US President Trump has appointed Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as the US special envoy to Greenland, underscoring intentions to strengthen US influence in the Arctic. This decision raises questions, as Landry only took office as governor of Louisiana in January 2024.
The Parliament of New South Wales convened an urgent session to adopt radical changes to gun legislation after the terror attack on Bondi Beach, where 15 people died. The new bill will limit the number of firearms to four or ten for farmers.
On December 22, the spot price of gold reached an all-time high of $4383. 73 per ounce. This increase is driven by the easing of US monetary policy and growing global geopolitical instability.
Chinese energy storage manufacturers are experiencing an unprecedented surge thanks to reforms in the domestic electricity market and the global construction of data centers for AI. This year, battery exports from China have already exceeded $65 billion, and the volume of lithium-ion cell supplies could increase by 75%.
Samsung Biologics has acquired its first plant in the US, buying 100% of the shares of Human Genome Sciences Inc from GSK for $280 million. The deal will significantly strengthen its position in the pharmaceutical market and avoid lengthy construction.
The US Department of Justice has returned a photograph of Donald Trump to the public database, previously removed from Jeffrey Epstein's archives. The photo was being reviewed for the presence of alleged victims of the sex offender.
Power has been almost completely restored in San Francisco after Saturday's collapse, which left over 130,000 residents in the dark. PG&E has restored electricity to approximately 110,000 customers, with another 21,000 still without power.
In Nigeria, the last 130 schoolchildren abducted on November 21 from St. Mary's Catholic boarding school have been released. In total, 230 students have been rescued and will be able to celebrate Christmas with their families.
Moscow believes that Ukraine's and Europe's amendments to the American proposals for ending the war worsen the document. Putin's advisor, Yuri Ushakov, stated that Russia does not see any chances for achieving stable peace in these changes.
The third installment of James Cameron's franchise, "Avatar: Fire and Ash," has grossed $345 million worldwide. This is the second most successful Hollywood debut of 2025, although domestic box office in the US is 35% lower than the previous sequel.
Starmer held talks with Trump in Florida on finding ways for a "just and lasting end" to the war in Ukraine. A key topic of discussion was the work of the "Coalition of the Willing" and its readiness to facilitate a peace agreement.
Thousands of activists in the Serbian city of Novi Pazar are protesting against government pressure on state universities. The reason for the rally was university administration repression: 200 students were stripped of their status, and dozens of teachers were fired.
US President Donald Trump is preparing to tighten immigration policies in 2026, anticipating billions of dollars in new funding. This comes amid growing public opposition and declining approval ratings for his policies.
Switzerland is considering strengthening the protection of children from risks on social media, including a complete ban on access to platforms for minors. Minister Baume-Schneider expressed openness to such a step, inspired by Australia's experience.
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth commented on the seizure of an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela. The US will continue maritime interdictions as part of Operation "Southern Spear" to eliminate illegal criminal networks.
US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard stated that Reuters' information about Putin's intentions to seize all of Ukraine and part of Europe is lies and propaganda. She accused the publication of spreading a false narrative to block Donald Trump's peace initiatives.
Hungarian state energy company MVM Group and Romanian E. ON Group have mutually agreed to terminate the agreement for the acquisition of a 68% stake in E.ON Energie Romania and a 98% stake in E.ON Asist. The Romanian government did not support the deal due to concerns about MVM's ties with Russia.
Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation of the National Security and Defense Council, stated that it is impossible to return current Russia to the civilized world. He noted that a democratic Russia is possible only after its collapse and regime change.
Special envoy of the Kremlin chief Kirill Dmitriev went to Miami to meet with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin intends to seize all of Ukraine and regain control of parts of Europe that once belonged to the USSR. This is reported by Reuters, citing six sources and assessments by US intelligence agencies.
BMW is recalling almost 37,000 cars in the US due to unintentional steering wheel rotation while driving. Earlier, Toyota recalled 600,000 cars due to faulty digital dashboards.
Morgan Stanley is the leading contender to be the lead underwriter for the SpaceX IPO due to long-standing ties with Elon Musk. The SpaceX offering in 2026 is expected to be the largest in history, exceeding $1.5 trillion in capitalization.
Eve Air Mobility successfully conducted the first flight of its full-scale electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) prototype in Brazil. This is an important step towards certification and entry into service in 2027.
Ford is recalling 272,645 vehicles due to a parking system malfunction that could cause the car to move on its own after stopping. The problem affects F-150 Lightning BEV, Mustang Mach-E, and Maverick models and will be resolved with a software update.
Trump once again announced that in 2026 he plans to host a "grand" party for US Independence Day. The American president announced sports and other events.
EU leaders have decided to lend 90 billion euros to finance Ukraine's defense, avoiding the use of frozen Russian assets. Investors, experts, and analysts are divided on this issue.
One of SpaceX's Starlink satellites experienced an anomaly in space, creating a small amount of debris and losing communication at an altitude of 418 km. The satellite is practically intact, rotating and will re-enter Earth's atmosphere, where it will completely disintegrate within a few weeks.
US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to ease federal marijuana rules, directing the Attorney General to reclassify it. This decision could change the cannabis industry and open the door for research funding.
US President Donald Trump will sign into law on December 18 the defense policy bill for fiscal year 2026, which regulates military pay raises and measures to respond to geopolitical threats, and also provides for the allocation of $800 million to Ukraine for the purchase of American weapons.
Trump's company announced a merger with thermonuclear technology developer TAE Technologies. The $6 billion deal aims to meet the energy needs of data centers serving artificial intelligence.
