Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, during a telephone conversation with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Iván Gil, confirmed Moscow's readiness to provide Caracas with comprehensive support in countering a tough blockade and "aggressive actions" by the US in the Caribbean region.

Heavy clashes erupted between government forces and Kurdish formations in the Syrian city of Aleppo on Sunday. The incident led to casualties among civilians on both sides and threatens to derail the fragile agreement on the integration of Kurdish areas.

French President Emmanuel Macron, according to Politico, carried out a subtle diplomatic operation that not only changed the EU's key plan to finance Ukraine but also restored his status as a key negotiator in Europe. Thanks to his efforts, Brussels abandoned the risky "reparations loan" secured by frozen Russian assets in favor of a safer option.

Dear heads of delegation! First of all, I would like to join in expressing gratitude to the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, for his hospitality and the excellent organization of our meeting today. I would like to particularly note the fruitful presidency of Belarus, President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko, in the Eurasian Economic Union, during which multilateral practical cooperation has gained new momentum.

Astronomers are raising the alarm: the Universe appears to have passed its peak of activity. New data points to an alarming trend—the rate of star birth is steadily declining, which could signal the beginning of a long cosmic "stellar winter." While there is an unimaginable number of stars right now, the future looks increasingly dim.

At the end of the first day of his visit to Tokyo, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev attended an official reception on behalf of the Prime Minister of Japan, which was held at the Akasaka Palace in honor of the heads of state of Central Asia.

The United States has announced plans to sell around $11 billion worth of weapons to Taiwan, including HIMARS systems, prompting a sharp reaction from Beijing.

The United States has announced a full entry ban on citizens of seven African and Asian countries following a recent review of migration and security risks, according to a White House statement.

The second day of talks between Ukraine and the United States concluded in Berlin, focusing on possible parameters of a conflict settlement. According to media reports, Washington continued to insist that Ukraine cede Russia-controlled access to parts of the Donetsk region that are not currently occupied — a demand firmly rejected by Kyiv.

The American magazine Time has named the creators of artificial intelligence — the “architects of a new era” — as the 2025 Person of the Year. According to the editors, 2025 marked the moment when AI’s full potential became visible and humanity crossed a point of no return into a highly automated and unpredictable future.

On December 12, in Ashgabat, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev participated in the International Forum dedicated to the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan's permanent neutrality, International Neutrality Day, and the declaration of 2025 as the "International Year of Peace and Trust."

Ukraine has sent the U.S. administration its official response containing comments and amendments to Washington’s latest peace plan aimed at ending the war.

After a meeting of NATO foreign ministers, Secretary General Mark Rutte announced that most Alliance members have committed to supplying weapons to Ukraine under the PURL program, with obligations already exceeding $4 billion.

Saida Mirziyoyeva met with Rustam Minnikhanov, the Head of the Republic of Tatarstan, to discuss the expansion of trade, economic and humanitarian cooperation. A major exhibition featuring seventy Russian avant-garde works from Uzbekistan also opened in the Kazan Kremlin

European aerospace giant Airbus has announced one of the largest recalls in its more than 50-year history. Due to a newly identified issue affecting flight control systems, the company will recall nearly 6,000 A320-family aircraft operated around the world.

Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro has begun serving a 27-year prison sentence after the Supreme Court confirmed the final verdict in the case of an attempted coup following his defeat in the 2022 election.

AMO/OMA's "Countryside: A Place to Live, Not to Leave" exhibition, directed by Rem Koolhaas and Samir Bantal with the participation of Yotam Ben Hur, has opened in Doha. The exhibition is organized by Qatar Museums with the support of the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD), the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MoECC), Hassad Food, and Kahramaa.

U.S. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia has announced that she will leave the House of Representatives on January 5, 2026. She made the announcement in a video message posted on social media, stating that it was time to “start a new path” and that she would no longer tolerate “insults” from President Donald Trump.

NASA has released the first images of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, the third recorded object to enter the Solar System from interstellar space. Its closest approach to Earth is expected on December 19, but according to the agency, the comet poses no danger to our planet.

The U.S. House of Representatives has voted overwhelmingly to release all non-classified materials related to Jeffrey Epstein, and the Senate approved the bill without debate. The legislation now heads to President Trump, who still holds veto power.