December 4, 2025

UKRAINE | Today is day 1,377 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here are your updates:

• Ukrainian officials say more than 90,000 households were left without power and heat following overnight Russian airstrikes on energy and utilities infrastructure in the southern Ukraine cities of Kherson and Odesa. [more]
• As talks aimed at reaching a cease-fire agreement in Ukraine continue, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview published today that Russia intends to take full control of Ukraine's Donbas region by force unless Ukrainian forces withdraw. Reports note that Russia is currently estimated to control about 75% of the Donbas region, which is made up of the Donetsk and Luhansk sub-regions. [more]

U.S. JOBLESS CLAIMS | Labor Department data released today indicates that initial claims for jobless benefits in the U.S. fell to 191,000 for the week ended November 29 – down 27,000 from the previous week and the lowest weekly level since September 2022. [full report] [more]

JANUARY 6 | The FBI has reportedly made an arrest in its nearly five-year-old investigation into the placing of pipe bombs near the Democratic and Republican national committee offices in Washington, DC, on the evening before the January 6, 2021, attacks on the U.S. Capitol. [more]

U.S. MILITARY | Navy Adm. Frank Bradley is scheduled to provide a classified briefing to top congressional lawmakers overseeing national security today, during which he is expected to face questions regarding reports of two survivors of an alleged drug-trafficking boat targeted by the U.S. military in September being killed. [more]

U.S. PENTAGON SECURITY | The Associated Press cites unnamed sources as saying a yet-to-be-released report from the Pentagon's Office of the Inspector General concludes that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's use of the commercial Signal messaging app to communicate sensitive information about a pending attack on Yemen's Houthi rebels in March put U.S. military personnel and their mission at risk and that he violated Pentagon policy by using his personal device for official business. Report authors noted, however, that Hegseth has the ability to declassify material and said he did not do so improperly. [more]

GIVING TUESDAY | Independent non-profit GivingTuesday says 38.1 million Americans gave $4 billion to non-profit organizations on the annual GivingTuesday fundraising day this year – up 8.1% from the level reported in 2024. [press release] [more]

U.S. IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT | Department of Homeland Security officials say federal agents began the latest immigration enforcement surge yesterday in New Orleans, Louisiana, in an operation named "Catahoula Crunch." Reports note that Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry has supported the enforcement surge as well as a future deployment of National Guard troops to New Orleans to assist in anti-crime efforts. [more]

U.S. INFANT BOTULISM | The Food and Drug Administration says some ByHeart baby formula products are still on shelves in stores despite a November nationwide recall after the formula was linked to an outbreak of botulism in which at least 39 infants were taken ill in 18 states. [more]

U.S. PARDONS | Citing what he called a weaponized justice system, President Donald Trump issued a pardon yesterday to Texas Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar and his wife, who were facing federal bribery and conspiracy charges related to their alleged acceptance of thousands of dollars in exchange for the congressman advancing the interests of an Azerbaijan-controlled energy company and a bank in Mexico. Reports note that Congressman Cuellar still faces an Ethics Committee investigation in the House, which was launched shortly after he was indicted in 2024. [more]

U.S. AUTOMOBILE REGULATIONS | President Donald Trump announced plans yesterday to significantly reduce fuel economy requirements for vehicles sold in the U.S. through the 2031 model year. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration projects that the new standards would set the industry fleet-wide average for light-duty vehicles at roughly 34.5 miles per gallon in the 2031 model year, down from a projected 50.4 miles per gallon under a Biden-era rule. [more]

GLOBAL CHILD MORTALITY | A new report from the Gates Foundation says the number of deaths of children under 5 years old worldwide is projected to rise for the first time this century in 2025, with an estimated 243,000 more children dying this year than last year. The report cites a 27% decline in global health aid from donors in wealthy countries and governments as driving the increased number of deaths, and notes that African countries are the most affected. [report website] [more]

GLOBAL OIL SUPPLY | Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar called yesterday for oil and gas transport in the Black Sea to be protected to ensure adequate supplies reach his country and others that receive the products. Bayraktar's statement followed recent Ukrainian targeting of Russian oil tankers off the Turkish coast. [more]

NORTH ATLANTIC SECURITY | The U.K. and Norway have announced plans for joint naval operations to monitor Russian submarine activity in the North Atlantic as part of efforts to protect undersea cables and other infrastructure. [more]

RWANDA AND CONGO | The leaders of Congo and Rwanda are scheduled to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump today to sign an agreement aimed at ending the long-running conflict in eastern Congo. Reports say the agreement will include provisions opening access to the region's critical minerals for the U.S. government and American companies. [more]

MEXICO | A group of farmers drove tractors through Mexico City, Mexico, and blocked an entrance to the country's Congress yesterday to protest against a proposed new national water law that they say will threaten their livelihood. [more]

CHINA AND FRANCE | Following meetings in Beijing today, French President Emmanuel Macron and Chinese leader Xi Jinping say they have agreed to deeper cooperation between their countries, including in the areas of aerospace, aeronautics, nuclear energy, green energies, AI, higher education, trade, and research. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1918, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson departed for France to attend the Paris Peace Conference, where, following the cessation of hostilities in World War I, the League of Nations was established, and the Treaty of Versailles was drafted.  [more history]