The World Today

There's hope the end of the Gaza war is in within reach, with Israel and Hamas agreeing to an initial ceasefire from this Sunday.

Soldiers who served alongside Oscar Jenkins in Ukraine's armed forces say they're convinced their comrade was tortured and then killed by Russia's military shortly after being captured last year.

The White House says negotiators are on the brink of securing a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel.

Firefighters in California are bracing for dangerous winds as they try to contain wildfires that have ravaged Los Angeles for six days. 

The World Today examines the events and issues of interest and importance to all Australians.

Wild fires have created chaos in Los Angeles with a growing death toll and at least one thousand city properties believed damaged or destroyed.

There are further encouraging signs of an easing in the cost-of-living crisis.The latest official figures show underlying inflation for the year to November fell to 3.2 per cent.

The Israeli government is vowing revenge, after three of its citizens were killed in a deadly shooting in the occupied West Bank. It comes as Gaza suffers more Israeli airstrikes, despite ceasefire talks resuming.

Hitting back:  Ukraine launches a surprise new offensive in Russia's Kursk region, claiming to have inflicted heavy losses on Russian forces.

The city of New Orleans is still grappling with a terror attack in the early hours of New Years Day, as the famous Bourbon Street reopens.