Here are some of the most current news points from Nepal:

Nepal Welcomes Gaza Ceasefire Agreement: The Nepalese government has expressed support for the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, emphasizing the need for peace and urging the release of Bipin Joshi and other hostages.

Power Cuts in Lalitpur: The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) announced scheduled power cuts in various parts of Lalitpur to replace electric poles, affecting local residents and businesses.

Hydropower Project Agreement: Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd. (IREDA) has signed a deal with SJVN Ltd., GMR Energy Ltd., and Nepal Electricity Authority for a 900 MW Hydropower Project in Nepal.

Disaster Statistics: According to the National Emergency Operation Center (NEOC), 679 people died, 66 went missing, and 1,323 were injured in Nepal due to natural disasters like floods, landslides, and fires over a recent period.

Political Instability: Observers are noting the recent political instability in Nepal, which complicates its foreign relations, particularly with India and China. This has been discussed in relation to the frequent changes in government leadership.

Legislative Updates: The Public Service Broadcasting Bill was recently passed, with Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung acknowledging there is still much work to be done in this area.

Transgender Candidates in Elections: In a significant step for representation, two transgender candidates ran for election in Nepal, marking a historic moment for transgender political participation.

Here are some of the top news stories for today:

Gaza Ceasefire and Hostage Deal: The Israeli security cabinet has recommended approving a ceasefire and hostage return deal in Gaza, ahead of a full cabinet meeting. However, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delayed the vote, citing last-minute changes by Hamas.

Trump's Cabinet Confirmation Hearings: Confirmation hearings for Donald Trump's cabinet picks are ongoing, with significant focus on the nominations for Defense Secretary, Interior Secretary, and others. There's particular attention on Pete Hegseth's suitability for Defense Secretary following a contentious Senate hearing.

TikTok in the U.S.: The Biden administration is exploring ways to keep TikTok available in the U.S., as a ban on the app is set to begin if no action is taken by the Supreme Court.

NFL Playoffs: CBS News featured insights from Bill Cowher on the upcoming NFL divisional round, highlighting key matchups like the Baltimore Ravens vs. Buffalo Bills.

Health News: The American Cancer Society has reported an increase in cancer rates among women, surpassing men in some cases, with CBS News discussing the implications.

Biden's Farewell Speech: Outgoing President Joe Biden gave a farewell speech focusing on his record of upholding democracy, warning against the concentration of power and the impacts of climate change.

Space News: The European Space Agency released new images of Mercury's surface, capturing details of its permanently shadowed craters and volcanic plains.

Local News (Minnesota): A man was arrested following a hit-and-run incident on New Year's Day in Minneapolis, and the weather in Minnesota is expected to remain mild with a thaw.

Los Angels must be rebuilt.

Today's trending news includes several notable events:

Mass Shooting in Queens: There was a shooting at the Amazura Night Club in Queens, New York, where at least 11 people were injured. The incident happened as people were waiting to enter the club, with suspects firing into the crowd. The NYPD is investigating potential gang-related motives.

Terror Attack in New Orleans: A pickup truck plowed into a crowd in New Orleans on New Year's Day, killing at least 10 people. The FBI is investigating this as an act of terrorism, with an Islamic State group flag found in the vehicle.

Tesla Cybertruck Explosion in Las Vegas: An incident involving a Tesla Cybertruck exploding in Las Vegas has been reported, leading to a hostage situation. This has garnered significant attention due to the high-profile nature of the vehicle and the implications for public safety.

Protest in NYC: A large crowd gathered in downtown Manhattan in support of Hamas, calling for a global intifada. This protest came shortly after the incidents in New Orleans and Las Vegas, highlighting a wave of solidarity or reaction to these events.

Allegations of Child Molestation: A man has been accused of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl, leading to public outcry after a video surfaced showing the victim's mother apologizing on behalf of her husband, the accused. This case has raised concerns about child protection and justice system responses. Trending on X.

Spider Monkey in DUI Rolls-Royce: During a traffic stop in Madera County, California, a baby spider monkey was found dressed in a onesie in a Rolls-Royce Ghost driven by someone arrested on DUI charges. This unusual event has sparked discussions on exotic animal ownership and legality. Trending on X.

Walmart's Birkin Dupe: Walmart launched a budget version of the Hermès Birkin bag, dubbed the 'Wirkin', which has gone viral for its affordability compared to the original luxury item. This has initiated conversations on luxury branding and consumer culture. Trending on X.

These events are capturing public attention across various news platforms and social media.

NEWS ALERT
Powell Triggered Markets Carnage: VIX Spikes 58%, Stocks Plummet, Dollar Hits 2-Year Highs, Bitcoin Nosedives to 98.6K.

NEWS ALERT
Dominique Pelicot, a French national, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for the rape of his wife, Gisèle Pelicot. The case took a shocking turn as his daughter came forward with allegations of sexual abuse, claiming he had sedated her before the assaults. A disturbing photograph, taken after one of these incidents, depicted her in a compromising position with her father.  

In a dramatic courtroom confrontation, Dominique's son, David, questioned his father about the abuse, asking if he had also harmed his son and his sister.

The case is part of a larger scandal involving the rape of Gisèle Pelicot. All 51 defendants in this trial were found guilty, with evidence suggesting they were invited to sexually abuse Gisèle after she was sedated. Court documents indicate that Dominique Pelicot photographed these horrific acts.

Full story is found here: https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/12/19/world/france-rape-verdict-pelicot

- Photo curtsey: Guillaume Horcajuelo/EPA, via Shutterstock

General Motors (#GM) has decided to discontinue its Cruise robotaxi program, which was aimed at developing and deploying self-driving, autonomous taxis. Here’s a breakdown of the key elements:

Scrapping the Cruise Robotaxi Program:

GM has halted or shut down the Cruise program, which was one of their major initiatives for creating a fleet of autonomous vehicles that would operate as taxis. These self-driving cars were supposed to pick up and drop off passengers without the need for human drivers.

Citing Time and Costs to Scale:

GM found that the amount of time and money required to make the robotaxi program successful and scalable was much greater than expected. "Scaling the business" refers to the process of expanding and making the program large enough to be viable and profitable, which requires significant investment in technology, infrastructure, and regulatory approvals.

Rising Competition from Other Autonomous Driving Competitors:

GM also mentioned that the growing number of competitors in the autonomous vehicle space made it harder to succeed. Other companies, such as Waymo (from Alphabet/Google), Tesla, Aurora, and others, are also developing autonomous driving technologies, which means the market is becoming more crowded and competitive. This increased competition might have led GM to reassess its position in the robotaxi industry.

Key Implications:
Financial and Strategic Realignment: GM may be choosing to reallocate resources to other projects or areas of business where they believe they can have a stronger impact or better return on investment.

Challenges in Autonomous Vehicles: The decision reflects the broader challenges in the autonomous vehicle industry, including the difficulty in developing fully self-driving cars, the high cost of testing and regulatory approval, and the uncertainty around consumer adoption and profitability.

Impact on the Industry: While this is a setback for GM, it doesn't mean that autonomous vehicles are going away. Other companies are still actively pursuing autonomous driving, and there are still opportunities for the technology in other areas (like self-driving trucks or delivery vehicles).

#NEWS #ALERT

#Bitcoin briefly surged to $104k—what triggered the spike? Bitcoin bulls are buying aggressively, holding strong, and pulling coins off exchanges.

With Bitcoin's market cap alone hitting $2 trillion, bolstered by $31 billion in net inflows from US Bitcoin ETFs, the total crypto market cap has now surpassed $3.5 trillion. Several altcoins are experiencing significant growth, and NFTs are making a comeback. XRP recently reached its highest price in nearly seven years—though some claim manipulation, the price has since started to decline.

In a notable move, Brazil proposed using Bitcoin as a national reserve asset, sending a strong signal to the global market to take notice.

The Latest AI Boost. Tech stocks are suddenly back in favor. After a period of weakness, the Magnificent 7 stocks and the rest of the technology complex have rallied of late. Today's surge followed a well-received earnings report from Salesforce.
The software firm continues to get traction from its AI offerings, capping a wave of AI-fueled software results in recent months. Salesforce soared 11% on the day, making it the best performer in the S&P 500.

#NEWS #ALERT
Bitcoin Hits $100,000, Lifted by Hopes of a Crypto-Friendly Washington.

The world’s largest digital currency has staged an extraordinary rally since Election Day, surging more than 40% in just four weeks and setting one record after another.