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Lottery office staff celebrate selling a winning ticket for the Spanish El Gordo Christmas draw. Photo: dpa

Europe

Everyone’s a winner: Spanish town agrees to share El Gordo jackpot after mix-up

The local festival committee accidentally sold more ticket shares than it bought, which initially meant that some might not get the payout.

Zelensky says Kyiv strike proves Russia does ‘not want to end war’

Russia likely moving new nuclear missiles that are hard to intercept to Belarus

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Russia & Central Asia

Trump says Zelensky ‘doesn’t have anything until I approve it’ ahead of talks

The two leaders are expected to discuss issues like the future of the Donbas region and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

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Ukrainian service members fire a BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launch system towards Russian troops in the Donetsk region on Thursday. Photo: Reuters
Ukrainian service members fire a BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launch system towards Russian troops in the Donetsk region on Thursday. Photo: Reuters

Africa

Israel’s recognition of Somaliland enrages Somalia, African Union

Several other countries also condemned Israel’s decision and Trump stated his opposition to US recognition of the breakaway state.

United States & Canada

US airlines cancel more than 1,000 flights due to winter storm Devin

An additional 4,685 flights faced delays in the northeast as the National Weather Service warned of heavy snow and ‘hazardous conditions’.

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Africa

Trump says he ordered Nigeria strike delay to ‘give a Christmas present’

‘They were going to ‍do it earlier,’ Trump said of Thursday’s strike targeting ⁠Islamic State militants, adding ‘we hit them hard’.

Residents inspect the damage the day after US forces launched a strike against Islamic State militants, in Offa, Kwara State, Nigeria on Friday. Photo: Reuters
Residents inspect the damage the day after US forces launched a strike against Islamic State militants, in Offa, Kwara State, Nigeria on Friday. Photo: Reuters

Europe

Police arrest suspect after man stabs 3 women in separate attacks on Paris Metro

Due to the ‘very high level’ of ‘terrorist threat’, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez asked officials to strengthen security across France.

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Europe

The Cure guitarist and keyboard player Perry Bamonte dies aged 65

Bamonte, who became a full member of The Cure in 1990, was initially part of the British Goth rock band’s road crew from 1984.

United States & Canada

Weinstein accuser Kaja Sokola is being sued for defamation by her sister

Ewa Sokola said Kaja’s false claims of collusion with Weinstein’s defence team are damaging her reputation as a cardiologist in Poland.

Harvey Weinstein accuser Kaja Sokola arrives at Manhattan criminal court in New York in May. Photo: AP

Americas

Venezuela ‘frees 99 prisoners’ detained after 2024 election protests

Rights groups said the number released ‘does not correspond to reality’ despite growing pressure from Washington on President Maduro.

Demonstrators hold a banner demanding the release of all political prisoners during a protest in Caracas, Venezuela on January 9. On Friday, the prisons authority said it had released 99 prisoners. Photo: AFP
Demonstrators hold a banner demanding the release of all political prisoners during a protest in Caracas, Venezuela on January 9. On Friday, the prisons authority said it had released 99 prisoners. Photo: AFP

Europe

Zelensky brings ‘90% ready’ peace plan to Trump in Florida

Leaders will discuss security guarantees and a 20-point plan on Sunday, even as conflicting demands over territory persist.

Middle East

Blast in Syria kills 8 at mosque targeting Alawite minority in Homs

Authorities investigate explosive devices planted during Friday prayers, heightening sectarian tensions and fears among minorities.

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Africa

US launches strike on Islamic State targets in Nigeria, Trump says

US strikes targeting militants were carried out in cooperation with the Nigerian government.

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A missile is launched from a military vessel at an unidentified location, in a screen grab obtained from a video released by the Department of War on December 25, 2025. Photo: US Department of War via Reuters

United States & Canada

Jimmy Kimmel takes aim at Trump in ‘alternative Christmas message’ to UK

Talk show host and Trump foe Kimmel tells UK TV that ‘tyranny is booming’ in the US.

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Comedian Jimmy Kimmel speaks at a conference in Los Angeles in October. Photo: AFP
Comedian Jimmy Kimmel speaks at a conference in Los Angeles in October. Photo: AFP

Politics

Israel’s rising air defence sales become its ‘most potent’ foreign policy weapon

With more countries increasingly turning to Israel for their air defence systems, they cannot afford to isolate the Middle East power.

Africa

The brutal life of child recruits under a shadowy African rebel group

Kidnapped, drugged and forced to loot, survivors detail life inside the ADF’s hidden forest camps in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

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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.

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.

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.

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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.

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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

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Illustration: Victor Sanjinez Garcia

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

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

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

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

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

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Illustration: Henry Wong

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

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

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

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Illustration: Victor Sanjinez

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

7
Illustration: Victor Sanjinez Garcia

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

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5
Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

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

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

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

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93
Illustration: Henry Wong

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

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

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

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Illustration: Victor Sanjinez
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MULTIMEDIA
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At least 15 injured in knife and chemical attack in Japan

Japan stabbing rampage leaves 15 injured at Yokohama rubber factory - thumbnail
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Disgraced ex-Malaysian PM Najib guilty in final 1MDB case

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Japan’s ‘laughing ritual’ draws thousands

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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.
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