Cambodia says Thailand escalated strikes during border talks

Cambodian and Thai officials were in their third day of talks at a border checkpoint on Friday, with defence ministers from both countries scheduled to meet on Saturday.

Drug bust in Malaysia uncovers major scam call centre

More than 6 tonnes of drugs with an estimated street value of S$330 million were seized in the raids in Selangor and KL.

South Korea’s subsidy for exiting prostitution faces backlash after viral complaint

The subsidy is intended to help stabilise the lives of victims of sex trafficking and exploitation.

Former Thai leader Abhisit Vejjajiva among Democrat Party’s prime ministerial picks for Feb 8 polls

The party says it is putting forward “leaders who know how” to help Thailand escape poverty.

How Earth endured a planet-wide inferno: The secret water vault under our feet

When Earth was a molten inferno, water may have been locked safely underground rather than lost to space. Researchers discovered that bridgmanite deep in the mantle can store far more water at high temperatures than previously believed. During Earth’s cooling, this hidden

Myanmar’s civil war pushes infectious disease over its borders

Myanmar’s health care system has been hollowed out.

Latest news bulletin | December 26th, 2025 – Morning

Catch up with the most important stories from around Europe and beyond this December 26th, 2025 - latest news, breaking news, World, Business, Entertainment, Politics, Culture, Travel.

Sustainable aviation fuel take-up in UK unlikely to hit 2025 target, data suggests

Provisional figures in government mandate’s first year show 20% shortfall in levels of SAF supplied for UK flights The take-up of sustainable aviation fuels is on course to fall short of the UK government’s first annual mandate, official figures suggest. Production data

‘Heated Rivalry’ Creator on That Romantic Finale, Why Women Love the Show and How the Sex Might Evolve in Season 2: ‘They Can’t Always Be F—ing. God Knows, That’s Just Exhausting!’

SPOILER ALERT: This post contains spoilers from “The Cottage,” the Season 1 finale of “Heated Rivalry,” now streaming on HBO Max. “Heated Rivalry” finally took its hockey lover boys to the cottage, and everything has changed. In the Season 1 finale of HBO Max’s smash-hit

‘I Was Just in Tears’: Noah Schnapp Tells All on Will’s [SPOILER] in ‘Stranger Things 5’ Episode 7 and Why It’s ‘Perfect’

SPOILER ALERT: This story contains spoilers from Season 5, Volume 2 of “Stranger Things,” now streaming on Netflix. Ever since “Stranger Things” first debuted on Netflix in 2016, it was evident that Noah Schnapp’s Will Byers was different from his friends. His own father

US judge blocks detention of British social media campaigner

Imran Ahmed was among five people accused of seeking to "coerce" US firms into censoring free speech.

Four-second naps and snoozing in flight: Extreme sleep methods help these animals evade danger

From napping half their brain while flying to taking four-second naps to survive parenthood, these animals have evolved clever ways to catch some shuteye.

India’s lab-grown diamond industry shines as demand for cheaper gems surges

Synthetic diamonds can sell for 50 to 90 per cent less than natural ones.

‘Kantara: Chapter 1’ Star Rukmini Vasanth on Rishab Shetty Collaboration, Yash’s ‘Toxic’ and NTR Jr. Team-Up: ‘The Sense of Play and the Sense of Enjoyment’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Rukmini Vasanth is having a moment. Fresh off Rishab Shetty’s blockbuster “Kantara: A Legend – Chapter 1,” the Indian actor has Yash’s “Toxic” and a Prashanth Neel film with NTR Jr. on deck, and her approach is clear: women with agency who make decisive choices. The Royal

Taiwan opposition starts long shot bid to impeach President Lai

It is a bid that will almost certainly fail, given they lack the votes to go forward.

Political upheaval in Malaysia’s Perlis state as Chief Minister resigns, 3 assemblymen sacked

The upheaval in Malaysia’s smallest state could reportedly have wider implications for the opposition Perikatan Nasional pact as well as national politics.

China’s high-speed rail network passes 50,000km mark

China has the world’s largest rail network – one-fifth longer than the circumference of the earth.

A year on, Jeju Air crash report delayed as families question probe's credibility

South Korea's parliament will launch an independent probe into the 2024 crash.

Peso Pluma, Tito Double P Celebrate Their Corrido Dynasty on Unapologetic Album, ‘Dinastía’

“It was important to send a message to the Mexican people that the more united we are, the stronger we are,” Peso tells Rolling Stone

A surprising brain cleanup reduced epileptic seizures and restored memory

A new study suggests temporal lobe epilepsy may be linked to early aging of certain brain cells. When researchers removed these aging cells in mice, seizures dropped, memory improved, and some animals avoided epilepsy altogether. The treatment used drugs already known to

South Korea prosecutors request 10-year term for ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol

Yoon has faced multiple trials for actions linked to his martial law declaration.

A year on, Jeju Air crash report delayed as families question probe’s credibility

The crash on Dec 29, 2024, killed 179 people.

Back from the dead: “Extinct” fish rediscovered in a remote Bolivian pond after 20 years

A tiny fish long feared lost has resurfaced in Bolivia, offering a rare conservation success story amid widespread habitat destruction. Moema claudiae, a seasonal killifish unseen for more than 20 years, was rediscovered in a small temporary pond hidden within a fragment of

‘Stranger Things 5’ Volume 2 Spoiler Interview: Duffer Brothers Explain the Upside Down’s Origins, Will’s [SPOILER], That Breakup and Why Eleven Might Not Get a Happy Ending

SPOILER ALERT: This story contains spoilers from Season 5, Volume 2 of “Stranger Things, now streaming on Netflix. After four-and-a-half seasons of questions prompted by “Stranger Things,” in Volume 2 of the show’s fifth and final season, creators Matt and Ross Duffer offered

Japan to launch disaster agency in November 2026 to coordinate with local governments

The new agency will be under direct Cabinet supervision.

Explainer: Why is Myanmar’s junta holding an election during a civil war?

Analysts see the election as a way for the military to entrench its rule via proxies.

US launches deadly strikes against Islamic State in Nigeria, says Trump

The US president accuses the group of killing Christians, as Nigeria’s foreign minister tells the BBC the strikes were a "joint operation" and "nothing to do" with religion.

India’s water crunch brews risks for beverage giants

India holds 17 per cent of the world’s population but just 4 per cent of its fresh water.

Turkey says it arrested 115 suspected ISIS militants

Turkish police on Thursday said they arrested 115 ISIS suspects allegedly tied to plots related to Christmas and New Year celebrations. The Istanbul Prosecutor’s Office said the "ISIS Armed Terrorist Organization was planning to carry out actions targeting our country,

Logan Paul to auction pristine $5.3M Pokémon card — as he urges investing in collectibles over stock market

"It's the rarest and most valuable Pokémon card in the world. Pokémon as an asset class has outperformed the stock market by upwards of 3,000% in the last 20 years."

Asia markets edge up amid thinned holiday trade

Spy agency considers giving South Koreans wider access to NK media

The agency takes into account the Bill’s aims, which include ensuring the public’s right to know.

Temperatures in Seoul fall to minus 11.8 deg C as South Korea is hit by season’s coldest morning

Strong winds pushed wind chill temperatures even lower, reaching minus 20 deg C.

Stateless Rohingya rue Myanmar’s election from exile

Heavily restricted polls are due to start on Dec 28 in areas of Myanmar governed by the military.

Strong winds, blizzards forecast across Japan; weekend disruption feared

Japan’s weather agency warned of strong winds, blizzards and high waves in several parts of Japan.

Hooked on the claw: How crane games conquered Japan’s arcades

Crane games are keeping the sector afloat: Industry expert

What is Malaysia’s 1MDB scandal?

Here’s what you need to know about 1MDB.

Chinese villagers win battle against forced cremation after protests

Cremation is commonplace in cities, but many rural communities view burials as an essential rite for the dead.

Pope Leo offers first Christmas message

Pope Leo XIV, the first U.S.-born pope, offered his first Christmas sermon as pontiff on Thursday, praying for peace from wars and freedom from economic distress. A crowd of 26,000 gathered to hear the words of the pontiff during the annual “Urbi et Orbi” address from the

Can Indian EV makers maintain their lead in a race against Chinese players?

Chinese carmakers are catching up fast as ties between New Delhi and Beijing improve.

Wizards vs sorcerers: Stranger Things season 5 hinges on the difference

The difference between D&D spellcasters explains the powers being used in the show's final season.

The Abyss explained: Stranger Things reveals the true nature of the Upside Down with another D&D reference

What's the Abyss in Dungeons and Dragons and what does it mean for Stranger Things' finale? An explainer of the D&D lore behind Vecna's realm.

Japan’s Cabinet approves record $1 trillion budget, vows to keep debt in check

Japan has the highest debt burden in the developed world, at more than twice the size of its economy.

Japan's cabinet approves record $785 billion budget, vows to keep debt in check

TOKYO, Dec 26 - Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's cabinet on Friday approved a record $785 billion budget for the next fiscal year, aiming to strike a balance between her proactive fiscal policy and debt blowout concerns by limiting new bond issuance.

Myanmar to hold third phase of election voting on January 25, state media reports

Dec 26 - Myanmar will hold a third phase of voting for its general election on January 25, according to an announcement on state media on Friday, outlining a poll plan that comes amid a raging civil war in the Southeast Asian nation.

Should a top Russian archaeologist face trial for digging in occupied Crimea?

The case of a scholar wanted in Ukraine sparked a debate on the relationship between museums and the Russian state.

Indonesia celebrated Christmas with prayers for Sumatra

Churches across the country urged prayers for Sumatran provinces hit by deadly floods in November.