WHO advises on mixing COVID-19 vaccines
Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines can be used as subsequent doses after initial doses of AstraZeneca and vice versa, the WHO says.
International News
Maxwell lawyers call false memory expert
Ghislaine Maxwell's lawyers have called psychologist Elizabeth Loftus to testify at the British socialite's sex abuse trial.
Chris Noth denies sex assault accusations
Sex and the City actor Chris Noth has denied reported accusations of sexual assault, saying his encounters with two women in 2004 and 2015 were consensual.
US concertgoers ‘accidentally suffocated’
The 10 people who lost their lives in a massive crowd surge at the Astroworld music festival in Houston, Texas, died of accidental suffocation, officials say.
All US missionaries freed in Haiti: police
A Haitian gang has released the remaining North American missionaries that it kidnapped two months ago.
Russia seeks early security talks with US
Russia says Vladimir Putin and Joe Biden could speak again before New Year.
EU leaders weigh new sanctions on Russia
An EU summit in Brussels is leaning towards strong economic sanctions against Russia to deter any threat from its military build-up on the border with Ukraine.
Bank of England hikes rates amid inflation
The Bank of England's monetary policy committee of nine members has voted eight to one in favour of increasing interest rates to 0.25 per cent.
One is not going to Sandringham- Queen cancels Christmas lunch with family
The British royals' traditional pre-Christmas family party has been cancelled by the Queen as COVID cases spike in the UK..
Norway’s central bank raises interest rate
Norway's central bank has raised its key policy interest rate from 0.25 per cent to 0.5 per cent, citing the upswing in the economy.
Libya election chaos with eight days to go
There is confusion over the fate of Libya's presidential election, eight days before people were meant to cast their votes.
Missionaries kidnapped in Haiti ‘freed’
Haitian police say all members of a US-based missionary group have been released by kidnappers.
US Navy rescues drug smugglers off Oman
Five Iranians suspected of smuggling drugs after setting fire to their stash on board a dhow off Oman have been rescued by a US Navy patrol boat crew.
EU leaders mull sanctions against Russia
EU leaders are meeting to discuss possible sanctions against Russia if it launches an attack on Ukraine.
German wages barely grew in 2021
German wages barely grew this year despite soaring inflation, effectively leaving consumers with less money in their wallets.
Israel keeps borders closed to tourists
Israel is extending a ban on tourist entries to the end of December in a bid to prevent the Omicron variant from spreading.
France tightens rules for UK travellers
A steep rise in COVID infections in the UK has prompted France to beef up controls on travellers arriving from Britain.
Typhoon Rai slams Philippines
Typhoon Rai has made landfall in the southern Philippines, causing flooding and forcing mass evacuations and flight cancellations.
Judges raise doubt on Weinstein conviction
Movie mogul Harvey Weinstein's 2020 conviction on sexual assault charges has been called into question by judges in a New York appeals court.
New Zealand quarterly GDP drops 3.7 pc
Stats NZ say New Zealand's economy contracted by more than 3.5 per cent in the September quarter as COVID-19 restrictions bit.
Biden visits tornado-stricken US districts
US President Joe Biden has received a briefing from Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear after the region was hit by a deadly tornado outbreak.
UK man who abused bodies jailed for life
A man who sexually abused more than 100 corpses in two UK hospital mortuaries has been sentenced to life in prison.
UK appoints ex-judge to lead virus inquiry
The UK government says a public inquiry into the country's handling of the coronavirus pandemic will be led by a retired judge and start next year.
Maxwell lawyers to focus on ‘manipulation’
Court filings indicate Ghislaine Maxwell's lawyers will focus on portraying the socialite's accusers as untrustworthy and motivated by money.
English told to scale back Christmas plans
Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty says people in England should "prioritise what matters to them" when considering attending events during Christmas.
Delta still 99 per cent of cases: Italy
Italian health experts say data suggests the Delta variant of the coronavirus is still predominant in the country, with very few Omicron cases recorded.
Canadians told to stay put amid COVID fear
Canada has advised its citizens to avoid non-essential international travel to help reduce the threat from the Omicron variant of COVID-19.
Wall St higher, Fed to end bond purchases
The US Fed will end pandemic-era bond purchases as it exits from policies enacted at the start of the health crisis. Wall Street reacted to end sharply higher.
Fed to tighten credit, hike rates in 2022
The US Federal Reserve has announced quicker than expected withdrawal of support for the economy and an anticipation of three interest-rate rises in 2022.
New Zealand GDP down by 3.7 per cent
Stats NZ say New Zealand's economy contracted by 3.7 per cent in the September quarter as COVID-19 restrictions bit.
Scholz vows progress and a modern Germany
New Chancellor Olaf Scholz has told parliament the country must embrace technical progress to modernise Germany.