After three hostages were killed by the Israeli army last week, the families of those still in captivity are putting more pressure on the Netanyahu government to get them released. Palestinians say the killings highlight that the Israeli army doesn't follow its own stated rules of engagement. Also, US Steel, once the largest steel company in the world, announced that it's being sold to the Japanese firm Nippon Steel for just over $14 billion. And, the Church of England is adopting a new strategy of evangelicalism to reverse the trends of low church attendance and a growing number of youth saying they don’t identify with any particular religion. Plus, Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny, who was imprisoned in Russia on a 19-year sentence, could not be reached for court hearings recently. His lawyers have not heard from him since Dec. 6.

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It’s been a bittersweet 24 hours for Ukraine. First, the unexpected news that EU leaders have agreed to start talks to allow Ukraine join the bloc. But hours later came the blow: A funding package for Ukraine worth more than $55 billion had been vetoed by Hungary. And, ever since the brutal attack by Hamas in Israel, the group has been charged with committing acts of sexual violence. But it was just last week, two months after the event, that the UN's Special Representative on Sexual Violence expressed "grave concern" over these reports. Also, a rusting oil tanker with a million barrels of oil was in danger of breaking up when a rescue mission was launched this year by the UN. Veteran diplomat David Gressly is credited with averting a humanitarian and environmental catastrophe in the Red Sea by brokering a deal to replace the endangered vessel. Plus, the sounds of late Malian guitarist Zani Diabaté live on.

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Concerns remain in Egypt around the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip. The crossing has been the main point of entry for aid into the beseiged region as the war between Hamas and Israel continues. And, in Moscow on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted a marathon four-hour, end-of-year press conference, featuring questions from journalists and Russian citizens from across the country. What was on his agenda? Also, the Gingerbread City is an annual holiday season display of edible urban designs in London, and for the first time, in New York. Architects in both cities use gingerbread, gumdrops and icing to try out ideas for building sustainable cities. Plus, a debut concert in Rwanda to attract touring musicians in Africa.

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For the first time ever, negotiators at this year's UN climate summit have addressed the leading cause of climate change — fossil fuels. They have reached a historicl deal to transition away from them, but many countries are criticizing the agreement's loopholes and walking away unhappy. And, while most of the 2024 Paris Olympics will take place inside of Paris city limits, the surfing competition will happen nearly 10,000 miles away in Tahiti. Games organizers are planning to build a $5 million aluminum judging tower in the lagoon. Also, the "Click Here" podcast reports that Ukrainian officials are working with the International Criminal Court to collect the data and file cases so those who commit war crimes don't go free. Plus, the original surf sound.

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Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is back in Washington on Tuesday, making a plea for continued US military aid. Also, Poland is making a political U-turn away from the right-wing government that's been in charge for the last eight years. We'll hear more about Donald Tusk, the new Polish prime minister. And, what the world searched for on Wikipedia and Google over the past year. It turns out, people from different parts of the globe have very different interests. 

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In Jordan, there are signs of growing sympathy for Hamas as the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza continues. In the Palestinian city of Bethlehem, Christian leaders have decided to tone down Christmas celebrations. Also, the European Union is taking steps to regulate AI technology. And at the International Space Station, new evidence proves that astronaut Frank Rubio did not — after all — eat the first space tomato. 

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Russian American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva was arrested by Russian authorities about a month ago. We'll hear about the conditions she's dealing with in detention. Also, the new right-wing government in New Zealand wants to pull back on the use of the Maori language. A lot of New Zealanders are not happy about this, and they've been taking to the streets in protest. And, the painkiller drug Nolotil is banned in the US, UK and Ireland, but still being prescribed in Spain. The drug has been linked with the deaths of several dozen British and Irish people.

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As global leaders meet at the UN climate conference this week in Dubai, El Hierro, a tiny island in the Canaries, is halfway to the UN goal of ditching fossil fuels. But finding just the right renewable energy mix is proving tough. And, inside Hamas, the Shura Council is the main consultative body that chooses a leader in their politburo. We learn about Hamas leadership and how their command structure operates. Also, a recent hack of the genetic testing company 23andMe has left millions of people around the world with their personal data available online. Plus, a missionary's ill-fated mission. 

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This week, the US announced it was imposing visa travel restrictions on Israeli settlers involved in violence in the occupied West Bank. It's considered a rare punishment of Israelis by the US but comes as settler violence is on the rise. And, most of the Thai farm workers abducted by Hamas have returned home, with nine remaining in captivity. The 23 freed workers are now filtering back to their towns and villages in Thailand's rural upcountry. Also, in Washington, Congress is at a standstill over funding for Ukraine. The Biden administration has been pushing to pass a supplemental funding bill that would include roughly $60 billion in aid for Ukraine. But Republicans have signaled that they will block the funding. Plus, a Spanish theater is fined for barring snacks from outside.

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A former career American diplomat has been charged with serving as a secret agent for communist Cuba. Manuel Rocha is accused of being a Cuban mole inside the US government for decades. And, negotiators at the UN climate summit in Dubai are grappling with whether to call for a phase-out of fossil fuels. Australia, a major fossil fuel producer, is under a lot of pressure from Pacific countries and Western allies to join this pledge. Also, Israel and Hamas continue to battle in the Gaza Strip as the death toll from fighting climbs higher. The focus is now centered around the town of Khan Younis, where civilians have been told to evacuate by the Israel Defense Forces. Plus, the sound of Danish dystopian punk.

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