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Ukraine launches Kursk offensive

Kyiv renewed its offensive in Russia’s Kursk region, as Ukraine tries to hold territory there ahead of US President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration. Since Ukraine’s initial incursion into Kursk in August — the first invasion of Russia since World War II — Moscow has regained much of its lost ground. Trump, meanwhile, has vowed to end the war, and a stronger position on the battlefield could give Kyiv a stronger position in any future negotiations with Russia: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described it as a “very strong trump card.” The latest push also puts a spotlight on Russia’s use of North Korean soldiers. As many as 10,000 of Pyongyang’s troops were sent to Kursk, and Ukrainian officials said hundreds have been killed there.

US grows more worried over hacks

US officials increasingly view Chinese hackers as a serious military threat. Previously thought of as “the cyber equivalent of noisy, drunken burglars,” China’s hackers are now “soldiers on the front lines of potential geopolitical conflict” following recent operations to infiltrate US infrastructure and telecoms networks, The Wall Street Journal reported. Officials are especially concerned the intrusions could make it harder for the US to respond to a future conflict involving China, particularly over Taiwan, and “nowhere have the alarms flashed brighter than in Guam,” Bloomberg wrote. Chinese hackers have penetrated the power grid in the territory, which is key to Washington’s Pacific military presence.

Blinken reflects on legacy

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken defended the Biden administration’s diplomatic agenda in a pair of interviews. Speaking to the Financial Times and The New York Times, Blinken said Biden successfully rebuilt alliances to counter Beijing and Moscow on key issues like trade. He cited repeated lectures he apparently received from his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, as evidence the approach worked. “People want the United States involved,” Blinken told the Times. Beijing is “trying to have it both ways” on Russia, by saying it wants peace in Ukraine while aiding Moscow’s war effort, he told the FT. The interviews ran ahead of Blinken’s final trip as Washington’s top US diplomat, to South Korea, Japan, and France.

Pivotal week ahead for TikTok

The US Supreme Court is set to hear arguments this week that will determine if TikTok will need to exit the country. In written pleas, the Chinese-owned app and the Department of Justice offered warring accounts of China’s influence and whether the US should mediate Americans’ access to foreign propaganda. US President-elect Donald Trump has asked the court to delay a decision until he takes office on Jan. 20 — a day after the ban is due to take effect. Trump, who first proposed banning TikTok in 2020, has since revived its chance of survival: “Why would I want to get rid of TikTok?,” the Republican posted Friday, alongside a graphic showing favorable statistics for Trump-associated accounts.

Musk wades into US allies’ politics

Elon Musk is extending his influence into more countries’ political affairs. The world’s richest man said Nigel Farage should step down as leader of the right-wing Reform UK party, and called for the release from prison of a controversial anti-immigration activist. In recent weeks, Musk has also weighed in on Canada and Germany’s political fights, elevating far-right figures in those countries. Musk’s approach, The Washington Post noted, is “similar to the one he used to disrupt American politics” last year, using his online platform X to boost Donald Trump and Republican causes. The comments may also foreshadow how Musk could influence Trump’s foreign policy agenda.

SK turmoil puts focus on YouTube

South Korea’s deepening political crisis put a spotlight on the country’s ecosystem of right-wing, conspiracy-minded YouTubers. Impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol’s claims about election rigging and leftist collusion with North Korea mirror those made by several Korean YouTubers, who have risen in popularity as more South Koreans lose trust in mainstream media, Korea JoongAng Daily reported. Some analysts suggest their videos may have inspired Yoon’s botched martial law declaration last month. “President Yoon watched too much YouTube,” one columnist wrote. Yoon’s supporters — many of whom rely on YouTube as a news source — have camped outside the president’s home in a bid to prevent his arrest before an official warrant expires Monday.

NY begins congestion pricing

New York’s scheme to charge drivers to enter parts of Manhattan — the first of its kind in the US — went into effect. Congestion pricing, embraced by other metropolises including London, Stockholm, and Singapore, is aimed at raising billions to modernize the city’s beleaguered mass transit system, but has been fiercely contested for years. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul halted the plan in June, fearing it would hurt Democrats in November’s presidential election, but backtracked after Republican Donald Trump won. He has vowed to kill the scheme. Until then, at least, driving to Manhattan will “be understood for what it is, a luxury product that has a cost,” a New York-based journalist wrote.

Google sees affordability as its next big challenge for quantum computing, Semafor’s Reed Albergotti reported after the tech giant unveiled its new quantum chip. “My goal is, in a five-year time frame, we are commercially applying quantum to tackle some use cases,” Alphabet’s CEO Sundar Pichai said.

Farms spark nature vs. nurture debate

Around 1.5 million square miles of farmland — an area half the size of Australia — have been abandoned globally since 1950. As more of the world urbanizes, many small farms in Europe and Asia are falling fallow. Some ecologists have proposed letting nature take its course and reclaim the land, but others told Science that could enable the spread of invasive species or lead to imbalances: In one abandoned Bulgarian village, blackberries took over, choking out biodiversity. But in another, in Kazakhstan, the opposite happened: Wild antelopes returned and kept vegetation in check. Northern Portugal saw a similar resurgence. “Nobody knows” whether land abandonment is good for biodiversity, one conservationist said.

Drinkers see appeal of booze-free options

Peer pressure continues to drive people to drink, despite the popularity of Dry January and the attraction of alcohol-free alternatives. A survey of 11,842 people across five countries found that 68% had tried low- or no-alcoholic beverages, and 80% said they are more socially acceptable than five years ago. But half said they always or sometimes drank alcohol, either because of perceived peer pressure or being explicitly “called out.” Younger people were both the most likely to try non-alcoholic drinks and to feel social pressure to drink alcohol. Still, non-alcoholic beer is increasingly popular: Sales of Heineken’s 0.0 brand grew 14% in the first half of 2024, far faster than the rest of its products.

Brazil soccer star exits Chinese league

Brazilian star Oscar left the Chinese Super League, a late departure from China’s failed attempt to build a global soccer presence. Oscar joined Shanghai Port in 2016, a rare peak-career signing rather than the typical aging star, but the Chinese Super League faltered soon after: State spending dried up, teams went bankrupt, and many foreign players left. Oscar stayed, raised a family, won three championships, and became a fan favorite. In recent years, Saudi Arabia has made its own play to become a soccer powerhouse, signing Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema. CSL is a cautionary tale of what happens when state support for the sport ends.

Jan. 6:

• US lawmakers certify the results of the 2024 presidential election.
• Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang delivers the keynote address at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
• Netflix launches weekly live broadcasts of WWE Raw wrestling matches.

A French cathedral’s medieval wall paintings have been digitally reconstructed, revealing their vibrant colors for the first time in more than 500 years. The Angers Cathedral murals were originally made in the late 13th century before being painted over in the 1400s, and then in 1786, covered up with wood panelling — which the art remains behind. Conservationists and art historians worked for more than a decade to digitally reconstruct the scenes, which depict the life of Saint Maurille, Artnews reported. At the time of their creation, Angers was ruled by the Plantagenets, the royal dynasty of England preceding the Tudors, and art historians believe they may be connected in some way to then-King Henry III of England’s court.