Latest
How a reclusive ex-Glencore trader became Indonesia’s nickel king
In less than a decade, Arif Kurniawan has gone from earning pay cheques at Glencore to controlling about a third of his country’s domestic trade in nickel ore.
Mamdani digs in on progressive agenda as mayor of New York City
The new mayor reiterated plans to introduce free childcare and bus transportation, and to freeze rent for tenants in stabilised apartments.
LVMH’s Belmond blames Carlyle unit for fatal Machu Picchu train crash
In a letter to the office of the prime minister, it said Inca Rail had transited through an unauthorised part of the tracks, leading to the head-on collision.
Ukraine fakes commander’s death, tricks Russia into paying bounty
Denis Kapustin, one of the most prominent anti-Putin Russians fighting on behalf of Ukraine, was reported dead this week, assassinated by a drone on the front.
How the fire that killed 40 in an upmarket Swiss resort bar started
A barmaid, carried on the shoulders of a colleague, held a sparkler-topped bottle above her head near the basement’s ceiling, setting it alight, witnesses said.
40 dead, Australian injured in upmarket Swiss ski resort bar fire
A further 114 people were hurt, most seriously, police said, as the crowded Le Constellation venue morphed from a scene of New Year’s revelry into tragedy.
Opinion & Analysis
Ignore Trump, sleeping more is not a sign of weakness
Tireless energy and dynamism has been championed by Donald Trump and Japan’s prime minister Sanae Takaichi.
Contributor
Five reasons to be optimistic about the 2026 US economy
It’s been a turbulent year for the US economy thanks to Donald Trump’s tariffs, a cost of living crisis and labour shortages. But investors should take heart.
The reality of antisemitism is London children doing lockdown drills
When parents are watching their darlings take part in nativity productions and carol concerts, at Jewish schools children are rehearsing for terror attacks.
‘Brazilian Nadal’, phoney books and other AI blunders of the year
From journalism to law to professional services, few industries have escaped our hapless misuse of this troubling technology.
Columnist
From the Financial Times
Ignore Trump, sleeping more is not a sign of weakness
Tireless energy and dynamism has been championed by Donald Trump and Japan’s prime minister Sanae Takaichi.
‘Brazilian Nadal’, phoney books and other AI blunders of the year
From journalism to law to professional services, few industries have escaped our hapless misuse of this troubling technology.
Is Die Hard really a Christmas movie?
Yes, the movie is set around Christmas time, but it’s hardly festive and contains no strong Yuletide message.
Yesterday
Photos: Dozens dead after fire at Swiss Alps bar
Dozens of people are presumed dead and about 100 injured, most of them seriously, after a fire at a bar in a Swiss Alps resort town.
UK hacker who ‘barely finished school’ wins visa by breaching DFAT
Jacob Riggs, 36, hacked into the site in less than two hours to show he had the expertise required for a rare permit given only to highly skilled professionals.
Russia releases ‘laughable’ video of downed Ukrainian drone
An investigation found none of Vladimir Putin’s neighbours heard a sound and that less than half of the reported drones even flew into the region.
Drummers pound in the new year as others mark 2026 with defiance, hope
A countdown to midnight was projected onto the Arc de Triomphe in Paris and Russians celebrated in snowy Moscow. In Japan, temple bells rang.
‘Mediocre’: Trump celebrates French citizenship for George Clooney
In a Truth Social post, the US president also used the news to criticise France’s open borders, while referring to Joe Biden’s immigration policies.
‘Furious’: Queen Camilla recalls being groped on a train as a teen
Camilla said she decided to speak up because domestic violence has been a “taboo subject” for so long that most people don’t realise how bad the situation was.
US dollar set for worst year since 2017 with Fed drama centre stage
With at least two rate reductions priced in for this year, the US’s policy path diverges from some of its developed peers, further dimming the dollar’s appeal.
Trump shares editorial critical of Putin after setback in talks
The New York Post lists Russia’s support for Iran, and its backing for Venezuela, to argue that “across the world, Russia is opposing Trump’s agenda”.
France aims to ban under-15s from social media: report
President Emmanuel Macron wants to follow Australia whose world-first ban for under-16s on social media platforms came into force in December.
Xi touts China’s AI, chip wins in triumphant New Year’s speech
China had “overcome numerous difficulties and challenges”, Xi Jinping said, as he sought to underscore China’s status as a rising global superpower.
December 2025
Gina Rinehart and fellow billionaires add record $3.3trn in wealth
The world’s richest people have added hugely to their wealth in 2025 - but some billionaires had better fortunes than others.
Redford to Goodall: A procession of giants who died in 2025
As 2025 winds to a close, here are some of those who will not be with us as the new year begins. Many are famous and all left a legacy.
How Zelensky opened Ukraine’s corruption floodgates
Ukrainian leaders blame independent advisers for failing to prevent graft, but a probe has found President Volodymyr Zelensky’s own team removed guardrails.
The Aussie bruiser channelling Robert Redford in Hollywood
Joel Edgerton opens up about his family, his life and his role in a new deeply moving Oscar contender following one man’s life as a logger in the early 20th century.
Beyoncé just became a billionaire. Here’s how
She has become only the fifth musician to enter Forbes magazine’s billionaire club, and the third female pop star to make the list, by selling out arenas.
JFK’s granddaughter dies at 35 in new Kennedy tragedy
An environmental journalist and child of Caroline Kennedy, she recently wrote of her battle with leukemia in The New Yorker, drawing worldwide sympathy.
Fed minutes show most officials expect further rate cuts
The minutes demonstrated ongoing division among policymakers over the factor posing the greater peril to the US economy – inflation or the jobless rate.
‘Death to the dictator’: Rare mass protests erupt across Iran
Iranian students are chanting pro-women and anti-Khamenei slogans amid a worsening economic crisis in the country, as inflation hits more than 42 per cent.
OpenAI offers $828,000 salary to protect humans from rogue AI
The maker of ChatGPT is recruiting for a “head of preparedness” to address the fast-evolving technology’s rising threat.
This company’s secret mission to solve MH370’s disappearance
British survey firm Ocean Infinity will use underwater robots to search for the plane’s wreckage on a potentially lucrative “no find, no fee” basis.
