South Korean police are investigating the airport and airline offices on suspicion of professional negligence leading to death and injury. They are examining whether there were issues with the airport's facilities and the aircraft's operational systems. The crash resulted in the deaths of 179 passengers and crew.
South Korean authorities have placed the CEO of Cheju Air, Kim I-be, on a travel ban as a key person of interest in the investigation of the plane crash that killed 179 people.
The FBI is investigating the New Orleans vehicle attack as a potential terrorist incident. They suspect that there may be other individuals involved besides the driver, who was killed in a shootout with police. The vehicle bore an ISIS flag, and explosive-like materials were found at the scene.
A vehicle explosion at the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas resulted in one death and seven injuries. The vehicle involved was a Tesla Cybertruck, and the explosion was reportedly caused by fireworks or a bomb placed in the truck's bed, unrelated to the vehicle itself.
Local media reports that Israeli military attacks in Gaza have continued into the new year, resulting in the deaths of at least 17 people, including children, in northern and central Gaza. Further airstrikes in southern Gaza have killed at least 10 more people, including women and children. The total death toll has reached 45,581, with ongoing concerns about a deepening humanitarian crisis.
In Montenegro, a shooting incident occurred at a restaurant and three other locations, resulting in the deaths of at least 10 people, including two children, and leaving four others seriously injured. The suspect fled the scene and later attempted suicide, dying while being transported to the hospital. The motive remains unclear, but the suspect was reportedly heavily intoxicated prior to the shootings.
Japan is expected to experience heavy snowfall, particularly on the Sea of Japan side of northern and eastern Japan, with up to 40 cm in Hokkaido and Niigata, and 30 cm in the Kanto-Koshin region. The Japan Meteorological Agency has warned of potential impacts on transportation.
Aoyama Gakuin University won the Hakone Ekiden relay race for the second consecutive year and their seventh overall. Key highlights included a new section record by Richard Etir of Tokyo International University and a strong performance by Aoyama Gakuin's Wataru Wakabayashi, who set a new record in the fifth section, helping secure the victory.