Sri Lanka The Sri Lankan government says more than 210 former Tamil Tiger rebels have passed a university entrance exam, with 40 qualifying for entry; the Movement for the Release of Political Prisoners calls for the release of all political prisoners.
President of the Dominican Republic The 48th President of the Dominican Republic Salvador Jorge Blanco dies at his home in Santo Domingo.
Moscow More than 1,500 people protest in Moscow, Russia against a recent wave of ethnic unrest following the shooting dead of a football fan.
2010 Ivorian presidential election controversy Laurent Gbagbo threatens to treat United Nations peacekeepers of the UNOCI mission as rebels if they do not follow orders and leave.
Approximately 14,000 refugees have fled Côte d'Ivoire for Liberia following the disputed presidential election.
Investigation into the murder of Joanna Yeates Police in the UK say they are "satisfied" that a body found on Christmas Day is that of missing woman Joanna Yeates.
Iran Iranian authorities halt the impending execution of a Kurdish student convicted of "enmity against God", in connection with alleged membership and activities on behalf of the militant Party for a Free Life in Kurdistan (PJAK), following appeals by international organizations claiming that his trial was held behind closed doors and his lawyer was not allowed to be present.
Ezzeldeen Abu al-Aish Dr Ezzeldeen Abu al-Aish files a lawsuit against Israel one day before the second anniversary of Israel's War on Gaza. Abu al-Aish's three daughters were killed at home by Israeli forces on live television on 16 January 2009 as the gynaecologist was doing an interview with Israel's Channel 10 television.
Saudi Arabia A Saudi woman, accused of attacking and torturing her Indonesian maid last month in a case that strained Saudi-Indonesia relations, now denies the charges, claiming that the maid tortured herself because she was “not normal.”
Egypt Egypt sends to Damascus a dossier of sensitive technical information involving details of an Israeli spy ring in Syria, including a high ranking chemical expert who assisted Israel for 13 years.
A newly released cable Foreign Minister of Israel Avigdor Liberman states at a meeting with Israeli ambassadors that "classic diplomacy" is "not helpful" and that the right diplomacy is to say things "as is" due to the WikiLeaks website. Lieberman also attacks comments by the Foreign Minister of Turkey.
Newly released cables allege that world governments have sought assistance from the United States with wiretapping criminal and political adversaries, leading to denials and claims of "misunderstanding".
Newly released cables from July 2004 reveal that American diplomats panicked about a screening of the film "Fahrenheit 9-11", which is critical of the U.S. government's response to the September 11 attacks. Diplomats stopped what they called a "potential fiasco" by intervening and contacting the offices of the New Zealand prime minister and Marian Hobbs, a government minister referred to as "Boo Boo" Hobbs by America.
Industry, Trade and Labour Minister of Israel Industry, Trade and Labour Minister of Israel Binyamin Ben-Eliezer responds to Ecuador's formal recognition of Palestine as an independent state by saying that the "entire world" could recognise a Palestinian state in the next year.
Israel Thousands of people shouting "death to Israel" gather at Sarayburnu port in Istanbul to welcome back the MV "Mavi Marmara", draped with a banner containing faces of the 9 people killed during the Gaza flotilla raid.
New Delhi The first humanitarian Asian flotilla, "Asia to Gaza Solidarity Caravan of Asia 1", which left New Delhi with people of 15 differing nationalities aboard, leaves Damascus for Latakia, its final stop before it reaches its destination.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Israel) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Israel) announces that it will boycott Durban III (World Conference against Racism), the 2011 United Nations summit commemorating the tenth anniversary of the World Conference against Racism 2001, due to the conference's "anti-Semitic undertones and displays of hatred for Israel and the Jewish world," a day after the UN General Assembly approved a resolution, by a vote of 104 to 22, with 33 abstentions, to hold the summit in September 2011; Canada has already announced that it will also not attend, calling it a "charade".
People's Republic of China China and South Korea are to hold defence talks following tension on the Korean Peninsula.
United States The eastern United States is struck by more snow, with South Carolina receiving its first ever snow on Christmas Day.
Indian-administered Kashmir Waves of cold in Jammu and Kashmir show no signs of relenting, though the minimum temperature improves.
Badaun A collision between a bus and a mini-truck kills 34 people and leaves 30 injured, near the town of Badaun in Uttar Pradesh state, in northern India.
Protests Protests against unemployment grow more violent as Tunisian security forces crack down on the residents in Sidi Bou Zid Governorate and a teenager is killed when police open fire.
WikiLeaks Wikileaks head Julian Assange says he has deals for his autobiography worth more than £1 million and needs the money to defend himself against allegations of sexual assault on two women in Sweden.
Curfew A police curfew continues for a seventh day in the village of Inderkoot in Bandipora district, Kashmir, "as a precautionary measure", but is lifted from Sumbal.
Israeli military Israeli forces kill 2 Palestinian militants of the al-Quds Brigades of the Islamic Jihad who were planting an explosive device to be used against an Israeli patrol near the border in the southern Gaza Strip.
Nigerian president President of Nigeria Goodluck Jonathan says his government will "take all necessary action" to punish the perpetrators of the deadly bombings in Jos.
Nigeria Further violence breaks out in the Nigerian city of Jos following bombings earlier this week.