Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to step down as leader of the Liberal Party, possibly as early as Monday, according to a report by Fox News.

The Globe and Mail, citing anonymous sources within Trudeau’s administration, indicated that the announcement could come this week.

Liberal Party lawmakers are set to convene for a caucus meeting on Wednesday amidst growing demands for Trudeau’s resignation as party leader.

It remains unclear whether Trudeau will also vacate the role of prime minister. However, stepping down as party leader would prompt a leadership race, with the new leader automatically assuming the position of prime minister.

Mounting Pressure

Trudeau has faced increasing scrutiny since Chrystia Freeland resigned as finance minister on December 16, issuing a public letter criticizing his leadership.

Since Freeland’s abrupt departure, Trudeau has largely remained out of the public eye, spending much of the holiday season at a resort in western Canada, without signaling his intentions for the future.

The Liberal Party’s prospects in the polls have also been declining amid stagnant economic growth. A recent Nanos Research survey conducted over the holidays showed the Conservative Party widening its lead as the country enters an election year.

To counter fears of losing a significant number of their 153 parliamentary seats, the Liberals have launched pre-election ads warning that the Conservatives would slash social security programs.

Economic Concerns

Liberal Party representatives from border provinces told Bloomberg that economic instability, particularly the threat of a 25% tariff on Canadian exports from U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s administration, has added urgency to Trudeau’s decision.

“The country could face significant instability, especially with the potential for a 25% U.S. tariff on Canadian imports,” wrote Kody Blois, leader of a Liberal group from Canada’s easternmost provinces, in a letter to party members.

Nik Nanos, founder of Nanos Research, told Bloomberg that if Trudeau resigns as party leader, he is unlikely to be in a strong position to negotiate with the incoming U.S. administration.

SEOUL – North Korea launched a suspected intermediate-range ballistic missile into the sea on Monday, coinciding with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to Seoul amid political unrest in South Korea.

South Korea’s military reported that the missile was fired eastward around noon, shortly after Blinken met with South Korea’s Acting President, Choi Sang-mok.

During the meeting, Blinken reaffirmed Washington’s “unwavering” security commitment to South Korea and advocated for a robust joint defense strategy to counter potential provocations from Pyongyang, according to an official statement.

Choi is temporarily leading the government following the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol, whose December 3 declaration of martial law shocked the nation and resulted in his suspension on December 14.

Monday’s missile test was North Korea’s first since November 5, when it launched at least seven short-range ballistic missiles off its east coast.

Details about the missile type were not immediately available. However, previous intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) tests by North Korea included a new solid-fuel design equipped with a hypersonic glide vehicle—a warhead capable of maneuvering to evade missile defenses.

North Korea has declared its intent to transition all missile types to solid fuel. Solid-fuel missiles are more operationally efficient, as they do not require fueling immediately before launch, are safer to handle, need less logistical support, and are harder to detect compared to their liquid-fuel counterparts.

On February 15, 1951, during the Korean War, Army Pvt. Bruno R. Orig provided critical first aid to his injured comrades and helped move them to safety amid an enemy attack. Taking control of a machine gun post, he held off enemy forces, enabling a friendly platoon to retreat without casualties. Later that day, when the ground was recaptured, Orig was found dead beside the machine gun, surrounded by the enemy combatants he had neutralized.

On Friday, President Joe Biden honored Orig and several others during a White House ceremony, awarding the Medal of Honor to seven men, including six posthumously, and recognizing their extraordinary acts of valor. In a separate Oval Office ceremony, Biden also presented the Medal of Valor to eight first responders for their life-saving courage.

“These are heroes of different ranks, different positions, and even different generations,” Biden remarked during the Medal of Honor ceremony. “They all went above and beyond the call of duty.”

Among those honored was Pfc. Wataru Nakamura, who destroyed an enemy machine gun nest, recaptured bunkers, and continued fighting even after running out of ammunition before being killed by a grenade. Nakamura was buried in Los Angeles. Army Cpl. Fred B. McGee was recognized for his bravery near Tang-Wan-Ni, Korea, on June 16, 1952, where he assumed command of his squad, neutralized an enemy machine gun, and rescued the wounded. McGee, originally from Ohio, passed away in 2020.

Army Pfc. Charles R. Johnson of Millbrook, New York, held off Chinese forces during the Korean War on June 12, 1953, saving up to 10 soldiers before being killed in action. Army 1st Lt. Richard E. Cavazos, who later became a four-star general, stayed behind alone during a raid near Sagimak to evacuate five casualties. Cavazos, a Texan, passed away in 2018, and Fort Hood was renamed in his honor on May 9, 2023.

During the Vietnam War, Army Capt. Hugh R. Nelson Jr. of Rocky Mount, North Carolina, sacrificed his life on June 5, 1966, while rescuing two specialists from a crashed helicopter, shielding one from enemy fire. On May 7, 1970, Army Pfc. Kenneth J. David, still living, drew enemy fire away from injured comrades in Vietnam, sustained injuries himself, and safeguarded Medevac helicopters until evacuation was complete.

In his remarks, Biden reflected on his presidency, calling it the greatest honor of his life to lead the nation and “the finest military in the history of the world.”

The Medal of Valor recipients included law enforcement officers who responded to the March 27, 2023, shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee. Sgt. Jeffrey Mathes, Officer Rex Engelbert, and Detectives Michael Collazo, Ryan Cagle, and Zachary Plese of the Nashville Police Department were recognized for their heroic actions in neutralizing the shooter and protecting lives.

Additional recipients included Sgt. Tu Tran of the Lincoln, Nebraska, Police Department, who swam into a freezing pond on February 22, 2023, to rescue a woman from a sinking vehicle, and New York City firefighter Lt. John Vanderstar, who saved a mother and child from a burning apartment on October 23, 2022. Fellow firefighter Brendan Gaffney was honored for rescuing an unconscious child and a pregnant woman from a separate apartment fire.

Elon Musk has intensified his criticism of the UK Government, urging King Charles to dissolve Parliament and call for a General Election.

The billionaire entrepreneur, who acquired Twitter and rebranded it as X in 2022, has recently shared and engaged with posts condemning the Government and Prime Minister, particularly after Labour declined to initiate an inquiry into child grooming cases.

Musk’s latest remarks targeted Sir Keir Starmer directly. He retweeted a post questioning whether the King should “dissolve Parliament and order a General Election… for the sake and security of Britain,” simply replying, “Yes.” Musk also criticized safeguarding minister Jess Phillips, stating she “deserves to be in prison” for refusing to allow the Home Office to lead a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Oldham.

Additionally, Musk accused the Prime Minister of failing to address “rape gangs” during his tenure as Director of Public Prosecutions, sharing a Daily Telegraph article by shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick advocating for renaming “grooming gangs” to “torture rape gangs.” Musk praised the article, asserting that his comments had brought more attention to the issue than the British establishment had over decades.

In further posts, Musk condemned the mishandling of child exploitation cases as “State-sponsored evil” and described the crimes as “utterly shameful.” He supported a post questioning why his remarks sparked more outrage than the mass abuse of children, calling it the “perfect question.”

Meanwhile, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch called for a long-overdue national inquiry into grooming gangs, stating that victims deserve justice. Despite this, safeguarding minister Jess Phillips maintained that decisions on inquiries into local cases, such as Oldham’s, should be left to local councils.

Musk held Starmer accountable for the lack of action during his leadership of the Crown Prosecution Service from 2008 to 2013, dubbing him “two-tier Keir” for prioritizing less severe offenses over violent crimes. Musk also expressed support for activist Tommy Robinson, who has been critical of grooming gang investigations.

The debate over the need for a national inquiry gained further momentum as senior Tories, including shadow home secretary Chris Philp, urged for a statutory investigation into grooming gang crimes across the country. Labour spokespeople responded by emphasizing the Government’s commitment to implementing recommendations from the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, which published its findings in 2022 but has seen little action on its proposals.

Oldham Council reaffirmed its commitment to prioritizing survivors’ wishes in any future inquiries. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage criticized the lack of progress under successive Conservative governments, a sentiment Musk echoed, suggesting it was “time for Reform.”

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse described the systemic abuse as an “epidemic,” but two years after its report, its recommendations remain largely unimplemented. Labour insists it is working to strengthen laws to ensure these crimes are reported and investigated effectively, with ongoing efforts in regions such as Greater Manchester to address historic safeguarding failures.

The FBI has confirmed that the Army veteran who drove a pickup truck into a crowd of New Year’s revelers in New Orleans acted alone, reversing its earlier claim that he may have collaborated with others. Officials described the attack as inspired by the Islamic State group.

The attacker, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old American citizen from Texas, posted five videos on Facebook shortly before the incident, expressing support for ISIS and previewing his intentions. Christopher Raia, deputy assistant director of the FBI’s counterterrorism division, called the act “premeditated and evil,” emphasizing that Jabbar was “100% inspired” by the militant group.

The attack, which occurred on Bourbon Street, claimed the lives of 14 people, including Jabbar, who was killed in a police shootout after bypassing a barricade. Thirty others were injured. The victims included an 18-year-old aspiring nurse, a single mother, a father of two, and a former Princeton University football star. Authorities also discovered crude bombs in the area, which were safely neutralized.

Deadliest IS-Inspired Attack in Years

This marked the deadliest ISIS-inspired attack in the U.S. in years, underscoring federal concerns about the resurgence of international terrorism. The incident coincides with anticipated leadership changes in federal agencies as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office.

Raia clarified that there was no connection between this attack and the explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck loaded with explosives outside Trump’s Las Vegas hotel the previous day. In that incident, a U.S. Army Green Beret detonated the truck and fatally shot himself.

Investigation and Motive

The FBI’s investigation revealed Jabbar’s radicalization journey, which included posting a video indicating he initially considered targeting his family and friends but opted for a broader attack to draw attention to the “war between believers and disbelievers.” Authorities recovered an ISIS flag from his truck and examined his online activity, including his last will and testament.

Jabbar’s background includes Army service from 2007 to 2020, during which he deployed to Afghanistan. He reportedly traveled to Egypt and Toronto in 2023, though the purpose of these trips remains unclear. Friends and family expressed disbelief, describing Jabbar as quiet, reserved, and previously showing no signs of radicalization.

City Recovers

New Orleans began returning to normalcy, with Bourbon Street reopening and the Sugar Bowl football game proceeding after a one-day postponement. Mayor LaToya Cantrell reaffirmed the city’s resilience, emphasizing its readiness to host large-scale events, including next month’s Super Bowl.

Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol delivered a defiant message to his conservative supporters gathered outside his Seoul residence, pledging to “fight to the end” against what he described as “anti-state forces.” This declaration comes as law enforcement prepares to detain him in connection with last month’s martial law decree.

The Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials has one week to act on a detainment warrant issued by a Seoul court on Tuesday. The warrant follows Yoon’s refusal to comply with multiple summons for questioning and his obstruction of searches at his office, which have impeded the investigation into whether his brief power grab on December 3 constituted rebellion.

Oh Dong-woon, the chief prosecutor of the anti-corruption agency, has suggested that police forces may be deployed if Yoon’s security team resists his detention, which could happen as early as Thursday. However, it remains uncertain whether Yoon can be forced to submit to questioning.

Addressing hundreds of supporters outside his residence on Wednesday evening, Yoon vowed to continue fighting against “anti-state forces” that he claimed were “violating our sovereignty” and endangering the nation. He praised his supporters for defending the country’s “liberal democracy and constitutional order” and acknowledged watching their protests via live YouTube broadcasts, as revealed in a message shared by his lawyers.

The liberal opposition Democratic Party, which initiated the Dec. 14 legislative vote to impeach Yoon over his martial law decree, accused him of mobilizing supporters to obstruct his detention. They urged law enforcement to promptly execute the warrant.

On Thursday morning, a growing number of Yoon’s supporters gathered near his residence amid a heavy police presence. Waving South Korean and American flags and holding signs against his impeachment, they demonstrated their opposition.

Yoon’s legal team has contested the validity of the court-issued detainment warrant, arguing that the anti-corruption agency lacks jurisdiction over rebellion charges. They further claim the court bypassed laws requiring the consent of officials in charge before seizing locations tied to military secrets.

Experts suggest the anti-corruption agency, which is collaborating with police and military authorities, may avoid a confrontation with Yoon’s security team, which has pledged to provide lawful protection. If unable to enforce the warrant by Jan. 6, the agency may issue another summons for Yoon’s appearance.

Yoon’s presidential powers were suspended following his Dec. 14 impeachment, which was prompted by his brief imposition of martial law. The move has since sparked political turmoil, stalled high-level diplomacy, and unsettled financial markets. His fate now rests with the Constitutional Court, which is deliberating whether to uphold the impeachment, formally removing him from office, or to reinstate him. At least six of the court’s nine justices must vote in favor to end Yoon’s presidency.

Last week, the National Assembly also impeached Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who had served as acting president after Yoon’s suspension, citing his reluctance to fill three Constitutional Court vacancies ahead of Yoon’s case review.

Under mounting pressure, interim leader Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok appointed two new justices on Tuesday, potentially increasing the likelihood of the court upholding Yoon’s impeachment.