OPEC+ agreed to maintain stable oil production, despite an 18% price drop in 2025 and tensions between Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Eight countries raised their production targets by 2.9 million barrels per day from April to December 2025.
Grok, integrated into X, generates sexualized images of real people, including minors. xAI denies the accusations, and Elon Musk responds with a laughing-crying emoji.
American Democrats accuse the Trump administration of misleading them about its true intentions in Venezuela, stating that they were promised no military intervention. Senators are demanding a plan from the White House for governing the country after a night assault on Caracas and the capture of Nicolás Maduro.
British and French air forces conducted a joint operation, attacking an ISIS weapons depot north of Palmyra. British Typhoon FGR4 fighters used high-precision Paveway IV bombs, successfully hitting the target.
The US special operation in Caracas and the detention of Nicolás Maduro caused a resonant reaction from world leaders. The international community was divided in its assessment of the legality of Washington's actions, from full support to harsh condemnation.
Yemen's Transitional Council agreed to talks with Saudi Arabia after losing the eastern port of Mukalla. This happened amid military successes of the Yemeni government and the weakening of separatist positions.
Delcy Rodriguez arrived in Russia after the US President announced the capture of Nicolas Maduro. Rodriguez's brother, the head of the National Assembly, is in Caracas.
The Venezuelan government accused the United States of military aggression after a series of explosions in Caracas and other regions. President Nicolás Maduro declared a state of emergency and mobilized defense forces.
China has abolished the tax exemption on contraceptives and birth control methods, introducing a 13% VAT. This is a step in response to the declining birth rate and the third consecutive year of population decline.
The cause was bacterial contamination of drinking water due to a pipeline leak.
IOC President Kirsty Coventry said that Russian athletes will not be able to represent their country at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina. They will only participate as individual athletes without a national flag or anthem.
China received 22 shipments of liquefied natural gas from Russia's Portovaya and Arctic LNG-2 projects in 2023. All deliveries arrived at the Beihai LNG terminal in Guangxi.
Precious metals resumed their rally at the beginning of the new year, continuing the unprecedented growth of 2025, supported by geopolitical tensions and expectations of interest rate cuts. Gold rose 1.4% to $4372.35 per ounce, silver rose 3.6% to $73.79 per ounce.
In December, new Tesla car registrations fell by two-thirds in France and Sweden. At the same time, sales in Norway increased by 89%, setting a new annual record.
The governor of Yemen's Saudi-backed Hadramaut province announced the start of an operation to reclaim positions in the south of the country.
The Argentine Football Association is under investigation for alleged money laundering and financial irregularities following statements by former footballer Carlos Tevez. The investigation is examining the connection between the AFA leadership and a mysterious villa in Pilar, where a helipad, stables, and a collection of 54 luxury cars were discovered.
On New Year's Eve in Peru, an attack on illegal gold miners resulted in at least three deaths and seven missing. This happened in the city of Patas, where 13 miners had already died last year due to criminal gangs.
In Somalia, the military, with international support, eliminated militants of the "Al-Shabaab" group.
Several people died in clashes between police and protesters in western Iran on January 1. The protests began due to the fall of the rial and inflation.
Finnish police detained the cargo ship "Fitburg", which was en route from St. Petersburg to Israel. It is suspected of sabotaging an underwater telecommunications cable between Helsinki and Estonia.
Several people died and others were injured in a fire of unknown origin at the bar «Le Constellation» in the ski resort of Crans-Montana in southwestern Switzerland.
Taiwan remains on high alert after the completion of large-scale Chinese military maneuvers "Mission Justice 2025". Despite the withdrawal of PRC ships, the island's coast guard continues enhanced monitoring of fleet movements.
A UN team visited Al-Fashir in Sudan after its capture, confirming a catastrophic humanitarian situation and signs of mass killings. Hundreds of people remain in the city without access to water, medicine, and food.
Actor Mel Gibson and Rosalind Ross have broken up after nine years of relationship. The couple, who have an 8-year-old son Lars, plan to continue co-parenting.
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has ordered the expansion of the buffer zone in Ukraine's Sumy and Kharkiv regions by 2026. This statement was announced by the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Valery Gerasimov.
Discounts on Russian oil at export terminals again approached historical highs, reducing margins and leading to losses. More than half of Russian oil companies are eligible for zero or reduced mineral extraction tax rates.
Russian pipeline gas exports to Europe in 2025 decreased by 44% to 18 billion cubic meters, which is the lowest figure since the mid-1970s. This happened after the closure of the Ukrainian route and the cessation of fossil fuel imports from Russia.
Turkish police have detained 357 suspects in 21 provinces as part of an operation against the Islamic State. This followed a shootout in which three police officers and six militants were killed.
Ukraine's government bonds rose on Monday after positive signs in peace talks to end the war. Some bonds reached their highest level since the sovereign debt restructuring.
On December 30, gold rose by 1. 1% to $4378.29 per ounce, recovering after a sharp drop. Silver and platinum also rose after significant fluctuations, while palladium slightly decreased.
