Reuters

Paramount Skydance revised its takeover bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, including Larry Ellison's personal financing of $40.4 billion and an increased breakup fee. However, WBD's fifth-largest shareholder, Harris Oakmark, considers the changes insufficient, demanding a greater incentive.

On Wednesday evening, an explosion occurred in a mosque in Maiduguri, Nigeria, during prayer. This region is the epicenter of the activities of the terrorist groups Boko Haram and Islamic State – West Africa.

The Trump administration has developed a plan to reform the immigrant detention system, envisioning the conversion of industrial warehouses into deportation centers. The new system is designed to accommodate over 80,000 people simultaneously, with a network of seven "super-warehouses" and 16 smaller facilities.

In Russia, the All-Russian Public Opinion Research Center predicts the end of Russia's war against Ukraine in 2026. 70% of respondents consider 2026 to be more successful, and 55% associate this with the possible end of the war.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu announced preparations for a response after the explosion incident in Rafah, which injured an IDF officer. Hamas denies involvement, claiming the explosion was caused by old ammunition.

The US cannot intercept the oil tanker Bella 1, linked to the Nicolas Maduro regime, due to limited resources of the Maritime Security Response Team. The vessel's crew refused to voluntarily allow US law enforcement officers on board.

The militaries of Thailand and Cambodia have begun three-day talks to end a 16-day armed standoff that has killed at least 86 people. The goal of the meeting is to restore the truce previously brokered by Malaysia and the United States.

The US State Department has signed memorandums of cooperation with four African countries, investing $1. 4 billion, while recipient countries have pledged to invest more than $900 million of their own resources. The new US approach requires financial discipline and a gradual phasing out of donor aid, with clear benchmarks and consequences for non-compliance.

Brent and WTI crude futures rose by 0. 2% and 0.3% respectively, reaching $62.53 and $58.56 per barrel. This increase is driven by strong US economic growth and geopolitical risks, despite an expected annual price drop.

President Zelenskyy has called for a meeting with US President Trump to resolve sensitive issues of a future peace agreement with Russia, such as territorial control. The Ukrainian and American delegations have come closer to finalizing a 20-point negotiation plan.

The Trump administration announced tariffs on Chinese semiconductor imports due to Beijing's pursuit of dominance, but postponed their implementation until June 2027. This decision is a result of an investigation into China's unfair trade practices.

On December 24, gold surpassed $4,500 per ounce for the first time, while silver and platinum also reached record highs. This is due to investments hedging geopolitical and trade risks, as well as expectations of interest rate cuts in the US.

Venezuelan company PDVSA is using tankers as temporary oil storage due to critical overfilling of onshore tanks. This is caused by increased US sanctions and the detention of tankers, which has led to an export blockade.

The US and Iran exchanged remarks at the UN Security Council regarding the resumption of nuclear talks. Washington is ready for direct negotiations, but Tehran rejects conditions related to uranium enrichment.

The Israeli Ministry of Defense denied the government's intentions to restore civilian settlements in the Gaza Strip, stating that the military presence would be purely for security purposes. This position contradicts the "Trump Plan" for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the enclave.

The Italian government has made adjustments to the performance of the national anthem, removing the traditional word "Sì!" from it at the end. The changes concern the final part of the anthem "Brothers of Italy", which ended with the phrase "We are ready to die, we are ready to die, Italy calls! Yes!".

The price of spot gold rose to $4,476. 15 per ounce, and US gold futures climbed to $4,509.80. Spot silver rose to $69.44 per ounce, renewing its record at $69.98.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu will visit the US next week to meet with Donald Trump. The main topics will be Iran's nuclear activity in light of its recent missile exercises, as well as the transition to the next stage of Trump's "Plan" for Gaza.

Alphabet acquired Intersect for $4. 75 billion to address the electricity shortage needed for the development of AI technologies. Intersect will operate independently, diversifying energy sources and curbing electricity prices.

The Pentagon has discovered over 100 DF-31 solid-fuel missiles in China's secret silos on the border with Mongolia. Beijing is modernizing its nuclear arsenal faster than any other nation in the world and will have over 1,000 nuclear warheads by 2030.

The Milan prosecutor's office concluded that 21 alleged cases of Russian drones flying over the European Joint Research Centre (JRC) were a technical error. The security system of the JRC nuclear site produced false positives due to a common GSM signal booster.

Mercedes-Benz has reached a $149. 6 million settlement in the US over the use of illegal software that concealed the true level of pollution from diesel engines. Almost 40,000 cars in the US were equipped with devices that understated emissions during inspections.

The world is experiencing a shortage of DRAM chips, threatening the PlayStation, Xbox, and the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 markets with a new price hike. Memory manufacturers are reorienting towards high-profit solutions for AI data centers, reducing the production of consumer devices.

Pope Leo has appointed 13 new bishops in the US, 10 of whom have condemned the Trump administration's immigration policy. The Church's new line expands the concept of pro-life, equating humane treatment of immigrants with the protection of life from conception to death.

Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan stated that the transition to the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement is expected in early 2026. The main priority at this stage is the transfer of Gaza's administration to a Palestinian group.

The European Commission will investigate Czech state aid for the construction and operation of two new nuclear power units in Dukovany. This initiative aims to accelerate decarbonization and eliminate electricity supply shortages, with planned commissioning in 2036 and 2037.

17 young South Africans fell victim to a recruitment scam and ended up on the front lines as part of Russian troops. The South African government officially confirmed that it has been dealing with this case since November 6.

The Czech Republic's Security Council will discuss the future of the initiative to supply artillery ammunition to Ukraine on January 7. Prime Minister Andrej Babiš expressed concerns about the transparency of the initiative.

Russian natural gas exports to China via pipeline are expected to grow by a quarter this year, reaching 38. 6-38.7 billion cubic meters. However, this will not compensate for the drop in revenues from the loss of the European gas market.

Witkoff held parallel meetings with Ukrainian and Russian delegations. Four key documents were discussed, including the updated "20-point plan" and a framework agreement on security guarantees.