China signals readiness to mend ties with U.S. ahead of Trump inauguration

The U.N. estimates that over 100,000 people have disappeared in Syria during Bashar al-Assad's regime, leaving families unaware of their fate. With the regime now toppled, efforts are underway to find the missing individuals, as portrayed by some Syrians on this quest. To support NPR journalists and listen sponsor-free, sign up for State of the World+ at plus.npr.org. Full Article

England manager Thomas Tuchel plans to "reach out" to Arsenal defender Ben White regarding a potential return to the national team after White left the 2022 World Cup camp for personal reasons. Tuchel, who will begin his tenure on January 1st, aims for a fresh start with White as England faces Serbia, Albania, Latvia, and Andorra in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The 27-year-old White is currently recovering from knee surgery and has made four...

In his press conference, Speaker Mike Johnson expressed concern over the Kids Online Safety Act and shared an anecdote about receiving thousands of profane attacks after questioning why Bluesky users left Elon Musk's platform X. Despite Bluesky's reputation as a liberal "safe space," Kruse faced a barrage of personal attacks for his post, highlighting the platform's seeming focus on progressive purity and censorship of conservative content. Full Article

Reform UK chairman Zia Yusuf envisions Nigel Farage becoming the next prime minister, causing concern among Westminster figures despite the party's current small number of MPs. With Farage's past electoral success and potential to disrupt the political landscape, Reform UK poses a significant threat to both major parties. Labour and Conservatives must address this threat head-on and scrutinize Reform UK's policies to counter their growing influence in British politics. Full Article

The UK government has announced its most ambitious clean power plan yet, aiming to generate 95% of its electricity from renewables by 2030 to stabilize energy prices. Energy secretary Ed Miliband described it as a significant reform to the energy system, emphasizing the importance of harnessing natural resources for national security and economic growth. This initiative follows the UK's commitment to reduce emissions by at least 81% by 2035 compared to 1990 levels, with a...

The US country report on terrorism for 2023 highlighted the impact of terrorist groups like ISIS, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Jaish-e-Mohammed in India, particularly in Jammu & Kashmir. The report praised India's efforts in combating terrorism, but did not address Pakistan's role in cross-border terrorism. Despite Pakistan's steps to counter terrorism financing, the report noted a significant increase in terrorist attacks in the country. Full Article