Qatar and the United States, mediators for the Gaza ceasefire agreement, officially announced a ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal between Israel and Hamas on the morning of January 16 (Vietnam time). After prolonged stalemates and challenging negotiations, the agreement marks a significant breakthrough toward ending the conflict, paving the way for stability in Gaza and opening channels for dialogue to advance the Middle East peace process.

With less than 10 days until the US has a new government, the country is facing significant economic challenges that the new administration must address promptly.

Greenland Prime Minister Mute Egede has stated that the autonomous territory of Denmark is ready to strengthen cooperation with the US, particularly on defence and exploring its mining resources. However, he did not indicate any intention for Greenland to accept US takeover.

The consecutive forest fires in Hong Kong (China), Thailand, and especially the serious incidents in the US in recent days have sounded the alarm bell about the unpredictable consequences of climate change if not controlled in time.

Acting President of the Republic of Korea (RoK), Choi Sang Mok, has pledged to make every effort to stabilise the country. His statement, as the temporary head of the RoK government, reflects a strong determination to lead the RoK to pass through turbulent times following the dual crises of martial law imposition and the recent tragic airplane crash.

The situation in Yemen has become increasingly complex since the US-UK naval coalition launched new airstrikes on the Houthi-controlled capital of Sanaa, shortly after Israel conducted a series of airstrikes targeting Houthi positions in Yemen.

The European Union (EU) has declared its willingness to discuss trade issues, including energy, with US President-elect Donald Trump following the warning he shared on his Truth Social platform about the possibility of imposing tariffs on the EU if the bloc does not purchase more oil and gas from the US.

With ambitions to reclaim its global leadership in the semiconductor industry, the US has just finalised nearly 7 billion USD in funding for companies to expand domestic chip production. This support for the US semiconductor industry shows that the technology war between world powers is intensifying.

After many rounds of tough negotiations, the European Union (EU) and Switzerland have reached a historic agreement to strengthen trade relations, resolve long-standing disagreements on freedom of movement, and open a new chapter in bilateral relations.

Population aging is a persistent concern for many countries worldwide. As this issue has become an irreversible trend, many nations are quickly adapting to turn challenges into opportunities for economic development.

The recent Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) Summit held in Serbia attracted the attention of many leaders and technology experts. Amidst the rapid advancement of AI technology, discussions at the summit centred around balancing innovation with ethical standards in tech development and the need for international cooperation and experience sharing among nations.

The World Bank (WB) has announced that it has raised close to 24 billion USD for providing loans and grants to some of the world's poorest nations, which it can leverage to generate a record 100 billion USD in total spending power. This joint action is expected to support the 78 countries that 'need it most'.

Australia has just become the first country to pass a bill banning children younger than 16 years from social media. With such a step considered unprecedented, Australia is a pioneer in tightening digital platform regulations to protect children in the online environment.

The mediating efforts of the US and France, along with the international community, have led to a ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon. This agreement opens up the hope of ending the longest and bloodiest conflict between the two sides in decades while also preventing a serious humanitarian crisis that was at risk of spreading throughout the region.