Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has protested against the composition of the executive council for governing the Gaza Strip, which was unveiled by the White House. Israel did not approve this composition, which contradicts its official policy.
The US is increasing its military presence in the Middle East by redeploying the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group. This comes amid possible retaliatory strikes from Iran.
Donald Trump confirmed the transition to the next phase of his "20-point plan" for the Gaza Strip, which involves the transfer of power to the National Committee and demilitarization. He issued an ultimatum to Hamas regarding disarmament and the return of hostages.
At a UN Security Council meeting, the US warned Iran of its readiness for decisive action over the suppression of protests. Russia was the only country to support Iran, accusing the US of interference.
Iran has announced the reopening of its airspace, which was closed to most flights due to threats of an attack by the United States. The ban was in effect from 1:45 AM to 4:00 AM and from 4:44 AM to 7:00 AM local time.
Hamas will dissolve its administration in Gaza after a Palestinian technocratic governing committee takes control of the region. This is a requirement of a US-brokered plan for the enclave.
The international community is discussing a boycott of the 2026 World Cup due to Trump's statements about military operations in Mexico. This caused outrage, as Mexico is a partner in organizing the tournament.
Delcy Rodriguez, appointed as interim president of Venezuela, announced the start of a diplomatic dialogue with the Donald Trump administration. This comes despite official condemnation of US actions, which Caracas calls the "illegal kidnapping" of Nicolas Maduro.
The Qatari Foreign Ministry expressed regret over the damage to its embassy building in Kyiv as a result of shelling, without mentioning Russia. Diplomats and staff were not injured.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine offered assistance to Qatar after its embassy in Kyiv was damaged by a Russian strike. This is a gross violation of the Vienna Convention, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry states.
President Zelenskyy reported 4 dead and dozens wounded as a result of Russia's massive attack, including damage to 20 residential buildings and the Qatari embassy. He called on the world, primarily the US, for a clear reaction and emphasized the priority of air defense support for Ukraine.
The Warner Bros. Discovery board of directors rejected Paramount's revised takeover bid, deeming it insufficiently attractive compared to the Netflix deal. Paramount's offer was called "inadequate" and excessively risky due to significant additional debt.
Russia has postponed plans to triple its annual liquefied natural gas production due to international sanctions. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said that achieving the goal of producing 100 million tons of LNG per year would be delayed by several years.
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.
Paramount has updated its offer to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery with Larry Ellison's personal guarantee of $40.4 billion. The total value of the deal is $78 billion, exceeding Netflix's offer.
Shipments of liquefied natural gas from Russia to China more than doubled compared to last year, reaching 1. 6 million metric tons in November. This allowed Russia to overtake Australia and become the largest supplier after Qatar, offering the cheapest LNG among 12 suppliers.
The US Air Force plans to acquire two Boeing 747-8 aircraft at a total cost of approximately $400 million. They will be used for crew training and as a source of spare parts for the future presidential fleet.
Five million ticket requests for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be held in the USA, Mexico, and Canada, have been submitted since the last sales phase opened. The group stage match between Colombia and Portugal in Miami on June 27 was the most in-demand.
Donald Trump is forcing EU leaders to confront a future in which America is no longer their primary security guarantor. Europe must organize its own defense much faster than anyone could have imagined.
Sovereign wealth funds from Gulf countries have joined forces to finance Warner Bros. Discovery's potential acquisition of Paramount. This move underscores their growing desire for Hollywood assets and influence in the global media market.
FIFA has released the schedule for the 2026 World Cup group stage, highlighting matches with the highest expected temperatures, particularly in Inglewood and Philadelphia. Some teams, such as South Korea and Canada, will benefit from convenient logistics, playing consecutive matches in the same location.
Qatar's Energy Minister is concerned that insufficient investment and growing energy consumption by artificial intelligence will cause a shortage of LNG and natural gas after 2035. Global demand for liquefied natural gas will increase to 700 million tons per year within ten years, while current production is 400 million tons.
The presidents of DR Congo and Rwanda will meet with Donald Trump in Washington next week to conclude a peace agreement. The US is mediating the conflict and plans to attract investments in Congo's mining sector.
After Hamas handed over the remains of an Israeli hostage the day before, in response, the Israelis handed over the remains of 15 Palestinians to Gaza. The transfer took place as part of the ceasefire agreement, the first phase of which is nearing its end.
Israel received another batch of human remains from Palestinian militants via the Red Cross. The remains will be sent for forensic examination for identification, but it is unknown whether they belong to the three hostages who remain in the Gaza Strip.
Officials from Turkey, Egypt, and Qatar met in Cairo to discuss the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement. They agreed to strengthen coordination and cooperation to ensure the continuity of the truce and counter violations by Israel.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy faces the most painful choice: to agree to a peace deal that involves giving up part of Donbas, or to continue the war. This is due to new efforts by the Trump administration for a peace deal that involves compromises from Ukraine.
Political scientist Oleh Lisnyi emphasizes that all discussions about the US peace plan revolve around rumors. He also points out that Ukraine's position remains unchanged.
The meeting between Trump's adviser Stephen Witkoff and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Ankara has been canceled. The reason was Zelenskyy's vision, which Russia will never accept, according to Axios.
Ukraine expects the first gas supplies via the Greek route in January 2026, which is more expensive than the Polish LNG terminal. This route, although flexible, requires cooperation with five operators.
