1 In Israel, supermodel and one time girlfriend of Leonardo di Caprio, Bar Refaeli is being investigated for tax evasion. Refaeli, 30, who has an estimated net worth of US$20 million, was questioned for 12 hours over claims she failed to report discounts on luxury goods and other perks subject to tax, the Guardian reports.
2 French media and her lawyer say the head of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde, is facing a French trial for negligence over a 400 million euro payout to businessman Bernard Tapie. The claims are made by the iTele TV channel and Mediapart. Lagarde was France's Finance Minister when the payout was ordered and the long-standing case will be heard by the Cour de Justice de la Republique, which judges ministers for crimes in office, Reuters reports. The country's main prosecutor recommended in September that magistrates drop the investigation.
3 An Irish backpacker touring Australia took the idea of checking in with his parents to a new level when he Skyped them seconds before he jumped out of a plane. The Guardian reports Roger Ryan did the skydive at 4000m saying "I'm going to jump out of an aeroplane now, so I'll talk to you in a second."
4 Gun charges are expected to be brought against the former neighbour of San Bernardino gunman Syed Farook. Enrique Marquez, 24, told the FBI that he and Farook had discussed mounting an attack in 2012 but did not follow through, the Washington Post reports.
5 He may be the object of scorn and concern around the world but Republican contendeder Donald Trump has a friend in high places. Russian President Vladimir Putin at his annual news conference called Trump an "absolute leader". Trump is also "a very bright and talented man".
6 The New York Times reports that US Navy Seals covered up accusations of abuse. It says that in 2012 US soldiers told Navy Seal command that they saw Seals and Afghan police beating detainees, including dropping stones on prisoners' chests, standing on their heads and hitting them with rifle butts. One of the prisoners died within a day. But the New York Times said Seal command cleared the members of Seal Team 2 of wrongdoing.
7 The world shattered another heat record in November, continuing a trend that it expected to make 2015 the hottest in modern history. It was the hottest November in 136 years, meaning seven months in a row of record-breaking temperatures, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said.
8 In Saudi Arabia a teenager faces beheading for taking part in a protest rally when he was 15. The father of Abdullah al-Zaher, 19, has made a public plea to the world to help before it is too late, the Guardian reports.
9 Denmark is considering a new law that would allow authorities to confiscate jewellery from refugees entering the country. The plan, which would allow the removal of significant assets to cover expenses rather than lesser items such as watches, has enough support to pass parliament, the Washington Post says.
10 The BBC has - tongue in cheek - come up with five things that are wrong with the world's best country. The United Nations this week said that Norway was the nicest place to live for the 12th year in a row. The Human Development Index ranks 188 countries. The BBC says personal income tax in Norway is high at 39 per cent. A pint of beer there is US$10.40. The country has the second highest rate of deaths by drug overdose in Europe; the average price for a litre of unleaded petrol is about US$1.60. Saying "we're clutching at straws", the BBC lists the fifth thing as "it's bad if you're a wolf" since there's possibly only 30 wolves still living in the wild in Norway.
