Israel says the report "doesn't reflect the reality" in Gaza and ignores the volume of aid entering.

Ugandan law requires public servants to remain politically neutral and bars them from active politics.

Notorious conman Mark Acklom, who posed as a wealthy banker and MI6 agent, has been ordered to pay the victim of a romance scam £125,000 in compensation after a five-year court battle.

Protesters have stormed the headquarters of two major newspapers in Bangladesh, amid widespread unrest following the death of a political activist. 

The delivery of a much delayed and over-budget ferry has been pushed back again, with Ferguson Marine saying it will not now arrive until late next year.

What does mission-driven modernization really look like?

In our new Expert Edition, leaders from across federal and state government as well as industry share how agencies can align technology, data, security and workforce strategies with mission outcomes — not just modernization for modernization’s sake.

You will hear from:

• Darren Death of the Export-Import Bank of the U.S.
• Ron Leidner of Maximus
• Elizabeth McCarthy of Maximus
• Retired Col. Randy Pugh of the Naval Postgraduate School AI Task Force
• Doug Robinson of NASCIO

From AI adoption and data governance to outcome-based contracting and continuous security, their insights offer a practical roadmap for transformation.

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South Africa has accused the US of employing Kenyans without work permits to process refugee applications.

A woman and her lover who plotted to kill her husband so they could continue their affair have both been jailed for 19 years.

TikTok is being threatened with legal action over cuts to its UK online safety teams.

Germany’s national parliament has approved a procurement order for Dutch defense manufacturer Defenture to deliver 49 mobile battlefield platforms to the Bundeswehr’s Special Forces Command, known as Kommando Spezialkräfte, or KSK. The vehicles are scheduled to enter service starting in 2027, according to information released on December 18, 2025. The order covers two variants developed […]

Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works and XTEND have completed a new integration effort aimed at improving command and control of uncrewed aerial systems across multiple classes, a development tied to evolving joint all-domain command and control concepts. According to information released on December 18, 2025, the two companies integrated XTEND’s Operating System, known as XOS, into […]

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG 125) has emerged as the U.S. Navy’s first Flight III warship, introducing a new generation of surface combatant capability centered on advanced radar, power, and combat systems. Commissioned on October 7, 2023, Jack H. Lucas has been designated by the Chief of Naval Operations as […]

The fresh protests are sparked by the death of one of the leaders of protests that ousted ex-PM Sheikh Hasina.

The materials include photos of women's passports, and Lolita quotes written across a woman's body.

With anxieties building over affordability, President Trump made a push to reassure Americans just as the government released long-awaited data that raised new questions about the economic health of the nation.

Tony Romm, who covers economic policy for The New York Times, discusses how Mr. Trump is trying to take control of the issue, and Ben Cassleman, The Times’s chief economics correspondent, explains what the latest numbers tell us about why people are still so frustrated.

Guest:

• Tony Romm, a reporter in Washington covering economic policy and the Trump administration for The New York Times.
• Ben Casselman, the chief economics correspondent for The New York Times.

Background reading: 

• Here are six takeaways from Mr. Trump’s address to the nation.
• With tariffs unpopular and prices still high, the White House has teased the promise of tariff rebates and large tax refunds next year.

Photo: Doug Mills/The New York Times

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

 

Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

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A teenager charged with the murder of nine-year-old Aria Thorpe will stand trial in June next year.

Australia is set to launch a national gun buyback scheme in response to the Bondi Beach terrorist shootings.

The new leader of the Catholic Church in England and Wales has been appointed by the Pope.

Dozens of butchered geese have been found dumped by the road in rural Norfolk for the second time in 10 days.

Portugal’s Air Force has taken delivery of its first A-29N Super Tucano aircraft, marking the introduction of a new training and light combat capability and making Portugal the first European operator of the platform in its NATO-configured version. The delivery ceremony took place on December 17 at the facilities of OGMA, Portugal’s aerospace company, in […]