Daily News Summary – 2025-12-11 – en

The US Customs and Border Protection proposes requiring tourists from visa waiver countries to provide five years of social media history, part of a broader immigration crackdown under the Trump administration.

Archaeologists discovered evidence at Barnham, Suffolk, that humans in southern England were making fire 415,000 years ago, pushing back the timeline of human technological advancement by hundreds of millennia.

US forces seized a sanctioned oil tanker off Venezuela, alleging ties to Iran's IRGC and Hezbollah, as part of a larger military buildup in the Caribbean amid tensions with the Maduro regime.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte navigates transatlantic rifts as the US questions European reliability in its 2025 National Security Strategy, emphasizing the need for collective defense.

The European Commission conducted an unannounced raid at Temu's Dublin headquarters as part of an investigation into potential illegal state subsidies from China under the Foreign Subsidies Regulation.

A cross-border telemedicine pilot showed significant improvements in patient outcomes, though licensing harmonization remains a key challenge for scaling specialized healthcare access.

A landmark hydrogen hub in Europe secured major financing, featuring a 300-megawatt electrolysis plant and long-term offtake agreements, advancing the green energy transition.

The IMO announced new emission standards for cruise ships, mandating cleaner fuels and stricter scrubber regulations, with significant port fee implications to reduce environmental impact.

Transit apps are rolling out real-time accessibility data and rider feedback systems in 2025, enhancing mobility for people with disabilities through integrated technology.

Airlines worldwide are securing billions in sustainable aviation fuel offtake agreements, driven by policy mandates, though production scalability and cost challenges remain.

Satellite data reveals accelerating melt of Antarctica's ice sheets, with the Thwaites Glacier showing dangerous fracturing, posing significant risks for global sea level rise.

RAM prices have tripled due to AI demand diverting production to high-bandwidth memory, threatening to increase costs for computers and smartphones significantly.

The US government approved substantial funding for a nationwide smart meter upgrade program, promising consumer benefits and enhanced grid modernization.

Austria's parliament banned headscarves for girls under 14 in schools, citing protection from oppression, though it faces constitutional challenges and criticism.

Schools are implementing tiered protocols based on the Air Quality Index to protect students during air quality emergencies, such as wildfires or pollution events.

A new urban park opened with features designed to enhance biodiversity and community wellbeing, serving as a model for sustainable green spaces in cities.

Significant funding was secured for space debris mitigation technologies and pilot projects, addressing the growing threat of orbital junk through international cooperation.

A new grain export corridor agreement was signed, reviving the Black Sea Grain Initiative with strengthened protocols to stabilize global food markets and ensure humanitarian access.