World news

World news

A shell company with Israeli ties exploited Palestinians desperate to flee the ongoing war in Gaza, charging them large sums of money to covertly exit the country in what may be an official plan to ethnically cleanse the territory. In an exclusive digital investigation, Al Jazeera probed last month's mystery flight that spirited 153 passengers from Gaza to South Africa, unearthing figures working for Al-Majd Europe, an unregistered front organisation that falsely claimed to be working for humanitarian aims.

'These individuals have directly engaged in efforts by the ICC to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute Israeli nationals, without Israel's consent, including voting with the majority in favor of the ICC's ruling against Israel's appeal on December 15,' Rubio added, referencing Monday's rejection of an Israeli bid to block a probe into alleged war crimes committed during the genocidal two-year war on Gaza.

This week saw two shootings in the US that made national and international headlines. The suspected gunman and one of the victims were from Portugal. Also, Australia's government has vowed to tighten firearms laws, toughen hate-speech measures and curtail immigration in the wake of Sunday's massacre at a Jewish Hanukkah festival. And, the European Union has agreed to provide Ukraine with a $105 billion interest-free loan to cover vital economic and military needs. Plus, a look at the origins of latkes.

Authorities in Taiwan have said that at least nine people have been injured in a smoke grenade and knife attack in the capital, Taipei. The perpetrator is thought to have killed himself to escape arrest.

The United States has announced an $11.1 billion (9.45 billion) weapons package that, if completed, would be Washington's largest-ever arms sale to Taiwan. The defense package is a welcome boost for Taipei, which is facing increasing military pressure from China. The announcement has irked Beijing, which opposes any arms sales to Taiwan and claims the democratically self-governed island as its own territory.

One of the alleged Bondi beach shooters visited a firearms shop during his visit to the Philippines, local police have revealed as they investigate what the pair did in the weeks before the mass shooting. Sajid Akram and his son Naveed stayed in a hotel in Davao City for four weeks before returning to Australia on 28 November, only two weeks before they allegedly killed 15 people and wounded dozens of others at a Hanukah celebration in Sydney on Sunday.

Members of Melbourne's Jewish community gathered on Thursday to mourn Reuven Morrison. The 62-year-old met his wife, Leah, at Bondi after immigrating from the Soviet Union in the 1970s. He died there on Sunday night, having thrown a brick at one of the gunmen, trying to slow the deadly attack on joyful Hanukah celebrations. His unjust death betrays the reason Morrison chose to move across the world.

The comments were made on Friday during the Results of the Year event, where Putin fielded questions from millions of Russians on topics ranging from domestic policy to the war. list of 3 itemsend of list Putin's remarks are the latest in a drumbeat of often-repeated maximalist Russian positions nearly four years after he ordered troops into the neighbouring country, as United States President Donald Trump intensifies diplomatic efforts to broker a peace deal between Moscow and Kyiv.

The British Foreign Office has issued a warning there is a "high threat of a terrorist attack" globally and in Dubai and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) which could affect UK interests. Brits are being warned against possible terrorist attacks this Christmas as they are "likely to try and carry out attacks in the UAE." The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) warned in their latest travel guidance, that there is a high threat of a possible attack targeting Jewish and Israeli linked areas.

Sanju Samson, covering for an injured Shubman Gill, used his first T20 since October to open with Abhishek Sharma and smash 63 runs inside six overs and 97 after nine. Samson's and Abhishek's 11-runs-per-over launch was extended by Varma and Pandya, who combined for 105 in 7.2 overs until they both fell in the last over. Varma hit a 30-ball fifty with his seventh boundary, and Pandya got to fifty in 16 balls thanks to his fifth six, over deep midwicket.

The contraction of the global art market stretched well into 2025, with the challenging macro environment cited as a key reason behind the closures of several prominent businesses. Middle market powerhouses Blum (with locations in Los Angeles, New York, Tokyo) and Clearing (New York, Los Angeles) both shut shop, while stalwart New York dealerships Sperone Westwater, Tilton and Kasmin also announced their closures.

Ageing ships flying false flags are used to avoid Western sanctions on Russian, Iranian and Venezuelan oil. Singapore has reported a growing number of rogue or shadow fleet tankers operating off its shores in and around one of the world's busiest maritime corridors. According to Lloyd's List Intelligence data cited by international maritime authorities, at least 27 such ships transited the Singapore Strait in early December, with another 130 clustered nearby around Indonesia's Riau Archipelago.

Ukraine says it has attacked a Russian shadow fleet tanker with aerial drones 1,250 miles (2,000km) from its borders, in the first such strike in the Mediterranean Sea since Moscow's full-scale invasion nearly four years ago. Friday's strike off the coast of Libya, which reportedly caused critical damage, took place on the day of Vladimir Putin's annual end of year press conference in which he said Russia would respond to recent Ukrainian attacks on shadow fleet tankers.

His life is in grave danger, the execution of his death sentence could occur at any moment, said Shahin Gobadi, of the foreign affairs committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, a coalition of opposition movements. One has to keep in mind that in the past six years, the regime has used extensive torture and has tried hard to force him to renounce the MEK.

Turner, a career Foreign Office official with nearly three decades of experience across Whitehall and overseas postings, will take up one of Britain's most senior diplomatic roles at a pivotal moment in the transatlantic relationship. His appointment follows the departure of Mandelson, who was removed by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer after evidence emerged of his continued association with the late Jeffrey Epstein.

Three young men who lured victims they found on Grindr and then assaulted them for "Catch a Predator"-style videos they posted to social media received light sentences from judges in New Zealand, despite finding that they were all guilty of committing hate crimes. Thomas Bull, Patrick Moloney and Ethan Jeffs, who were 18 or 19 years old at the time of the assaults, were sentenced to between just 8.5 and 10.5 months home detention for the assault spree.

Tensions between Israel and Iran have heavily influenced Middle Eastern politics for decades. Both nations have invested greatly in military strength, advanced technology, and regional influence. As their rivalry continues to play out through conflicts, cyber operations, and strategic acts, questions often arise about which country holds the upper hand. Israel is known for its cutting-edge defense systems, well trained forces, and close ties with Western powers,

The Victorian premier on Friday revealed her husband, Yorick Piper, was intercepted for a random breath test in Bendigo on his way to buy some groceries just before 9am on Thursday morning. He had been involved in a minor collision at an intersection shortly before the test. There had been that minor back-end collision a fender bender when the cars came to a stop at the intersection.