Armed conflicts and attacks

• Boko Haram insurgency
  • Boko Haram jihadists storm a village near Gamboru, Borno State, Nigeria, killing three people and kidnapping more than 40 others. It is the second mass abduction by the Islamist group this month. (Al Jazeera)
• Spillover of the Syrian Civil War in Lebanon
  • Hundreds of Syrian refugees flee a makeshift camp in North Governorate, Lebanon, after local youths storm the camp and torch tents, wounding three people, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. (Reuters)
• War in Darfur
  • Sudan says it will deploy troops to South Darfur "in large numbers" following recent tribal violence between the Masalit and Fula. (Reuters)

Business and economy

• Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
  • President Donald Trump signs the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, which contains a $900 billion COVID-19 relief package, before Monday's deadline, in order to avert a government shutdown. This comes after Trump called the bill a "disgrace" last week. (The Washington Post) (Politico)

Disasters and accidents

• In Cameroon, a bus travelling from Douala, to the capital Yaoundé collides with a truck and plunges into a ravine, killing at least 37 people and injuring 19 others. (AFP via The Economic Times)

Health and environment

• COVID-19 pandemic
  • COVID-19 pandemic in North America
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Canada
      • COVID-19 pandemic in British Columbia, Variant of Concern 202012/01
        • British Columbia reports their first case of the new variant of SARS-CoV-2 from a man in Island Health who returned from the United Kingdom on December 15 and tested positive on December 19. (CBC)
      • COVID-19 pandemic in Quebec
        • Quebec reports 6,783 cases and 110 deaths between 24 and 26 December, bringing the total number of cases to 192,655 and deaths to 8,023. (Toronto Star)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
      • The U.S. surpasses 19 million cases of COVID-19, having averaged 185,000 daily cases over the past week. (The Hill)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Oman
      • Oman officially begins a vaccination campaign against COVID-19 using the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. The country is the last Gulf Cooperation Council member state to begin vaccinations. Health Minister Ahmed Al-Saidi is one of the first citizens to receive a dose of the vaccine. (Arab News)
      • The Supreme Committee decides to reopen Oman's land, sea, and air borders on December 29 after closing them on December 21 due to fears of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2. All travellers must show a negative PCR test within 72 hours before entering the country and must have valid health insurance. In addition, all travellers must quarantine for seven days and take another test after completing their quarantine. (Hindustan Times)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
      • Indonesia reports a record 6,983 recoveries in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of recoveries to 583,676. (Kompas)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Jordan, Variant of Concern 202012/01
      • Jordan reports their first two cases of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 in a couple who travelled from the United Kingdom. (Medical Xpress)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia
      • Saudi Arabia announces that they will lift their flight ban on non-Saudis leaving the country. (Al Arabiya)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea
      • South Korea extends its current social distancing measures aimed at reducing the spread of COVID-19 until January 3, as record numbers of new cases are being reported. (The Straits Times)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Austria
      • Austria begins administering the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine tozinameran to its citizens. An 84-year-old woman becomes the first Austrian to be vaccinated against COVID-19 at the Medical University of Vienna. (ORF)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the Czech Republic
      • The Czech Republic begins a vaccination campaign against COVID-19 using the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine tozinameran, with Prime Minister Andrej Babiš and World War II veteran Emilie Řepíková among the first people to get vaccinated. (Expats.cz)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Greece
      • Greece officially begins a vaccination programme against COVID-19, with ICU nurse Efstathia Kambissiouli, President Katerina Sakellaropoulou and Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis among the first people to get vaccinated. (The National Herald)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Norway, Variant of Concern 202012/01
      • Norway reports its first cases of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2, after two people who travelled from the United Kingdom earlier in December test positive for COVID-19. (Reuters)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal, Variant of Concern 202012/01
      • Portugal reports their first case of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 from the United Kingdom in Madeira. (PUBLICO)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Romania
      • Romania begins a vaccination campaign against COVID-19 using the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine tozinameran. The first person vaccinated is a 26-year-old doctor from Bucharest. (Digi24)
    • The European Union begins a mass vaccination campaign against COVID-19. (NBC News)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in South America
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil
      • Brazilian Vice President Hamilton Mourão tests positive for COVID-19. (Diário do Nordeste)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Uruguay
      • Uruguay reported a record of 11 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 158. (El País)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa
    • South Africa surpasses one million cases of COVID-19, becoming the first African country to reach this milestone. (Voice of America)

Law and crime

• Kaiyuan stabbing attack
  • Seven people are killed and seven others injured in a mass stabbing in Kaiyuan, Liaoning, China. The attacker has been arrested. (BBC News)
• 2020 Nashville bombing
  • Authorities officially identify the perpetrator of Friday's suicide bombing in Nashville, Tennessee, as 63-year-old Anthony Quinn Warner and conclude that he had been acting alone. (The Tennessean)

Politics and elections

• 2020 Nigerien general election
  • Citizens in Niger head to the polls to elect their President in their first democratic power transfer since the country's independence from France. The election comes amidst a growing Islamist insurgency as Mohamed Bazoum is the favourite to succeed incumbent Mahamadou Issoufou, who is stepping down after serving two five-year terms. (DW)
• 2020 Central African general election
  • Elections in the Central African Republic are underway, after a campaign marred by violence between government and rebel forces. (BBC News)

Science and technology

• The Solar Orbiter spacecraft makes its closest approach to Venus. (Space.com)