Jan 2025 Vandalised embassies and piles of burning tyres marked chaotic demonstrations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s capital Kinshasa to denounce the “inaction” of the international community over the conflict raging in Goma. On foot or motorcycles, hundreds of angry demonstrators targeted the embassies of Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, France, Belgium and the United States. They accused Rwanda and Uganda of actively supporting the armed group M23 which, with the support of Rwandan troops, entered the regional capital, Goma, on Sunday. The demonstrators accused the other countries of diplomatic inaction. Protesters looted the Ugandan mission, taking away furniture. /Photo/ (Source: Al Jazeera - Qatar)
Asia
China
January 29, 2025 Driving more nations toward China's AI ecosystem? A strict US regime is prohibiting Chinese firms from accessing the kinds of advanced chips needed to power AI large language models - massive learning models used to develop AI. For years many had assumed US supremacy in AI was a given, with the field dominated by big Silicon Valley names like OpenAI and Facebook-parent Meta. DeepSeek founder Liang has admitted the "embargo on high-end chips" has proved a major hurdle in its work. But the curbs may have spurred the firm to develop clever ways to overcome them. The company has said it used the less-advanced H800 chips - permitted for export to China until late 2023 - to power its large learning model. China has invested millions and vowed to be the world leader in AI technology by 2030. Developers claim DeepSeek's R1 chatbot was built for just $5.6 million. We don't see the full cost picture of infrastructure, research, and development. (Source: Gulf News - Dubai, United Arab Emirates / AFP - France)
Gaza
29 Jan 2025 Columns of Palestinians carrying what belongings they can have headed to north Gaza, after Israel permitted their passage in accordance with the ongoing ceasefire. /Photo/ (Source: Al Jazeera - Qatar)
India
Jan 29, 2025 A stampede at the world's largest religious gathering has killed at least 15 people with many more injured. Indian religious festivals, including the Kumbh Mela, attract throngs of devotees every 12 years to the city of Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh. The Kumbh Mela is rooted in Hindu mythology, a battle between deities and demons for control of a pitcher containing the nectar of immortality. The six-week festival is the single biggest milestone on the Hindu religious calendar, and millions of people had traveled there to take a dip in the confluence of holy rivers. Today marks one of the holiest days in the festival, when saffron-clad holy men lead millions in a procession of sin-cleansing ritual bathing at the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers. Up to 400 million pilgrims would visit before the final day on Feb. 26. Millions had already bathed in the waterways between midnight and the early morning. A stampede took place around 1:00 a.m. (Source: Japan Times)
Asia
January 29, 2025 T Lunar New Year festivities in Asia and around the world. The Chinese Lunar New Year marks the Year of the Snake on the Chinese zodiac. The snake, one of 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac, follows the just-ended Year of the Dragon. The holiday - known as the Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam and Seollal in Korea - is a major festival celebrated by diaspora communities around the world. (Source: The Asahi Shimbun - Japan)
North America
United States
January 29, 2025 Microsoft Corp. and OpenAI are investigating whether data output from OpenAI’s technology was obtained in an unauthorized manner by a group linked to Chinese artificial intelligence startup DeepSeek. (Source: Gulf News - Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
January 29, 2025 The Trump administration announced yesterday that it is offering buyouts to all federal employees who opt to leave their jobs by next week. The email sent to two million of federal employees said those who leave their posts voluntarily will receive about eight months of salary, but they have to choose to do so by Feb. 6. Trump will insist on excellence at every level. The federal workforce should be comprised of employees who are reliable, loyal, trustworthy, and who strive for excellence in their daily work. The substantial majority of federal employees who have been working remotely since Covid will be required to return to their physical offices five days a week. The majority of federal agencies are likely to be downsized. The federal government employed more than 3 million people as of November last year, which accounted for nearly 1.9% of the nation’s entire civilian workforce. Agency heads are being instructed to establish a contact person no later than today and begin to submit interim personnel recommendations within 90 days. (Source: Associated Press - U.S.)
(January 29, 2025) Defense Secretary Hegseth is revoking Gen. Milley's personal security detail and clearance. "Undermining the chain of command is corrosive to our national security, and restoring accountability is a priority for the Defense Department under President Trump's leadership," Defense Department chief of staff Kasper said. Trump once suggested Milley should be executed for treason after The Atlantic reported he communicated with his Chinese counterpart in the wake of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. (Source: Axios - U.S.)
January 29, 2025 US President Trump has tasked Musk's SpaceX to bring back Nasa astronauts Williams (59) and Wilmore (62) from the International Space Station (ISS) and blamed the Biden administration for "abandoning" them. In what was supposed to be a 10-day mission, Williams and Wilmore have been stranded on the space station for seven months, since June 2024. (Source: India Today)
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