Australia鈥檚 Parliament passed听sweeping gun law reforms and tougher hate-speech rules following last month鈥檚 deadly听Hanukkah shooting听at Bondi Beach in Sydney. The measures include a national gun buyback and stricter licensing checks aimed at closing gaps exposed by the attack. Lawmakers were recalled two weeks early to pass the bills amid heightened concern over antisemitism and public safety.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu听accepted听President Trump鈥檚 invitation to join the Board of Peace meant to oversee听Gaza鈥檚 ceasefire听and reconstruction. Around 10 countries have reportedly agreed to participate, including Belarus, Morocco, and the UAE. Russia and China received invitations. France has declined, prompting Mr. Trump to threaten tariffs on French wine. He told reporters the board 鈥渕ight鈥� replace the United Nations, which he said has 鈥渘ever lived up to its potential.鈥�
Lindsey Halligan stepped down as interim U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia two months after a court ruled her appointment invalid. A former personal attorney for President Donald Trump, Ms. Halligan faced sharp criticism, including a federal judge鈥檚 accusation that she was 鈥渕asquerading鈥� as a federal prosecutor. She oversaw the indictments of New York Attorney General Letitia James and former FBI director James Comey.
Heavy-handed crackdowns on violence are gaining traction across Central America, fueled by the perceived success of El Salvador President Nayib Bukele鈥檚 iron-fist approach. Guatemalan President Bernardo Ar茅valo declared a 30-day state of emergency on Monday after inmates seized control of three prisons. The move echoes Mr. Bukele鈥檚 emergency rule, renewed 46 times, and curtails some constitutional rights 鈥� despite Mr. Ar茅valo鈥檚 past warning that democracy cannot be built 鈥渨ith antidemocratic methods.鈥�
Winter is testing the Chinese cars that have replaced Western imports in Russia since the war in Ukraine began. Chinese firms now occupy about 60% of the new car market. But January鈥檚 heavy snowfall and cold snap sparked a wave of social media complaints, including reports of doors freezing shut and trapping drivers inside. Russia has largely adapted to the loss of Western goods, Moscow correspondent Fred Weir notes, making such downsides a surprise.
An Austrian cow鈥檚 unexpected use of tools is prompting scientists to rethink the intelligence of cattle. Researchers found that Veronika, a cow in a mountain village, regularly uses tools to scratch her back and stomach, selecting different ends of sticks, rakes, and brooms for a firmer or more gentle touch. Such behavior has never been recorded in cows and is seen mainly in primates.
Communities sprung into action after historic floods submerged large sections of South Africa鈥檚 Kruger National Park last week. Residents pulled stranded cars out of the mud, took in stranded tourists, and used tractors and backhoes to restore access to a storm-battered bridge.
鈥� From Monitor writers around the globe
