Israel launched multiple strikes on several targets in Yemen,Haaretz alleged that Israeli forces have been arbitrarily killing civilians in Gaza,and a Palestinian official reported that Gaza cease-fire negotiations were in their final stages.This comes as Israeli forces fired on Syrian protesters,multiple mass graves were reportedly discovered across Syria,and Saudi Arabia and Israel denied claims of a "breakthrough" in normalization talks.Meanwhile, an Uzbek national was detained in connectionto a bombing that killed the head of Russia's nuclear defense forces,Russia's Vladimir Putin reiterated his readiness for talks to end the war in Ukraine,and Moscow attacked Kyiv with drones and ballistic missiles,as six residential buildings in Russia's Kazan were struck by drones.In other news, the White House designated Pakistan's ballistic missile technology a threat to the US,the Philippines ratified a new defense pact with Japan,and at least 13 people died in a collision between an Indian naval speedboat and a passenger ferry.

Elon Musk met with Reform UK leader Nigel Farage,as he expressed his support for Germany's AfD Party,German Chancellor Olaf Scholz lost a confidence vote,and Canada's New Democrats vowed to table a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau,as the country's Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland quit.This comes as Peter Mandelson was named the UK's new ambassador to the US,the EU, UK, and US initiated diplomatic contact with Syria's new regime,the mother of a US reporter who has been missing in Syria for over a decade sought Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin's help,and Bangladesh set a timeline for elections to be held between late 2025 and early 2026.In other news, a New York resident pleaded guilty in an alleged secret Chinese police station case,the EU imposed new sanctions on Russia and several Chinese companies,an Abkhazian lawmaker was fatally shot during parliamentary discussions,and Australia moved to a new visa system for international students.

Congress approved a funding law to avoid a government shutdownafter two prior proposals —including a Donald Trump- endorsed bill —were rejected,and Pres. Joe Biden canceled $4.28B in student loan debt for 55K borrowers.In other news, presidential electors formalized Trump's victory,Trump sued the Des Moines Register over a pre-election poll that showed him trailing Kamala Harris,and SoftBank pledged $100B in US investments under Trump's second term.Meanwhile, Trump's "hush money" conviction was upheld,Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis was removed from Trump's election interference case,House Republicans called for an investigation into Liz Cheney,and the House Ethics Committee decided to release its report on Matt Gaetz.

Northern Ireland's police were found to have unlawfully spied on two journalists,Serbian police were accused of using Israeli technology to spy on activists,Ghana's Supreme Court rejected legal challenges to a bill regarding LGBTQ+ rights,and Iran suspended enforcement of its new hijab law.

An attack on a German Christmas market killed five and injured hundreds,Dominique Pelicot was sentenced to 20 years in France over the mass rape of his wife,and a shooting at a school in Wisconsin killed two.Meanwhile, former Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin's request for a reexamination of George Floyd's autopsy was approved,Luigi Mangione's charges were upgraded to include murder as an act of terrorism in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson,and a Toronto Islamic State suspect faced war crimes charges in Canada.In other news, the US transferred three Guantanamo detainees to Malaysia and Kenya,a Kenyan man was jailed for 50 years over the murder of an LGBTQ+ activist,and a UK court ordered police to seize $3.3M from media personalities Andrew and Tristan Tate.

The US Supreme Court agreed to hearTikTok's appeal of an imminent nationwide ban,Amazon workers held strikes across the US,and CNN confirmed that it was deceived by a man posing as a Syrian civilian.Meanwhile, Honda and Nissan considered a possible merger,a group of Kenyan moderators sued Meta over claims of psychological distress,and Czech billionaire Daniel Křetínský's £3.6B bid to take over the UK's Royal Mail was approved.

Bitcoin reached an all-time high of $106K,the US Federal Reserve cut interest rates by 0.25%,the Canadian dollar hit a four-year low,and Brazil passed a new fiscal package.

The US confirmed its first case of severe bird flu,an Alabama woman received a genetically modified pig kidney,and Caesarean deliveries in England rose 42%.Meanwhile, a study that promoted hydroxychloroquine as a "miracle" COVID treatment was retracted,a mystery disease in the Democratic Republic of Congo was identified as severe malaria,and Rwanda declared an end to its first Marburg virus outbreak.

A 7.3-magnitude earthquake rattled Vanuatu,Montana's Supreme Court upheld residents' right to a "clean and healthful environment,"the EU delayed the implementation of an anti-deforestation law until 2025,and the UK and Norway announced a new green energy partnership.

Apple faced complaints after its new AI feature generated false headlines.

Twenty-seven new species — including an aquatic mouse — were discovered in Peru's Amazon rainforest.

The return of two NASA astronauts stuck at the International Space Station was delayed until spring,the EU readied a $11.1B space plan to rival Elon Musk's Starlink,Japanese startup Space One's rocket launch ended in failure,and scientists discovered a binary star system orbiting a supermassive black hole.

Dozens of children died during a stampede at a Nigerian Christmas fair.

Netflix won exclusive rights to broadcast the 2027 and 2031 FIFA Women's World Cups.