Renewed Russian attacks across Ukraine, including deadly missile strikes and naval drone assaults on oil tankers in the Black Sea, intensify the conflict, while President Zelenskyy faces internal political upheaval following his top aide's resignation, and European leaders acknowledge their sole stance against Russian expansionism.

• Ukrainian naval drones strike two Russian oil tankers in Black Sea — The Guardian -
• Six dead and dozens wounded in Russian attack on Ukraine — The Guardian -
• Ukraine hits tankers in Black Sea in escalation against Russia — BBC World -

• In Firing His No. 2, Zelensky Loses Both a Negotiator and an Enforcer — New York Times World -
• Top Trump Aides to Meet With Ukrainians in Florida on Sunday — New York Times World -
• Russia Bombards Ukraine for Nearly 10 Hours in a Deadly Assault — New York Times World -
• South Africans Were Promised Job, but Ended Up ‘Going to War’ for Russia — New York Times World -
• Zelenskyy faces ‘mini-revolution’ as Yermak’s fall reshapes Ukraine’s wartime power system — The Guardian -
• Russian strikes cause power outages for more than 600,000 in Ukraine — BBC World -
• Fall of Zelensky's top aide - reboot for Kyiv or costly shake-up? — BBC World -
• The Ukrainians Stuck in Russia’s New Gulag — New York Times World -
• The week Europe realised it stands alone against Russian expansionism — The Guardian -

The Gaza death toll surpasses 70,000, with reports of children killed amid persistent violence and allegations of Israeli support for aid convoy looters, while a UN report outlines Israel's 'de facto state policy' of organized torture, and a global campaign calls for the release of Palestinian political leader Marwan Barghouti.

• More than 70,000 killed in Gaza since Israel offensive began, Hamas-run health ministry says — BBC World -
• Gaza death toll surpasses 70,000, says health ministry — The Guardian -
• Gazans Say Israeli Forces Killed Two Children, Amid Persistent Violence — New York Times World -

• Israeli Hostage Recounts Beatings and Starvation During Hamas Captivity — New York Times World -
• Israel has ‘de facto state policy’ of organised torture, says UN report — The Guardian -
• Convincing evidence Israel backed aid convoy looters in Gaza, historian says — The Guardian -
• Syria Tiptoes Toward Transitional Justice One Year After Assad’s Ouster — New York Times World -
• Global ‘Free Marwan’ campaign calls for Palestinian political leader’s release — The Guardian -

Devastating floods and landslides have killed over 600 people across Southeast Asia, particularly in Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka, where Cyclone Ditwah caused widespread destruction, prompting urgent rescue demands and calls for international aid as Southern Ontario also faced severe snow squalls.

• At least 500 killed in south-east Asia floods and landslides — The Guardian -
• As Cyclone Deaths Pass 150, Sri Lanka Is Overwhelmed by Rescue Demand — New York Times World -
• Flooding in southern Asia leaves 600 dead — BBC World -

• Sri Lanka death toll from floods and landslides reaches 153 — The Guardian -
• UK MPs push for extra aid and visas as Jamaica reels from Hurricane Melissa — The Guardian -
• Parts of Southern Ontario Pummeled by Snow Squalls and Heavy Winds — New York Times World -

Three days of mourning began in Hong Kong after a catastrophic high-rise fire claimed at least 128 lives, with officials facing scrutiny for allegedly ignoring long-standing warnings about flammable materials and the tragedy testing Beijing's governance in the city.

• Deadly Hong Kong Fire Is a Test of Beijing’s Rule in the City — New York Times World -
• Mourners Honor Victims of Hong Kong Apartment Fire — New York Times World -
• Three days of mourning begin after Hong Kong's deadliest fire in decades — BBC World -

• A Hong Kong Fire Survivor’s Escape, in His Own Words — New York Times World -
• Officials Had Been Warned for Over a Year Before Hong Kong Fire — New York Times World -
• Hong Kong begins three days of mourning after deadly apartment fires — The Guardian -
• Death Toll Rises to 128 in Hong Kong High-Rise Fire — New York Times World -

President Trump's administration made headlines with a controversial pardon for a former Honduran president convicted of drug trafficking, issued a "colonialist threat" airspace closure warning to Venezuela, launched a White House website to criticize media bias, and halted asylum claim decisions while figures who tried to overturn the 2020 election now hold key federal positions.

• Trump to pardon ex-Honduras president convicted of drug trafficking — BBC World -
• Venezuela calls Trump airspace closure warning 'colonialist threat' — BBC World -
• Venezuela denounces ‘colonialist threat’ as Trump orders airspace closed — The Guardian -

• White House launches website to excoriate media for ‘biased’ stories — The Guardian -
• Pete Hegseth denies he gave orders to ‘kill everybody’ on alleged ‘narco-boat’ — The Guardian -
• Northwestern University agrees to pay US government $75m to restore research funding — The Guardian -
• They tried to overturn the 2020 US election. Now, they hold power in Trump’s Washington — The Guardian -
• Fresh Reporting on Asylum Seekers at the U.S.-Canadian Border — New York Times World -
• Latin American Leaders Face Both Trump and Voters Deported by the U.S. — New York Times World -
• US halts all asylum claim decisions after National Guard shooting — BBC World -
• State Department Boosts Resources to Process Business Visas for South Koreans — New York Times World -
• Trump’s Response to Shooting Shows Intensified Anti-Migrant Stance — New York Times World -
• What we know about shooting of National Guard in Washington DC — BBC World -
• How Trump's pledge to tackle Sudan atrocities could play out — BBC World -

Australia witnessed its Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's historic wedding in office, ongoing Rising Tide protesters blocking coal ships, and a renewed debate over a proposed values test for temporary migrants, alongside concerns about escalating Medicare specialist fees, parliamentary bullying, and the suspicious disappearance of a four-year-old in the outback.

• Australia news live: Rising Tide protesters block second coal ship entering Newcastle port; Katy Gallagher says Lodge ‘appropriate’ for PM’s wedding — The Guardian -
• Four-year-old Gus Lamont disappeared from his homestead into the Australian outback. Two months on, questions remain — The Guardian -
• The Wiggles issue statement after appearing in Ecstasy music video — BBC World -

• New behaviour standards are in place for parliament but crossbenchers say question time still rife with bullying — The Guardian -
• Australian taxpayers subsidise rising specialist fees as spending on Abbott-era Medicare safety net ‘explodes’ — The Guardian -
• ‘We’ve got to listen to dead women’: critical part of Queensland’s DV response stops reviewing all recent deaths — The Guardian -
• Australian prime minister becomes first to wed in office — BBC World -
• Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, marries partner Jodie Haydon — The Guardian -

UK political party 'Your Party' faced chaos at its inaugural conference amid leadership disputes, GB News was urged to cut ties with a contributor accused of racism, and the Equality and Human Rights Commission grappled with guidance on single-sex spaces, while new immigration policies sparked fears among asylum seekers and the controversy surrounding illegal waste sites and the renaming of Prince Andrew-named streets continued.

• Your Party’s first conference shows little sign of achieving fresh start — The Guardian -
• GB News urged to cut ties with contributor accused of racism — The Guardian -
• Your Party conference thrown into chaos as Zarah Sultana boycotts first day — The Guardian -

• Impasse over EHRC single-sex spaces guidance ‘distracting from other issues’ — The Guardian -
• Rage rooms: can smashing stuff up really help to relieve anger and stress? — The Guardian -
• UK asylum seekers to be banned from taking taxis to medical appointments — The Guardian -
• UK immigration plans may betray Hong Kong refugees, says exiled politician — The Guardian -
• Cuts to insulation scheme will leave homes cold over winter, experts say — The Guardian -
• Wrexham AFC receives £18m from government despite Hollywood backing — The Guardian -
• Soon-to-be-axed 7am Manchester-London train will still run – but without passengers — The Guardian -
• At least 8,000 illegal waste sites in UK, research suggests — The Guardian -
• UK immigration status fears prompt carer to cancel benefits she is entitled to — The Guardian -
• ‘The admin’: why it’s not easy to rename streets called after Prince Andrew — The Guardian -

Airbus aircraft globally faced grounding and software updates due to a solar radiation issue affecting data systems, leading to flight cancellations in Australia, while the FDA announced stricter vaccine approval protocols following claims of COVID vaccine links to child deaths, and big tech companies were criticized for creating their own "friendly media bubbles" online.

• Experts say strict new FDA protocol for vaccine approval is ‘dangerous and irresponsible’ — The Guardian -
• How big tech is creating its own friendly media bubble to ‘win the narrative battle online’ — The Guardian -
• Flights returning to normal after Airbus warning grounded planes — BBC World -

• Planes grounded after Airbus discovers solar radiation could impact systems — BBC World -
• Jetstar cancels 90 domestic flights across Australia after global Airbus A320 recall — The Guardian -

Pope Leo XIV embarked on his inaugural trip as Pontiff, visiting Turkey and Lebanon, with particular attention paid to his visit to Istanbul's Blue Mosque, where his actions during prayer were closely observed as he sought to spread a message of peace and outreach.

• Pope Leo Visits Turkey on His First Trip as Pontiff — New York Times World -
• Pope Leo visits Istanbul's Blue Mosque — BBC World -
• Did Pope Leo Pray in Istanbul’s Blue Mosque? Not Visibly, at Least. — New York Times World -

• Pope Leo to Visit Turkey and Lebanon — New York Times World -

Nigeria is grappling with a new wave of kidnappings, with authorities blaming jihadist groups while analysts point to criminal gangs, Malaysia faced scrutiny over hundreds of migrant deaths in custody, and the legacy of Jeffrey Epstein's connections to the rich and powerful resurfaced as a warning about illicit influence.

• Nigeria blames jihadist groups for wave of kidnappings but others accuse criminal gangs — BBC World -
• Where Hundreds of Undocumented Migrants Have Died in Custody — New York Times World -
• Why the rich and powerful couldn't say no to Epstein — BBC World -

The world of theatre mourned the passing of celebrated playwright Tom Stoppard at 88, known for his dazzling wit and erudition, while a quest for a 'true Christmas market' in the UK and Germany added a lighter cultural note.

• Tom Stoppard, playwright of dazzling wit and playful erudition, dies aged 88 — The Guardian -
• We searched for a true Christmas market - and may have found one — BBC World -