Cyclone devastates Mayotte

Plus, Israel plans to double population on occupied Golan.

Sign up for Reuters newsletters  Daily Briefing Daily Briefing By Kate Turton Emergency workers are racing to find survivors in Mayotte after the Indian Ocean islands were hit by the worst cyclone in nearly a century, Israel agrees to double its population on the occupied Golan Heights, and Putin accuses the West of pushing Russia to its "red lines". And a Reuters investigation has found Myanmar's ruling junta has suppressed information about a severe food crisis gripping the country. Today's Top News   The aftermath of Cyclone Chido, in Mamoudzou, Mayotte, France, December 15, 2024, in this screen grab obtained from video. John Balloz/via REUTERS Several hundred people and possibly even thousands may have been killed when the most powerful cyclone in nearly a century hit the French Indian Ocean archipelago of Mayotte, a senior local French official said. Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the West of pushing Russia to its "red lines" - situations it has publicly made clear it will not tolerate - and said Moscow had been forced to respond. Meanwhile, Ukraine said that North Korean units fighting for Russia sustained losses. Serbian officials installed homegrown spyware on the phones of dozens of journalists and activists, Amnesty International said in a report, citing digital forensic evidence and testimony from activists who said they were hacked in recent months. Israel agreed to double its population on the occupied Golan Heights while saying threats from Syria remained despite the moderate tone of rebel leaders who ousted President Bashar al-Assad a week ago. Canada has promised the incoming Trump administration a crackdown along its border with the US. Listen to Anna Paperny Mehler on this episode of the Reuters World News podcast for insights on how that's not going to be a straightforward process.  The US fraud case against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani appears to be backed by documents that will help prosecutors make a strong case, legal experts said, but the tycoon is unlikely to be extradited to stand trial anytime soon. US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris made a rare post-election joint appearance to thank donors who raised more than $2 billion during the unsuccessful 2024 election cycle, and to urge Democrats to keep fighting for their values. The remaining five members of the "Bali Nine" Australian drug ring have returned from Indonesia after diplomatic efforts between the countries this month to strike a repatriation deal, the two governments said. Business & Markets   Bitcoin surged to a record high above $106,000 after President-elect Donald Trump suggested he plans to create a US bitcoin strategic reserve similar to its strategic oil reserve, stoking the enthusiasm of crypto bulls. The decline in euro zone business activity eased this month as the bloc's dominant services industry bounced back to growth and offset a long-running contraction in the manufacturing industry, a survey showed. The development of a lingerie industry in China's eastern Guanyun county has exploded partly due to a US tariff exemption likely to soon be curtailed or scrapped. Inflation is its highest level in over a decade in Bolivia, which was heralded for its commodities-backed "economic miracle" in the 2000s. Now the country faces its worst economic crisis this century with natural gas exports tumbling while the dominant socialist party's spend-to-grow economic model has imploded. South Africa's biggest e-commerce retailer, Takealot, has hired thousands of personal shoppers to help it penetrate townships and rural areas and fend off increased competition from global rivals, its CEO told Reuters. Powerful weight-loss drugs are expanding use of US health care as patients starting prescriptions are diagnosed with obesity-related conditions or take the drugs to become eligible for other services, health records and discussions with doctors show. Myanmar junta intimidates aid groups in effort to hide hunger crisis   REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain Myanmar's military has detained food-security researchers and warned aid workers not to release information revealing that millions of people are experiencing severe hunger. Fearing retaliation against their staff, aid organizations have held back publicizing their findings. Read our special report And Finally... REUTERS/Ricardo Moraes A heron took flight in Rio de Janeiro, stretching its wings and soaring over a river after veterinarians saved it from near-certain death by removing a plastic cup attached to its neck and blocking its throat. Read more Sponsors are not involved in the creation of newsletters or other Reuters news content. Advertise in this newsletter or on Reuters.com Reuters Daily Briefing is sent 5 days a week. Think your friend or colleague should know about us? Forward this newsletter to them. They can also sign up here. Want to stop receiving this email? Unsubscribe here. To manage which newsletters you're signed up for, click here. Terms & Conditions and Privacy Statement © 2024 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved. 3 Times Square, New York, NY 10036