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Matthew Whitaker, US ambassador to Nato. Photo: Reuters

Russia & Central Asia

US Nato envoy casts doubt on Russian claim that Ukraine attacked Putin residence

Matthew Whitaker said he wants to see US intelligence on the incident which the Kremlin called a ‘terrorist act’ and an attack against Putin.

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Iranian students join protests in Tehran over soaring cost of living

JFK’s granddaughter, journalist Tatiana Schlossberg, dies at 35

Europe

French far-right leader Le Pen to attend Brigitte Bardot’s funeral but no Macron

Bardot, criticised for her support of the far-right, backed Le Pen for president in 2012 and 2017, describing her as a modern ‘Joan of Arc’.

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen at the National Assembly in Paris, France on December 23. Photo: Reuters
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen at the National Assembly in Paris, France on December 23. Photo: Reuters

Americas

Oil tankers still arriving in Venezuela despite US blockade, data shows

2 vessels approaching the coast are part of a fleet used by China ‌and Venezuela to pay debt service, with crude bound for Chinese ports.

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Europe

Poland urges EU to probe TikTok over suspected Russian AI-generated content

The content, which ‌includes calls for Poland to withdraw from the EU, was almost certainly Russian disinformation, Polish officials said.

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Europe

‘Ocean’s Eleven’-style thieves take up to US$100 million from German bank

Thieves used a large drill to break into the Sparkasse savings bank, police said, likening the theft to the crime film Ocean’s Eleven.

A giant hole in a wall of the vault of a Sparkasse bank branch after thieves broke in at the weekend. Photo: Police Gelsenkirchen handout via AFP
A giant hole in a wall of the vault of a Sparkasse bank branch after thieves broke in at the weekend. Photo: Police Gelsenkirchen handout via AFP

Europe

France pushes back plastic cup ban amid industry pressure, green backlash

France delays its single-use plastic cup ban to 2030, sparking criticism from environmental groups who cite industry lobbying and slow progress.

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Middle East

UAE to withdraw forces from Yemen after Saudi ultimatum over air strike

Decision to withdraw follows Saudi air strike on a supply dock Riyadh claimed was used for weapons, marking a major split between the allies.

Middle East

Israel to ban aid groups from Gaza in 2026 over vetting rules

Critics condemn the vague new requirements as arbitrary hurdles that endanger staff, dismissing Israel’s claims of regulatory non-compliance.

Displaced Palestinians gather for food at a charity kitchen in central Gaza on December 20. Israel will suspend over two dozen aid groups for not meeting new vetting rules in Gaza. Photo: AFP

Middle East

Saudi Arabia bombs Yemen port over weapons shipment and warns UAE

Riyadh targets weaponry in Mukalla as tensions between Gulf allies strain over separatist advances in Yemen.

Damaged military vehicles, reportedly sent by the United Arab Emirates to support Southern Transitional Council separatist forces, following an air strike carried out by the Saudi-led coalition in the port of Mukalla, southern Yemen. Photo: AFP
Damaged military vehicles, reportedly sent by the United Arab Emirates to support Southern Transitional Council separatist forces, following an air strike carried out by the Saudi-led coalition in the port of Mukalla, southern Yemen. Photo: AFP

Russia & Central Asia

Russia’s Medvedev warns ‘Grim Reaper’ stalks Ukraine’s Zelensky in vile threat

Reacting to Zelensky’s Christmas speech, the former Russian president warns of imminent death and says his corpse belongs in a curiosity shop.

Russia & Central Asia

Russia says Ukraine tried to attack Putin residence, but Zelensky denies it

Ukraine denies accusation as a fabrication after Trump said he was ‘angry’ when Putin told him about the alleged attack.

Russia & Central Asia

Russia’s nuclear-capable missiles enter service, heightening Ukraine tensions

After Trump-Zelensky talks, Putin projects power by deploying nuclear-ready Oreshnik missiles to Belarus as a warning to the West.

A still image from video released on Tuesday shows a unit with Russia’s Oreshnik mobile missile system beginning combat duty at an undisclosed location in Belarus. Photo: EPA/Russian Defence ministry press-service

Europe

Eurostar to resume services after Channel Tunnel power glitch sparks travel chaos

A power issue halted services between London and Europe, stranding travellers and causing disruption during the busy run-up to New Year.

Travelers disembark a Eurostar train at Gare du Nord after a power supply incident in part of the Channel Tunnel disrupted train and shuttle traffic on Tuesday in Paris. Photo: AP
Travelers disembark a Eurostar train at Gare du Nord after a power supply incident in part of the Channel Tunnel disrupted train and shuttle traffic on Tuesday in Paris. Photo: AP

China

Venezuela condemns US arms sale to Taiwan, echoing Beijing’s position

Caracas says Washington’s move violates one-China principle and threatens regional stability as tensions over the island intensify.

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Americas

Trump says US ‘hit’ drug boat loading facility in Venezuela pressure campaign

If confirmed, it would mark the first known land strike on Venezuelan soil since the US began its lethal anti-cartel campaign in September.

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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.

Diplomacy

‘No worries’: Trump plays down Beijing’s military drills around Taiwan

Trump dismisses ‘routine’ drills in Taiwan Strait even as US arms sales hit record high and Pentagon repeats 2027 timeline.

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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
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Open Questions series

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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40
Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

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

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29
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

videocam
5
Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

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

videocam
18
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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40
Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

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

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29
Illustration: Victor Sanjinez
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