Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy outlines his New Year wishes amid calls for prisoner swaps; heatwaves expected in Australia's north; and in football, Tottenham within three points of the Premier League summit after victory over Bournemouth.
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TRANSCRIPT
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy outlines his New Year wishes amid calls for prisoner swaps
- Heatwaves expected in Australia's north as heavy rainfall hits the eastern coast
- In football, Tottenham within three points of the Premier League summit after victory over Bournemouth
Ukraine's government says it is working on a prisoner's exchange with Russia.
The two sides held a number of prisoner swaps from the early months of Russia's invasion in February 2022, but their intensity slowed in 2023 and the last one took place in early August.
The families and friends of Ukrainian prisoners of war staged a protest in Kyiv city centre yesterday calling for their release.
The Ukrainian government has already brought back 2,598 people from Russian captivity during 48 swaps, according to the Ukrainian military.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also addressed the country at the occasion of New Year celebrations.
"Ukraine is alive. Ukraine lives. Ukraine fights. Ukraine advances, Ukraine overcomes the path. Ukraine gains. Ukraine works. Ukraine exists. And all together, this is not a New Year's miracle, not a fairy tale, not magic, but the merit of each of you."
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Large parts of northern Australia are set for a sweltering start to the new year.
The Bureau of Meteorology had put in place heatwave warnings for parts of Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia, where temperatures are expected to soar into the 40s today.
The western Kimberley in Western Australia, including the Dampier Peninsula, was forecast to be the worst hit, with the mercury expected to touch 46 degrees at Marble Bar.
The town's heat gauge has been showing scorching temperatures higher than the bureau's official readings in recent days, with thermometers at the local R-S-L registering 51.
Extreme heatwave warnings were also in place for parts of far northern Queensland and the Tiwi Islands in the Northern Territory.
Meanwhile, heavy rainfall is expected to batter parts of Australia's east coast on New Year's Day, with flood-ravaged communities bracing for more potential flash flooding.
Residents of Queensland's far southeast including the Gold Coast, Coolangatta, Tamborine Mountain and Springbrook were on high alert on Sunday night with a severe weather warning forecasting locally intense rainfall.
The Bureau of Meteorology says three to six-hourly rainfall totals of between 80 mm and 160 mm are possible.
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A truck driver has been charged over a derailment that killed two train drivers near the border between New South Wales and South Australia.
The Pacific National freight train collided with a truck on the Barrier Highway at Bindarrah in South Australia yesterday morning.
The two male drivers from Port Augusta, aged 48 and 57, died in the crash.
Police crash investigators arrested the Queensland truck driver, aged 75, and charged him with two counts of causing death by dangerous driving.
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In Denmark, Queen Margrethe [II has announced her intention to abdicate during her annual New Year Day speech.
The 83-year-old has served 52 years in the role and is Europe's longest-serving current monarch.
She says she believes the time is right after giving it some thought during her recovery from a successful back operation in February 2023.
She will be handing over to her eldest son Crown Prince Frederik, after stepping down on January 14.
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In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the results of the presidential election have been announced by the Electoral Commission, twelve days after the vote.
Although it declared incumbent President Felix Tsishekedi won by a large margin, the results are contested.
Officially, Mr Tsishekedi won more than 73 per cent of the vote, leaving every opposition candidate far behind.
But logistical setbacks and an opaque vote count cast doubt on the results.
Demonstrators took to the streets of Goma, in the war-torn Eastern part of the large country, against the election results.
Protester François Kakule criticised Denis Kadima, the man who organised the elections and published the results.
"Kadima has to go, enough is enough. He has organised chaotic elections, enough is enough. He's got to go. We don't want him. He's an adventurer who was put in charge of the Electoral Commission. He has to get out so that we can organise good elections."
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And to sports, in football,
Tottenham have moved within three points of the Premier League summit after brushing aside in-form Bournemouth with a 3-1 win for Australian manager Ange Postecoglou's side.
But north London rivals Arsenal remain in the doldrums.
Their miserable holiday period continued with a 2-1 loss on Sunday at a Fulham side that had failed to take either a point or goal from their last three matches.
A victory would have put Arsenal back on top, but they instead remain fourth, a point and a place above Spurs.
Liverpool, currently top on goal difference from Aston Villa, can move three points clear if they beat Newcastle at Anfield on Monday.
