Colombia's ELN guerrilla group attacked a military base near Venezuela with drones and explosives, killing seven soldiers and wounding 30, the army said.

Aguachica

Seven Colombian soldiers were killed and more than two dozen wounded in a nighttime drone attack carried out by the ELN guerrilla group in rural Aguachica, Cesar department. The attack destroyed trucks and buildings, and local officials expressed concerns about their ability to guarantee security for citizens amid the ELN's growing presence.

President Gustavo Petro, who previously attempted peace talks with armed groups, has now promised anti-drone defense systems for the armed forces. The incident comes after the United States imposed sanctions on Petro, citing his alleged reluctance to target drug cartels in Colombia.

Seven Colombian soldiers killed in guerrilla attack

It was a lethal drone attack in the night on Thursday by the ELN guerrilla group that controls key drug-production regions in Colombia. Trucks and buildings were hollowed out by the strikes that killed more than five soldiers and wounded more than two dozen in rural Aguachica in the César department. We had already finished training and suddenly we heard the explosions and everyone started running and screaming and then we realized the explosives had fallen near us. With the ELN's beefed-up arsenal and presence in over one-fifth of Colombia's municipalities, the governor of César is calling for greater security guarantees. For more than three and four hours, drones have been flown over these police stations. With this, we don't want to send a message that fuels more anxiety, but we do need to say from the territory of César that we feel vulnerable when it comes to being able to answer to citizens for security in our department. Colombian President Gustavo Petro himself, a former guerrilla, tried to engage armed cocaine-producing groups in peace talks at the beginning of his 2022 mandate, but they faltered. Now, he has promised anti-drone defense systems for the country's armed forces. The mounting tensions take place after the U.S. imposed sanctions on Petro in October for his alleged reticence to target the cartels in the top cocaine-producing country. Now conducting a campaign against alleged narco-trafficking in the Caribbean and Venezuela, Washington has previously warned that Petro could be next.

Ukraine said its drones hit a vessel from Russia's shadow fleet – the first such strike in the neutral waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Russia's shadow fleet transports sanctioned Russia oil by frequently changing flags and concealing ownership.

Ukraine Invasion

Ukraine strikes Russian shadow fleet tanker in Mediterranean sea

The U.S. Justice Department has released thousands of files relating to Jeffrey Epstein, including photos featuring people like former President Bill Clinton and Mick Jagger. However, survivors are concerned with how much information was redacted from the files.

Washington

Thousands of new Epstein files, photos released

The U.S. military launched large-scale strikes against dozens of Islamic State targets in Syria on Friday (December 19) in retaliation for an attack on American personnel, U.S. officials said.

Damascus

U.S. hits ISIS in Syria with large retaliatory strikes

The man suspected of carrying out an attack in Taiwan with a smoke grenade and knife acted alone, police said on Saturday of the incident that killed at least four, including the attacker. This edit contains graphic images.

Taipei City

Taipei attacker acted alone, police say after three killed

The suspect in the Dec. 13 mass shooting on the campus of Brown University was found dead by suicide in a storage unit in Salem, New Hampshire, authorities said. He has been identified as 48-year-old Claudio Manuel Neves Valente, a former Brown grad student.

Providence

How a Reddit post led police to the suspected university shooter

Seven people were killed, including former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and his wife and children, in a plane crash in North Carolina. Investigators hope to find clues about why it happened on the cockpit voice recorder. Cristian Benavides has the latest.

Plane crash kills NASCAR driver, family

President Trump announced new agreements on Friday with nine pharmaceutical companies aimed at making certain prescription drugs cheaper. CBS News reporter Karen Hua has the details.

Trump announces agreements with major drugmakers to lower prices

The U.S. Justice Department released a new trove of documents from its investigations into the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein on Friday, bowing to pressure from lawmakers who forced their disclosure with a new law.

Washington County

Justice Department releases new tranche of Epstein files

The Justice Department has released a new batch of files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. CBS News legal reporter Katrina Kaufman has more.

Combing through newly released Epstein files

TikTok has signed a deal to sell its U.S. operations to a group of investors in America, a source familiar with the deal tells CBS News.

TikTok nears deal to avoid ban in the U.S.

Russian President Vladimir Putin reacted to the European Union's massive $108 billion loan to fund Ukraine's war against Russia.

Kyiv

European Union loans Ukraine billions as Putin boasts about war

The war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, continues to take a heavy toll on civilians, particularly in frontline areas such as Zaporizhzhia, where fighting and shelling persist.

Moscow

Putin accuses Kyiv of rejecting peaceful settlement

The man believed to be responsible for carrying out the Brown University shooting and killing an MIT professor was found dead in a storage unit in New Hampshire on Thursday, officials said.

Salem

Suspect in Brown and MIT shootings found dead

Australia will launch a national gun buyback program in the aftermath of a deadly attack on a Hanukkah celebration at Sydney's Bondi Beach, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.

Council of the City of Sydney

Australia announces gun buyback program after Bondi Beach shooting

TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, signed binding agreements with American investors to allow the U.S. arm of the business to continue operating.

Beijing

TikTok signs deal to allow app to continue operating in the U.S.

Under a law passed by Congress and signed by President Trump, the Justice Department has until Friday to release its files on the Jeffrey Epstein case. House Democrats released more photos from the estate of the convicted sex offender. Scott MacFarlane reports.

House Democrats release more Epstein photos ahead of DOJ deadline

The European Commission announced it will delay the signing of the Mercosur trade agreement until the new year after Meloni asked for more time. No date has been set. Backers hope deal won't be further derailed.

Brussels

Mercosur signature delayed to January after Meloni asked for more time

President Trump on Thursday signed an executive order to reclassify marijuana as a Schedule III drug. CBS News White House reporter Aaron Navarro has more on that and the president's year-end address from Wednesday night.

Trump signs executive order reclassifying marijuana

President Donald Trump laid out what he claims are the reasons that America's economy is thriving in an address to the nation. This comes as Americans remain concerned about high prices.

Trump touts economic record during address to nation

Multiple sources tell CBS News a person of interest has been identified in the mass shooting at Brown University. CBS News' Tom Hanson reports.

Person of interest identified in deadly Brown University shooting

Brazil’s Senate passed a bill that could drastically reduce former President Jair Bolsonaro’s 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup, potentially cutting his time behind bars to just over two years.

Rio de Janeiro

Brazil Congress passes bill to cut Bolsonaro prison term

EU leaders are split in Brussels over using frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine. Poland backs urgent action, while Belgium resists over legal and financial risks. Ukraine is pressing for a decision by year’s end.

EU leaders urge swift decision on frozen Russian funds for Ukraine

The U.S. military said Wednesday that it attacked a boat accused of smuggling drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing four people on the same day the House rejected efforts to limit President Donald Trump’s power to use military force against drug cartels.

New U.S. strike on alleged drug boat kills four

The U.S. Justice Department said late on Wednesday (December 17) the federal government was liable in the fatal January 29 collision of an Army Black Hawk helicopter and American Airlines regional jet that killed 67 people near Reagan Washington National Airport.

U.S. admits liability in fatal Black Hawk-American Airlines crash

Nick Reiner made his first court appearance after being charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the killing of his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner.

Los Angeles

Nick Reiner appears in court on murder charges in killing of parents

The United States on Wednesday (December 17) approved $11.1 billion in arms sales to Taiwan, marking the largest ever U.S. weapons package for the island, which is under increasing military pressure from China.

U.S. approves $11.1 billion arms package for Taiwan, largest ever

EU leaders will gather in the coming hours to vote on potentially using nearly 200 billion dollars in frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine. But it's a controversial and risky plan.

EU leaders to vote on Ukraine loan backed by frozen Russian assets

Nick Reiner made his first court appearance on Wednesday since being arrested for the killings of his parents, Rob and Michele.

Nick Reiner makes first court appearance since parents' deaths

Vladimir Putin said Russia would achieve its goals by diplomatic or military means and would seek to expand a “security buffer” zone in Ukraine.

Putin warns Russia will extend gains in Ukraine if peace talks fail

Newly-released surveillance video shows Nick Reiner at a gas station convenience store just hours after he allegedly fatally stabbed his parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, and minutes before he was taken into custody.

Breakdown