Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 15th of December, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Australia mourns 15 killed in targeted Bondi Beach attack
Australia is reeling from its deadliest gun violence in three decades after a father and son opened fire on a Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s Bondi Beach on Sunday, killing 15 people. Police identified the assailants as 50-year-old Sajid Akram, who was shot dead at the scene, and his 24-year-old son, currently in critical condition, describing the incident as a targeted antisemitic attack that has left the nation in deep shock.
Ukraine signals shift on NATO bid amid peace talks
In a significant diplomatic development, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has indicated that Ukraine may be prepared to abandon its long-standing ambition to join NATO in exchange for binding Western security guarantees. Following five hours of talks in Berlin with U.S. envoys who reported "significant progress," Kyiv appears to be considering this major concession to resolve the conflict, though Russia continues to demand strict neutrality and territorial withdrawals.
Tragic school bus crash kills 16 people in Colombia
A road accident in northern Colombia has claimed the lives of at least 16 people, including students, after a school bus plunged 80 metres off a cliff in the rural Antioquia region. Authorities suspect the driver may have suffered a momentary lapse in consciousness known as "microsleep" whilst returning from a field trip, leaving 20 others injured and prompting a full investigation into the cause of the disaster.
Moscow denies abductions, awaits list of Ukrainian children
Russia’s Human Rights Commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova has rejected allegations of mass child abductions, claiming that Kyiv has failed to provide a definitive list of the thousands of minors it alleges were illegally deported. While Moscow insists it has only evacuated children from combat zones for safety and facilitates their return upon parental request, the dispute remains a contentious diplomatic issue, with Russia questioning the accuracy of data previously submitted by Ukrainian officials.
Hong Kong tycoon Jimmy Lai convicted in national security trial
A Hong Kong High Court has found 78-year-old media tycoon and pro-democracy campaigner Jimmy Lai guilty of conspiring to collude with foreign forces under the city’s controversial national security law, a verdict that could see him imprisoned for life. The ruling against the Apple Daily founder has drawn sharp condemnation from the UK and U.S. governments as politically motivated persecution.
UNESCO marks inaugural World Turkic Language Family Day
UNESCO is observing the first-ever World Turkic Language Family Day today, highlighting the shared linguistic and cultural heritage of more than 200 million speakers across Eurasia. Established following a joint initiative by nations including Azerbaijan and Türkiye, the date of 15 December was chosen to commemorate the 1893 decipherment of the ancient Orkhon Inscriptions by Danish linguist Vilhelm Thomsen. This new annual observance aims to foster dialogue and safeguard the rich oral and written traditions of the Turkic world, reinforcing the UN’s commitment to global multilingualism.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan held talks in Tehran on Monday on bilateral ties and efforts t...
Iran’s Foreign Ministry says it has conveyed its initial position to the United States through Qatar over Washington’s response to Tehr...
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Iran's Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad has resigned, with Hamid Bovard, chief executive of the state-owned National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), appointed as acting oil minister, according to Iranian state media.
Right-wing Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro will face leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in a runoff of the presidential election later this month, after he exceeded expectations in Sunday's first-round vote with a slight lead over the incumbent.
Candidates elected to Bosnia and Herzegovina's three-member presidency declared victory after preliminary unofficial results showed Denis Becirovic leading the Bosniak seat, Darijana Filipovic ahead in the Croat seat and Zeljka Cvijanovic likely retaining the Serb seat.
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the United States meets seven conditions agreed under a June memorandum, as President Donald Trump signals he may soon decide whether to resume military operations against Tehran.
Uzbekistan’s grape exports have grown rapidly. In January-August 2025, the country exported 86,200 tonnes of fresh grapes worth $78.3 million to 19 countries but can it turn these crops into a recognisable international product?
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The United States has withdrawn all 12 of its B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford in Britain, just a week after several people were arrested over an alleged plot targeting the air base.
Australian counterterrorism authorities are examining the links of the co-pilot accused of attacking the captain and attempting to take control of a flydubai flight bound for Israel. Authorities in New Zealand have also said they are investigating reports the suspect had spent time in that country.
Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Monday called a snap election for 29 November in a bid to strengthen his mandate after a fragmented parliament rejected the government's key housing decrees last week amid widespread protests.
King Charles’ younger brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, has launched legal action against Thames Valley Police over his arrest in connection with an investigation into documents allegedly passed to late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the Telegraph reported on Sunday.
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