Hundreds of skaters gather for marathon along Havana's Malecon

Hundreds of skaters, mainly teenagers and young adults, gathered at Havana's Malecon for a marathon, enjoying a rare chance to skate together publicly.

China’s Xi warns officials against chasing ‘reckless’ GDP expansion

He vowed to crack down on the pursuit of “reckless” projects that have no purpose except showing superficial results.

China urges Gulf nations to seal free trade agreement

BEIJING, Dec 15 - China's foreign minister has pressed the Gulf Cooperation Council to conclude long-running talks on a free trade agreement with China, attributing the urgency to rising protectionism and unilateralism as free trade comes \"under attack\", according to a Monday

Rob Reiner’s Best Films: From ‘Spinal Tap,’ ‘Misery,’ and ‘Princess Bride’ to ‘When Harry Met Sally’ and ‘A Few Good Men’

The legendary filmmaker's entertainment industry career spanned seven decades.

Catherine Drysdale becomes first woman to win Antarctic Ice Marathon

Catherine Drysdale became the first woman to win the Antarctic Ice Marathon in its 20-year history, finishing the 2025 race in 3:48:43 amid extreme conditions.

Trump’s Russia reset sagely predicted 50 years ago

When Donald Trump announced during his first presidential campaign that the United States “should get along with Russia,” many dismissed it as naive, provocative or even dangerous. Washington’s foreign-policy establishment reacted with bewilderment. Then as now, Russia was

Africa: EU Expected to Resume Funding Somalia AU Mission in Early 2026

[Shabelle] Brussels -- The European Union is expected to formally announce funding for the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) in early 2026, after a two-year pause in direct financial support, according to documents and diplomatic sources linked

Actor and director Rob Reiner and his wife found dead in LA home in 'apparent homicide'

A spokesperson for the Reiner family confirmed the deaths of Rob Reiner and his wife Michele, after a family member reported finding two bodies in their home. Police say they are investigating an "apparent homicide."

China sanctions Japanese retired general over Taiwan links

The general was appointed earlier in 2025 as an adviser to Taiwan’s cabinet.

Malaysia to coordinate efforts to ease Thailand-Cambodia border tensions, says PM Anwar

Both countries requested a brief postponement of the Asean Foreign Ministers’ meeting, scheduled for Dec 16.

Rob Reiner: His Life and Work in Photos, From ‘All in the Family’ to ‘The Princess Bride’ to ‘The Bear’

Fans are mourning actor and director Rob Reiner, who was found dead Sunday with his wife. Reiner made his mark as an actor on “All in the Family,” probing the generation gap of the late 1960s with his role as liberal hippie Michael “Meathead” Stivic opposite Carroll O’Connor’s

Christmas fireworks falsely blamed on ‘Islamists’ after Bondi Beach shooting

Several threads of misinformatio have emerged online in the aftermath of the shooting on Dec 14.

East Africa: Ethiopia Sustains Economic Initiatives to Drive Regional Integration in Horn of Africa

[ENA] Addis Ababa -- Ethiopia is carrying its continued inspiring endeavors that strengthen economic cooperation and regional integration in the Horn of Africa, according to veteran experts.

Indoor tanning triples melanoma risk and seeds broad DNA mutations

Researchers discovered that tanning beds cause widespread, mutation-laden DNA damage across almost all skin, explaining the sharply increased melanoma risk. Single-cell genomic analysis revealed dangerous mutations even in sun-protected regions. Survivors’ stories underscore

Italian bears living near villages have evolved to be smaller and less aggressive, finds study

A paper in Molecular Biology and Evolution, reports that Italian bears living in areas with many villages evolved and became smaller and less aggressive.

While Trump bashes the E.U., other leaders want to join it

Whatever the White House’s animus, the European Union remains an institution that embodies an ideal to which many nations aspire.

Africa: Parliaments Can Help Create Inclusive Prosperity in Africa

[This Day] Africa stands at a historic inflection point. In the next 25 years, another one billion people will be added to our continent's population, making Africa home to one in four human beings on earth. Yet the structure of most African economies today is almost exactly

Africa: UN Sounds Alarm Over Rising Demands On Water Resources As Scarcity Increases

[UN News] Pressure on freshwater resources is growing as demand increases in regions marked by scarcity, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said in a report published on Friday.

Africa: Climateflation and Water Scarcity - Why Africa Faces the World's Sharpest Food-Security Risks

[African Arguments] In Lagos, a maize seller recently doubled her prices within a single year. In Morocco, pipelines stretch across barren plains, carrying desalinated water to farms that once relied on rainfall. Across much of the continent, the pattern is unmistakable: in the

China’s Jiutian drone carrier targets US Pacific soft underbelly

China’s first flight of the Jiutian drone carrier signals a shift toward massed, long-range swarm warfare that could expose Taiwan, US warships and vulnerable Pacific airbases to saturation attacks built on sheer numbers rather than stealth. The test, conducted this month in

Hamas confirms killing of top commander in Israeli strike on Gaza

The Israeli military killed Raed Saad, commander of Hamas' military manufacturing unit, in a strike outside Gaza City on Saturday. He was the most senior militant killed since a ceasefire agreement came into effect in October.

Researchers find how plants survive without sunlight or sex

The study reveals how Balanophora plants function despite abandoning photosynthesis and, in some species, sexual reproduction. Their plastid genomes shrank dramatically in a shared ancestor, yet the plastids remain vital. Asexual reproduction appears to have evolved repeatedly,

Rob Reiner Mourned by Hollywood’s Stunned A-List: ‘We Lost One of the Few Good Men’

Across Hollywood and beyond, celebrities and fans are paying tribute to director and actor Rob Reiner, who was found dead along with his wife Michele on Sunday in their home. The son of writer Carl Reiner, Rob Reiner first became known for his role as Meathead in the

Two found dead at home of Rob Reiner

Director Rob Reiner and his spouse on Sunday were discovered to be deceased at their home in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Brentwood, according to local outlet KTLA. KTLA reported that Sunday afternoon local time, Los Angeles Fire Department medical personnel got a call and

‘It was a war zone’: Emergency responders recount horror of Bondi Beach shooting

People were screaming and children were looking for their parents, another recalled.

Japan's only two pandas to be sent back to China: Reports

China again puts domestic demand first, but the payoff will be slow

Consumers are holding back because of a soft labour market and falling property prices, analysts say.

Australian intelligence probed Bondi Beach gunman for IS links: Report

Broadcaster ABC said the gunmen are believed to have pledged allegiance to Islamic State.

Rob Reiner, Legendary Director and Actor, and Wife Found Dead in Apparent Homicide

The beloved and outspoken auteur died alongside his wife Michele Singer on Sunday

North Korean leader’s sister sports Chinese foldable phone

The phone resembles the Chinese brand Honor’s “Magic” line, advertised as “the world’s thinnest foldable smartphone”.

Researchers identify viral suspects that could be fueling long COVID

Scientists are uncovering a new possibility behind long COVID’s stubborn symptoms: hidden infections that awaken or emerge alongside SARS-CoV-2. Evidence is mounting that viruses like Epstein-Barr and even latent tuberculosis may flare up when COVID disrupts the immune system,

Rob Reiner, ‘When Harry Met Sally,’ ‘The Princess Bride’ and ‘Stand by Me’ Director and ‘All in the Family’ Actor, Dies at 78 in Apparent Homicide

The two-time Emmy winner and Oscar nominee and his wife, Michele, were found dead in their Brentwood home.

Reaction to Hong Kong tycoon Jimmy Lai's guilty verdict in national security trial

HONG KONG, Dec 15 - Hong Kong tycoon Jimmy Lai was found guilty on Monday of two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and one count of sedition under a China-imposed national security law that could see him jailed for life.

Rob Reiner, Legendary Comedic Actor and ‘Princess Bride’ Director, Found Dead in His Home

Rob Reiner, who segued from starring in “All in the Family” to directing movies including “This Is Spinal Tap,” “A Few Good Men” and “When Harry Met Sally…” was found dead Sunday afternoon in his Brentwood home alongside his wife Michele Singer. He was 78. The deaths are being

Iran's women bikers take the road despite legal, social obstacles

When she first started learning to ride a motorbike, Iranian Maryam Ghelich, now an instructor, would drive through Tehran's empty streets at night to avoid scrutiny over her clothing or lack of a licence. Fifteen years on, Ghelich has trained hundreds of women, helping them

Man arrested after stabbing of 2 people near idol events in south-west Japan

The police found him in possession of two knives.

Who is Benjamin Erickson, reported person of interest in Brown University shooting?

A person of interest has been identified following a shooting Saturday at Brown University that least two dead and nine others wounded, according to officials. The shooting has drawn sympathies from prominent figures, including President Trump, Vice President Vance and Senate

Bondi Beach shooting throws Australia’s three-decade gun control regime into question

One of the Bondi suspects had a gun licence and ​six registered weapons.

Fallout: New Vegas modders are having a field day restoring cut content found in the recently leaked beta

Marilyn Modroe.

It: Welcome to Derry season 2: Cast, plot, timeline, and release date theories

Get the latest on It: Welcome to Derry Season 2—release date, returning cast, plot hints, and all the updates fans are waiting for.

‘It: Welcome to Derry’ Bosses on the Shocking Finale, the Future of Pennywise and That Post-Credits Scene That Ties It All Together

SPOILER ALERT: This story contains spoilers from the Season 1 finale of “It: Welcome to Derry,” now streaming on HBO Max. The first season of “It: Welcome to Derry” concluded in a way that was truly thrilling and chilling, with the show’s full ensemble taking on Pennywise the

'Hero' who disarmed Bondi gunman recovering after surgery, family says

Ahmed al Ahmed was identified on social media as the bystander who hid behind parked cars before charging at the gunman from behind, seizing his rifle and knocking him to the ground.

Hong Kong court finds tycoon Jimmy Lai guilty of sedition, foreign collusion in national security trial

Lai, who has already spent five years in jail pending the outcome of his case, will be sentenced at a later date.

What we know about the shooting victims at Sydney's Bondi Beach Jewish event

MELBOURNE, Dec 15 - Among the 15 victims of a mass shooting at Australia's Bondi Beach targeting an event marking the Jewish festival of Hanukkah on Sunday were a rabbi who was a father of five, a Holocaust survivor, and a 10-year-old-girl, according to interviews, officials

2 pandas to depart Japan in January, leaving none for first time in half-century

Panda loans are seen as a diplomatic symbol of friendship between Japan and China.

Hong Kong court finds tycoon Jimmy Lai guilty of foreign collusion, sedition in national security trial

The 78-year-old faces life in prison.

Hong Kong court convicts pro-democracy newspaper founder Jimmy Lai

The landmark case exemplifies the way Beijing, through Hong Kong’s national security law, has swept away any last remaining press freedoms and judicial independence in the city.

LAPD Investigates Deaths of Rob Reiner and Wife: ‘No One Has Been Detained’

Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found dead at their Brentwood home on Sunday in an apparent homicide, Variety has confirmed. “It is with profound sorrow that we announce the tragic passing of Michele and Rob Reiner,” a family spokesman said in a statement.

South Korea’s ex-president Yoon tried to provoke Pyongyang into armed aggression: Prosecutor

The impeached leader was previously accused of ordering a covert drone operation into the North.

Ex-South Korea President Yoon tried to provoke Pyongyang into armed aggression, prosecutor says

SEOUL, Dec 15 - Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol tried to provoke North Korea into mounting an armed aggression to create justification for the December 2024 martial law declaration and to eliminate political opponents, a special prosecutor said.