NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte anticipates that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump may pressure European allies to increase their defense spending.

A multi-vehicle collision on Malaysia’s North-South Expressway on December 23 left 7 dead, including a male infant, and 33 others injured. The crash involved a private car, a tour bus, and a heavy truck.

According to ABC News, former U.S. President Bill Clinton, 78, was hospitalized for treatment after developing a fever on Dec. 23. His mental state is good, as reported.

Floor leader of South Korea's main liberal opposition Democratic Party said in a televised party meeting that his party will launch an impeachment of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo who became an acting president following the impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol.

Honda and Nissan have officially initiated negotiations for a merger, aiming to reach an agreement by June next year. Mitsubishi Motors, which is allied with Nissan, is reportedly set to join the talks next year.

Personal debt is overwhelming an increasing number of Japanese as higher interest rates and the rising cost of living bite, according to The Japan Times.

On Dec. 22, US President-elect Donald Trump expressed his support for TikTok's continued operation in the US during a speech in Phoenix, Arizona. His remarks represent one of his strongest signals yet against forcing TikTok out of the US market. Trump previously stated on Dec. 16 that he had "a warm spot" for TikTok, noting its potential role in helping him secure a 34-point margin of support among younger voters in the election. 

The market size of Japan's anime industry has topped the 3-trillion-yen mark for the first time in 2023, supported by strong overseas sales, local media reported Sunday (Dec. 22). 

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday (Dec. 21) called the Panama Canal "a VITAL National Asset for the United States," threatening to retake the canal, citing "exorbitant prices" on U.S. ships.

The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Jakarta (HKETO Jakarta) is supporting local comic companies under the Hong Kong Comics Development and Promotion Support Programme to take part in Comic Fiesta 2024 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

A fire broke out at a building of South Korea's National Assembly in Seoul at noontime on Saturday (Dec. 21), with hundreds evacuated from the scene, Yonhap news agency reported, citing local authorities.

Recently, at the first China Children's and Youth Rubik's Cube Challenge Match, a 9-year-old contestant from Fujian Province, Hu Ruochang, amazed everyone with his lightning-fast speed. He solved the ball-shaped Rubik's Cube in seconds, leaving the nearby judges in disbelief whose jaws dropped in astonishment.

It is expected that the number of travelers this Christmas will reach the daily peak seen before the pandemic, approximately 200,000 people.

British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is set to appoint Peter Mandelson as the UK's ambassador to the United States, a move which has been met with anger by China hawks.

On Dec. 20, Reuters reported that during the peak of the U.S. holiday shopping season, Amazon employees initiated a large-scale collective strike, leading to the shutdown of seven facilities across the country. This strike is described as the largest-ever action against Amazon. Warehouse workers in cities such as New York, Atlanta, and San Francisco walked off the job during working hours to protest unfair treatment at the company.