After 176 years, NYPD gets female leader
Keechant Sewell, a 23-year policing veteran and "proven crime fighter", is to become the first female head of the New York Police Department.
International News
New rules as S.Korea hits COVID-19 peaks
A record-breaking surge of COVID-19 infections has led to a spike in hospitalisations and deaths and caused South Korea to toughen up social restrictions.
NZ 90 per cent vaxxed as parliament wraps
On the last day of the parliamentary year, Jacinda Ardern has announced 89.82 per cent of eligible New Zealanders are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Ex-Trump aide Meadows on contempt charge
For the first time since the 1830s, the US House of Representatives has voted to hold a former member in contempt.
UK PM Johnson faces virus pass rebellion
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is under increasing pressure after a group of MPs from his own party voted against the introduction of new COVID regulations.
WTO backs Australia, others on India sugar
A WTO panel says India provided domestic support to its sugarcane producers in excess of the maximum level of 10 per cent permitted by a world agriculture deal.
UK takes all countries off travel red list
Hotel quarantine for some travellers arriving in England will be scrapped as Omicron is now prevalent in the UK, Health Secretary Sajid Javid says.
Pfizer says pill prevents hospitalisations
Pfizer's antiviral COVID-19 pill shows almost 90 per cent efficacy in preventing hospitalisations and deaths in high-risk patients, the US drug maker says.
Small decline in virus jab efficacy: WHO
The World Health Organisation says 77 countries have reported cases of the coronavirus variant Omicron.
Pirates take hostages off Gulf of Guinea
The Danish military says pirates have taken six hostages during an attack on a Greek-operated container ship in the Gulf of Guinea.
Petrol truck explosion in Haiti kills 50
Officials in Haiti say a truck carrying petrol has exploded and killed at least 50 people.
OJ Simpson a ‘free man’ as parole ends
A lawyer says OJ Simpson has been granted good behaviour credits and discharged from parole.
Assange’s mother describes ‘unending pain’
Julian Assange's mother fears the WikiLeaks founder could be imprisoned "for the rest of his life".
UK Conservative MPs rebel on virus passes
A group of libertarian MPs in UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservative party have voted against the introduction of vaccination certification.
Wall St down on inflation, virus concerns
With expectations solidifying that the US Federal Reserve will this week announce a faster wind-down of asset purchases, Wall Street has ended lower.
UN details Taliban human rights breaches
The UN rights body has heard that the Taliban is killing former Afghan national security force members, recruiting boy soldiers and quashing women's rights.
Murdoch emails loom large in Fox lawsuit
Two US voting technology companies have filed defamation lawsuits against Fox over claims they manipulated vote counts in favour of Democrat Joe Biden.
Belarus jails opposition leader’s husband
The husband of Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya has been jailed for 18 years for organising mass unrest and inciting social hatred.
Polish teen positive for Omicron in China
Poland's Health ministry says a Polish teenager who flew from Warsaw to China last week is mainland China's first person to test positive for Omicron.
Vietnam dissident gets nine years jail
Vietnamese writer Pham Doan Trang has been convicted of "conducting propaganda against the state" and jailed for nine years.
UK PM faces MP rebellion over virus curbs
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson faces a rebellion from libertarian MPs among his Conservative party on the introduction of vaccination certification.
Duterte quits Philippines senate race
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has withdrawn his bid to become a senator in the latest twist in a election race full of last-minute changes and surprises.
UK cuts all countries from travel red list
Hotel quarantine for some travellers arriving in England will be scrapped as Omicron is now prevalent in the UK, Health Secretary Sajid Javid says.
Strong UK jobs growth
UK employers hired a record number of staff in November, underscoring the Bank of England's dilemma as it meets on interest rates this week.
Toyota pledges range of electric vehicles
Japanese car maker Toyota will be offering 30 new fully electric models by 2030, president Akio Toyoda says.
Intoxication probed in Baltic collision
Swedish authorities are probing "marine intoxication" involving two crew members on a British ship after a fatal collision in the Baltic Sea.
UK PM faces virus rebellion in parliament
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson faces a rebellion among his Conservatives in a parliamentary vote over measures to curb the spread of the Omicron virus variant.
Study shows Pfizer counters Omicron
Two doses of the Pfizer vaccine appear to have given 70 per cent protection against hospitalisation in South Africa, a study shows.
Indonesia lifts tsunami alert after quake
A tsunami alert has been lifted by Indonesian authorities following a magnitude 7.3 earthquake that struck off Flores Island.
HSBC demands coal exit plans by end-2023
Europe's leading banker to corporate Asia, HSBC, says it expects all its clients to have a plan in place to exit coal by the end of 2023.
Arctic heat record confirmed
Last year an Arctic temperature record of more than 38 degrees Celsius was reached in a Siberian town during a prolonged heatwave.