New gun laws which would be among the strictest in the country are currently being considered by NSW's Upper House. The law is part of a wider package which will also restrict protests for three months, drawing widespread criticism.

Council of the City of Sydney

The New South Wales parliament held an emergency session to pass a bill introducing stricter gun controls, hate speech curbs, and protest restrictions for up to three months after a declared terrorist event. The legislation, which caps the number of firearms per person and imposes new limits on protests, passed the lower house with a significant majority and was debated in the upper house.

The new laws have been criticized by civil rights groups and opposition parties, who argue that they are unconstitutional and could silence peaceful protest voices. While supporters claim the measures are necessary for public safety, opponents contend there is no evidence the laws would have prevented recent violent incidents and plan to challenge the protest restrictions in court.

NSW Lower House passes strict gun controls, protest restrictions

Back for an emergency session, State Parliament in a marathon sitting. Just before midnight, the lower house passed the tough new bill. 59 votes for the ayes and only 15 votes for the noes. I declare the motion carried. Today, it was being thrashed out in the upper house to bring stricter gun controls, curb hate speech and restrict protests for up to three months after a declared terrorist event. The passage of this legislation is the single best thing we can do in the short run to keep the people of New South Wales safe. It caps firearms at four per person, ten for farmers and shooters, sweeping reforms already under fire. These laws would not have made any functional difference to what happened last Sunday. Those shooters would still have had firearms. The protest cracked down branded unconstitutional by this coalition of action groups set to challenge in court. This is the latest set of Chris Minn's knee-jerk undemocratic anti-protest laws which are being passed again on the basis of a series of lies and misinformation. While the police minister is confident it's not unconstitutional... Look, we've had pretty good advice from the Crown Solicitor that that's not the case, so I'll take their advice on that. It's all being sold on the basis that it will make us safe, yet not a skerrick of evidence has been produced to support this claim. The two accused Bondi gunmen have not been linked to any pro-Palestine protests, which organisers say are anti-violence. To draw a line between those protests, those demonstrators, and the horrific acts of two ISIS-inspired gunmen, I think is simply disgraceful. Organisers of this protest in Sydney overnight assured the government it would be peaceful. Instead, we're treated to calls or chants of globalise the intifada. In some instances, the organisers of these protests are unleashing forces that they can't control. But when asked about the animosity directed at the Prime Minister at Sunday night's Bondi vigil... I know that there were boos there on the weekend, but not everybody booed. You know, this is the thing about roping everybody into the actions of one or two or ten or however many people. It's not fair. The next big protest planned are anti-invasion day rallies on Australia Day. This has the potential to silence the protest voice of everyone from uni students to retirees. Including rising tides knitting nannies from climate protesting. We would expect that any anti-protest measures that Chris Menz seeks to use this horrific tragedy to inform would also be used against us. The Greens wanted to split the bill, happy with gun reform, but not being lumped in with protest restrictions. There are people in our community who are brave, who are courageous and who will stand to defend our very most important right of peaceful assembly on public land. I want to make it clear that I want a summer of calm and I expect a summer of calm. I think that a big mass protest through the heart of Sydney at the moment would be ruinous for our unity.

On Monday, President Trump announced a new class of Navy battleships he's calling the "Golden Fleet." The president said two vessels will be built in the short term, with plans to expand to up to 25.

Washington

Trump unveils plans for new fleet of advanced Navy battleships

China's foreign ministry on Monday (December 22) said the United States' seizure of another country's ships was a serious violation of international law, after the U.S. intercepted a China-bound oil tanker off the Venezuelan coast.

Beijing

China says U.S. ship seizures ‘serious violation' of international law

U.S. President Donald Trump named Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry on Sunday as his special envoy to Greenland, drawing renewed criticism from Denmark and Greenland over Washington's interest in the mineral-rich Arctic island.

Nuuk

Trump appoints special envoy to Greenland, stirs backlash

A Russian general was killed by an explosive device underneath his car in Moscow, according to Russian investigators, who say Ukraine's intelligence services may have orchestrated the attack. Ukraine has not commented.

Moscow

Ukraine Invasion

Russian general killed in car explosion

The U.S. Coast Guard is pursuing an oil tanker in international waters near Venezuela, officials told Reuters on Sunday (December 21), in what would be the third operation in less than two weeks if successful.

Caracas

U.S. pursuing third oil tanker near Venezuela, officials say

At least 15 documents related to Jeffrey Epstein that were initially made public have been pulled from the Justice Department website. The agency says it will keep reviewing and redacting materials to "protect victims."

Epstein files pulled down to 'protect victims'

Nine people have died and at least ten others were wounded after a group of gunmen carried out a shooting at a South African pub during the early hours of Sunday, authorities said.

Bekkersdal

At least nine people killed in South Africa pub shooting

U.S. intelligence reports continue to warn that Russian President Vladimir Putin has not abandoned his aims of capturing all of Ukraine and reclaiming parts of Europe that belonged to the former Soviet empire, six sources familiar with U.S. intelligence said.

As peace talks go on, U.S. intel says Putin's war goals unchanged

A court in Pakistan has convicted and sentenced the imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, to 17 years in prison after finding them guilty of retaining and selling state gifts, including jewelry given by Saudi Arabia in 2021.

Islamabad

Former Pakistani PM Imran Khan convicted to 17 years in prison

The U.S. seized an oil tanker off Venezuela's coast on Saturday. It's the second time in two weeks that U.S. forces have carried out such an action. This comes after President Donald Trump announced a block of "sanctioned oil vessels" entering and exiting Venezuela.

Oil tanker seized off Venezuela, second in two weeks

The Justice Department released more documents related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein on Saturday after failing to meet Friday's deadline to release all the documents, as required by the law signed by President Trump last month. The Justice Department said the delay was, in part, to ensure that victims' information was protected.

Justice Department releases more Epstein documents Saturday

The U.S. Department of Justice released thousands of documents, photos and files related to late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein on Friday. But some Democrats are criticizing the partial release because the department had a deadline to release all of the files by end of Friday.

'Partial' release of Epstein files faces criticism

The United States military “hit the ISIS [ISIL] thugs in Syria”, President Donald Trump has said, a week after two US soldiers and an interpreter were killed in Syria’s Palmyra city. Trump said he “ordered a massive strike on the terrorists that killed our three great patriots last week”.

Damascus

Trump says U.S has launched large-scale attacks on ISIL in Syria

Ukraine said its drones hit a vessel from Russia's shadow fleet – the first such strike in the neutral waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Russia's shadow fleet transports sanctioned Russia oil by frequently changing flags and concealing ownership.

Ukraine strikes Russian shadow fleet tanker in Mediterranean sea

The U.S. Justice Department has released thousands of files relating to Jeffrey Epstein, including photos featuring people like former President Bill Clinton and Mick Jagger. However, survivors are concerned with how much information was redacted from the files.

Thousands of new Epstein files, photos released

The U.S. military launched large-scale strikes against dozens of Islamic State targets in Syria on Friday (December 19) in retaliation for an attack on American personnel, U.S. officials said.

U.S. hits ISIS in Syria with large retaliatory strikes

The man suspected of carrying out an attack in Taiwan with a smoke grenade and knife acted alone, police said on Saturday of the incident that killed at least four, including the attacker. This edit contains graphic images.

Taipei City

Taipei attacker acted alone, police say after three killed

The suspect in the Dec. 13 mass shooting on the campus of Brown University was found dead by suicide in a storage unit in Salem, New Hampshire, authorities said. He has been identified as 48-year-old Claudio Manuel Neves Valente, a former Brown grad student.

Providence

How a Reddit post led police to the suspected university shooter

Seven people were killed, including former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and his wife and children, in a plane crash in North Carolina. Investigators hope to find clues about why it happened on the cockpit voice recorder. Cristian Benavides has the latest.

Plane crash kills NASCAR driver, family

President Trump announced new agreements on Friday with nine pharmaceutical companies aimed at making certain prescription drugs cheaper. CBS News reporter Karen Hua has the details.

Trump announces agreements with major drugmakers to lower prices

The U.S. Justice Department released a new trove of documents from its investigations into the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein on Friday, bowing to pressure from lawmakers who forced their disclosure with a new law.

Washington County

Justice Department releases new tranche of Epstein files

The Justice Department has released a new batch of files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. CBS News legal reporter Katrina Kaufman has more.

Combing through newly released Epstein files

TikTok has signed a deal to sell its U.S. operations to a group of investors in America, a source familiar with the deal tells CBS News.

TikTok nears deal to avoid ban in the U.S.

Russian President Vladimir Putin reacted to the European Union's massive $108 billion loan to fund Ukraine's war against Russia.

Kyiv

European Union loans Ukraine billions as Putin boasts about war

The war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, continues to take a heavy toll on civilians, particularly in frontline areas such as Zaporizhzhia, where fighting and shelling persist.

Putin accuses Kyiv of rejecting peaceful settlement

The man believed to be responsible for carrying out the Brown University shooting and killing an MIT professor was found dead in a storage unit in New Hampshire on Thursday, officials said.

Salem

Suspect in Brown and MIT shootings found dead

Australia will launch a national gun buyback program in the aftermath of a deadly attack on a Hanukkah celebration at Sydney's Bondi Beach, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.

Australia announces gun buyback program after Bondi Beach shooting

TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, signed binding agreements with American investors to allow the U.S. arm of the business to continue operating.

TikTok signs deal to allow app to continue operating in the U.S.

Under a law passed by Congress and signed by President Trump, the Justice Department has until Friday to release its files on the Jeffrey Epstein case. House Democrats released more photos from the estate of the convicted sex offender. Scott MacFarlane reports.

House Democrats release more Epstein photos ahead of DOJ deadline

The European Commission announced it will delay the signing of the Mercosur trade agreement until the new year after Meloni asked for more time. No date has been set. Backers hope deal won't be further derailed.

Breakdown