Morning Star editor BEN CHACKO reports from the start of Kunming’s Belt and Road media forum, where 200 journalists from 71 countries celebrated a new openness and optimism, forged by China’s enormous contribution to global development

A CEASEFIRE in Gaza has been struck, and outgoing US President Joe Biden and incoming President-elect Donald Trump are falling over themselves to claim credit for it.
“After eight months of nonstop negotiation, my administration — by my administration — a ceasefire and hostage deal has been reached by Israel and Hamas,” said Biden during a farewell address on Wednesday.
In his typically combative style, Trump bragged on social media that “This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November.”

Women opponents of the Trump regime fear his misogynist, racist and anti-immigrant views are taking hold in Britain, reports LINDA PENTZ GUNTER, as protests against his visit hit London’s streets

But the beneath the racism and misogyny of the far right lies a shared grievance with the left — Starmer’s complete betrayal of working people, writes LINDA PENTZ GUNTER

Still the only black man to win the US Open tennis title, a statue of the legendary champion, Arthur Ashe, is now the only one remaining on Monument Avenue in his Richmond, Virginia hometown, where confederate leaders of the Civil War were also once displayed, writes LINDA PENTZ GUNTER

Danni Perry’s flag display at the Royal Opera House sparked 182 performers to sign a solidarity letter that cancelled the Tel Aviv Tosca production, while Leonardo DiCaprio invests in Tel Aviv hotels, reports LINDA PENTZ GUNTER