Sydney falls silent before fireworks bring in 2026
New Year celebrations took on a sombre tone in Sydney as revellers held a minute of silence for victims of the Bondi Beach shooting before fireworks lit up the harbour city at the stroke of midnight.
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Stocks pull lower at end of record year for markets
Stock markets mostly retreated Wednesday in thin trading, following a year of record gains for key assets as central banks cut interest rates and the tech sector boomed thanks to the growth of artificial intelligence.
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France plans social media ban for children under 15
France will make a fresh attempt to protect children from excessive screen time, proposing a ban on social media access for children under 15 by next September, according to a draft law seen by AFP.
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Mbappe suffers knee sprain in blow for Real Madrid
Real Madrid on Wednesday said that Kylian Mbappe had suffered a knee sprain, delivering a blow to their bid to reel in Liga leaders Barcelona.
Read moreEurostar trains back with delays after power glitch sparks travel chaos
Rail traffic through the Channel tunnel slowly resumed with more cancellations and delays Wednesday after an electricity failure stranded thousands of passengers and trapped some for a night in a powerless train.
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Putin wishes Russians victory in Ukraine in New Year speech
President Vladimir Putin said Russia believed it would win in Ukraine in an address Wednesday, as his country marked another New Year -- their main holiday -- at war.
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Iran government building attacked as top prosecutor responds to protests
A government building in southern Iran was attacked on Wednesday, authorities said, as the country's top prosecutor warned of a "decisive response" to any attempt to create instability after days of economic protests.
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World begins to welcome 2026 after a year of Trump, truces and turmoil
New Year's Eve revellers toasted the end of 2025 on Wednesday, waving goodbye to 12 months packed with Trump tariffs, a Gaza truce and vain hopes for peace in Ukraine.
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Fofana reckons 'small details' restricting Chelsea's progress
Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana believes "small details" are behind the Blues' frustrating habit of letting leads slip after they were again pegged back in a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday.
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Israel to ban 37 aid groups operating in Gaza
Israel has said 37 aid organisations will be banned from operating in Gaza from Thursday unless they comply with guidelines requiring detailed information on Palestinian staff, drawing criticism from the United Nations and the European Union.
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