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Live: Putin ready to talk to France's Macron on Ukraine, says spokesman

Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to talk with France's Emmanuel Macron over the war in Ukraine, said Kremin spokesman Dmitry Peskov in an interview published Sunday. Putin has "expressed readiness to engage in dialogue with Macron", said Peskov.

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At least 16 Epstein files have disappeared from the DOJ webpage

At least 16 Jeffrey Epstein–related files abruptly disappeared from the Justice Department’s public website within a day of their release. The unexplained missing files, including an image with a photo of President Donald Trump, fuelled speculation onlin

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Yesterday

US forces intercept second merchant vessel off Venezuela amid blockade of sanctioned vessels

US forces on Saturday stopped an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela for the second time in less than two weeks, following President Donald Trump’s announcement of a blockade on sanctioned vessels. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the opera

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Australia stops in silence for Bondi Beach shooting victims

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MAGA civil war steals the spotlight at 'AmericaFest' conference

AmericaFest, the first major Turning Point USA conference since the murder of its founder Charlie Kirk, took place in Phoenix on Thursday – but instead of showing unity, it exposed sharp rifts within the MAGA movement over anti-Semitism, leadership, and

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Lifeguards pay tribute to Bondi Beach victims

On an overcast morning, hundreds of Bondi lifeguards lined up on the beach, looked out at the sea and remembered the lives lost in the massacre at the Hanukkah celebration almost one week ago. Charlotte Lam reports.

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Breaking barriers: Teen racer Skye Parker takes on Formula 4

Why should Formula 1 be a male preserve? While no regulations bar women from competing, they remain notably absent from the grid. This question is at the heart of the stories of Skye Parker, a young Welsh woman, alongside Eliza Herbert and Elise Gallé-Te

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Key takeaways from the Justice Department release of thousands of Epstein files

The US Justice Department on Friday released a tranche of files related to convicted sex-offender Jeffrey Epstein in accordance with a congressional mandate. The partial disclosure has already drawn criticism from lawmakers and victims’ advocates, who ci

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Three-Michelin-star expert gives Christmas dinner tips

With less than a week to go until Christmas, hosts everywhere are finalising plans for their festive meal, whether it’s dinner or lunch depending on where they celebrate. Amid the abundance of advice, we’re turning to the best, as food guide and restaura

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Eight killed in Russian strike on Odessa

Russian missile strikes on port infrastructure in Odesa, southern Ukraine, killed eight people and left 27 wounded, Ukraine’s Emergency Service said Saturday morning. The strikes came as Russian envoys are set to travel to Miami to hold talks with US neg

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US pounds targets across Syria: five ISIS members killed

The US military launched large-scale strikes against dozens of Islamic State targets in Syria on Friday in retaliation for an attack on American personnel, US officials said. A US-led coalition has been carrying out airstrikes and ground operations in

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Pakistan sentences ex-PM Imran Khan and wife to another 17 years in prison for corruption

A Pakistani court on Saturday sentenced former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi to 17 years in prison after it found them guilty of corruption over the selling of expensive gifts they were given while in office. Khan has been in prison

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Knife attacker kills three after smoke bombing Taiwan metro

At least three people have been killed and nine others injured as a knife-wielding attacker ‍went ‍on a rampage in the Taiwanese capital Taipei. Nicholas Rushworth has this story.

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City of Rome imposes 2-euro fee on visiting Trevi Fountain

Starting Feb. 1, the city of Rome is imposing a 2-euro fee for tourists to get close to the fountain made famous by Federico Fellini’s “La Dolce Vita” during prime-time daylight hours. Nicholas Rushworth has more.

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Seven Colombian soldiers killed in guerrilla attack

Colombia's ELN guerrilla group attacked a military base near Venezuela with drones and explosives, killing seven soldiers and wounding 30, the army said Friday. Simon Moritz has more.

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Bondi Beach shooting: Jewish community "completely unbreakable", PM says

Australian surf lifesavers lined Bondi Beach to observe three minutes of silence in memory of the 15 people who lost their lives. Volunteers across the country joined them in a show of solidarity with the Jewish community. Senior researcher and adjunct p

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Trump administration releases hundreds of thousands of Epstein files

The US Justice Department began releasing several hundred thousand documents Friday from the investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, with more files to be published over the coming weeks. The publication marks the clearest opportunity

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US, Russian officials to meet in Florida for latest round of Ukraine talks

Russian officials arrived in Florida on Saturday to meet with US negotiators for the latest round of talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. The meeting comes as talks between US, Ukrainian and European negotiators on Friday ended with all sides saying

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Coupe de France: Avranches Pull Off Giant-Killing, Lens Deliver, PSG Step In

The Coupe de France Round of 64 got underway on Friday, marking the entry of Ligue 1 clubs into the competition. Fourth-tier Avranches produced a stunning upset by knocking out top-flight Brest, while Ligue 1 leaders Lens held firm against Feignies-Aulno

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Ukraine strikes Russian shadow fleet tanker in Mediterranean sea

Ukraine on Friday said its drones had hit a vessel from Russia's shadow fleet – the first such strike in the neutral waters of the Mediterranean sea. Russia's shadow fleet transports sanctioned Russia oil by frequently changing flags and concealing owner

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Gaza famine over but situation 'remains critical', UN says

Improved aid access means there is no longer famine in Gaza, but the war-ravaged territory still faces emergency conditions, a UN-backed global hunger monitor said on Friday. Israel denied that there is a food shortage in Gaza, where around 1.6 million p

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'No major revelations' in heavily redacted release of Epstein files

Democrats on Friday voiced frustration that the long-awaited release of the Epstein files included many heavily redacted pages, claming that the amount of information concealed contravened what was mandated by the Epstein Files Transparency Act and would

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Only US can persuade Russia to end Ukraine war, Zelensky says

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Saturday said that only the US can persuade Russia to end the war in Ukraine. The comments come as Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev arrived in Miami for talks with US counterparts Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Earli

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EX Pakistan PM Imran Khan and wife sentenced to 17 years

A Pakistani court on Saturday sentenced former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi to 17 years in prison each in a corruption case involving the under-priced purchase of luxury state gifts, the court and Khan's lawyers said. The latest co

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Inside the Epstein files: Famous faces, blacked-out pages

Democrats on Friday voiced frustration that the long-awaited release of the Epstein files included many heavily redacted pages, claming it fell far short of what was mandated by the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The latest release includes photos of no

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Friday, december 19, 2025

At least five killed in US retaliatory strikes on Islamic State group targets in Syria

The US military has carried out a wave of air strikes against dozens of Islamic State group targets across central Syria, US officials said, in retaliation for a deadly attack on American personnel. The strikes, which killed at least five, were carried o

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Customers fill in to Beijing's new consumer robot shopping centre

Are you stuck at the last minute for a Christmas gift? Wondering how to “wow” your child when they open their presents? Well, Beijing might have a solution for you: The world’s first consumer robot shopping centre. New this year, it has everything. From

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Trump administration releases hundreds of thousands of Epstein files after months of wrangling

The US Justice Department began releasing several hundred thousand documents Friday from the investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, with more files to be published over the coming weeks. The publication marks the clearest opportunity

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Trump refuses to rule out war with Venezuela as US sanctions Maduro family members

US President Donald Trump refused to rule out going to war with Venezuela in an NBC interview published on Friday, days after he ordered a naval blockade of sanctioned oil tankers coming to and leaving Venezuela. The Trump administration also imposed san

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Sudan: RSF kills over 1,000 civilians in Zamzam refugee camp in April, UN reports

On Thursday, the United Nations Human Rights Office released a report detailing a horrific attack on Sudan's largest refugee camp earlier this year. The document noted that over 1,000 civilians were killed by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in Apri

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Trump administration begins releasing long-awaited Epstein files

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French government warns farmers against Christmas blockades over cattle cull

The French government held talks with farmers' unions on Friday and warned against staging further blockades during the Christmas holiday season after days of angry protests over a mass cull of cows ordered in response to an outbreak of lumpy skin diseas

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'We cannot accept an enormous gap in standards between EU and Mercosur': COPA-COGECA's Tsiforou

Farmers in the EU have protested on many occasions over unfair foreign competition and the viability of their businesses. They gathered again in Brussels on December 18, while an EU summit was going on, this time focusing their ire on the Mercosur free t

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arts24 talks to AI host of reality TV show 'Non Player Combat'

Like it or not, AI is here to stay. Time magazine named the "architects of AI" as 2025's person of the year. In this edition, we focus on artificial intelligence and entertainment. A UK AI-focused studio recently released "Non Player Combat", which it ca

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Classical music takes centre stage in Paris des Arts

This week, we dive into the world of classical music. We meet one of the most inspiring voices of her generation, mezzo-soprano Léa Desandre. She welcomes us into one of the French capital's temples of classical music, the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées.

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Customers fill in to Beijing's new consumer robot shopping centre

Are you stuck at the last minute for a Christmas gift? Wondering how to “wow” your child when they open their presents? Well, Beijing might have a solution for you: The world’s first consumer robot shopping centre. New this year, it has everything. From

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Russia: Annual conference of Vladimir Putin

During his annual year-end news conference, which lasted four and a half hours on Friday, President Vladimir Putin highlighted that Russian forces were making progress on the battlefield in Ukraine and expressed confidence that the Kremlin would accompli

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Zelensky and Putin issue warnings to each other and Europe

On December 19, Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelinsky both gave addresses. In the morning, the Russian president spoke during his annual press conference, broadcast on television. He once again blamed the Ukrainian authorities for the war that has been

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Sacrificing agriculture for trade? Mercosur deal divides European Union

It's a deal that's been decades in the works, but might not make it across the finishing line. The free trade agreement between the European Union and the South American Mercosur trading bloc is driving a wedge between those who are eager to diversify an

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US arms package to Taiwan seen as a 'move to use Taiwan to contain China'

The United States have announced a $11 billion arms package for Taiwan, the largest ever by the country to the island. China has threatened 'forceful measures' over the sale to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity. It is seen as a move to

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Trump administration releases hundreds of thousands of Epstein files after months of wrangling

The US Justice Department began releasing several hundred thousand documents Friday from the investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, with more files to be published over the coming weeks. The publication marks the clearest opportunity

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Bondi Beach gunmen's Philippines trip becomes focus of investigation

Police in Australia are investigating a trip made by the suspects of the Bondi Beach anti-Semitic terrorist attack to the southern Philippines island of Mindanao, just weeks before they shot and killed 15 people and wounded dozens more. The region has lo

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Paris court rejects bid to suspend fashion giant Shein after sex doll scandal

French fashion giant Shein was issued with an "injunction" on Friday as a Paris court ordered the e-commerce giant not to resume selling "sexual products that could constitute pornographic content, without implementing age-verification measures". But the

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Ghana's Highlife finds its rhythm on UNESCO world stage

Ghana's famed Highlife music was inscribed in December on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list, a major international recognition of one of West Africa's most influential musical traditions. The international organisation described it as a "monumen

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Epstein files to be made public by US authorities after months of delays

The United States is poised on December 19 to pry open one of its most closely guarded case files, as President Donald Trump's administration prepares to release a long-suppressed cache of records tied to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. It is ant

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In DR Congo, pregnant women face rising costs in maternity care

In eastern DRC, an increasing amount of pregnant women are struggling as they face rising cost of maternal care after a free childbirth programme was cancelled by Rwanda-backed rebel group M23. It has left many expecting mothers terrified of giving birth

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Epstein files: 68 new photographs released

The new photo drop comes just a day before the public is expected to get the Justice Department's full archive of Epstein documents, which could reignite questions about President Trump's former connections to the financier.

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China threatens 'forceful measures' over $11.1 billion US arms sales package to Taiwan

Beijing again lashed out at a planned US arms sales package to Taiwan on Friday, with the Chinese defence ministry threatening to take "forceful measures" over the $11 billion weapons package approved by US State Department and awaiting congressional app

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Small packages, big problems: EU cracks down on cheap Chinese parcels swamping its market

A major step away from naivety – that's how EU officials describe moves to crack down on cheap Chinese parcels flooding the European market. The EU is edging closer to abolishing the customs exemption on packages valued at under €150. For now, the EU has

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Ukraine can now invest in ramping up its drone production thanks to EU loan, says Zelensky

The news that the EU will be loaning Ukraine €90 billion for the next two years is good news for the country, who is spends most of its tax revenue on defence to fight off the Russian invasion. Volodymyr Zelensky said the money will help the country inve

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Mercosur deal delay could play to idea that "European leadership is not doing what it needs to do"

French producers have welcomed the delay in the Mercosur deal signing. But globally, the message could be riskier for Europe, says Chris Hegadorn, adjunct professor of global food politics at Sciences Po University in Paris.

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Who are the favourites for the African Cup of Nations?

The Africa Cup of Nations begins in Morocco on December 21. Half a century after its only success in the competition, its host is the overwhelming favorite. The four-week tournament has been framed as a high-visibility dress rehearsal for the World Cup i

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More than 1,000 patients have died awaiting evacuation from Gaza since July 2024

The WHO and its partners have evacuated more than 10,600 patients from Gaza with severe health conditions, including more than 5,600 children, since the start of the war, the head of the UN health agency said Friday, adding that 1,092 patients are known

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From trash to fine dining: The French startup recycling oysters into porcelain

Oysters are a Christmas staple in France, but thousands of empty shells are bound for trash bins once the festivities are over. One French company is rescuing waste shells and using them to make porcelain and paving stones. Our Down to Earth team reports

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Lafarge risks €1.1 million fine for financing terrorism in Syria

French cement-giant Lafarge is on trial, accused of having paid millions of euros to terrorist organisations operating in Syria between 2012 and 2014, including the Islamic State group. The goal was to keep the group's activities running, allowing trucks

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Switzerland goes bunkers as citizens revamp fallout shelters

Despite being a neutral country, Switzerland counts hundreds of thousands of fallout shelters – enough to accommodate its entire population in the event of armed conflict. This culture of civil protection is a legacy of the Cold War. Now the war in Ukrai

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UN declares famine over in Gaza, says 'situation remains critical'

A famine declared in Gaza in August is now over thanks to improved access for humanitarian aid, the United Nations said on Friday, but warned the food situation in the Palestinian territory remained dire.

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Russia's Putin says it is up to Ukraine and its allies to end hostilities

At his annual press conference on Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the ball was in Kyiv and its allies' court to end the war in Ukraine. The Kremlin chief also said he was certain that Moscow would take more cities and towns in eastern

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Rwandan stadiums, the new refuge of Sudanese football in exile

Forced into exile by the war tearing its country apart since April 2023, Sudanese football has found an unexpected new home… in Kigali. The country’s two biggest clubs, Al-Hilal and Al-Merrikh, have been invited to join the Rwandan Premier League for the

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Burundi launches humanitarian plan to deal with influx of refugees from DRC

Tens of thousands of Congolese have fled to neighbouring Burundi following an offensive by the M23 rebel group in early December. To deal with the influx of refugees, the Burundian government announced an emergency response plan, and the United Nations a

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