A 32-year-old man in Auckland, New Zealand, has been charged with theft after allegedly stealing a jewel-encrusted Fabergé egg locket by picking it up and swallowing it. Police arrested him inside the store minutes after the incident on Friday afternoon; he remains in custody ahead of a court appearance on December 8. The stolen item, a Fabergé James Bond Octopussy Egg locket, is valued at … Continue reading Man charged with theft after allegedly swallowing Fabergé egg

Israel carried out an airstrike on a Hamas militant in southern Gaza Wednesday in response to an earlier attack that wounded five Israeli soldiers, testing a fragile ceasefire in place since October. The strike came as Israel received the remains of what may be one of the last hostages held in Gaza and prepared to allow Palestinians to exit the territory via the Rafah crossing … Continue reading Israel launches airstrike in southern Gaza after earlier attack by militants wounded 5 soldiers

Israeli and Lebanese diplomats met Wednesday in Naqoura under U.S. auspices to discuss economic cooperation aimed at stabilizing southern Lebanon near their shared border—the first direct, public engagement between the countries since 1993. The meeting comes amid rising tensions, including recent Israeli strikes against Hezbollah targets following the assassination of the group’s top military commander, Haytham Ali Tabatabai. U.S. officials hope the talks will help … Continue reading U.S. brokers first direct Israel-Lebanon talks in decades

Spain is preparing to reinstate mask mandates in hospitals and healthcare facilities due to rising flu cases ahead of winter. The Ministry of Health is coordinating with regional governments to create a unified protocol aimed at protecting vulnerable populations and easing pressure on hospitals. Masks will become mandatory for patients, visitors, and staff in high-risk medical settings, particularly where immunocompromised individuals are treated. Although everyday … Continue reading Spain bringing back mask mandates as flu spreads

Colombia responded sharply after President Donald Trump suggested possible U.S. military action against the country as part of his fight against drug trafficking. Colombian President Gustavo Petro warned Trump not to threaten the nation’s sovereignty, saying such comments risk damaging long-standing diplomatic ties. Trump claimed Colombia and Venezuela were producing cocaine for shipment to the U.S. and said they could be targets of military strikes. … Continue reading Colombia warns on ‘brink of war’ with USA

Belgian authorities have arrested three people, including former EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, in a probe into suspected fraud involving EU-funded training for junior diplomats. Police also raided the Brussels headquarters of the EU foreign service and several College of Europe buildings in Bruges, as well as the homes of the suspects. The investigation, led by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, focuses on possible … Continue reading Former EU top diplomat among three held in fraud investigation

Germany’s Defense Ministry confirmed that around 20,000 rounds of ammunition intended for the armed forces were stolen from a civilian contractor’s trailer last week. The theft occurred between November 24 and 25 while the trailer was parked overnight, and was discovered on November 28. The military is investigating the incident with local police and emphasized the seriousness of ensuring such ammunition does not fall into … Continue reading German military says thousands of rounds of ammunition were stolen from parked vehicle

The Taliban carried out a public execution in Khost, Afghanistan, of a man convicted of killing 13 members of a family, including nine children, earlier this year. Tens of thousands attended the execution at a stadium, making it the 11th public execution since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. The UN Special Rapporteur for Afghanistan condemned the execution as inhumane and a violation of … Continue reading Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers carry out public execution in sports stadium in eastern city

Bulgaria’s government has withdrawn its controversial 2026 budget proposal after nationwide protests against planned tax hikes and higher social security contributions. The backlash comes amid years of political instability and deep public divisions over eurozone adoption and corruption. Tens of thousands of mostly young protesters in Sofia accused the government of perpetuating corrupt institutions and demanded either a revised budget or the cabinet’s resignation. Some … Continue reading Bulgarian government pulls budget amid fierce protests

Malaysia’s transport ministry announced that the search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 will resume on 30 December, more than 10 years after its disappearance. The US-based company Ocean Infinity will conduct a 55-day, intermittent seabed search under a “no-find, no-fee” contract, targeting areas deemed most likely to contain the wreckage. Families of the 239 people onboard welcomed the renewed effort, expressing hope for long-awaited … Continue reading Search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 to resume more than 11 years after plane went missing

Britain plans to remove the automatic right to trial by jury for many lower-level criminal cases as part of emergency measures to address a severe court backlog and overcrowded prisons, Justice Minister David Lammy announced. Defendants facing charges likely to result in sentences under three years would no longer be able to choose a jury trial, though jury trials would remain for serious crimes such … Continue reading Britain plans to curb jury trials to tackle court crisis

A Russian-flagged tanker carrying sunflower oil, the MIDVOLGA-2, was attacked in the Black Sea about 130 km off Turkey’s coast, though its crew was unharmed and it did not request assistance. The incident follows Ukrainian naval-drone attacks on two Russian “shadow fleet” tankers, Kairos and Virat, inside Turkey’s exclusive economic zone days earlier. Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan condemned the earlier attacks as a “worrying … Continue reading A third Russian tanker attacked in the Black Sea, Turkish authority says

Floods and landslides on Indonesia’s Sumatra island have killed 708 people, with 504 still missing, following unusually heavy monsoon rains and a rare tropical storm. The disaster has affected 3.2 million people in Indonesia, injured 2,600, and forced the evacuation of around one million residents, while aid delivery has been hampered by blocked roads and damaged infrastructure. Aceh and North Sumatra face severe food shortages, … Continue reading Death toll from Indonesia floods and landslides passes 700 

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is urging people to take precautions, including wearing face masks, as winter viruses, particularly flu, spread across the country. This year’s flu season began unusually early due to a mutated strain, raising concern among health experts. UKHSA advises regular handwashing, ventilating indoor spaces, covering coughs and sneezes, and staying home if unwell. Flu rates have risen slightly, with the … Continue reading Brits told to ‘wear mask’ as flu spreads across country

A study finds that British Christians who leave their faith are increasingly turning to paganism, wicca, or other spiritual practices, surpassing conversions to Buddhism, Islam, or Judaism. Over one in ten former Christians identify as spiritual, with nearly half of these adopting pagan beliefs. While Christianity still gains new adherents, the number leaving the faith exceeds those joining, contributing to an overall decline in Christian … Continue reading Paganism is top choice for Christians who convert to new faith

Pope Leo XIV concluded his visit to Turkey before arriving in Lebanon to offer hope to its struggling population and support the country’s Christian community. In Turkey, he visited the Armenian Apostolic Cathedral and Istanbul’s Blue Mosque, promoting messages of peace and interfaith respect. In Lebanon, he faced a nation reeling from financial collapse, the 2020 Beirut port explosion, and ongoing tensions with Israel and … Continue reading Pope Leo brings message of peace to Lebanon after leaving Turkey

Germany’s far-right AfD launched its new youth organization, Generation Germany, on Saturday in Giessen amid protests by over 25,000 demonstrators, some of whom clashed with police. The party dissolved its previous youth group, the Young Alternative, earlier this year after it was classified as a right-wing extremist organization. Up to 5,000 police were deployed to manage the protests, using water cannons and pepper spray to … Continue reading German far-right party sets up new youth wing as thousands protest

A long-lost painting by Baroque master Peter Paul Rubens, hidden for over four centuries, sold for 2.3 million euros ($2.7 million) at a Versailles auction. The artwork, depicting the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, was discovered in a private Paris townhouse and had previously been undervalued at around 10,000 euros. Experts authenticated it through the Rubenianum in Antwerp and scientific analysis of the paint layers, confirming … Continue reading Long-lost Rubens painting depicting crucifixion sells for $2.7M

Nearly a dozen U.S. warships, including the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, have been deployed to the Caribbean as tensions rise between President Trump and Venezuela. The deployment includes a Marine Expeditionary Unit capable of amphibious land operations as part of Operation Southern Spear, aimed at stopping narcotics flowing from Venezuela to the U.S. Navy Secretary John Phelan said the mission is critical to … Continue reading 11 US warships and 15,000 troops now in Caribbean as Venezuela tensions escalate

Turkey and Kazakhstan condemned recent Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian oil assets in the Black Sea, warning that further strikes threaten regional energy supplies. The Turkish government criticized attacks on two Russian “shadow fleet” tankers within its exclusive economic zone, while Kazakhstan urged Ukraine to stop targeting the Caspian Pipeline Consortium’s terminal, which handles 80% of Kazakhstan’s oil exports. Ukraine said the strikes were retaliatory … Continue reading Nations Call for Ukraine to End Attacks on Black Sea Oil Assets

Austrian beauty influencer Stefanie Pieper, 31, was found dead in a suitcase in a Slovene forest after going missing following a Christmas party. Her ex-boyfriend allegedly confessed to strangling her, hiding her body, and later leading police to the site where he buried the suitcase. Neighbors reported hearing an argument and seeing the ex-boyfriend in her building the night she disappeared, Fox News has reported. … Continue reading Beauty influencer found dead in suitcase in forest after ex-boyfriend allegedly confesses

Thousands of Filipinos — including Roman Catholic clergy — protested Sunday, demanding swift prosecution of top officials implicated in a massive corruption scandal involving flawed or fake flood-control projects. Left-wing groups held a separate rally calling for implicated officials to resign immediately. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. deployed more than 17,000 police as he struggled to contain public outrage and secure key government areas. The military … Continue reading Thousands in Philippines protest corruption, demand return of stolen funds

Over 400 people have died and hundreds more injured after Cyclone Senyar caused severe flooding and landslides in Indonesia, particularly on the island of Sumatra, where thousands remain cut off from aid. The rare tropical storm swept away homes and submerged thousands of buildings. Torrential rains and storms have also affected Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka, leaving millions impacted and contributing to more … Continue reading Desperate hunt for food and water as Indonesia floods death toll rises to 442

The death toll from a Hong Kong apartment complex fire rose to 146 as investigators recovered more bodies from the Wang Fuk Court buildings. Teams have found victims in apartment units and on rooftops, while four of the seven blocks have been examined so far; another 100 residents remain unaccounted for and 79 were injured. Rescue efforts have been slow due to darkness and limited … Continue reading Death toll rises to 146 in Hong Kong apartment fire

Peru’s President José Jerí announced a state of emergency along the southern border and deployed additional armed forces as Venezuelan migrants began leaving Chile amid rising anti-immigrant sentiment. Many migrants had previously traveled to Chile seeking stability, but fears of mass deportation under ultraconservative presidential candidate José Antonio Kast have prompted some to head north. Kast, leading in Chile’s Dec. 14 runoff, warned immigrants without … Continue reading Peru to declare a state of emergency as migrants leaving Chile trigger backlash