Brazil’s Lula Issues Ultimatum Over EU-Mercosur Trade Pact Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has warned that his government may abandon negotiations on the long-delayed EU-Mercosur trade agreement if European Union member states continue to postpone approval of the landmark deal. Speaking on Wednesday, Lula said the agreement — which would create the world’s

Read more...

ACA Healthcare Subsidies Set to Expire Amid Congressional Turmoil An expanded federal healthcare subsidy introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic is poised to expire on December 31, as divisions within the US Congress derail last-minute efforts to extend the programme. On Wednesday, four centrist Republicans joined Democrats in an attempt to force a vote on extending

Read more...

Winter Weather Devastates Displaced Palestinians in Gaza Severe winter storms are compounding the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians are struggling to survive amid flooding, collapsing shelters, and freezing temperatures. Aid agencies and the United Nations warn that Israeli restrictions on border crossings are preventing critical shelter supplies from reaching

Read more...

California Regulators Move Against Tesla’s Marketing Practices California regulators have threatened to temporarily suspend Tesla’s licence to sell vehicles in the state, escalating a long-running dispute over how the electric carmaker markets its self-driving technology. The warning follows a ruling by an administrative law judge who concluded that Tesla misled consumers about the capabilities of

Read more...

US-Venezuela Tensions Escalate Over Oil Stephen Miller, White House deputy chief of staff and a top aide to President Donald Trump, has suggested that Venezuela’s oil reserves legally belong to the United States, describing the nationalization of the South American country’s petroleum industry as “theft.” His comments intensify already heightened tensions between the US and

Read more...

Jack Smith Testifies on Trump Prosecutions Former Justice Department Special Counsel Jack Smith defended his role in two criminal prosecutions against Donald Trump during a closed-door session with the House Judiciary Committee on December 17, 2025. Smith, who oversaw the cases as a special counsel, addressed accusations that the investigations were politically motivated. The first

Read more...

Senate Approves $901 Billion Defense Bill The United States Senate has passed the $901 billion National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for 2026, setting defense policy and funding priorities for the fiscal year. The legislation, approved by a 77-20 vote, combines provisions championed by President Donald Trump with measures aimed at preserving congressional oversight of US

Read more...

Rising US-Venezuela Tensions Spark Regional Concern Leaders across Latin America and the United Nations have expressed deep concern over escalating tensions between the United States and Venezuela, triggered by disputes over oil exports. The conflict has intensified following US President Donald Trump’s threats of a total blockade on Venezuelan oil tankers, prompting Venezuela’s National Assembly

Read more...

STC Expansion: Redrawing Yemen’s Map of Power The Southern Transitional Council (STC), a separatist group backed by the United Arab Emirates, is intensifying its influence in Yemen’s eastern governorates, particularly Hadramout and al-Mahra. This expansion highlights that the Yemeni conflict—ongoing for over a decade—is no longer a simple battle between the internationally recognized government and

Read more...

The FIFA World Cup 2026 will see the winning national team awarded a record $50 million prize, marking a significant increase from previous tournaments. Despite this increase, the sum remains less than half of what was offered at the recently expanded FIFA Club World Cup. Record Prize Money for 2026 The prize for the winning

Read more...