DAILY NEWS Stream – January 17, 2025

Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy and France’s President Macron discuss future possibility of deploying Western troops in Ukraine to safeguard any peace deal with Russia (AP)

Canada ready to buy more from United States to ease President Trump’s concerns over trade deficit, seeking to avoid the President’s planned 25% tariffs (AP)

President Trump’s plan to acquire Greenland would be the “deal of the century,” says Congressman Mike Haridopolos [Republican-Florida], citing the island’s importance for US defense, trade, and mineral independence from China (Washington Reporter)

President Trump says He will create a new agency, the External Revenue Service, to collect all tariffs and duties from foreign sources, stating it’s time for other countries to start paying their fair share (Reuters)

President Trump’s Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth gains key Republican support as he seeks Senate approval to join the President’s team, emerging from confirmation hearing in favorable standing, with first-round vote as soon as Monday, January 20, 2025 (Reuters)

President Trump’s January 20 inauguration gets massive security boost, with police coming from across the US to reinforce Washington DC amid “higher-threat environment” (Reuters)

UK’s Princess Catherine says She’s relieved to be in remission after year-long cancer treatment, visiting Royal Marsden Hospital to thank all the medics and staff (Reuters)

Italy seeks to curb “fake” and paid online reviews for hotels and restaurants, unveiling draft law requiring reviewers to provide verifiable identification and proof of visit (Reuters)

Irregular [illegal] migration into European Union [EU] drops 38% in 2024, reaching lowest level since 2021, largely thanks to intensified anti-smuggling efforts by the EU and partners (Reuters)

Haiti gang violence has displaced more than 1 million people, over half of them children, United Nations reports (Reuters)

India’s Maha Kumbh Festival draws 35 million ascetics for a “royal bath” in holy rivers

the six-week festival, held every 12 years in the northern city of Prayagraj [Uttar Pradesh], is the “world’s largest” gathering of humanity, and this year expected to attract more than 400 million people (Reuters)

INTERPOL [International Criminal Police Organization] cracks down on illegal gold mining in West Africa, arresting 200 and seizing harmful chemicals in Burkina Faso, Gambia, Guinea, and Senegal (AP)

Los Angeles [US]: Powerful Santa Ana winds could intensify wildfires, officials warn, as some 8,500 firefighters from at least seven states and two foreign countries have kept the blazes contained for two days (Reuters)

Online shopping site Amazon is ending its “Try Before You Buy” option for Prime members on January 31, 2025, shifting focus to artificial intelligence [AI] sizing recommendations and virtual try-ons to reduce costs from returned products (AP) SupremeMasterTV.com/NWN

Nepal’s Foreign Minister Deuba urges Israel to secure release of Nepali student Bipin Joshi from Hamas captivity after reports indicate upcoming prisoner exchanges (The Kathmandu Post)

NATO plans Baltic Sea patrol mission to protect underwater cables after damage incidents linked to Russia’s “shadow fleet” raise security concerns (BBC)

Japan and South Korea’s foreign ministers reaffirm cooperation with each other and the United States in first high-level visit from Japan since South Korean President Yoon’s martial law declaration in December 2024 (The Japan News)

United Nations predicts world economic growth at a subdued 2.8% in 2025, driven by strong but slowing growth forecasts for China and the United States, robust projected performances for India and Indonesia, and modest recovery expected in Europe and Japan (Africa News)

Mexico’s President Sheinbaum lays out plan to cut Chinese imports in apparent nod to US President Trump, Who has raised concerns about illegal Chinese goods crossing the border through Mexico to avoid existing US tariffs (Reuters)

Vietnam offers special visas and income mechanisms to attract leading scientists from abroad to help lead national innovation and digital transformation projects, as Vietnam races to achieve “high-income” status by 2040 (Viet Nam News)

Singapore study shows preschool kids’ test scores decrease if placed in childcare for more than 40 hours per week, partly due to hunger, boredom, and stress from long hours in a group away from home, with 35 to 40 hours per week [7 to 8 hours per day, 5 days a week] optimum for children aged eighteen months to six years old (The Straits Times)

Eindhoven University of Technology [Netherlands] cancels classes after major cyberattack, forcing exam delays, with some professors calling for enhanced security to protect important research (Euronews)

European tech firms struggle to fill IT [information technology] jobs as 57.5% of EU businesses face IT specialist shortages, with Germany, the Czech Republic, Malta, Austria, and Luxembourg most in need (Euronews)

Sierra Leone declares monkeypox emergency as country confirms second case in four days with no known infection source (Africa News)

Cambodia reduces dengue cases by 46% in 2024 compared to 2023, reporting 19,000 cases versus predicted 75,000 through preventive efforts (The Phnom Penh Post)

US inspectors document insects, mold, and slime at meat plants owned by Boar’s Head, mirroring violations at its listeria disease-linked factory that caused deadly outbreak that killed 10 people in September 2024 (AP)

US researchers find elderberry juice, rich in healthy anthocyanin compounds, helps stabilize blood sugar and aids breakdown of fat in adults (Người Lao Động)

Mexico sends firefighters to Los Angeles [US] to help battle devastating wildfires that have killed at least 25 and destroyed 12,000 structures (Reuters)

Indonesia warns floods remain its biggest disaster threat in 2025, as higher-intensity rainfall is expected to occur until at least April, driven by wetter-than-usual rainy season (The Jakarta Post)

Nobel and World Food Prize winners warn of global hunger crisis, with 153 laureates signing open letter calling for a dramatic increase in research and a commitment by world governments to equitable food distribution efforts (AP)

Democratic Republic of the Congo: Months of flooding near Lake Tanganyika have displaced 36,000 people as lake’s persistently rising waters submerge homes and crops (Africa News)

Report: China’s coastal waters reached a record average surface temperature of 21.5ºC in 2024, an increase for the second consecutive year, reflecting wider ocean warming trend threatening global climate stability (China Daily)

Google faces more scrutiny as UK investigates whether it’s using its position in the market to stifle innovation and block rivals, focusing on Google’s new artificial intelligence- powered “answer engine” [which often appears above top websites, hiding them from view] and collection of user data without informed consent (AP)

US space agency NASA plans to monitor Earth’s magnetosphere – the protective magnetic bubble that “breathes” in and out as it interacts with incoming solar wind – using LEXI [Lunar Environmental X-ray Imaging] instrument, set to land on the Moon in mid-January 2025 (24h.com.vn)

Nutrition tip: Coriander [cilantro] is a nutrient-rich herb providing multiple health benefits in food and medicine, including antioxidant properties, blood sugar control, heart health support, digestion aid, and antibacterial effects (VietNamNet)

Four principles for caring for children with gastroesophageal reflux [GERD]: 1) Divide meals into smaller portions: Breastfed babies should nurse several times a day, for 10-15 minutes each, with 1.5-hour intervals between feedings, while bottle-fed babies need appropriate bottle and nipple sizes; older children should eat small, timed meals without skipping them; 2) Choose appropriate foods: Breastfed babies benefit from breast milk; formula-fed babies can use anti-reflux formulas; older children should eat easy-to-digest foods like bananas, apples, and sweet potatoes while avoiding fatty, spicy, or caffeinated items; 3) Avoid eating before bedtime: Do not feed children 2-3 hours before sleeping, except for light, easily digestible snacks if needed, and prevent them from sleeping immediately after eating; 4) Maintain proper positions: Hold the baby upright after feeding for 30 minutes and avoid carrying them horizontally (Tiền Phong)

Motivational quote of the day: “God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well.” – Voltaire (vegetarian)