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This week highlights a major U.S. policy shift with the revival of the Monroe Doctrine, rising border tensions, fragile cease-fire talks, and new diplomatic signals from Moscow.

Markets steady ahead of the Fed, India faces aviation turmoil, and science and culture deliver notable breakthroughs and moments.

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A new U.S. national security strategy lays out a sharp reset in Washington’s role in the world. The document promises to “restore American preeminence” in the Western Hemisphere, expand military strength in the Indo-Pacific, and formally revives the 19th-century Monroe Doctrine by treating the Americas as a U.S. zone of influence.

Every administration issues such a strategy, but this one codifies an “America First” worldview that has often been expressed informally.

It signals a tilt of attention and resources toward the Western Hemisphere and parts of Asia, while asking Europe to shoulder more of its own defense and warning of tougher competition with China.

Officials in Kabul and Islamabad say forces along the border exchanged heavy fire near the Spin Boldak–Chaman crossing late Friday.

The clash came days after Saudi-hosted talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan ended without a breakthrough but left a fragile cease-fire technically in place.

At the heart of the dispute, Pakistan accuses Afghan-based militants of mounting recent attacks, including suicide bombings involving Afghan nationals, while the Taliban government rejects responsibility for security incidents inside Pakistan.

Despite a year of escalating trade tensions and new U.S. tariffs, the euro area and much of the world economy are showing surprising resilience.

Fresh data compiled in a global economy summary show eurozone output growing 0.3% in the third quarter, slightly above earlier estimates, with unemployment still historically low.

Stronger-than-expected activity is being supported by investment in artificial intelligence and continued government spending, offsetting some of the drag from higher import costs and supply chain adjustments.

Qatar’s prime minister warned that Gaza cease-fire negotiations are at a “critical moment” as mediators try to bridge gaps over hostage releases, security guarantees, and humanitarian access.

Speaking at a major forum in Doha, he said the process is “not collapsing” but faces serious obstacles.

The comments underscore how fragile progress remains despite intense shuttle diplomacy.

The Kremlin said it is “encouraged” by recent discussions with U.S. officials about Ukraine talks and is ready to engage further.

The contacts involved senior figures, including Washington’s special envoy, and follow months of intermittent back-channel exchanges.

While no concrete roadmap has emerged, Moscow’s tone suggests both sides are probing possibilities for a negotiated end to the war even as fighting continues.

Police in Tanzania declared any planned December 9 protests illegal and warned they will act against organizers.

An opposition coalition has called for nationwide demonstrations on Independence Day over concerns ranging from economic hardship to political freedoms.

The standoff highlights tensions in one of East Africa’s fastest-growing economies, where authorities say public order is paramount while critics accuse the government of shrinking civic space.

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India capped domestic airfares after IndiGo cancelled thousands of flights over several days, stranding passengers at major airports.

The crisis stems from a pilot shortage linked to new rest rules that the carrier failed to plan for, and the government has temporarily eased some regulations for the airline.

The disruption shows how regulatory shifts and staffing gaps can cascade through a rapidly growing aviation market.

The Supreme Court agreed to hear a challenge to Donald Trump’s move to curb birthright citizenship through a recent order.

The case focuses on whether children born in the U.S. to parents on temporary or illegal visas remain guaranteed citizenship under the Fourteenth Amendment.

A ruling expected next year could redefine long-standing interpretations of constitutional citizenship.

Indonesia’s military has stepped up relief operations in flood-hit Sumatra as the death toll climbs above 860.

Weeks of heavy rain and landslides have devastated communities, wiping out homes and infrastructure across parts of West Sumatra.

The scale of the disaster underscores the vulnerability of densely populated coastal and river regions to extreme weather.

U.S. stocks ended slightly higher after fresh data on consumer spending and inflation largely matched expectations, reinforcing bets on a Federal Reserve rate cut next week.

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq notched modest weekly gains, with small-cap shares continuing a recent rally.

Investors are weighing delayed economic reports following the recent government shutdown against signals that inflation is easing.

Netflix agreed to buy Warner Bros Discovery’s TV, film studios, and streaming division for $72 billion, ending a high-profile bidding battle.

Warner Bros shares jumped on the news, while Netflix slipped as investors assessed the cost and integration risks.

The deal would give Netflix one of Hollywood’s largest content libraries and major production infrastructure, accelerating consolidation in the media sector.

The People’s Bank of China said it has upgraded its bilateral currency swap line with Macao into a long-term standing facility and raised its size from 30 billion to 50 billion yuan, according to a central bank update.

The arrangement allows Macao banks easier access to yuan liquidity.

The move supports Macao’s role as an offshore renminbi center and reflects Beijing’s gradual push to internationalize its currency through regional financial links.

Researchers led by RMIT University have developed metal-oxide nanodots that can push cancer cells into self-destruction while largely sparing healthy tissue.

The work is still at the cell-culture stage and far from clinical use. But if animal and human studies bear it out, the approach could lead to more targeted cancer treatments that are less damaging than many current therapies, and potentially cheaper to produce because they rely on common materials.

Astronomers using the SPHERE instrument on the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope have assembled a gallery of 51 debris disks around young stars.

By masking starlight and filtering for polarized light, the team could see ring-like structures and gaps shaped by unseen planets.

The survey suggests many planetary systems feature asteroid- and Kuiper Belt–style rings similar to our own, with unseen Neptune- to Saturn-mass worlds carving out gaps.

Regulators warned that certain Abbott FreeStyle Libre sensors have been linked to at least seven deaths and hundreds of injuries worldwide, prompting a glucose monitor warning.

The issues involve false readings, skin reactions, and in some cases delayed treatment for dangerously high or low blood sugar.

Authorities are urging users to follow updated device instructions closely and to confirm suspicious readings with traditional finger-stick tests.

Houston’s Kevin Durant scored 28 points in a win over Phoenix to become just the eighth player in NBA history to reach 31,000 career points, league coverage noted.

The milestone came on a midrange jumper in the first quarter.

The achievement cements Durant’s standing among the game’s all-time scorers and adds to a career that already includes multiple championships and MVP awards.

The Ultimate Tennis Showdown’s London Grand Final opened at the Copper Box Arena with top players like Andrey Rublev and Alex de Minaur highlighting the three-day event.

Organizers hope the made-for-TV format will attract younger fans and offer a fresh twist on elite men’s tennis.

Japan’s Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara won the pairs title at the ISU Grand Prix Final in Nagoya, overcoming an early slip to edge Italian rivals Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii with a combined 225.21 points, a Grand Prix pairs report said.

A German pair completed the podium after a strong free skate.

The victory marks Miura and Kihara’s first Grand Prix crown in three years and boosts their momentum heading into the world championships.

From Brad Pitt’s racing drama “F1” to a new Taylor Swift concert film and the next “Knives Out” mystery, major platforms are rolling out a crowded slate of December movie releases.

A seasonal guide highlights at least 29 notable titles arriving across services.

The lineup underscores how streamers are leaning on franchise entries and star-driven projects to keep subscribers engaged through the holiday period.

Horror sequel “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” is projected to open to around $45–47 million domestically, enough to unseat “Zootopia 2” and set a post-Thanksgiving weekend record.

Analysts say the film is benefiting from strong brand recognition and teen turnout.

The performance would reinforce horror as one of the most resilient genres at the box office, even as audiences remain selective about theatrical releases.

Montgomery’s Rosa Parks Museum is commemorating the 70th anniversary of Parks’ refusal to give up her bus seat with events and a fundraising drive to expand its civil rights exhibits, a university release said.

Bells across the U.S. tolled for 70 seconds to mark the moment.

The effort aims to preserve artifacts and stories from the bus boycott era for future generations, as debates over race and memory continue nationwide.

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At a high-level forum on universal health coverage in Tokyo, countries and development partners reported progress toward a goal set in 2024: delivering affordable, quality health services to 1.5 billion people by 2030.

The World Bank Group says roughly 375 million people have been reached so far, and 15 countries have now launched “National Health Compacts,” five-year roadmaps that align health and finance ministries around measurable reforms.

Those compacts focus on three pillars. First is expanding primary care, often by digitizing clinics, connecting them via telemedicine, and building or upgrading facilities in underserved areas.

Examples range from Sierra Leone aiming to ensure every citizen has a primary-care facility within five kilometers, to Indonesia linking hundreds of clinics to hospitals through digital platforms.

Second is improving financial protection, with countries like Kenya pledging to double public health spending and sharply expand social health insurance coverage, while Morocco extends mandatory coverage to millions more people.

Third is strengthening the health workforce and local manufacturing, from Ethiopia’s plan to equip 40% of primary centers with digital tools to Nigeria’s push to train 10,000 pharma and biotech professionals.

The stakes are enormous. A companion global monitoring report released at the forum estimates that 4.6 billion people still lack access to essential services and 2.1 billion face financial hardship from health costs.

Without reform, aging populations, chronic diseases, and fiscal pressures could widen those gaps.

At the same time, investments in primary care and health systems can be powerful job creators, supporting not just medical staff but supply chains, local manufacturers, and digital service providers.

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