President Trump appointed Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as special envoy to Greenland, declaring the Arctic territory essential to US national security. Denmark's foreign minister summoned the US ambassador, calling the annexation push "totally unacceptable."

At the same Mar-a-Lago event, Trump unveiled plans for new "Trump-class" battleships as part of a "Golden Fleet" initiative. The administration plans to build 20-25 vessels, with the first two expected within two and a half years, though the US hasn't built a battleship since 1994.

Meanwhile, a federal judge ruled the US denied due process to Venezuelan men deported to El Salvador's CECOT prison after Trump invoked the 1798 Alien Enemies Act. Judge Boasberg gave the government until April 23 to demonstrate the deportees were actually gang members.

Global equities extended their record run for a fourth consecutive day as the anticipated year-end Santa Claus rally gained momentum. The S&P 500 sits just 0.3% from its all-time high reached earlier this month.

Gold reached another all-time high, marking the fiftieth record-breaking day in 2025, while silver also hit new peaks. Copper surged above $12,000 per ton, its highest ever, driven by mine outages and trade disruptions linked to Trump's tariff policies.

Tuesday brings delayed economic data including third-quarter GDP estimates, expected at 3.2% versus the previous 3.8%, and consumer confidence figures. Markets close early Wednesday and remain shut Thursday for Christmas.

By late 2025, AI agents have moved from experimental deployments to early operational use, increasingly updating infrastructure, resolving customer issues, transferring funds, and managing enterprise software tools with minimal human oversight. This transition signals a shift from AI as a support assistant to AI as an increasingly independent operational actor within organizations.

AI contributed to more than 54,000 planned layoffs globally in 2025, according to employment data tracking automation-driven workforce reductions. The World Economic Forum projects that up to 92 million jobs could disappear worldwide over the next five years as AI reshapes white-collar work, even as new technology-driven roles emerge.

Governments and corporations are responding in parallel. The US National Institute of Standards and Technology invested $20 million to establish two AI research centres focused on manufacturing and cybersecurity for critical infrastructure. Meanwhile, SoftBank is working to finalise a proposed $22.5 billion funding commitment to OpenAI, underscoring growing investor confidence in large-scale AI deployment despite mounting labour disruption.

The case focused on accusations that the defendants leveraged political access to benefit foreign interests and secure state contracts during the pandemic, allegedly concealing proceeds through elaborate financial maneuvers and luxury purchases. Prosecutors portrayed the scheme as part of a broader pattern of exploiting political networks for personal enrichment, while defense attorneys framed the actions as routine diplomacy and bureaucratic negotiation.

Legal analysts say mistrials in high‑stakes corruption cases reflect challenges prosecutors face in translating intricate financial evidence into unanimous jury decisions. Complex money trails, layered transactions, and overlapping allegations of fraud and influence often blur the lines between aggressive lobbying, ethical gray zones, and criminal conduct—especially when national‑security narratives intersect with routine state‑level governance.

The strikes represent one of the largest escalations in 2025, signaling a renewed focus on long-range drone warfare and infrastructure targeting. Ukrainian forces scrambled to intercept incoming drones, while emergency crews worked to restore power and water to affected regions. Western governments condemned the attacks, pledging continued support and additional defensive aid.

Analysts warn the offensive could heighten tensions in Eastern Europe, strain Ukraine’s defensive posture, and complicate ongoing peace negotiations. It also underscores Russia’s growing reliance on autonomous systems to project power at scale, raising concerns about the proliferation of similar technologies in regional conflicts.

US consumer confidence fell sharply in December, reaching its lowest level since tariffs were implemented earlier this year, according to data released today. The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index dropped to 89.1, down 3.8 points from last month, with short‑term economic expectations notably weak. Consumers cited inflation and trade policy uncertainty as key concerns weighing on sentiment..

The December reading marks the 11th consecutive month below the 80‑point threshold often associated with recession risk, underscoring sustained apprehension among American households about the economic outlook. Evaluations of current conditions also declined sharply, suggesting that both spending and hiring intentions may soften in early 2026. Economists note that persistently low confidence can feed back into slower retail sales and business investment, compounding existing macroeconomic headwinds in the US economy.

The Shenzhen-based facility reportedly produces AI chips critical for advanced computing, including defence, data centre, and autonomous applications. Western governments have imposed export controls and investment restrictions to slow Chinese access to leading-edge semiconductor technology, yet sources indicate the program has still advanced rapidly.

Insiders say the effort combines domestic capital with partnerships involving foreign entities, potentially bypassing international scrutiny. Analysts warn that opaque funding structures and hidden supply-chain deals may have allowed China to sidestep conventional market and regulatory barriers.

Rather than triggering a sudden shock, banks are increasingly extending loans or restructuring terms behind the scenes, delaying losses but masking the scale of the problem. Regulators caution that this “extend and pretend” approach concentrates risk within regional and mid-sized banks that hold a disproportionate share of commercial property debt.