World

United States & Canada

Russia & Central Asia

Palestinian scout bands parade at Manger Square near the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem on Wednesday. Photo: AP

Middle East

Bethlehem celebrates first festive Christmas since Gaza war

The city where Christians believe Jesus was born had cancelled celebrations for the past two years.

4 hours ago

Brazil weighs visa-free entry for Chinese tourists and business travellers

4 hours agovideocam

Trump says comedian Colbert should be ‘put to sleep’

2 hours ago

Europe

Explainer | Trump vs EU: the European laws curbing big tech and irking US

The US is challenging EU digital regulations, accusing them of censorship and targeting American tech firms.

5 hours ago

The EU’s tough tech laws clash with Trump’s stance as fines reshape Big Tech’s future in Europe. Photo: AFP

Africa

Algeria brands French colonisation a crime, demands reparations, apology

Deepening the rift with Paris, lawmakers unanimously list torture and nuclear tests as crimes requiring compensation for 132 years of rule.

5 hours ago

United States & Canada

Trump’s US$100,000 H-1B visa fee upheld by judge, as lottery system ends

The US awards 85,000 H-1B visas annually via lottery, with Indian nationals accounting for nearly three-quarters of recipients.

24 Dec 2025 - 8:42PM

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Europe

Zelensky details US-backed 20-point peace plan for Russia and Putin

Zelensky weighs land concessions to Putin in a US-backed deal, seeking a ceasefire and a demilitarised zone in Donetsk to end Russia’s war.

24 Dec 2025 - 5:35PM

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks during a press conference in Kyiv, Ukraine last week. Photo: EPA

Global Economy

Burglary of JD.com warehouse in France prompts investigation, speculation

The theft, with over 50,000 items stolen by some estimates, casts a shadow over the Chinese e-commerce giant’s first Christmas in France.

24 Dec 2025 - 5:30PMvideocam

Russia & Central Asia

Moscow blast kills 2 police near site of Russian general’s car bombing

Moscow hit by second bombing in three days, following a series of assassinations Russia blames on Ukraine.

24 Dec 2025 - 3:40PM

East Asia

US to grant Seoul exception on nuclear submarine fuel supply

Seoul to formalise right to build nuclear-powered submarines via Aukus-style waiver requiring approval from Trump and US Congress.

24 Dec 2025 - 6:34PM

US Navy officers stand aboard a Virginia-class fast-attack submarine in Western Australia in February. Photo: AFP

Europe

Does the US want to conquer Greenland? Trump’s new envoy weighs in

Jeff Landry appears at odds with the US president’s past suggestions of taking over the Arctic territory from Denmark.

24 Dec 2025 - 1:13PM

Members of the Danish armed forces in military drills in Greenland in September. Photo: Reuters

United States & Canada

Trump flew on Epstein jet 8 times in the 1990s, according to prosecutor email

US government releases nearly 30,000 pages of additional records from the Epstein files, some which contain multiple Trump references.

24 Dec 2025 - 9:40AM

United States & Canada

US hits 5 Europeans with visa bans in ‘censorship’ row

Former EU commissioner is among those barred as the US targets individuals it says are involved in censoring US social media platforms.

24 Dec 2025 - 2:23PM

Diplomacy

China, Russia clash with US at UN over Venezuela oil seizures and naval pressure

Venezuela turns to UN as Trump’s oil crackdown intensifies and Caracas advances a law targeting those in support of naval blockades.

24 Dec 2025 - 7:46AMvideocam

Sun Lei, China’s deputy permanent representative to the UN, speaks during a Security Council briefing on threats to international peace and security in New York on Tuesday. Venezuela requested a Security Council meeting, citing escalating tensions resulting from “US aggression” against the country. Photo: EPA

Europe

Russell Brand charged with new counts of rape, sexual assault in UK

The new charges relate to ⁠two women and follow five charges made in April involving four other women.

24 Dec 2025 - 10:51AM

Russell Brand speaking at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest 2025, on December 18 in Phoenix. Photo: AP

Africa

Libya military chief and 7 others killed in jet crash in Turkey

Investigators are looking into a technical failure that brought down the delegation’s Falcon 50 jet shortly after take-off from Ankara.

24 Dec 2025 - 11:10AM

United States & Canada

Pulled story on Trump immigration crackdown accidentally airs on Canadian app

The ‘60 Minutes’ segment on migrants sent to a notorious El Salvador mega-prison was quickly removed, but copies have spread online.

24 Dec 2025 - 8:04AM

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Politics

The China-US face-off: a visual guide to Xi and Trump’s key people

Discover the power players in Xi and Trump’s teams; the key people setting the agenda on diplomacy, the military, the economy, security and science.

20 Mar 2025 - 2:37PM

The China-US face-off: a visual guide to Donald Trump and Xi Jinping’s inner circles

United States & Canada

Power players: a visual guide to Trump’s team and their views on China

Discover who is in Donald Trump’s inner circle, their backgrounds, stances on China and the roles they will play in shaping the future of the US.

26 Aug 2025 - 10:25AM

United States & Canada

Trump flew on Epstein jet 8 times in the 1990s, according to prosecutor email

US government releases nearly 30,000 pages of additional records from the Epstein files, some which contain multiple Trump references.

24 Dec 2025 - 9:40AM

United States & Canada

Trump announces new class of ‘battleships’ named after himself

According to Trump, the ships, the first of which will be named the USS Defiant, will be substantially larger than existing US destroyers.

23 Dec 2025 - 2:27PM

The new class of ship will become the centerpiece of Donald Trump’s ‘Golden Fleet’ programme. Photo: AFP

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Open Questions series

Liu Qian on Chinese innovation, the US rivalry and women holding up half the sky

20 Oct 2025 - 11:18AM

Illustration: Victor Sanjinez Garcia

Fuchsia Dunlop tells how she fell for China’s cuisine and names her perfect dish

5 Oct 2025 - 8:13AMvideocam

Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

80 years on from WWII, China’s interests lie in peaceful Asia-Pacific: Mitter

11 Aug 2025 - 9:13AMvideocam

Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

‘Delusional’: Jeffrey Sachs on why Western hegemony has ended

4 Aug 2025 - 11:00AMvideocam

Illustration: Henry Wong

Scholar Jing Qian on right-sizing China’s economy in the age of Trump

10 Feb 2025 - 12:57PMvideocam

Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

US-China rivalry doesn’t have to be a zero-sum game: Jessica Chen Weiss

10 Feb 2025 - 6:49AMvideocam

Illustration: Victor Sanjinez

Liu Qian on Chinese innovation, the US rivalry and women holding up half the sky

20 Oct 2025 - 11:18AM

Illustration: Victor Sanjinez Garcia

Fuchsia Dunlop tells how she fell for China’s cuisine and names her perfect dish

5 Oct 2025 - 8:13AMvideocam

Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

80 years on from WWII, China’s interests lie in peaceful Asia-Pacific: Mitter

11 Aug 2025 - 9:13AMvideocam

Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

‘Delusional’: Jeffrey Sachs on why Western hegemony has ended

4 Aug 2025 - 11:00AMvideocam

Illustration: Henry Wong

Scholar Jing Qian on right-sizing China’s economy in the age of Trump

10 Feb 2025 - 12:57PMvideocam

Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

US-China rivalry doesn’t have to be a zero-sum game: Jessica Chen Weiss

10 Feb 2025 - 6:49AMvideocam

Illustration: Victor Sanjinez

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Jake Sullivan

24 Dec 2025 - 8:23AM

Opinion | Can Belarus balance relations with Russia, China and the US?

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23 Dec 2025 - 9:34PM

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22 Dec 2025 - 9:37PM

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20 Dec 2025 - 4:30PM

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Japan’s ‘laughing ritual’ draws thousands

Kim Jong-un visits new resort with daughter

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his daughter Kim Ju-ae attended opening ceremonies for the country’s lavish new mountain resort on December 20, 2025.

Japanese rocket fails to launch satellite into orbit

Japan’s next generation “H3” rocket, carrying the advanced optical satellite “Daichi 3”, leaves the launch pad at the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima, southwestern Japan on March 7, 2023. Japan’s next-generation H3 rocket failed after liftoff on March 7, with the space agency issuing a destruct command after concluding the mission could not succeed. (Photo by JIJI Press / AFP) / Japan OUT / JAPAN OUT

Indonesian women prepare food for Sumatra floods victims

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