United States
33-year-old engineer Mihaela Benthaus became the first person with a disability to make a suborbital flight with Blue Origin. The flight lasted 10 minutes, reaching an altitude of over 65 miles to the Kármán line.
Kremlin aide Yuriy Ushakov stated that no one seriously discussed the initiative for a trilateral meeting of experts from Russia, the US, and Ukraine. He also noted that the changes to the peace plan, introduced by Ukrainians and Europeans, do not contribute to reaching agreements.
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.
A massive power outage left 130,000 homes and businesses in San Francisco (California, USA) without electricity. This led to the closure of restaurants, shops, and significant disruptions to transport links.
Special envoy of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, Kirill Dmitriev, assessed the negotiations between the delegations of Russia and the US in Miami as constructive. "Discussions" with Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will continue on Sunday.
The United States of America has seized an oil tanker in international waters off the coast of Venezuela. This happened after US President Donald Trump announced a "blockade" of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the United States has enough power to force Russia to end the war against Ukraine. He emphasized that this could be a "diplomatic victory" for the US, and President Trump is "strong enough to do it."
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin personally chose Steve Witkoff, a special representative of US President Donald Trump, as a key intermediary to promote his vision for settling the war against Ukraine. Witkoff suits the Kremlin due to his lack of political past and institutional ties, as well as his experience working with authoritarian regimes.
French President Emmanuel Macron believes that European countries should directly engage in dialogue with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasizes the importance of fighting for the United States of America as an ally.
Amazon and Netflix have struck a surprise content licensing deal. James Bond films, "Rocky," and the series "The Man in the High Castle" will become available on Netflix starting January 15.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that the United States proposed a trilateral meeting of national security advisors from Ukraine, the US, and Russia. He noted that Ukraine supports this proposal if it unblocks exchanges or leads to a meeting of leaders.
Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bündchen married Joaquim Valente in a small ceremony at her home in Surfside, Florida. The couple obtained their marriage license on December 1 and married on December 3.
The US Space Development Agency (SDA) has awarded L3Harris Technologies an $843 million contract for 18 satellites to enhance missile tracking. This is in addition to previous orders for 34 systems, which are a key element of Trump's 'Golden Dome' defense shield.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy considers a ceasefire along the current front line to be fair. He emphasized that Ukraine cannot withdraw from its territories, and the Russians will remain in the temporarily occupied parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russia continues to consider the full occupation of Ukraine, so it is necessary to increase pressure on the Russian Federation, particularly from the United States. He emphasized the importance of strengthening sanctions so that Putin does not have funds for the war.
Ukraine has submitted its vision to the US on the most difficult issues, including territories, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, and reconstruction funding. The results of discussions between the American and Russian sides are expected.
Zelenskyy announced peace agreement talks conducted by Umerov. The US proposed a meeting format involving Ukraine and Russia, possibly with European representatives.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy indicated what is needed for a peace agreement to be effective. He emphasized that a just and lasting peace with strong security guarantees is important for Ukraine.
Ukraine discussed holding elections with the US, which may indicate that the American side understands how to ensure secure elections. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has begun to address the issue of the necessary infrastructure abroad for Ukrainians to vote.
The song "Shchedryk" was written at the beginning of the 20th century. In 1936, its English version was released, which is known to the world as "Carol of the Bells".
US President Donald Trump headed to Florida for scheduled meetings. This weekend in Miami, American and Russian officials will hold talks on ending the war in Ukraine.
On December 19, the United States imposed sanctions on seven individuals linked to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife. The restrictions target relatives of Carlos Erik Malpica Flores, who is accused of corruption in the oil company.
On December 19, the US Department of Justice released a portion of the investigation materials in the case of Jeffrey Epstein, who was accused of sex crimes. The documents include photographs of Bill Clinton, Michael Jackson, Donald Trump, and 50 censored images of nude women.
Donald Trump stated that Operation "Hawk Strike" in Syria is retaliation for the killing of American servicemen by ISIS. He emphasized that the US is delivering decisive blows to ISIS strongholds.
The US has announced the start of Operation "Hawk Strike" in Syria, aimed at ISIS militants in response to an attack on American troops. The Pentagon emphasized that this is a targeted punitive operation to destroy terrorists and their infrastructure, not the beginning of a new war.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that he does not seek to remain in the presidential office. He emphasized that he supports holding elections provided that security is guaranteed and legislative changes are made.
The Ukrainian delegation concluded a series of negotiations in the US with American and European partners. Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov announced an agreement on further steps and continued joint work.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine will not allow Putin to influence possible elections in the country, as he wants to control not only Russian elections. The President noted that Putin is looking for justifications for the war, not its root causes, and does not intend to end the war only with Ukraine.
Trump issued an executive order radically accelerating the Artemis program, setting strict deadlines for US dominance beyond Earth. The document provides for the return of humans to the Moon by 2028 and laying the groundwork for a flight to Mars.
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.