Brussels: The EU has announced its strong condemnation of the United States' recent decision to impose visa restrictions on five prominent Europeans, including former European Commissioner Thierry Breton. The European Union is pledging to take "swift and decisive" action to protect its regulatory autonomy in response to these restrictions. According to Anadolu Agency, the European Commission emphasized that freedom of expression is a fundamental European right and a core value shared with the United States. The EU highlighted its commitment to maintaining an open, rules-based single market with the sovereign authority to regulate economic activity in accordance with democratic values and international commitments. Brussels has requested clarifications from US authorities and remains engaged in discussions on this matter. In other developments, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with a Hamas delegation in Ankara to discuss the situation in Gaza and the peace plan. The meeting, which included Hamas Poli tical Bureau member Khalil al-Hayya, focused on reviewing the latest developments in Gaza and exchanging views on phase two of the peace plan. Additionally, Trkiye has successfully recovered the black box and cockpit voice recorder from the wreckage of a private jet crash near Ankara. The crash resulted in the death of Libya's army chief and all other passengers on board. Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya confirmed the recovery, noting that the devices were found during an operation by the Transportation Safety Investigation Center. The examination of these devices has begun. In other news, a magnitude 6 earthquake struck Taiwan, and French President Emmanuel Macron criticized US visa restrictions on European figures. Thailand and Cambodia engaged in military talks amid ongoing clashes, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced an investigation into a tragic aircraft incident involving a Libyan military delegation. Erdogan also accused Israel of obstructing humanitarian aid to Gaza, while 1 4 states condemned Israel's new settlements in the West Bank. In Honduras, Conservative National Party candidate Nasry Asfura won the presidential election, and a key ISIS leader was captured in Syria. On the business front, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration launched an investigation into Tesla Model 3 vehicles, focusing on concerns about the accessibility of the emergency door release mechanism. Meanwhile, the New York stock market closed higher in a holiday-shortened session, with the S and P 500 and Dow Jones indexes reaching record highs.