10 Things Global News - 9th December 2025
Interesting and important news from around the world
Europe Backs Ukraine as Territorial Dispute Stalls Peace Plan
Trump Announces $12B Aid Package for US Farmers
US Government Threatens 5% Tariff on Mexico Over Water Dispute
Trump Approves Nvidia’s H200 Chip Sales to China
Border Clashes Intensify Between Thailand and Cambodia
More Teens Turn to AI Chatbots for Mental Health Support
Russian Drone Strike Injures Seven In Sumy
AI Investment Helps Cushion Global Trade Shocks
Japan Assesses Damage After Strong Quake
Judge Overturns Trump’s Wind Energy Block
On this day ….
On this day in 1948, the UN General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, the first international treaty to define genocide as a crime under international law.
Driven by the scale of atrocities during the Second World War, it established obligations for states to prevent, punish and cooperate in the prosecution of such acts.
More than seventy-five years later, the convention remains central to international justice, yet its enforcement continues to depend on political expediency rather than legal clarity.
Does the promise of 1948 still meet the realities of today’s conflicts?
European leaders reaffirmed support for Volodymyr Zelensky during talks in London, where they described the moment as critical for Ukraine and reviewed the stalled US-pushed peace proposal. They focused on Russia’s continuing demand that Ukraine cede parts of Donbas, a position Zelensky said Kyiv has no legal or moral basis to accept. He added that Ukraine does not want to give anything away and that the territorial questions remain unresolved.
As a result, the discussions centred on strengthening Kyiv’s negotiating position and maintaining coordinated European and American backing. Leaders also examined efforts to advance a breakthrough on frozen Russian assets, with Downing Street describing the latest talks as making “positive progress” on proposals to use immobilised funds for Ukraine’s reconstruction.
However, Zelensky noted that neither Ukraine nor Russia is ready to sign the current framework. He said plans for a European-supported proposal would be prepared shortly for discussion with the United States.
Sources: The Guardian, New York Times
President Donald Trump announced a $12 billion aid package on Monday to support farmers who have struggled to sell their crops while facing rising costs after tariffs were raised on China. Unveiling the plan at a White House roundtable with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, lawmakers and farmers, he said the money would come from tariff revenue and offer one-time payments to row-crop producers. Rollins said $11 billion would be released immediately, with another $1 billion reserved for specialty crops.
As a result, farmers said the support would help them through rising expenses and uncertain markets. Iowa farmer Cordt Holub told Trump the “bridge payment” would allow them to continue farming for another year. However, farmers also noted that government aid does not resolve the wider pressures created by higher costs and disrupted sales.
Meanwhile, prices remain affected by slow Chinese purchases despite earlier commitments to buy US soybeans. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said China remains on track to meet its agreed target by the end of February.
Sources: Associated Press, The Independent
The US Government threatened on Monday to impose an additional 5% tariff on Mexican imports if Mexico does not immediately release water that the US says is owed under a 1944 treaty. President Trump demanded that Mexico provide 200,000 acre-feet before 31 December, saying delays were harming farmers in Texas and affecting border communities. The administration says Mexico is 865,000 acre-feet short of required deliveries.
As a result, the water dispute has widened into a trade confrontation. Trump said the tariff threat was necessary because Mexico was “not responding,” arguing that US farmers “deserve this much needed water.” The calls follow earlier meetings between US and Mexican officials about reducing shortfalls, and they come shortly after the administration announced a separate $12 billion aid package for farmers affected by tariff pressures.
Meanwhile, Mexican officials have cited drought conditions as a constraint on deliveries, even as President Claudia Sheinbaum sought discussions on lowering existing US tariffs at a recent meeting in Washington.
Sources: Bloomberg, CNBC
President Donald Trump said Monday that his administration had approved Nvidia to sell its H200 artificial intelligence chip to China, marking a significant shift in US export policy. The decision followed months of debate over whether easing restrictions could bolster Beijing’s technological capabilities. Trump said the Commerce Department was finalising details and that similar opportunities would be offered to other chip makers, adding that a portion of revenue would be paid to the US government.
As a result, the move represents a major win for Nvidia’s chief executive, Jensen Huang, who lobbied the administration to ease constraints. It also departs from earlier commitments to limit AI chip sales to China, a stance that had drawn bipartisan support in Washington and prompted recent legislative proposals to restrict exports further.
Meanwhile, concerns remain over how China will respond. The administration wants Chinese firms to adopt the H200 chip while continuing to limit access to Nvidia’s most advanced models, which US officials view as more sensitive.
Sources: New York Times, Washington Post
Fighting between Thailand and Cambodia escalated along their contested border on 9 December, with both governments saying they would not back down in defending their sovereignty. Each side accused the other of triggering the renewed clashes, leaving uncertainty over whether a ceasefire brokered in July could survive. Cambodia’s former leader Hun Sen said his country had waited 24 hours to honour the truce before launching counterattacks, arguing that strong defensive positions gave its forces the advantage.
However, Thai military officials reported clashes across five border provinces and described Cambodian attacks using artillery, rocket launchers and bomb-dropping drones. They said military action was necessary to defend Thailand’s territory. Meanwhile, civilian casualties and mass evacuations mounted on both sides of the frontier, with Cambodia reporting nine civilians killed and Thailand confirming three soldiers dead.
Broader tensions have grown since de-escalation measures were suspended in November, raising doubts over prospects for restoring stability.
Sources: Straits Times, Reuters
A new study of teenagers in England and Wales has found that one in four have turned to AI chatbots for mental health support, reflecting growing pressure on conventional services. The research, conducted among more than 11,000 young people, showed that both victims and perpetrators of youth violence were markedly more likely to use AI tools than other teenagers. Some young people said they were drawn to the availability, privacy and lack of judgement they experienced when using chatbots.
However, youth organisations and experts warned that young people at risk need human support, not digital substitutes. In contrast to the accessibility of AI, the findings pointed to long waiting lists and difficulties engaging with existing mental health services, with young people reporting that chatbots were easier to reach at any time.
Meanwhile, concerns have grown about dangers arising from extended engagement with chatbots, with warnings about the lack of regulation.
Sources: The Guardian, The Independent
At least seven people were injured after Russian drones struck a multi-storey apartment building in the northeastern Ukrainian city of Okhtyrka, the regional governor said. Local authorities reported that some residents managed to reach a basement after air-raid warnings, while others were rescued from upper floors. The building sustained extensive damage and several of the injured were taken to hospital, with two admitted for further treatment.
Meanwhile, Sumy was left without electricity following additional drone attacks late on 8 December, with over a dozen drones hitting sites across the city within half an hour. As a result, water supply systems and healthcare facilities were running on backup power. Local officials said part of the city’s critical infrastructure had lost its main power supply.
However, the wider region continues to face near-daily shelling and drone attacks as the war nears its fourth year.
Sources: Kyiv Independent, Reuters
Strong global investment in artificial intelligence has helped soften the economic impact of rising US tariffs, according to IMF director Jihad Azour. Speaking in Abu Dhabi, he said the inflationary effect of higher tariffs had been “relatively muted” because trade rules and supply chains adjusted quickly to the pressure. He also cited an IMF report noting that new US trade deals and exemptions limited the fallout from recent trade disputes.
As a result, the IMF now projects global growth of 3.2 per cent this year and 3.1 per cent next year, both higher than earlier forecasts. Azour said this reflected the scale of AI spending, which is expected to reach nearly US$1.5 trillion this year and more than US$2 trillion in 2026. He highlighted major AI infrastructure projects in the US, China and the UAE, and said Gulf economies stand to benefit from external investment in data centres.
However, he cautioned that asset valuations in the technology sector may be outpacing fundamentals, and warned that persistent global uncertainty could weigh on growth in 2026.
Sources: South China Morning Post, The National News
A 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Aomori late on Monday, injuring at least 30 people and triggering a tsunami that reached up to 70 centimetres. Authorities said most injuries were caused by falling objects, and thousands of homes lost power as the tremor disrupted transport and damaged some buildings. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said an emergency task force had been formed to assess the impact and emphasised that the government was prioritising people’s safety.
However, further disruption continued into Tuesday as aftershocks were recorded and officials warned that a stronger quake could occur in the coming days. Power and rail services were only partly restored, and some residents remained in shelters as teams worked to inspect infrastructure. The Japan Meteorological Agency lifted tsunami advisories early on Tuesday but urged people across 182 municipalities to review their preparedness measures in case conditions worsen.
Sources: BBC, Associated Press
A federal judge has struck down President Donald Trump’s executive order halting wind energy projects on federal lands and waters, calling it “arbitrary and capricious” and therefore unlawful. Judge Patti Saris said the administration had provided no reasoned explanation for the halt, noting that officials acknowledged the decision stemmed solely from the president’s directive.
The ruling follows a challenge from 17 states and Washington, D.C., which argued that the order jeopardised their investments in wind power and breached the legal process for federal permitting.
However, the decision may not immediately restart stalled projects, as courts cannot compel agencies to grant new permits and some developers remain cautious under current policy conditions. The administration has sought to revoke previously issued permits and pause construction at sites already under development, prompting additional legal disputes. The judgment nevertheless removes a central barrier to assessing future wind proposals on their merits.