The German Bundestag has passed a new military service law that provides for a two-tier system with voluntary service and possible conscription. This is intended to increase the size of the Bundeswehr, as 18-year-old men will receive notices of readiness to serve.
NATO Commander-in-Chief Alexus Hrynkevych stated that the Alliance must be ready to respond to the growing hybrid threats, which include cyberattacks and disinformation. He noted that Russia is behind some hybrid incidents in Europe.
French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized the unity of Europe and the US in supporting Ukraine, rejecting reports of a possible betrayal of Washington. He refuted skepticism about peace talks, stressing the importance of cooperation.
Czech President Petr Pavel will appoint populist ANO party leader Andrej Babiš as prime minister on December 9. Babiš intends to take office in time to represent the country at the EU summit on December 18-19.
Ukraine faces the threat of demographic collapse due to war, population losses, and declining birth rates. It is estimated that by 2051, the population will shrink to 25 million, whereas before the full-scale invasion, it was 42 million.
Weeks after Iraq recognized Yemen's Houthis and Hezbollah as terrorists, the authorities revoked the decision, citing a mistake.
NASA has recorded extensive "light pollution" in images from orbital observatories. Up to 96% of images from some space telescopes can be distorted by light from satellites in low Earth orbit.
The Netherlands, Spain and Ireland will boycott Eurovision 2026 due to Israel's permission to participate. This decision was made after members of the European Broadcasting Union voted for new rules protecting the integrity of the competition.
Oil prices rose: Brent to $63. 02, WTI to $59.36. Attacks on Russian oil pipelines and lack of progress in peace talks contribute to rising prices.
The organizers of the Milan-Cortina Winter Games received the Olympic flame at the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens. This marked the beginning of a 63-day torch relay that will travel across Italy before the Olympics in February.
A talipot palm, imported from South Asia in the 1960s, has bloomed in Rio de Janeiro. This palm, one of the largest in the world, flowers only once in its lifetime, after which it naturally dies.
The Australian government has announced a military aid package for Ukraine worth 95 million Australian dollars. It includes contributions to PURL and the Drone Coalition, as well as military equipment.
The crew of the Greek vessel attacked by Houthis in the Red Sea has been released. All 11 crew members, including Filipinos, a Russian, and an Indian, will arrive in Oman.
Students at Cheikh Anta Diop University in Senegal clashed with security forces, demanding the payment of scholarships and financial aid. The unrest comes amid the country's acute financial problems and its debt burden of 132% of GDP.
Trump granted a full and unconditional pardon to Democratic Representative from Texas Henry Cuellar and his wife Imelda. They were accused of receiving nearly $600,000 in bribes in schemes benefiting an Azerbaijani state energy company and a Mexican bank.
Sanctions reportedly forced Lukoil to announce the sale of its foreign assets, and several buyers have approached US authorities for permission to negotiate with Lukoil, including oil giants Exxon Mobil and Chevron.
Sudan's Rapid Support Forces are systematically holding captive residents of El Fasher for ransom. Those whose families cannot pay thousands of dollars are killed or severely beaten.
Donald Trump stated that he is revoking all of Joe Biden's pardons signed with a pen, claiming that this makes them invalid. Trump also questioned Biden's mental fitness.
Oil prices fell for a second consecutive session on expectations of the outcome of Russian-Ukrainian peace talks. This could increase supply and heighten fears of an oil surplus amid rising inventories.
The family of American billionaire Michael Dell plans to transfer $6. 25 billion to investment accounts for 25 million children as part of a government program by the Donald Trump administration. The funds, amounting to $250 per child, will be used to support children under 10 years old from families with an income of up to $150,000 per year.
War Minister Pete Heggset said the US supports its commanders' decisions to strike suspected vessels smuggling drugs from Venezuela. Strikes against drug traffickers will continue, although it is now difficult to find drug boats in the waters.
Through the mediation of the Red Cross, Hamas handed over to the Israeli side the remains of another hostage who died during the war in the Middle East.
Tajikistan and Russia are negotiating joint patrolling of the border with Afghanistan after attacks that killed five Chinese citizens. Russia may use helicopters to patrol the 1,344-kilometer border.
Former Honduran President Hernandez has been released from a US prison after a pardon from Donald Trump. Hernandez was serving a 45-year sentence for conspiring to import tons of cocaine into the US.
During his first foreign visit to the Middle East, before flying to the Vatican, the Pope called on world leaders for peace and to prevent wars.
The profits of the Russian oil giant Rosneft collapsed by almost 70% due to sanctions. The CPD reports a crisis in Russia's energy sector.
Exxon Mobil is in talks with Iraq to acquire Lukoil's controlling stake in the West Qurna-2 field. This field accounts for 9% of Iraq's oil production, and potential buyers can negotiate until December 13.
Journalists from Wired found that young tech specialists from the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) continue to work in federal agencies, maintaining ties with the authorities. This is happening despite official reports of the liquidation of the department, which was previously associated with Elon Musk.
Stocks showed moderate growth on Tuesday, while cryptocurrencies and global government bonds stabilized after sell-offs. This happened amid an expected interest rate hike in Japan, which affected global markets.
French President Emmanuel Macron will make his fourth state visit to China this week. Europe is seeking to strike a balance between economic and security threats from Beijing and its dependence on the world's second-largest economy.
