Following the resignation of the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Andriy Yermak, advisers who worked under him were dismissed from the administration of Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Among them are well-known public figures Mykhailo Podolyak and Serhiy Leshchenko.

The United States launched massive airstrikes against Islamic State positions in central Syria. The operation was a response to the deaths of two American servicemen and a civilian interpreter. The Pentagon emphasized that this is only the beginning of the response measures.

As part of the official visit to Tokyo, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev met with Japan's Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Yohei Matsumoto, the head of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Tsuyoshi Sugino, and leaders of prominent Japanese universities such as the University of Tsukuba, Nagoya University, Tottori University, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, as well as Nagoya University of Economics.

The business program of the official visit to Tokyo continued with negotiations between the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and the president of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Akihiko Tanaka.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has warned that U.S. actions toward Venezuela are undermining prospects for international dialogue and increasing regional tensions.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has commented on Ukraine’s proposal to declare a Christmas truce, saying that Moscow does not support the initiative under current conditions.

UNESCO has established World Turkic Languages Day, which will be observed annually on December 15. The decision was adopted at the organization’s General Conference held in Samarkand in November.

Saida Mirziyoyeva met with Pope Leo XIV during the jury session of the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity, discussing interfaith dialogue and new humanitarian initiatives.

Distinguished heads of delegations! I express my deep gratitude to the President of Turkmenistan, distinguished Serdar Berdimuhamedov, and the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan, to my dear brother, esteemed Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov for the warm welcome and excellent organization of today's forum.

European Council President António Costa delivered a sharp response to the updated U.S. National Security Strategy, stating that Europe will not tolerate American interference in its internal political affairs.

A powerful sandstorm tore across a gold mine in the remote Tanami Desert, engulfing the horizon and forcing workers to seek shelter. Footage of the dramatic event quickly spread across social media.

Peace plan negotiations between U.S. and Ukrainian delegations have concluded in Florida. As early as tomorrow, special envoy Steve Witkoff may meet with Vladimir Putin in Moscow — the sides see a real chance for an agreement, though major differences remain unresolved.

Pope Leo XIV, who arrived in Turkey at the invitation of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, visited one of the country’s most iconic landmarks today — Istanbul’s Sultanahmet, known worldwide as the Blue Mosque.

Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau has conducted searches at premises linked to Andriy Yermak, head of President Zelensky’s Office, as part of a major investigation into corruption at the state nuclear energy company Energoatom.

The Trump administration has publicly acknowledged for the first time that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, effectively ceased to exist — eight months before the end of its official mandate.

Record-breaking drought and rapid land subsidence have pushed Tehran to the brink of an environmental crisis. Against this backdrop, President Masoud Pezeşkian acknowledged for the first time that relocating Iran’s capital is no longer a distant concept — it has become a necessary measure.

Turkey will host the UN COP31 climate summit in 2026, while Australia will lead the diplomatic negotiation process. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the agreement, calling it a compromise reached after two years of disputes between the two countries.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced upcoming meetings with parliament and the preparation of “principled decisions,” while reports suggest growing pressure within his team to dismiss Presidential Office head Andriy Yermak following a corruption scandal.

The Washington Post has disclosed details of a nearly two-decade covert CIA operation in Afghanistan aimed at altering the genetic makeup of poppy plants and cutting off a key source of Taliban financing. The program, despite its scale and ambition, ultimately failed.

The United States has nearly exhausted its capacity to impose new sanctions on Russia, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio admitted. According to him, Washington has already targeted the country’s largest energy companies, leaving few options for further restrictions.