Real-time News

According to All Nippon News Network (ANN), the approval rating for the Takashi Cabinet in Japan has dropped by 4.5 percentage points to 63%.

December 15th - On December 14th local time, Chile held the second round of its presidential election. The campaign team of José Antonio Castel, the candidate of the far-right Republican Party, declared Castel the winner. Castel will be sworn in on March 11, 2026.

Musk: The sun is a giant, free fusion reactor in the sky. Building a small reactor on Earth would be utterly stupid.

December 15th - The much-anticipated policy allowing Guangdong vehicles to enter Hong Kong's urban areas will officially take effect on December 23rd. After completing vehicle inspection and licensing procedures, the first batch of successful applicants will now need to book their trips. The Hong Kong SAR Government Transport Department's "Guangdong Vehicles Southbound" booking system opened for bookings at 8:30 AM today (December 15th). Travel slots for the period from December 23, 2025 (the first day of entry into urban areas) to January 31, 2026 will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

On December 15th, local time, US Presidential Envoy Witkov released the minutes of the talks between the US and Ukraine in Berlin, Germany, on December 14th. The minutes show that representatives from both sides held in-depth discussions on issues including a "peace plan" and the economic agenda. The talks achieved "significant progress," and the two sides will meet again on the morning of the 15th. It is understood that the core issues of this meeting remain territorial disputes, security guarantees, and the issue of the Russian Central Bank's assets frozen by the EU.

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and the Reserve Bank of Australia will strengthen oversight to enhance their joint regulatory model. An additional A$150 million capital charge will be levied on institutions such as the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX).

US Special Envoy Witkov: The US-Ukraine Berlin talks have made "significant progress".

December 15th - FlightAware data shows that as of 10:00 AM on the 14th, hundreds of flights had been canceled and over 3,000 flights delayed across the United States. Severe weather continues to impact air transport.

South Korean customs: South Korea imported 10.8 million tons of crude oil in November, compared with 11.3 million tons in the same period last year.

On December 14th, according to a report by Ukraine's Interfax news agency, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the US demand for a unilateral withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from eastern Ukraine and the establishment of a "free economic zone" there is "unfair," and Ukraine needs to realistically view the peace process. Zelenskyy told the media that according to the US's "compromise plan," Russian troops would not be allowed to enter parts of eastern Ukraine, while Ukrainian troops would withdraw from these areas and establish a "free economic zone." "I think this is unfair because there is no stipulation on who will manage the 'economic zone'," Zelenskyy said. He added that if Ukrainian troops withdraw, Russian troops should also withdraw, a problem that currently "has no answer, but is very sensitive and thorny." If a "buffer zone" is established along the military contact line, with only police deployed to maintain order, and troops withdrawn, "then the problem becomes very simple."

December 14 - According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, a magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck off the coast of the Noto Peninsula, Japan, at approximately 11:26 PM local time on December 14, with a depth of 10 kilometers. There is no risk of a tsunami.

On December 14th, the Financial Times analysis pointed out that given ECB President Christine Lagarde's view that the bank is in "good shape," investors unanimously expect the ECB to keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 2% next week, instead focusing on its economic forecasts. Lagarde stated this week that ratemakers may again raise their growth forecasts for the Eurozone at their meeting. These stronger growth forecasts, along with persistent inflation, have recently led traders to increase their bets on an ECB rate hike next year. However, as the potential shift in monetary policy direction remains controversial, and this change has only recently been reflected in swap market pricing, traders will pay particular attention to clues about the timing of rate hikes; any adjustments to policy signals are expected to be subtle. George Moran, a Eurozone economist at RBC Capital Markets, said he expects the ECB not to raise rates in 2026 because "cyclical tailwinds are likely temporary." He added that the ECB has "made it clear that it does not want to overreact to temporary deviations from its targets."

On December 14th, according to the Ukrainian National News Agency, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the media that he had informed members of the Verkhovna Rada (parliament) to prepare contingency plans for a possible election soon. Zelenskyy said, "Most importantly, I will not cling to the presidency. I believe Ukraine should be prepared for any changes." He said he had asked partners for help in resolving election security issues, and he had also informed Verkhovna Rada members to prepare contingency plans for a possible election soon. Zelenskyy said he had received "signals" from the United States and President Trump regarding the Ukrainian presidential election, adding, "Whether these signals come only from the United States or also from Russia, I do not want to comment at this time."

The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that it shot down 40 Ukrainian drones in several regions of Russia.

Kuwaiti Oil Minister: We are looking for partners for the petrochemical project in Duqm, Oman, but if no investors are found, we are ready to work with Oman to advance the project.

Russian authorities say drone debris caused a fire near the Afipsky oil refinery, but no injuries or property damage were reported.

Kuwaiti Oil Minister: We had expected oil prices to at least remain the same, or even better, but we were surprised by the drop in oil prices.

Kuwaiti Oil Minister: Under the current circumstances, Kuwait considers an oil price of $60 to $68 per barrel to be reasonable.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu: We are fighting against global anti-Semitism, and the way to combat it is to condemn it and strike it hard.

On December 14th, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the "peace plan" aimed at resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict would not satisfy everyone and would inevitably involve various compromises. Zelenskyy pointed out, "This plan will not be one that everyone likes. Of course, there will be many compromises in the various versions of the plan. Ukraine has submitted its latest opinions and revised proposals regarding the plan to the United States." He particularly emphasized that any compromise must be based on fairness. Zelenskyy stated that most importantly, the plan must be as fair as possible, especially for Ukraine; and the "peace plan" must be truly effective, not just an empty promise, but a significant step towards ending the conflict. Zelenskyy also stressed that the plan must ensure that, after its signing, Russia cannot launch new military operations against the Ukrainian people.