1. Winter Storm Batters Gaza as Fragile Ceasefire Frays

A harsh winter storm has torn through Gaza, collapsing tents and makeshift shelters and killing over a dozen people, including children who succumbed to cold. At the same time, reports of ceasefire violations and new settlement approvals in the West Bank highlight how unstable the “truce” really is. The humanitarian crisis deepens as displaced families face both violence and exposure.

2. U.S. Plans UN-Backed ‘Stabilization Force’ for Gaza in Early 2026

U.S. officials say Washington is drafting a multinational peacekeeping-style mission to deploy in Israeli-controlled areas of Gaza. The force would operate under a UN mandate, focused on stabilization, medical support, and reconstruction rather than combat with Hamas. Indonesia has already signaled readiness to send up to 20,000 personnel, making this a central pillar of the next phase of Trump’s Gaza plan.

3. Russia Claims Gains in Donbas as Ukraine Launches Massive Drone Strikes

Vladimir Putin has praised his troops for allegedly capturing Sieviersk and a village in Kharkiv, a claim Kyiv disputes on the ground. At the same time, Ukraine has carried out one of its largest drone campaigns yet, targeting chemical plants and an offshore oil platform inside Russia. Behind the front lines, Kyiv has handed Washington a revised 20-point peace framework, including a controversial idea for a free economic zone in part of Donbas.

4. EU Ambassadors Back Indefinite Freeze of €210 Billion in Russian Assets

EU envoys have agreed to keep roughly €210 billion in Russian central-bank assets locked up in Europe until the war ends and reparations are paid. The frozen funds will underpin a large, multi-year loan package for Ukraine, using emergency Article 122 powers to bypass Hungarian and Slovak veto threats. Critics in Brussels and Brussels-aligned capitals warn of legal risks and possible Russian retaliation against European holdings.

5. Ten Years After Paris Deal, World Still on Course for About 2.6°C of Warming

On the agreement’s 10th anniversary, new assessments show current pledges leave the planet heading toward roughly 2.6°C of warming by 2100. Analysts say the gap between promises and real-world policies remains huge, even as 2024 is confirmed as the hottest year in the 175-year instrumental record. To stay near 1.5°C, reports argue global investment in clean energy and climate action must almost triple within this decade.

1. Winter Storm Batters Gaza as Fragile Ceasefire Frays

A harsh winter storm has torn through Gaza, collapsing tents and makeshift shelters and killing over a dozen people, including children who succumbed to cold. At the same time, reports of ceasefire violations and new settlement approvals in the West Bank highlight how unstable the “truce” really is. The humanitarian crisis deepens as displaced families face both violence and exposure.

2. U.S. Plans UN-Backed ‘Stabilization Force’ for Gaza in Early 2026

U.S. officials say Washington is drafting a multinational peacekeeping-style mission to deploy in Israeli-controlled areas of Gaza. The force would operate under a UN mandate, focused on stabilization, medical support, and reconstruction rather than combat with Hamas. Indonesia has already signaled readiness to send up to 20,000 personnel, making this a central pillar of the next phase of Trump’s Gaza plan.

3. Russia Claims Gains in Donbas as Ukraine Launches Massive Drone Strikes

Vladimir Putin has praised his troops for allegedly capturing Sieviersk and a village in Kharkiv, a claim Kyiv disputes on the ground. At the same time, Ukraine has carried out one of its largest drone campaigns yet, targeting chemical plants and an offshore oil platform inside Russia. Behind the front lines, Kyiv has handed Washington a revised 20-point peace framework, including a controversial idea for a free economic zone in part of Donbas.

4. EU Ambassadors Back Indefinite Freeze of €210 Billion in Russian Assets

EU envoys have agreed to keep roughly €210 billion in Russian central-bank assets locked up in Europe until the war ends and reparations are paid. The frozen funds will underpin a large, multi-year loan package for Ukraine, using emergency Article 122 powers to bypass Hungarian and Slovak veto threats. Critics in Brussels and Brussels-aligned capitals warn of legal risks and possible Russian retaliation against European holdings.

5. Ten Years After Paris Deal, World Still on Course for About 2.6°C of Warming

On the agreement’s 10th anniversary, new assessments show current pledges leave the planet heading toward roughly 2.6°C of warming by 2100. Analysts say the gap between promises and real-world policies remains huge, even as 2024 is confirmed as the hottest year in the 175-year instrumental record. To stay near 1.5°C, reports argue global investment in clean energy and climate action must almost triple within this decade.