Arsenal climbed to third in the Champions League standings Wednesday evening, dispatching Monaco 3-0 at the Emirates Stadium through Bukayo Saka’s clinical double and a late Kai Havertz strike.
The Gunners overcame early frustrations when Myles Lewis-Skelly’s skilled midfield play in the 34th minute released Gabriel Jesus, who found an unmarked Saka for a simple finish. Though Monaco threatened briefly after halftime through Thilo Kehrer’s header and Breel Embolo’s low drive, Saka effectively sealed the match in the 78th minute, capitalizing on Mohammed Salisu’s errant pass and goalkeeper Radoslaw Majecki’s poor clearance.
Arsenal’s Brazilian striker Jesus epitomized the early struggles, missing two clear chances within minutes as Majecki denied him from close range. Martin Odegaard also squandered a golden opportunity, sliding his shot wide after dispossessing Soungoutou Magassa.
“Arsenal’s chief creator Martin Odegaard had an excellent opportunity to double his side’s advantage shortly after the opener, but the skipper uncharacteristically fluffed his lines,” match observers noted. The victory, completed by Havertz’s deflected shot from Saka’s strike, positions Arsenal strongly for automatic qualification with matches against Dinamo Zagreb and Girona remaining in early 2025.
Lewis-Skelly, making a surprise start at age 18, impressed by helping create the opener and containing Monaco’s Maghnes Akliouche before his 64th-minute substitution.
Fifty men accused of raping Gisèle Pelicot over a decade, allegedly orchestrated by her husband Dominique Pelicot, 72, are set to face sentencing next week at the end of a months-long trial.
The rape victim, Gisele Pelicot
The men, aged between their 20s and 70s, include firefighters, soldiers, truck drivers, and a journalist, representing a cross-section of French society. Prosecutors argue the defendants knowingly participated in acts of sexual assault while Pelicot was drugged with prescription sleeping pills, a claim supported by extensive video evidence recorded by Dominique Pelicot.
If convicted, the accused collectively face over 600 years in prison. Prosecutors have tailored sentencing demands based on the frequency of the assaults and the specific actions committed by each defendant.
Dominique Pelicot admitted to drugging his wife and coordinating the assaults, which he filmed over nearly ten years. He told the court all 50 men were aware of the lack of consent, providing instructions on how to avoid waking Gisèle, such as warming their hands before touching her or avoiding strong scents.
The trial has revealed disturbing details of the men’s involvement, with sentences ranging from four years for lesser charges to up to 18 years for defendants accused of repeated, aggravated rape. One man, identified as Romain V, is accused of assaulting Gisèle on six occasions while knowingly being HIV-positive.
While none of the men have denied visiting the Pelicot home, many contest the charges of rape. Defense lawyers argue that some of the accused were unaware of Gisèle’s inability to consent, claiming they were manipulated or coerced by Dominique Pelicot.
“There can be no crime without the intention to commit it,” one defense lawyer argued. Another defendant, Christian L, insisted, “My body raped her, but my brain didn’t.”
Others claim they were drugged or intimidated by Dominique Pelicot, who has been described as an “abominable character” by defense attorneys.
Gisèle Pelicot rejected claims that the defendants were manipulated, asserting that they acted with full knowledge. “They didn’t rape me with a gun to their heads,” she told the court. “They raped me in full conscience.”
She questioned why none of the men reported the abuse to authorities, stating, “Even an anonymous phone call could have saved my life. But not one did. Not a single one of them.”
The accused come from diverse backgrounds, ranging from blue-collar workers to professionals, and most hail from within a 30-mile radius of the Pelicots’ village of Mazan. The ordinariness of their profiles has led the French media to refer to them as “Monsieur-Tout-Le-Monde” (Mr. Everyman).
The trial has also delved into the personal histories of the accused, uncovering stories of childhood trauma and abuse in several cases. Families and partners of the men have expressed shock and disbelief at their involvement, with many struggling to reconcile the accusations with their knowledge of their loved ones.
The trial, held in Avignon, has drawn widespread attention for its unprecedented scale and the staggering amount of evidence. The court will deliver its verdict next week, concluding one of the most shocking criminal cases in modern French history.
Former South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun was hospitalized in stable condition Wednesday after an attempted suicide incident in detention, where he faces charges related to last week’s controversial martial law declaration.
Kim became the first person formally arrested in the investigation of the Dec. 3 decree, facing allegations of rebellion and abuse of power. Prosecutors, who have up to 20 days to determine whether to indict him, accuse the former minister of recommending martial law to President Yoon Suk Yeol and deploying troops to block parliamentary votes.
“I deeply apologize for causing significant anxiety,” Kim said Tuesday in a statement, accepting responsibility while asking for leniency toward soldiers who carried out orders.
The Democratic Party plans to submit a new impeachment motion Thursday against President Yoon, after their first attempt failed when ruling party lawmakers boycotted Saturday’s vote. The political crisis has frozen South Korean foreign policy and unsettled financial markets, though North Korea’s state media has only just begun reporting on the turmoil.
Dubai police announced Monday the arrest of Othman El Ballouti, a suspected high-level drug trafficker accused of orchestrating an international cocaine smuggling operation via Belgium’s port of Antwerp. The arrest follows an international warrant issued by Belgian authorities.
El Ballouti, 37, was apprehended in Dubai and has been handed over to Dubai’s Public Prosecution for extradition proceedings, police said in a statement. It remains unclear whether El Ballouti has legal representation at this time.
The United States Treasury Department sanctioned El Ballouti in 2023, identifying him as a “high-level drug trafficker” who oversees a criminal network responsible for smuggling substantial quantities of cocaine into Europe. The network allegedly operates by using shipping containers routed through Antwerp, one of Europe’s largest ports.
The U.S. Treasury had linked El Ballouti’s operations to a global supply chain involving South American cocaine suppliers and money laundering networks based in the People’s Republic of China. The sanction notice had even listed El Ballouti’s Dubai residence, a luxury apartment near the iconic Burj Khalifa.
The arrest comes at a time when the United Arab Emirates, which presides over the international policing agency Interpol, faces scrutiny for allegedly insufficient oversight of money laundering activities and reluctance to extradite criminal suspects.
Pressure on the UAE has intensified as Russian financial flows into the country have surged during Moscow’s ongoing conflict in Ukraine. In response to international criticism, the UAE has undertaken a series of high-profile arrests and extraditions in recent years to demonstrate its commitment to combating organized crime.
The arrest of El Ballouti underscores both the transnational nature of drug smuggling and the UAE’s evolving role in global law enforcement.
Ukraine launched a missile attack on the southern Russian port of Taganrog and conducted drone strikes that reportedly caused a fire at an oil depot in Russia’s western Bryansk region, officials and media sources said.
While the extent of damage at Taganrog remains unclear, Russian authorities stated that an industrial facility and several vehicles were damaged in the port city on the Azov Sea. In Bryansk, Ukrainian forces claimed responsibility for a massive fire at an oil depot, although local officials described the incident as a brief fire at an unspecified production site. Independent Russian outlet ASTRA reported that a refinery was hit, showing footage of flames lighting up the night sky.
The strikes come amid escalating tit-for-tat attacks, with Ukraine targeting Russian energy infrastructure in response to Russian assaults on Ukraine’s power grid. Kyiv alleges that these Russian attacks have incapacitated half of Ukraine’s generating capacity, leading to blackouts and widespread damage to the energy network.
Bryansk is a critical hub for energy transit, housing the Soviet-era Druzhba pipeline, which transports oil from Siberia and the Caspian Sea to Europe, as well as the Baltic Pipeline System. Kazakhstan’s pipeline operator Kaztransoil confirmed that the Druzhba pipeline remained undamaged, and oil transit to Europe was not disrupted by the strikes.
Kazakhstan plans to send 130,000 metric tons of oil to Germany via Druzhba in December, adding to the 1.358 million tons already delivered earlier this year. A Ukrainian industry source echoed that the overnight attack in Bryansk had no impact on oil shipments to Europe.
Further south, in the port city of Taganrog, Ukrainian missiles damaged a boiler building, cutting off heat to 27 apartment buildings, according to city officials. The area has been cordoned off, and Russian authorities reported damage to 14 vehicles in addition to industrial facilities.
Taganrog, located near the border with Ukraine, is also home to a Russian airbase that analysts say is used for launching drones, bombers, and other attacks on Ukraine.
The conflict continues to escalate, with both sides deploying increasingly advanced weaponry. Ukraine’s November use of U.S.-supplied ATACMS missiles marked a significant development, as these long-range missiles have the capability to strike deep into Russian territory. Russia responded with hypersonic missile attacks, including a strike on Dnipro.
Russia has reported shooting down at least 15 ATACMS missiles since their deployment. The strikes on Taganrog and Bryansk underline Ukraine’s strategy of targeting Russian military and energy infrastructure, which Moscow has framed as a provocation by Western powers.
The ongoing war has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, millions displaced, and the most severe geopolitical crisis between Russia and the West since the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. As the conflict enters what some officials describe as its final and most volatile phase, both sides are intensifying efforts to shape the outcome.
For Taganrog residents, the attack underscores the vulnerability of Russian cities near the conflict zone. Ukrainian strikes, while symbolically significant, also highlight the broader stakes of the war as Western and Russian forces remain deeply entrenched in opposing sides of the conflict.
The mining sector in West Africa, particularly in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, is facing heightened uncertainty as military-led governments implement aggressive measures against foreign companies. Recent arrests of mining executives, permit threats, and the seizure of French-operated uranium sites have raised alarms among Western miners operating in the region.
Disruption to Investments, Not Production
Despite these developments, day-to-day mining operations in Mali and Burkina Faso remain largely unaffected. However, industry insiders predict significant challenges for companies seeking financing and insurance. Over a dozen mining employees, financiers, and government officials told Reuters that the tightening environment could dampen investment and constrain supply growth in the region, a key driver of Africa’s gold output.
The push for renegotiated contracts and greater revenue shares by the military regimes coincides with a surge in gold and uranium prices. These moves also follow a series of coups since 2020 and a shift in alliances toward Russia, away from traditional Western partners such as France and the United States.
Arrests and Tax Disputes in Mali
Mali, Africa’s second-largest gold producer, has intensified its scrutiny of foreign mining firms, conducting audits, implementing a new mining code, and demanding substantial tax payments. Since September, military authorities have detained employees from companies like Australia’s Resolute Mining and Canada’s Barrick Gold. Barrick CEO Mark Bristow is currently facing an arrest warrant in Mali.
Malian officials claim the revised mining code aims to address contractual inequities without undermining the sector. Yet, companies like Resolute Mining have already made large payments under duress, including $100 million following the detention of its CEO. Barrick, accused of owing $500 million, disputes the claim but has four employees in detention in Bamako.
Regional Challenges and Rising Costs
Niger and Burkina Faso are also pressuring Western mining companies. In Niger, authorities seized control of French nuclear firm Orano’s Somair uranium mine. In Burkina Faso, London-listed Endeavour Mining had to sell two gold mines to the government for $60 million, far below an initially proposed $300 million agreement.
Burkina Faso’s junta has warned it may revoke permits for companies from countries not supplying military aid. Analysts suggest these actions send a clear message to Western miners about the potential involvement of Russian firms, though no evidence yet confirms this shift.
Premiums for insuring mining projects in some West African countries have nearly tripled since 2019, according to Gallagher’s Racheal Tumelty, a political risk insurance expert. This rising cost reflects the growing risk associated with investments in the region.
A Changing Mining Landscape
West Africa has experienced significant mining investment growth over the past 15 years, with Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso accounting for a quarter of the continent’s gold output. However, the political and economic climate now presents major hurdles.
While some firms, like Canada’s Robex Resources, are seeking to exit Mali, others continue to navigate the risks. Perseus Mining CEO Jeff Quartermaine noted that challenges in the Sahel have not yet spilled over into operations in more stable countries like Ivory Coast and Ghana.
The Road Ahead for Western Miners
Experts believe West African juntas will continue to extract concessions from mining companies already entrenched in the region. However, as political risks mount, miners may face increasing demands for revenues or operational changes in the coming years.
“Miners are not reassured. A couple of years down the line, they might find themselves being told, ‘That is not sufficient,’” said Vincent Rouget, an analyst at Control Risks, which advises mining companies in the region.
Former President Donald Trump is preparing to issue more than 25 executive orders and directives within hours of taking office on Jan. 20, aiming to overhaul U.S. policy across key areas such as immigration, energy, and education.
Sources close to Trump’s team say the Republican leader is focused on making an immediate impact and intends to use executive power at a scale surpassing his first term. The extensive list of planned Day One actions highlights a stark contrast to his initial presidency, when only a handful of executive orders were issued on the first day.
“The American people can bank on President Trump using his executive power on day one to deliver on the promises he made to them on the campaign trail,” Trump spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said.
Focus on Immigration and Border Policy
Trump’s first wave of orders is expected to prioritize immigration, with directives aimed at reversing what he views as President Joe Biden’s lenient border policies. Plans include sending additional troops to the U.S.-Mexico border, resuming construction of the border wall, and granting immigration officers broader authority to detain individuals without criminal records, according to sources familiar with the drafts.
In an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Trump confirmed his intention to sign an executive order to end birthright citizenship, which currently grants U.S. citizenship to individuals born on American soil regardless of parental immigration status. Trump advisors acknowledge the likelihood of court challenges to this move.
Energy and Education Reforms
Trump’s orders will also target energy production, with actions designed to ramp up oil drilling and hydraulic fracturing, in line with his campaign slogans “drill, baby, drill” and “frack, frack, frack.”
On education, Trump is expected to sign orders restricting federal funding for schools teaching critical race theory, an academic framework that examines systemic racism in U.S. institutions. He also plans to roll back anti-discrimination protections for transgender students and prohibit federal contractors from implementing certain diversity training programs.
Coordination and Challenges
The executive orders are being coordinated by longtime Trump advisor Stephen Miller, alongside input from right-leaning organizations such as the America First Policy Institute and the Heritage Foundation. However, insiders say drafting and finalizing the orders has been a decentralized process, with work taking place in Florida and Washington.
While some actions will face significant legal hurdles or require lengthy regulatory processes, sources indicate there are dozens of measures Trump can implement immediately through executive authority.
Trump’s team has signaled readiness to defend the orders in court and emphasized his commitment to fulfilling campaign promises through swift, unilateral action.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei alleged Wednesday that the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was orchestrated by the United States and Israel.
In a televised speech reported by Iranian state media, Khamenei claimed that a neighboring country also played a role in Assad’s ousting. While he did not name the country, his remarks appeared to point to Turkey, a supporter of anti-Assad rebel factions.
Assad’s fall is widely seen as a setback for the Iran-led “Axis of Resistance,” a political and military alliance opposing U.S. and Israeli influence in the Middle East.
“What happened in Syria was mainly planned in the command rooms of America and Israel. We have evidence of this. A neighboring government of Syria was also involved,” Khamenei said, adding that the neighbor had a “clear role and continues to do so.”
Turkey, a NATO member, controls parts of northern Syria after conducting cross-border operations against the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia. Since the start of Syria’s civil war in 2011, Turkey has been a prominent supporter of opposition groups seeking to topple Assad.
Iran invested billions of dollars and deployed its Revolutionary Guards to back Assad during the war, working to keep its key ally in power.
Post-Assad Relations
Following Assad’s overthrow, Iran expressed optimism about future relations with Damascus, emphasizing a “far-sighted and wise approach” between the two nations. Iranian officials called for the establishment of an inclusive government representing all segments of Syrian society.
Khamenei also asserted that the Iran-led alliance would grow stronger despite regional challenges. “The more pressure you exert, the stronger the resistance becomes. The more crimes you commit, the more determined it becomes. The more you fight against it, the more it expands,” he said.
“Iran is strong and powerful—and will become even stronger,” Khamenei concluded.
Israel said Tuesday that it destroyed most of Syria’s strategic weapons stockpiles in a series of airstrikes, as Defense Minister Israel Katz announced plans for a “sterile defense zone” in southern Syria. Katz emphasized that the proposed zone would be enforced without a permanent Israeli troop presence.
Over the past 48 hours, the Israeli military conducted more than 350 airstrikes targeting anti-aircraft batteries, military airfields, weapons production facilities, combat aircraft, and missile systems across Syria. The strikes followed the collapse of President Bashar al-Assad’s government, which Israeli officials attributed to rebel groups, some linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State.
Naval missile strikes also targeted Syria’s Al-Bayda and Latakia ports, destroying 15 Syrian naval vessels. A military spokesperson said the operations aimed to eliminate strategic weapons and infrastructure to prevent their use by extremist factions.
“We have no intention of interfering in Syria’s internal affairs, but we will take necessary steps to ensure our security,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, adding that he authorized the air force to prevent military capabilities left by Assad’s regime from falling into the hands of jihadist groups.
Following Assad’s departure on Sunday, Israeli forces moved into the demilitarized zone established after the 1973 Arab-Israeli war. This included the Syrian side of Mount Hermon, where Israeli troops reportedly took control of an abandoned military outpost.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) denied reports of advancing toward Damascus, despite a Syrian source claiming Israeli troops reached Qatana, near Damascus International Airport. “IDF forces are not advancing toward Damascus. This is not something we are doing or pursuing in any way,” said Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, an Israeli military spokesperson.
Temporary Border Measures
Israel described its actions in Syria as a temporary and limited measure to safeguard border security. The strikes occurred shortly after Israel reached a ceasefire with Lebanon following weeks of clashes with Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed militant group.
The airstrikes targeted sites in key cities, including Damascus, Homs, Tartus, Latakia, and Palmyra, destroying Scud missiles, cruise missiles, drones, launchers, and sea-to-sea missiles. Military airfields, tanks, helicopters, and fighter jets were also hit.
Despite the strategic setbacks for Iran, Israel remains cautious about Syria’s leading rebel faction, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which has ties to Islamist movements such as al Qaeda and Islamic State.
Katz provided no details on the scope of the planned “sterile defense zone” but said it would ensure that weapons are not transferred to Hezbollah or used against Israel. Netanyahu reiterated that Israel would “respond forcefully” to any attacks or the movement of Iranian weapons through Syria.
Two of Europe’s most storied clubs meet Wednesday night as Borussia Dortmund hosts Barcelona in a Champions League clash at Signal Iduna Park, where the German side still seeks their first competitive victory over the Spanish giants.
Despite domestic struggles leaving them sixth in the Bundesliga, Dortmund has thrived in European competition under new manager Nuri Sahin, impressing against Dinamo Zagreb, Celtic, and Club Brugge. However, defensive injuries threaten their momentum, with Niklas Sule’s ankle injury at Gladbach joining Waldemar Anton’s muscle problems, likely forcing Emre Can into emergency center-back duty.
Barcelona arrives showing signs of fatigue despite leading La Liga, with manager Hansi Flick increasingly dependent on a core group of 11-12 players. The Catalans receive a boost from Ronald Araujo’s return to the squad after a lengthy absence, though they remain without key figures Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Marc Bernal, Ansu Fati, and Andreas Christensen.
Both teams enter following frustrating domestic results – Dortmund drawing 1-1 at Borussia Monchengladbach while Barcelona shared points in a 2-2 draw at Real Betis. The match marks just their fifth competitive meeting, with Barcelona holding two victories to Dortmund’s none in previous encounters.
“Dortmund are as inconsistent as they come, but you don’t want to face them under the lights at Signal Iduna Park,” noted match observers. “How many members of Europe’s aristocracy have succumbed in this environment?”
