It may seem that the wild scenes in Seoul, with hundreds of armed troops and frantic lawmakers storming South Korea’s parliament building after the president suddenly declared martial law, came out of nowhere. But the chaotic events, which were still playing out as opposition leaders advanced an impeachment motion and called for President Yoon Suk Yeol’s immediate resignation, should be seen in the context of South Korea’s recent tumultuous political and social history. These moments resonate with South Koreans in their daily lives, and as they look to explain Yoon’s short-lived declaration of emergency martial law, even if there’s still widespread confusion and anger over his decision.

The Hezbollah terror group planned an Oct. 7-Hamas style invasion into Israel’s north, Fox News Digital reported after obtaining and viewing shocking new video footage and documents. “Hezbollah has been planning their own 10/7,” an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) intelligence official told Fox News Digital. “The plan has been effectively eliminated. We dismantled the high-level command of Radwan,” the IDF official said about Hezbollah’s elite Radwan force. Fox News Digital viewed a video of the interrogation of a Radwan terrorist who was captured by the IDF in the south Lebanese village of Aita al-Shaab and revealed the group’s chilling plan to “Conquer the Galil” and massacre Israelis.

Sake is perhaps more Japanese than the world-famous sushi. It’s brewed in centuries-old mountaintop warehouses, savored in the country’s pub-like izakayas, poured during weddings and served slightly chilled for special toasts. The smooth rice wine that plays a crucial role in Japan’s culinary traditions was enshrined on Wednesday by UNESCO on its list of the “intangible cultural heritage of humanity.” At a meeting in Luque, Paraguay, members of UNESCO’s committee for safeguarding humanity’s cultural heritage voted to recognize 45 cultural practices and products around the world, including Brazilian white cheese, Caribbean cassava bread and Palestinian olive oil soap.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos said Wednesday he is “optimistic” about President-elect Donald Trump’s second term and expressed some excitement about potential regulatory cutbacks in the coming years. “I’m actually very optimistic this time around,” Bezos said on stage during a wide-ranging interview at The New York Times’ DealBook Summit in New York. “He seems to have a lot of energy around reducing regulation. If I can help do that, I’m going to help him.” “We do have too many regulations in this country,” Bezos added.

The new chief of the Los Angeles police force said his department is working with consulate offices for Mexico and other Central American countries to draft a plan to protect immigrants ahead of the Trump administration’s plans for mass deportations. In an interview with The Associated Press, Jim McDonnell said his tenure as police chief will be marked by high engagement with the community, adding that all of society must participate in the criminal justice system to create a safe place to live. A veteran police officer and former sheriff, McDonnell was selected by Mayor Karen Bass in October and sworn in last month.

The National Weather Service canceled its tsunami warning for the U.S. West Coast after a powerful earthquake shook parts of California on Thursday. At least 5.3 million people in California were under a tsunami warning after the 7.0-magnitude temblor, the U.S. Geological Survey said in a yellow alert, which predicted localized but minimal damage. The quake was felt as far south as San Francisco, where residents felt a rolling motion for several seconds. It was followed by smaller aftershocks. There were no immediate reports of major damage or injury. The quake struck at 10:44 a.m. west of Ferndale, a small city in coastal Humboldt County near the Oregon border, according to the USGS.

Senator Tom Cotton (R-AK) introduced legislation on Thursday aimed at requiring all official U.S. documents and materials to use the term “Judea and Samaria” instead of the commonly used “West Bank.” The bill, titled the Retiring the Egregious Confusion Over the Genuine Name of Israel’s Zone of Influence by Necessitating Government-use of Judea and Samaria (RECOGNIZING Judea and Samaria) Act, seeks to adopt historically and culturally accurate terminology for the region. “The Jewish people’s legal and historic rights to Judea and Samaria go back thousands of years,” Cotton said. “The U.S.

Rep. Jerry Nadler announced Wednesday that he will be stepping down as the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee next year, avoiding an intra-party fight over a prominent position as the party prepares to confront a second Trump presidency. Nadler’s decision to relinquish control of the powerful committee came a day after fellow Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin announced his bid for the job and quickly amassed support from colleagues. “I am also proud that, under my leadership, some of our caucus’s most talented rising stars have been given a platform to demonstrate their leadership and their abilities,” Nadler wrote in the letter to Democrats that was obtained by The Associated Press.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – A suspected arson attack at the renowned Adass Shul has left the Jewish community in shock. At approximately 4:10 a.m. local time, two individuals smashed windows, entered the Shul, and poured gasoline before setting it on fire. The shul, one of the most famous in Australia, is a central hub for the Orthodox Jewish community. Two people learning inside the shul at the time witnessed the incident but were bichasdei Hashem unharmed. Emergency services responded quickly, but the building and surrounding streets remain closed due to ongoing investigations. Baruch Hashem, no injuries have been reported. However, the status of the sifrei Torah remains unclear.