Russian forces advance, capture two villages in Ukraine
Russian troops are moving through eastern Ukraine at the fastest rate since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
International News
Trump threat to retake control of Panama Canal rebuffed
Panama's president has hit out at Donald's Trump's suggestion the US could take control of the Panama Canal, saying his nation's independence is non-negotiable.
Biden commutes sentences almost all death row inmates
President Joe Biden is reducing the sentences of 37 of the 40 death row inmates so they can't be executed when Donald Trump returns to the White House.
Gaps have narrowed in Gaza ceasefire deal, sides say
A fresh bid by mediators to end the fighting in Gaza and release hostages has gained momentum, though sticking points remain between Hamas and Israel.
‘Greenland is not for sale,’ PM tells Trump
Greenland's leader insists the vast Arctic island is not for sale and has rebuffed fresh comments from Donald Trump that it should be in American hands.
King Charles to deliver Xmas speech from ex-hospital
King Charles will break with tradition and deliver his Christmas Day message from a former hospital chapel.
Bangladesh tells India it wants ex-PM Hasina extradited
Bangladesh has sent India an extradition request for former prime minister Sheikh Hasina who fled the country following violent protests against her rule.
Italy to push ahead with Albania offshore detention
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has vowed to push ahead with a controversial plan to detain asylum seekers in centres in Albania.
US House panel finds Matt Gaetz paid for sex and drugs
The US House ethics committee has accused Matt Gaetz of paying for sex and drugs while he was a congressman, in a newly released report.
North Korea could send more troops to Russia: Zelenskiy
Ukraine says more than 3000 North Korean soldiers have been killed and wounded in Russia's Kursk region while South Korea has a more conservative estimate.
Israeli parliament extends state of emergency
The Israeli parliament has extended the country's state of emergency until the end of 2025.
New French government named after budget fight collapse
French President Emmanuel Macron's office has announced a new cabinet line-up following months of political deadlock.
Julian Assange marks first Christmas since release
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has marked his first Christmas since his release from prison in a rare photo shared by his wife Stella Assange.
Sudan’s war is ‘deepening and widening’ a famine crisis
A hunger-monitoring group says half of Sudan's population now face high levels of acute food insecurity as a result of the ongoing conflict.
Israeli strike on West Bank refugee camp, eight dead
At least eight people have died in Israeli raids on a refugee camp in the West Bank city of Tulkarm, in what it described as a counter-terrorism operation.
Trump pushing death for ‘rapists, murderers, monsters’
US President-elect Donald Trump says he plans to pursue the death penalty for "monsters", after President Joe Biden commuted sentences for 37 death row inmates.
Energy systems hit in Christmas Day attack on Ukraine
Ukrainian officials say Russia has used Christmas Day to attack the country's energy systems.
Gaza war overshadows Bethlehem midnight mass
The Catholic Church's highest representative in the Holy Land, has told Palestinians in Gaza they are not alone, during a Christmas mass.
Baby freezes to death in Gaza as ceasefire talks stall
A baby girl froze to death overnight in Gaza, while Israel and Hamas accused each other of complicating ceasefire efforts that could wind down the 14-month war
Russia looking into alleged capture of Aussie mercenary
Moscow officials are seeking to verify reports the Russian army may have captured an Australian citizen fighting with Ukrainian forces.
Clashes between Syria’s new regime and Assad loyalists
Clashes between the Islamists who overthrew the Assad government in Syria and supporters of the former president have killed 14 insurgents and wounded others.
Biden condemns Russian Christmas Day attacks in Ukraine
Ukrainians have been hit by blackouts and left without heating after Russia's Christmas Day strike on the country's power infrastructure.
Prayers and tears 20 years after the Boxing Day tsunami
Mourners have visited mass graves and held ceremonies in Indonesia, Thailand and beyond to mark two decades since a massive tsunami killed 230,000 people.
Houthis fire missile at Israel after Yemen airport hit
Houthi rebels have retaliated to Israel's airstrikes on Yemen's Sanaa International Airport, described by the UN as alarming.
Cambodian opposition leader sentenced to two years jail
A Cambodian court has convicted an opposition party leader of inciting social disorder and sentenced him to two years in prison.
Fins stop Russia-linked vessel over cable damage hunch
Finnish authorities have detained a Russia-linked ship as they investigate whether it damaged a Baltic Sea power cable and several data cables.
Azerbaijan plane downed by Russian air defences: report
There is mounting speculation an Azerbaijan Airlines flight that crashed in Kazakhstan on Christmas Day was downed by a Russian air defence system.
Israel loosened rules at start of Gaza war: NYT
Israel changed its rules of engagement at the start of the Gaza war to allow commanders more flexibility to order attacks on targets despite civilian risks.
Russian drone attack kills two in Ukraine’s Donetsk
A Ukrainian town in Donetsk on the front lines of the war has been hit with Russian drones, which struck a multi-storey apartment building, killing two people.
Uneasy calm settles over Syrian city of Homs
Syria's new rulers are scrambling to impose order as security forces checked IDs and searched cars in Homs, a day after protests erupted in gunfire.
South Korean MPs impeach acting president Han
South Korea's political crisis is threatening to intensify with the impeachment of the acting president, amid fears it could trigger a new financial crisis.