Hello Australia!! - More than fifty homes burn near the Great Ocean Road - The leaders of India and Pakistan take a big step - Japan may attempt to settle a longstanding issue in its post-war history - And more in your Boxing Day CareerSpot Global News Briefs:

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a very surprising visit to his Pakistani counterpart Nawez Sharif - becoming the first Indian PM to walk on Pakistani soil in more than a decade of tense relations.  Most of the world learned about it when Mr. Modi casually dropped it on his Twitter account: "Looking forward to meeting PM Nawaz Sharif in Lahore today afternoon, where I will drop by on my way back to Delhi."  Aside from sharing a hug and tea, the two men spoke for more than an hour and vowed to restart relations, which have stalled after months of planning and cancelling diplomatic exchanges.

53 homes have been lost as a result of that Christmas Day bush fire on Victoria's south-west coast along the Great Ocean Road.  Officials say 35 homes had been lost in Wye River, and 18 at Separation Creek.  "Our hearts go out to those who have lost properties," State response controller Peter Rau told the ABC, "It's been very traumatic for a number of people."  Authorities are asking people to avoid traveling to or through the area for the weekend, and let the firefighters do their jobs.

Around a hundred people are dead in southeastern Nigeria in a gas tanker truck explosion.  People were lined up at the gas plant in the industrial city of Nnewi, to fill their cylinders to cook holiday meals.  But local media says the crew didn't wait for the gas to cool, which is a common cause of similar explosions in Nigeria. 

An airstrike outside Damascus, Syria killed the leader of the Jaysh al-Islam militant group and several of his deputies.  44-year old Zahroun Alloush led one of the more prominent rebel groups fighting against President Bashar Al-Assad with the backing of Saudi Arabia, and controlled its own territory at odds with Islamic State.  Rebel sources say Russian jets carried out the airstrike, although Moscow hadn't yet confirmed it.

Japan is reportedly considering a setting up a government fund to resolve a longstanding disagreement with South Korea about sex slaves during World War Two.  Local media says Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told his foreign minister to discuss the issue with the South Korean government when he visits Seoul next month.  The mistreatment of foreign minister in Japan's military brothels during the war is a big issue with Japan's Asian neighbors, who maintain that after 70-years Tokyo has failed to adequately address the issue with the surviving women.

The Pope, The Queen, and The Obamas all say nice things for Christmas.  But it's Boxing Day now.