- The short Boxing Day Test could lead revenue loss of $10 million
- Italian authorities lay charges over alleged Hamas funding
- Four yachts in tight tussle in the Sydney to Hobart
The short fourth Boxing Day Test could lead to a loss in revenue of up to $10 million after finishing with three days to spare.
A sell-out crowd of more than 90,000 was due for day three, including up to 20,000 people who had travelled from England to watch the game.
Refunds, as well as lost merchandise, food and drinks sales could leave a huge financial hole for Cricket Australia.
MCC Chief Executive Stuart Fox concedes the short Test has been disappointing.
"I didn't think we'd be standing out here doing a press conference this morning. I thought we'd be getting ready for day three, but I just we thought we'd get out and jump on the front foot this morning and address the media and obviously the public. We're obviously disappointed that the test is finished within two days. We didn't we didn't plan for it, we didn't want this to happen, so it's obviously challenging times for us."
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A man has been charged after allegedly displaying hate symbol tattoos at Newcastle Beach in New South Wales on December 24.
The 26-year-old was later arrested at a home south of Coffs Harbour about 6.30pm on Saturday.
He was subsequently charged with offences relating to the knowing public display of a Nazi symbol.
The man has been granted bail to appear at Newcastle Local Court on January 22.
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Millions of residents across the NT and Queensland are bracing for flooding, as a potentially dangerous monsoon trough threatens Australia's far north.
Severe thunderstorms and flash flooding are predicted with up to 300 millimetres of rain, as the low intensifies across the northeast tip.
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued flood warnings for the Flinders, Cloncurry, Western and Diamantina Rivers.
In the NT, flood watch warnings have been issued for the Waterhouse and parts of the Barkly, Carpentaria and Arnhem Coastal rivers.
Severe storms are also possible across parts of the northeast tropical coast, the northwest and Gulf regions.
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Italian authorities have arrested nine people linked to three charitable organisations on suspicion of raising millions of euros in funds for the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
Prosecutors have accused the suspects of transferring the funds through overseas organisations and on to Hamas, which the European Union lists as a terror group.
President of the Palestinian Association of Italy Mohammad Hannoun is among those charged, but there were no immediate comments from suspects or the associations.
Lucio Pifferi is the Italian Central director of Prevention Police.
"(Our operation) is aimed at confirming the suspicion of terrorist funding activity from a series of associations operating in Europe and Italy, which are actually directly linked to the Hamas group. In the course of their activity (those associations) have raised a significant amount of money, in the range of around 8 million euros, for the most part intended to fund Hamas itself."
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Somalia's government has condemned Israel's recognition of the self-declared Republic of Somaliland as unlawful and an attack on its sovereignty.
On Friday, Israel became the first country in the world to recognise Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state.
The decision could reshape regional dynamics and foreign ministers from Egypt, Turkey and Djibouti have described it as a dangerous development that poses a threat to international peace and security.
The African Union has also rejected the recognition.
Mogadishu resident Hasan Mohamed had this to say:
"This signifies that the conflict in the Middle East is now being imported into Somalia and the Horn of Africa, and this is something we cannot tolerate. It is a significant and impactful move that influences everything in various aspects.”
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The Nigerian government has detailed the precise location of US strikes that hit the country's northwest on Christmas evening.
Mohammed Idris, Nigeria's information minister, says two major Islamic State Group targets were struck.
"The federal government of Nigeria, in close coordination with the government of the United States of America, has successfully conducted precision strike operations against two major Islamic State ISIS terrorist enclaves located within the Bauni axis of Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State."
The US strikes marked a major escalation in an offensive that Nigeria's overstretched military has struggled with for years.
US President Donald Trump said on social media that the strikes were carried out against IS Group gunmen who were targeting Christians, however analysts say Nigeria's security crisis affects both Christians and Muslims, who make up the majority of the population in the north.
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And in the Sydney to Hobart, four leading yachts Super Lock Comanche, LawConnect, SHK Scallywag and Lucky are caught in a tight tussle off Tasmania's east coast.
While Super Lock Comanche held a lead over Lawconnect on Saturday evening, SHK Scallywag managed to get her nose in front briefly on Sunday morning.
It sets up a potentially thrilling finish on Hobart's Derwent River, expected later this afternoon or tonight.
This year, it's been a tough race, with rough seas forcing further retirements and crews reporting broken ribs, lost life rafts and yacht damage.
