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The stepmother of journalist Luke Somers, killed in a rescue bid in Yemen, says there were negotiations for his release and an offer to pay a ransom.
BBC News – Middle East

Mexico’s finance minister defends his purchase of a luxury home, amid reports he bought it from a firm whose parent company won public contracts.
BBC News – Latin America & Caribbean

Ukraine must double its military budget next year to $ 3bn to fund the fight against pro-Russian rebels, the defence minister says.
BBC News – Europe

Passengers are facing widespread disruption after a serious computer failure at the UK’s air traffic control centre grounded and diverted flights.
BBC News – UK

The US Senate is set to vote on a $ 1.1tn (£700bn) budget a day after it cleared the House of Representatives in a close and contentious vote.
BBC News – US & Canada

Sierra Leone bans public celebrations over the Christmas and New Year period, in a effort to contain the spread of the deadly Ebola virus.
BBC News – Africa

In a game of runs, the Thunder relied on a combination of their dynamic scorers and lock-down defenders to make the final one.
Oklahoma City Thunder

Kevin Durant ducked his head through the doorway, Transformers action figures and dolls in hand, bringing smiles and excited scream
Oklahoma City Thunder

Russia’s central bank raises interest rates to 10.5% from 9.5%, the second hike in six weeks, as it seeks to combat inflation.
BBC News – Business

More than 5,000 people worldwide died in November as a result of jihadist violence, a BBC investigation reveals.
BBC News – Middle East

A report by Brazil’s national truth commission says that the country’s military regime systematically carried out torture and executions.
BBC News – Latin America & Caribbean

Poland complains of “unprecedented” Russian military activity in the Baltic Sea region, saying Nato is being tested but is not at risk of attack.
BBC News – Europe

Ex-DJ Ray Teret, a friend of Jimmy Savile, is jailed for 25 years for a series of rapes and indecent assaults on girls as young as 12.
BBC News – UK

President George W Bush knew all about CIA interrogation methods, says his vice-president, dismissing a Senate report as “full of crap”.
BBC News – US & Canada

Health officials in Sierra Leone discover scores of bodies in a remote diamond-mining area, raising fears that the scale of the Ebola outbreak may be underreported.
BBC News – Africa

The Thunder took a punch from the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night, but responded with an even stronger one.
Oklahoma City Thunder

Millions of energy customers who have money left in old accounts are being given further encouragement to reclaim it by the energy industry.
BBC News – Business

Israeli air strikes on high-rise buildings in this summer’s conflict in Gaza amounted to war crimes, Amnesty International says, in a report criticised by Israel.
BBC News – Middle East

The US Senate backs a bill which would impose travel bans and economic sanctions on Venezuelan officials found to have violated protesters’ rights.
BBC News – Latin America & Caribbean

The last French hostage held by Islamist militants, Serge Lazarevic, has been released in Mali, French President Francois Hollande announces.
BBC News – Europe