If you’ve been avoiding the news over the holidays… don’t panic, we’ve got you covered. Here are the stories you might have missed so you’re up to speed for the weekly all-hands.
Quebec Liberals called on Justin Trudeau to resign. A “clear majority” of the Liberal Party’s 33 Quebec MPs believe Trudeau should resign as party leader, according to the Globe and Mail. The report follows recent public calls from a large number of the party’s Ontario MPs and its Atlantic caucus for the prime minister to step down.
Scientists found “worrying” mutations in bird flu. Analysis of the bird flu virus found in a Canadian teenager who was admitted to an intensive care unit showed mutations that increased the virus’ ability to replicate in humans. The same mutations were found in another serious bird flu case in Louisiana. The discovery could show that there is a risk of the symptoms caused by the virus could become more severe.
The U.S. Treasury said it was hacked by China. The Treasury Department said it suffered a “major breach” of its systems by Chinese state-sponsored hackers. Officials said the hackers accessed employee workstations and some unclassified documents. China denied that it had any involvement in the hack.
South Korea’s political crisis deepened. A South Korean court issued an arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk Yeol who was impeached after attempting to declare martial law in early December. Investigators are attempting to determine if the declaration amounted to rebellion, which could trigger the death penalty or life imprisonment for the former president. Acting President Han Duck-soo was also impeached last week, leaving the country’s finance minister Choi Sang-mok to fill the position.
A fight over immigration roiled the Republicans. Conflict erupted between different factions of the party when some prominent figures in Donald Trump’s orbit urged the incoming administration to limit H-1B visas — a program used by many U.S. technology companies to hire skilled immigrants — as part of an effort to reduce immigration. Trump appears to be siding with his backers in Silicon Valley, including Elon Musk, who support the program.