China

Bitcoin reached a new record of $106,533 after the US President-elect announced the creation of a strategic cryptocurrency reserve. The market capitalization of cryptocurrencies increased to $3.8 trillion.

Prince Andrew may not attend the traditional Christmas walk because of the H6 Chinese spy scandal. King Charles is outraged that his brother has dragged the monarchy into a high-profile scandal again.

The US Treasury is considering additional sanctions against the russian “shadow fleet” and possible restrictions on Chinese banks. There are also discussions of lowering the price limit on russian oil below $60 per barrel.

The President of Ukraine reported that the DPRK was using military personnel in Russian assault units in Kursk region. Zelenskyy emphasized that Moscow is dragging new countries into the war and ignoring calls for de-escalation.

The EU plans to impose sanctions against more than 12 individuals and 3 organizations in Russia for disinformation operations. Restrictions are also being prepared against 20 Belarusian officials before the elections.

The U. S. Court of Appeals refused to suspend TikTok's ban, which will take effect on January 19, 2025. ByteDance has to sell the app, otherwise it will be removed from the US app stores.

Experts question the effectiveness of Trump's tax initiatives due to the record $1. 83 trillion budget deficit. Most of the proposed benefits are focused on voters rather than long-term economic growth.

Gukesh Dommaraju defeated China's Ding Liren and became the youngest world chess champion in history at the age of 18. The Indian prodigy received $2.5 million in prize money and became the second Indian champion after Anand.

At the meeting in Paris, Trump spoke in favor of the presence of European troops in Ukraine after the ceasefire. He does not support Ukraine's accession to NATO, but wants to see it strong and well-armed.

On Friday, China lodged a claim against the Philippines, accusing it of provocations in the disputed waters of the South China Sea.

The Chinese leader will not attend Donald Trump's inauguration ceremony in Washington, despite a personal invitation. China will be represented by Ambassador Xie Feng and his wife.

Kaja Kallas stated that frozen russian assets should be used to help Ukraine. She also emphasized the importance of the EU's continued support for Ukraine even if the US cuts aid.

The Chinese leader met with russian Security Council Deputy Chairman medvedev to discuss the war in Ukraine. Xi Jinping stated that three principles should be observed to prevent the escalation of the conflict.

There are 27226 foreign students enrolled in Ukrainian universities, most of them from China - 10735 people. The most popular specialty among foreigners is medicine, and most students study at KNUTD.

The IAEA Board of Governors has adopted a resolution on the security of energy infrastructure proposed by Ukraine. Russia and China voted against it, 22 countries supported the document, 10 abstained.

According to Reporters Without Borders, 54 journalists were killed in the line of duty in 2024, one third of them in Gaza. 550 media workers are imprisoned around the world, most of them in China and Myanmar.

The GUR has identified 238 tankers that help Russia make money on oil exports bypassing sanctions. russia has spent $10 billion to create a shadow fleet and earned $188 billion from oil exports.

Rosneft and Reliance have agreed on the largest ever Indo-Russian oil supply deal, sources said.

The ATES guerrillas recorded the movement of a convoy of military equipment from the occupied Crimea. Tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, armored personnel carriers and military tractors were spotted moving in the direction of Zaporizhzhya region.

Donald Trump has invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to the inauguration ceremony on January 20. According to the State Department, foreign leaders have never before attended a transfer of power ceremony in the United States.

U. S. lawmakers have instructed the heads of intelligence agencies to submit a report on the consequences of a possible cessation of assistance to Ukraine. The report is to assess the impact on the course of the war and threats from potential US adversaries.

The United States, Russia, Britain, France, and China met in Dubai to discuss nuclear doctrines under the chairmanship of China. The parties held consultations to improve mutual understanding and avoid miscalculations.

Russian Railways announced the resumption of daily railway communication with Suifenhe, China, from December 15. The Tumangan-Hassan train to North Korea will run three times a week from December 16.

The partisan movement "Atesh" reported the movement of a column with Chinese buggies Desert cross 1000-3 to Kursk. The equipment can be used for sabotage operations in border areas.

China has deployed the largest navy in the last three decades in regional waters off Taiwan. 47 military aircraft, 12 warships and Coast Guard activity were recorded.

Andriy Yermak, head of the Presidential Administration of Ukraine, entered Politico's ranking of the most influential people in Europe in the “dreamers” category. Putin was ranked second in the “figures” category with the signature “imperialistic.

China is introducing new restrictions on the export of key components for the production of UAVs to the United States and Europe. This could significantly affect the production of drones in Ukraine, as China controls 80% of the component market.

ISW reports a critical reduction in Russia's financial reserves due to the war against Ukraine. Expenditures have exceeded $200 billion, and corruption in the country has increased by 30%.

China has deployed about 90 Navy and Coast Guard ships near Taiwan, two - thirds of which are military vessels. In response, Taiwan stepped up training and established emergency centers.

"Moana 2" became the sixth highest-grossing film of the year, grossing 6 600 million in two weeks of distribution. The new "Lord of the Rings" and "code name Red" did not meet expectations, showing low fees.