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.
Senior Trump administration officials on Sunday reiterated their defence of the fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen by federal immigration agents in Minn...
A senior US immigration official defended the continuation of a Title 8 enforcement mission in Minneapolis on Sunday, saying enforcing the law is a du...
Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodriguez said on Sunday the country should not fear pursuing energy ties with the United States, as Caracas see...
A U.S. document setting out security guarantees for Ukraine is fully prepared and Kyiv is waiting for confirmation of when and where it will be signed...
The UN Human Rights Council has condemned Iran for rights abuses and ordered an expanded investigation into a crackdown on anti-government protests th...
Senior Trump administration officials on Sunday reiterated their defence of the fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, even multiple videos and witness accounts appear to contradict their account and tensions escalate between local police and federal forces.
A senior US immigration official defended the continuation of a Title 8 enforcement mission in Minneapolis on Sunday, saying enforcing the law is a duty, as tensions simmer following a federal agent’s fatal shooting of a man and widespread criticism from local leaders and unions.
Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodriguez said on Sunday the country should not fear pursuing energy ties with the United States, as Caracas seeks to expand oil and gas production and attract foreign investment.
A U.S. document setting out security guarantees for Ukraine is fully prepared and Kyiv is waiting for confirmation of when and where it will be signed, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday (25 January), suggesting that U.S.-brokered talks with Russia in Abu Dhabi yielded some progress.
The UN Human Rights Council has condemned Iran for rights abuses and ordered an expanded investigation into a crackdown on anti-government protests that killed thousands, as Tehran warned any military attack would be treated as an all-out war.
Firefighters were clearing the charred ruins of a Karachi shopping mall in Pakistan on Tuesday (20 January) as they searched for people still missing after a fire that burned for nearly two days and killed at least 67 people, police said.
Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on 23 January there are signs Israel is still seeking an opportunity to attack Iran, warning that such a move could further destabilise the Middle East.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that Canada is opposing the possible construction of his proposed ‘Golden Dome’ missile defence system over Greenland, despite what he claimed would be security benefits for Canada.
Germany is divided over whether to boycott the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States if U.S. President Donald Trump were to follow through on remarks about annexing Greenland, a move widely viewed in Europe as a violation of international law.
A mosaic portrait of Pope Leo XIV was illuminated on Sunday at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome, continuing a centuries-old Vatican tradition marking the election of a new pope.
A senior US immigration official defended the continuation of a Title 8 enforcement mission in Minneapolis on Sunday, saying enforcing the law is a duty, as tensions simmer following a federal agent’s fatal shooting of a man and widespread criticism from local leaders and unions.
Britain’s Labour Party has blocked Manchester mayor Andy Burnham from standing to return to parliament, a move that has fuelled accusations from party figures that Prime Minister Keir Starmer is seeking to sideline a potential leadership rival.
Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodriguez said on Sunday the country should not fear pursuing energy ties with the United States, as Caracas seeks to expand oil and gas production and attract foreign investment.
Israeli fire killed three Palestinians in separate incidents across Gaza on Sunday, medics said, as US envoys met Israel’s prime minister to push efforts aimed at advancing talks under a fragile ceasefire.
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