Australia to tighten hate speech laws after Bondi attack

In the wake of the shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia's government has announced a number of measures to address antisemistism, including giving officials the power to reject the visas of anyone who engages in religious hate speech. 15 people were killed when two gunmen opened fire at an event celebrating the Jewish festival of Hanukkah.

Also: in an end of year speech, President Trump has been telling the American people about his achievements since returning to office. YouTube has secured exclusive broadcasting rights for the Oscars awards ceremony from 2029. Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer orders the Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich to donate more than three billion dollars in proceeds from the sale of Chelsea football club to Ukraine, or face having the money confiscated. Human rights groups say the Iranian champion boxer Mohammad Javad Vafaei-Sani is at imminent risk of execution. Officials in Japan warn people not to be fooled by AI-generated videos of bears cozying up to humans, as fatalities from bear attacks are at a record high in the country. And the merits of recording your relatives and getting to know the family history this holiday season.

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First funerals take place for Australia shooting victims

Naveed Akram, the surviving suspect of the Bondi Beach mass shooting, is charged with fifty-nine offences including fifteen counts of murder, as well as committing a terrorist act. He was charged at his bedside in hospital, after coming out of a coma. His father, Sajid Akram, was shot dead by police during the attack, which targeted Australia's Jewish community at an event celebrating the first night of Hanukkah. Also: the head of the World Health Organisation calls for the immediate release of health workers who are believed to be detained in south-western Sudan. The authorities in the Indian capital, Delhi, roll out strict measures to curb air pollution, that has been in the severe category for the past few days. The tiny mountain kingdom of Bhutan has announced it will spend a billion dollars of the country's reserves to build what it's calling a "mindfulness city." And scientists warn that nature photographers are causing irreparable harm to the endangered Galaxy Frog in India.

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [email protected]

Trump defends chief of staff after tell-all interview

Susie Wiles, one of the most powerful people in Donald Trump's team, gave a rare insight into the administration in a candid interview with Vanity Fair. The White House chief of staff described the president as having an "alcoholic's personality" and Vice President JD Vance as having been a "conspiracy theorist" for a decade. Wiles has now claimed the magazine disregarded "significant context" to create a "disingenuously framed hit piece". Mr Trump said he had full faith in Ms Wiles.

Also: Donald Trump says he's ordered a blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers going to and from Venezuela, escalating his pressure campaign against President Nicolas Maduro. Funerals have begun in Australia for the victims of Sunday’s mass shooting at Bondi Beach. Nick Reiner, son of the Hollywood director Rob Reiner and his wife Michelle, has been charged with their murder. Why having difficulty concentrating or losing personal confidence in midlife may put a person at an increased risk of dementia, according to a study. How a picture of Miss Finland sparked a row over racism and a PR crisis for the Nordic nation. The singer Lizzo is celebrating a legal victory after a judge dismissed allegations of fat-shaming made by three of her former dancers. And after six centuries of male voices, King's College Cambridge finally gets an all female choir.

Police say one Bondi attacker was Indian citizen

Australian police say one of the Bondi attackers, Sajid Akram, was an Indian citizen. He and his son Naveed spent weeks in the Philippines, where there's been a long-running Islamist insurgency, before Sunday's deadly attack on a Jewish festival. Also: millions are at risk of starvation in Afghanistan this winter; peace talks continue in Berlin aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine war; and the US says it has carried out more strikes on boats it suspects of trafficking drugs in the Pacific Ocean.

Trump sues the BBC

President Donald Trump has filed a multi-billion dollar lawsuit in Florida, accusing the BBC of defamation and violating a trade practices law over the way his speech was edited ahead of the US Capitol riot in 2020. Also: The US President says a Russia-Ukraine peace deal is closer than ever after talks in Berlin. European leaders say they're optimistic, but remain circumspect. Scammers are targeting children with cancer to raise money with online videos, but the donations raised are not reaching the families. Police in Australia say the two men who killed 15 people at a Jewish Hannukah celebration at Sydney's Bondi Beach had ISIS flags in their car. And the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is putting gifts she received from world leaders up for auction.

Australia: thousands attend Bondi Beach vigil

Thousands of people have attended a special vigil on Bondi Beach in Sydney for victims of Sunday's shooting at a Jewish celebration. Australia's Prime Minister has said the two gunmen, who killed fifteen people, were not part of a wider extremist cell. Also: intensive negotations are being held in Berlin on how to end the Russia-Ukraine war; Jubilation for supporters of the far right candidate, Jose Antonio Kast, after his decisive victory in Chile's presidential election; the acclaimed Hollywood director, Rob Reiner and his wife Michelle have been found dead at their home in Los Angeles, and advice from the Royal Horticultual Society on how best to grow tabletop vegetables - a kind of bonsai sized greens.

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Anger in Australia after 'evil' Hanukkah shooting

As Australians reel from a deadly shooting at a Hanukkah celebration, some are questioning whether the government did enough to prevent antisemitic violence. Also: Chile has elected the right-wing candidate, José Antonio Kast, as its next president. The family of film director Rob Reiner say he and his wife are dead, as Los Angeles police conduct an investigation at their home. The Hong Kong media tycoon and pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai is found guilty of sedition and colluding with foreign forces, in a verdict that he says is politically motivated. And we speak to the British actor Dame Helen Mirren about her mission to save olive trees in Italy.

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The Global Story: The murders that moved a nation: Italy’s new femicide law

**This episode contains descriptions of abuse and violence**

In November, the Italian parliament voted unanimously to introduce the term “femicide” into the country’s legal code. The murder of a woman – on account of her gender – is now a distinct crime, punishable with a life sentence.

The United Nations reported that last year nearly 50,000 women and girls were killed by intimate partners or family members.

Italy is the latest country to adopt a specific law in an effort to curb violence against women following a string of brutal murders of young women.

One of the most publicized was Giulia Tramontano, who was repeatedly stabbed by her partner while seven months pregnant. Her murder - along with another case – sparked fierce outrage across Italy, culminating in the new law being passed.

In this episode, we hear from Giulia’s sister, Chiara Tramontano and the BBC Southern Europe correspondent Sarah Rainsford.

The Global Story brings clarity to politics, business and foreign policy in a time of connection and disruption. For more episodes, just search 'The Global Story' wherever you get your BBC Podcasts.

Producer: Valerio Esposito Executive Producer: James Shield Mix: Travis Evans Senior News Editor: China Collins Photo: A photo of Giulia Tramontano. Alessandro Memoli/KONTROLAB/LightRocket via Getty Images

Australia: Twelve killed in gun attack targeting Jewish community

Police in Australia say 12 people have died in an antisemitic terror attack at Bondi Beach; 29 people were taken to hospital, including a child. The shooting targeted a gathering to mark the first day of Hanukkah. One gunman is among the dead, a second is in hospital, and the police are investigating whether a third was involved.

US vows retaliation for Islamic State group attack

President Donald Trump has promised retaliation against the Islamic State militant group after two US soldiers and an interpreter were killed in an ambush in Syria. Damascus has condemned the attack as well. Also: Israel says it has killed the senior Hamas commander Raed Saad. The opposition in Belarus celebrates the release of political prisoners. Chile's presidential election sees a communist candidate take on the far-right. And, with the latest Avatar film about to hit cinemas, we hear from the composer who spent years writing its score.

The Happy Pod: The cafe where mistakes are expected

A pop-up cafe in Tokyo is giving people with dementia a place to volunteer as well as a sense of community. A volunteer there, Toshio Morita, has become something of a local celebrity. At the Orange Day Café, muddled orders, long pauses and gentle confusion aren’t mistakes — they’re the point.

Also:

A Northern Irish man who suffered a cardiac arrest had his life saved after his golden retriever, named Polly, alerted his wife after he stopped breathing. Polly the dog has been hailed a hero by the charity, the British Heart Foundation.

A revolutionary gene therapy has successfully treated patients with aggressive and previously incurable blood cancers.

In Kenya, the Rare Gem Talent School has been set up specifically to teach dyslexic children. A condition that is believed to impact around 10% of people globally.

A woman in Kerala, India, has started a camp to help women who are going through a divorce.

And a French man in London has become the face of a homelessness charity after his virtuoso piano playing at a train station went viral.

Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.

Democrats release photos of Trump from Epstein estate

Republicans accuse the Democrats of playing politics with release of photos from the estate of late sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein, that feature rich and powerful people, including Donald Trump. Also: Thailand attacks what Cambodia describes as civilian facilities near their shared border; Iranian security forces use violence to detain Nobel Peace Prize winner, Narges Mohammadi; the curtain is about to come down on John Cena, one of the most celebrated wrestlers from the world of Sports Entertainment and analysis shows pop song lyrics are getting sadder.

Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment.

Get in touch: [email protected]