January 11, 2025

* Israel kills 17 more Palestinians in overnight strikes in Gaza Overnight air strikes by Israel in Gaza have claimed at least 17 Palestinian lives, intensifying the conflict. Strikes in Bureij camp, Shujaiya neighbourhood, and Khan Younis left dozens wounded, according to medical sources. Paramedics recovered bodies amidst ongoing devastation in Nuseirat and Gaza City. Israel's new wave of lethal attacks adds to the staggering toll of over 46,000 Palestinians killed during the 463-day war. * Israel, US, UK launch first joint attack on Houthis Israel, the US and the UK conducted their first joint air strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen. Coordinated strikes targeted military infrastructure in Sanaa and Hudaida, including a key power station. The joint offensive was in response to Houthi attacks on Israeli and US targets in solidarity with Palestinians. Israeli military confirmed its involvement, stating that the strikes aimed to disrupt Houthi military capabilities. * Stampede at Damascus mosque kills four, injures many A stampede at the historic Umayyad Mosque in Damascus left four dead and 16 wounded, including five children with severe injuries, according to Syrian state news agency SANA. Authorities are investigating the cause, with Governor Maher Marwan pledging accountability and swift action to prevent future incidents in public spaces. The civil defence described the scene as chaotic, emphasizing the urgent need for enhanced safety measures in high-traffic areas. * Trump readies shock-and-awe start with sweeping executive orders In a private Capitol Hill meeting, US president-elect Donald Trump promised a “shock-and-awe” start to his presidency, with over 100 executive orders targeting border security, deportations and energy policy. Set to roll out on January 20, the sweeping measures include completing the border wall and deporting over a million migrants deemed ineligible. Top adviser Stephen Miller emphasised immediate enforcement, signaling a dramatic pivot. Republican senators brace for an unprecedented surge of executive power, bypassing Congress to reshape key policies. * Musk says all human knowledge for AI training already 'exhausted' Elon Musk warns we’ve hit “peak data” for AI. Speaking in a livestream, Musk claimed humanity's knowledge has been nearly exhausted in AI training, pushing tech firms toward "synthetic" data for self-learning models. However he noted that the challenge lies in AI’s tendency for “hallucinations” – producing unreliable outputs. Experts like Andrew Duncan caution against overreliance on synthetic data, citing risks of "model collapse" and diminishing returns.