Friday, December 26, 2025

BIG Wrap

Trump vows retaliation after ISIL attack in Syria kills three U.S. citizens

(Al Jazeera Media Network) United States President Donald Trump has pledged to pursue “serious retaliation” against the armed group ISIL (ISIS) after an ambush in central Syria killed two US service members and one civilian interpreter, also from the US. The attack on US forces on Saturday was the first to inflict casualties since the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad a year ago. Three additional US military members were injured in the attack, as well...

Trump says Thailand, Cambodia agree to renew ceasefire after deadly clashes

(Al Jazeera Media Network) Thailand and Cambodia have agreed “to cease all shooting” effective Friday, according to United States President Donald Trump. Trump announced the agreement to restart the ceasefire in a social media post following calls with Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet on Friday. “They have agreed to CEASE all shooting effective this evening, and go back to the original Peace Accord made with me, and them, with the...

Trump administration says U.S. seized oil tanker off Venezuela coast

(Al Jazeera Media Network) The United States has seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, where President Donald Trump has been threatening military action for the last several months. Members of the Trump administration confirmed reports that the US coastguard led an operation to commandeer the vessel on Wednesday afternoon. But few details have been released about the circumstances of the seizure. “We’ve just seized a tanker off the coast of Venezuela – large tanker, very...

South Korea, Japan scramble warplanes in response to Russia/China air patrol

(Al Jazeera Media Network) South Korea and Japan separately scrambled fighter jets after Russian and Chinese military aircraft conducted a joint air patrol near both countries. Seven Russian and two Chinese aircraft entered South Korea’s Air Defence Identification Zone (KADIZ) at approximately 10 a.m. local time (01:00 GMT) on Tuesday, according to the office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Seoul. The planes, which included fighter jets and bombers, were spotted before they entered the KADIZ –...

How did China’s trade surplus hit $1 trillion?

(Al Jazeera Media Network) China’s trade surplus – the difference between the value of goods it imports and exports – has hit $1 trillion for the first time, a significant yardstick in the country’s role as “factory of the world”, making everything from socks and curtains to electric cars. For the first 11 months of this year, China’s exports rose to $3.4 trillion while its imports declined slightly to $2.3 trillion. That brought the country’s trade surplus...

Yemeni separatist group claims broad control of south

(Al Jazeera Media Network) Yemen’s main southern separatist group has claimed broad control of the southern part of the country, marking a major shift in power for the area. Amr al-Bidh, a senior official of the Southern Transitional Council (STC), told the Reuters news agency on Monday that the group had extended its presence in all southern provinces – including the port of Aden, the base of the internationally-recognised government over the past decade –...

Russia welcomes Trump’s revised U.S. security strategy

(Al Jazeera Media Network) The Kremlin has praised a new national security strategy adopted by US President Donald Trump, saying it aligns closely with Russia's own view of global affairs. The US document published last week warns that Europe faces what it calls “civilizational erasure”, identifies ending the war in Ukraine as a “core” US interest, and signals a shift toward restoring what Washington describes as strategic stability with Moscow. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Sunday...

Benin coup attempt foiled by loyalist troops, says interior minister

(BBC News) The government of Benin says it has foiled an attempted coup by members of the West African nation's armed forces. "The Beninese armed forces and their leadership, true to their oath, remained committed to the republic," Interior Minister Alassane Seidou said in a televised address several hours after a group of soldiers made a broadcast in which they said they had ousted President Patrice Talon. A presidential adviser later told the BBC that the...

Ukraine disputes Russian conquest claims as war rages

(Al Jazeera Media Network) Russia this week rejected the latest United States peace proposal for Ukraine and declared victory in battles over key Ukrainian cities – claims Ukraine has dismissed as propaganda. Russia’s Ministry of Defence on Monday night said it had seized the eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk it has been besieging for a year. Defence Minister Andrei Belousov later repeated the claim personally. Russia also said it had pushed Ukrainian defenders out of Vovchansk and Kupiansk, cities...

Netflix to buy Warner Bros film and streaming businesses for $72 billion

(BBC News) Netflix has agreed to buy the film and streaming businesses of Warner Bros Discovery for $72 billion in a major Hollywood deal. The streaming giant emerged as the successful bidder for Warner Bros ahead of rivals Comcast and Paramount Skydance after a drawn-out battle. Warner Bros owns franchises including Harry Potter and Game of Thrones, and the streaming service HBO Max. The deal will still have to be approved by competition authorities. Netflix co-chief executive Ted...