Gaza Abbas signs up to International Criminal Court after UN loss The International Criminal Court may soon be able to try crimes committed in Palestinian lands. It comes after the Palestinian President, Mahmoud 31/12/2014
China At least 35 people killed in stampede as Shanghai celebrates New Year At least 35 people have been killed and 42 others injured in a stampede during New Year’s celebrations in Shanghai. According to China’s official 31/12/2014
Russia Crimea's 'return home' shows love for motherland, says Putin Russian President Vladimir Putin said in his new year address that the Crimean peninsula’s “return home” to Moscow’s control is an important chapter 31/12/2014
China Asia celebrates in style the start of 2015 Several countries across Asia welcomed in 2015 with fanfare and high spirits, but the celebrations were toned down in many parts in deference to 31/12/2014
West Bank Palestinian Authority moves towards International Criminal Court The Palestinian Authority has signed on to 20 international agreements a day after a bid for independence failed at the United Nations Security 31/12/2014
Greece Dramatic phone footage of car ferry blaze, rescue Dramatic footage of the burning Norman Atlantic ferry emerged on Wednesday from two passengers who filmed the rescue operation on their mobile 31/12/2014
Belgium Brussels New Year Eve fireworks to take place despite “very worried” fire brigade department warnings For the first time, the Brussels New Year’s Eve fireworks will be launched from three squares in the centre of the Belgian capital: in front of the 31/12/2014
Italy Blanket of snow and icy conditions across Italy for New Year Southern Italy is experiencing unusually wintry weather. In Rome, arctic-inspired winds brought temperatures as low as minus eight degrees Celsius 31/12/2014
Yemen Suicide bomb attack at cultural centre in Yemen leaves more than 20 dead More than 20 people have been killed in a suicide bomb attack in Yemen. It happened at a cultural centre where 31/12/2014
United Kingdom Two British patients test negative for Ebola Two British patients suspected of contracting Ebola have tested negative for the disease. The news comes a day after Scottish nurse Pauline Cafferkey 31/12/2014
Philippines Dozens die as Malaysia, Thailand and Philippines battered by heavy rains Floods and mudslides force thousands to evacuate across southeast Asia 31/12/2014
world news The 2014 predictions that the media got wrong There is a saying in England that goes you should never work with children or animals. To this mix, one could add the fortune tellers and newspapers 31/12/2014
Insight Tunisia's new President Essebsi vows he will turn page on past Tunisia’s new President, 88-year-old Beji Caid Essebsi, says he wants to “...turn the page on the past and look to the future”. Elected with almost 31/12/2014
Afghanistan Shukria Barakzai fears Afghan women's rights will worsen Coinciding with an international troop pull-out from Afghanistan, politician Shukria Barakzai fears losing the human rights many women have fought 31/12/2014
Sport Admasu clinches Sao Silvestre Road Race The 90th edition of the Sao Silvestre Road Race got underway in Sao Paulo on Wednesday with Ethiopian runners taking the top spots in the male and 31/12/2014
Spain Hundreds of migrants attempt to scale border fence into Spanish enclave of Melilla More than 50 migrants managed to scale the Moroccan border fence into the Spanish enclave of Melilla early on Wednesday morning. They were amongst 31/12/2014
world news 2015 welcomed with spectacular fireworks displays in Australia and New Zealand In New Zealand, one of the first countries to greet the New Year, fireworks were set off from the top of the Auckland Sky Tower 31/12/2014
Afghanistan Last group of French soldiers leaves Afghanistan The final group of French troops in Afghanistan have marked the end of their mission with a transition ceremony after NATO combat operations ended 31/12/2014
Tunisia New Tunisian President Essebsi pledges reconciliation The new Tunisian President has pledged reconciliation as he was sworn in before the House of People’s Representatives on Wednesday. Eighty 31/12/2014
Sport Valencia fans greet Perez at Manises airport Argentina international Enzo Perez arrived in Valencia on Wednesday morning to a small group of screaming fans, less than 24 hours after the club 31/12/2014
France Easyjet France cancels 30% of flights on New Year’s Eve Easyjet has cancelled 30% of their flights to and from France on New Year’s Eve, due to a strike from the French on-board personnel unions. The 31/12/2014
USA Two-year-old boy kills mother with her own pistol in US Walmart store Authorities in the US investigate the fatal shooting of a woman by her two-year-old son in a Walmart store 31/12/2014
Israel Netanyahu expected to easily win Likud party primary ahead of elections Israel’s election race is taking off with a primary vote for Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud party. The Prime Minister is widely expected to 31/12/2014
Saudi Arabia Saudi King undergoing medical tests in Riyadh hospital Saudi Arabia’s elderly King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz was admitted to a hospital in the capital Riyadh on Wednesday for medical tests, state media 31/12/2014
Italy Cargo ship with 700 migrants on board and no crew docks in Italy A cargo ship understood to be carrying around 700 migrants arrived in the Italian port of Gallipoli on Wednesday. Italian authorities had taken 31/12/2014
Libya Libya calls for help to fight oil terminal fires caused by rocket attack Libya is calling for overseas help to fight fires burning at one of the country's main oil export terminals 31/12/2014
no comment Sanperrestre dog race held in Madrid Hundreds of dogs and their enthusiastic owners made their way through the streets of the Spanish capital, Madrid, on Tuesday (December 30) in the 31/12/2014
no comment China: Driver rescued after driving car into river A driver was rescued after he drove his car into the the river in heavy fog on Monday (December 30) in Nantong City, southwest China’s Sichuan 31/12/2014
USA Two-year-old boy kills mother with her own pistol in Walmart store Authorities in the US are investigating the fatal shooting of a woman by her two-year-old son in a Walmart store. The Sheriff’s office in Hayden 31/12/2014
Indonesia Sonar images appear to confirm precise location of crashed AirAsia plane Searchers in Indonesia say they have recorded sonar images of what appears to be the main fuselage of the crashed AirAsia plane 31/12/2014
