Armed conflicts and attacks

Islamic State militants launch attacks on the town of al-Hawayej in northeastern Syria, against Asayish forces. (SOHR)

• https://www.syriahr.com/%d8%ae%d9%84%d8%a7%d9%8a%d8%a7-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%aa%d9%86%d8%b8%d9%8a%d9%85-%d8%aa%d9%87%d8%a7%d8%ac%d9%85-%d8%ad%d8%a7%d8%ac%d8%b2%d8%a7-%d9%84%d9%80%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a3%d8%b3%d8%a7%d9%8a%d8%b4/742184/

Armed conflicts and attacks

Three people are killed by gunmen in Haiti opening fire at the journalists, police and medical staff at the reopening of the Port-au-Prince General Hospital. (BBC News)

• https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2vpdnd2jmo

Arts and culture

U.S. President Joe Biden signs a bill making the bald eagle the official national bird of the United States. (NBC News)

• https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/bald-eagle-officially-americas-national-bird-bidens-signature-rcna185380

International relations

The Danish government announces an increase in defense spending for Greenland hours after US president-elect Donald Trump repeated his interest in purchasing Greenland, although they affirm that the two are unrelated. (BBC News)

• https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckgzl19n9eko

Law and crime

Five people accused of being Al-Qaeda supporters are arrested in four cities in Italy. (Il Gazzettino)

• https://www.ilgazzettino.it/AMP/nordest/terrorismo_giovani_promuovono_al_qaeda-8558136.html

Law and crime

Four participants in the November 2024 Amsterdam riots are sentenced to prison, with 32-year-old Sefa Ö handed the longest sentence of six months. (BBC News)

• https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwy81qvn7gjo

Politics and elections

Maia Sandu is sworn in for her second four-year term as the President of Moldova. (Euronews)

• https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2024/12/24/maia-sandu-returns-office-for-second-term-as-president-of-moldova

Politics and elections

In his Christmas speech, Grand Duke of Luxembourg Henri announces that he will abdicate on 3 October 2025 and hand over the throne to his son, Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume. (The Brussels Times)

• https://www.brusselstimes.com/1368371/grand-duke-henri-of-luxembourg-announces-abdication-date

Science and technology

The Parker Solar Probe attempts its closest-ever approach to the Sun to study the sun's temperatures, radiation, and magnetic field. (BBC News)

• https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9q7lnyw25wo