2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup The United States men's national under-17 soccer team withdraws from the upcoming FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar, citing safety concerns related to the Houthi–Saudi conflict.
Cybersecurity Cybersecurity firm CloudSek reports that the Kazakhstan-linked hacker group Silent Lynx used an autonomous agent to breach Tajikistan's government database and steal more than 2,000 national security-related documents.
Cyberwarfare by Russia The Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI) reports that it stopped a December 2025 cyberattack against an unidentified government institution, attributing it to the Russia-linked trojan package Turla. The SRI finds no evidence that sensitive information was stolen.
Independence March Polish president Karol Nawrocki and at least 500,000 people participate in the annual patriotic march celebrating the National Independence Day in Warsaw, Poland.
Gibran Rakabuming Raka diploma controversy Indonesian vice president Gibran Rakabuming Raka submits his resignation amid questions about his educational qualifications. Bloomberg News reports that President Prabowo Subianto accepts the resignation, although the government has not publicly confirmed its acceptance.
Spain Millions of workers across Spain launch a general strike to demand government intervention over the country's housing crisis, as an escalation of the ongoing protests.
2026 Brazilian general election The Brazilian Superior Electoral Court fines Meta Platforms R$7.5 million (US$1.34 million) for failing to comply with judicial orders concerning the 2026 presidential election, while finding insufficient evidence of deliberate electoral interference.
2026 United States Senate elections After a week of counting affidavit ballots, the Associated Press and CNN project the election to the U.S. Senate in Mississippi for Democratic candidate Scott Colom, defeating the incumbent Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith and becoming the first black senator from the state since Blanche Bruce in the 1874–75 elections.
Red Brigades Former Red Brigades member Leonardo Bertulazzi escapes house arrest in Buenos Aires, Argentina, while awaiting extradition to Italy to serve a 27-year prison sentence for kidnapping and membership in an armed group. Argentine security forces launch a manhunt for him.
Colombian conflict Two people are arrested in connection with an explosive attack on the headquarters of Colombian broadcaster RCN Televisión in Cali, Valle del Cauca.
2026 European infrastructure disruption More than 6,000 schools across Italy are evacuated following bomb threats.
Kenya–Sudan relations Kenyan president William Ruto signs a deal for Sudan to lift its 20-month ban on imports of tea from Kenya.
France–Russia relations Russia bans two French lawmakers, Arthur Delaporte and Sacha Houlié, and two journalists, Ariane Chemin and Paul Gogo, from entering the country for allegedly harassing Xenia Fedorova, the head of RT France, from 2017 to 2023.
China–Germany relations Germany announces that its military will discontinue using Chinese-made drones for military training and exercises, replacing them with German or other European models to address security concerns.
Argentina–Iran relations Iran designates the Argentinian naval and air forces as terrorist organizations, in response to Argentina designating the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as such in March.
American The American ocean liner SS States is sunk off the coast of Destin–Fort Walton Beach, Florida, United States, to become the world's largest artificial reef.
2026 Ebola epidemic The number of confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo surpasses 11,000, with at least 5,387 deaths, affecting 8 of the country's 26 provinces.
The Kenyan health ministry reports that the country has discharged its last Ebola patient from a hospital in Nairobi after eleven contact cases were treated. Kenya will be declared Ebola-free on December 23 if no one else exhibits symptoms.
Brooklyn A 3-story apartment building collapse near a construction site in Brooklyn, New York City, United States, killing two people and wounding 17 more.
2026–27 European windstorm season Portugal closes approximately 8,000 schools nationwide and suspends non-essential public services as Storm Charles approaches. The second day of the Web Summit in Lisbon is also cancelled.
2026 Iran war fuel crisis The German cabinet approves draft legislation establishing a strategic natural gas reserve of 24 terawatt-hours, equivalent to approximately 10% of national storage capacity, to maintain gas supplies during emergencies.
Insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistani Taliban carries out an ambush against police personnel in Kohat District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, killing ten officers. Eighteen gunmen are also killed in the ensuing shootout.
Allied Democratic Forces insurgency At least 22 people are killed by Islamic State-affiliated Allied Democratic Forces rebels across eight locations in Mambasa Territory, Ituri Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Gaza war Israel launches an airstrike against the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, killing six Palestinians, including a surgeon, and wounding over 20 more. Four more people are also killed in other airstrikes in the Gaza Strip.
Articles The post-truth and the contextMost of the daily information we see on the mainstream media today is the news equivalent of fast-food.
AI boom Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese announces plans to introduce mandatory safeguards for artificial intelligence companies, including security incident reporting and independent model evaluations, and establish a new regulatory body to oversee compliance.
Gibran Rakabuming Raka diploma controversy Indonesian vice president Gibran Rakabuming Raka announces his intention to resign following controversies about the authenticity of his high-school diploma.
British news British news outlets "The Guardian" and ITV News identify comedian and author David Walliams as the subject of sexual misconduct allegations after the High Court of Justice rejects his attempt to prevent their publication. Walliams denies the allegations.
Explosive device An explosive device kills a police officer and his K9 dog and injures another while they were responding to a shooting in Oviedo, Asturias, Spain.
United Kingdom–United States relations Police arrest an American soldier near Gloucester, England, on suspicions of espionage activity in connection with Russia.
LGBTQ rights in Trinidad and Tobago The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council overturns colonial-era provisions criminalizing consensual same-sex sexual activity between adults in Trinidad and Tobago, ruling them unconstitutional following a legal challenge by activist Jason Jones.
2025–2026 Indonesian protests Indonesian police detain 154 people following clashes with protesters in Yogyakarta, Java. The Yogyakarta Legal Aid Institute reports that two people are hospitalized and 13 others remain missing.
American The United States Food and Drug Administration orders manufacturers of GLP-1 medicines such as semaglutide and tirzepatide, originally intended for the treatment of type 2 diabetes but also commonly used for weight loss, to add warnings that use of such drugs may increase the risk of developing non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, an optic nerve disorder that can cause permanent blindness.
AI boom The Thai cabinet approves new environmental regulations for data centers, including limits on noise and temperature increases, requirements for cooling-water recycling and testing, and industrial zoning for facilities consuming more than 20 megawatts.
British Columbia Conservation Officer Service The British Columbia Conservation Officer Service kills a female grizzly bear and her three cubs after DNA evidence confirmed that the bears killed two people near Bella Coola, B.C., Canada.
Pond Five schoolgirls are killed and 21 others are injured when a school bus plunges into a pond in Kandal province, Cambodia.
Multiple-vehicle collision Twelve people are killed and at least 46 others are seriously injured in a multiple-vehicle collision involving over 50 trucks and cars on the Trakia A1 motorway near Yambol, Bulgaria.
Monetary Authority The Monetary Authority of Singapore launches a gold reserve service for foreign central banks, international financial institutions, and sovereign entities, and announces expanded tax exemptions for wholesale gold services.
Energy crisis in Venezuela The Venezuelan National Assembly unanimously approves a reform of the electricity law which allows private companies and joint ventures to invest in the nationalised electricity sector, which the government has controlled since 2007.
Terrorism in Kenya Eight people, including five workers and two police reservists, are killed by suspected al-Shabaab militants in Mandera County, Kenya, near the border with Somalia, during an ambush against a vehicle.
Democratic Republic of the Congo–Rwanda conflict A military court in Goma, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, sentences 66 soldiers to death on charges of cowardice, mutiny, and failure to obey orders, after they were arrested following clashes with Front for the Refoundation of the Nation rebels.
Haitian conflict El Salvador announces it has launched a joint military operation with the Haitian police against the 400 Mawozo gang, killing 20 people and destroying a house linked to its leader, Wilson Joseph.
Russo-Ukrainian war A third round of United States-mediated talks between Ukrainian and Russian delegations begins in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, focusing on the humanitarian impact of the war, prisoners of war, and security guarantees. Earlier in the day, the American and Ukrainian teams held a separate meeting with representatives of France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, the European Commission, and NATO.
College football In college football, the College Football Playoff announces it will expand from 12 to 24 teams starting in the 2027 season.
Democratic Republic of the Congo D.R. Congolese president Félix Tshisekedi signs a law allowing constitutional changes through referendums.
Censorship in Russia Russian independent newspaper "Novaya Gazeta" ceases operations as it closes its offices in Moscow, citing pressure from Russian authorities and security services, including restrictions on its operations, loss of media registration, and blocked donations.
English English actor Russell Brand is sentenced to 10 years and 6 months imprisonment for one rape and three counts of sexual assault.
Cyprus problem Cypriot president Nikos Christodoulides and Northern Cypriot president Tufan Erhürman agree to establish two additional crossings across the United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus and hold further peace negotiations.
Trinidad At least five people are reported missing after two boats collide off the coast of Trinidad. Search and rescue operations are underway by the Trinbagonian Coast Guard.
2026 Aliağa factory explosion Seventeen people are killed and twelve others are injured in an explosion at a factory in Aliağa, Turkey.
South Korea The South Korean Fair Trade Commission issues fines of ₩331.1 billion (US$247 million) for Woowa Brothers and ₩300.8 billion ($222 million) for Coupang, finding that their food-delivery platforms restricted competition by requiring restaurants to match rival platforms' terms.
China–United States trade war The Chinese commerce ministry extends the suspension of export restrictions on certain rare earths, industrial diamonds, and lithium battery technology to January 10, 2027, amid ongoing trade negotiations with the United States.
2026 Paraguay banking crisis Paraguayan president Pedro Alliana appoints economist Jorge Schreiner to lead the central bank following Ueno Bank's collapse. The Senate approves Schreiner's appointment.
Pitt Rivers Museum The Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford, England, United Kingdom, returns the remains of 39 Naga people, collected during the British Raj, to a delegation from Nagaland, India, following six years of discussions over repatriation.
2026 Booker Prize English author M. John Harrison wins the 2026 Booker Prize for his post-apocalyptic novel "The End of Everything".
2026 Kraków shooting The 24-year-old man responsible for the drive-by mass shooting at the Main Square in Kraków, Poland, two days ago, which killed six people and injured 16 others, dies at a hospital after being seriously wounded in a shootout with police.
2026 Iran war "The Wall Street Journal" reports that the United States has evacuated aircraft from the RAF Mildenhall base in the United Kingdom, citing threats from Iran.