Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed confidence that the United States and other Western countries will continue to support Ukraine in its battle to repel Russia’s invasion. Speaking during an end-of-year news conference on Tuesday, Zelenskyy said that financial assistance plays a crucial role in the country’s efforts to drive back Russian forces that poured … Read moreZelenskyy confident US will not ‘betray’ Ukraine
The United Nations human rights chief has said there had been an “extensive failure” by Russia to take adequate measures to protect civilians in Ukraine and that there were indications that Russian forces had committed war crimes. Volker Turk, the UN high commissioner for human rights, said on Tuesday that his office’s monitoring indicated “gross … Read moreUN rights chief: ‘Extensive failure’ by Russia to protect Ukraine civilians
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has blocked 50 billion euros ($54bn) in European Union aid for Ukraine, hours after the group agreed to formally open membership talks with Kyiv. Leaders meeting in Brussels said they would revisit the issue next month after Orban refused to back the additional funding for Ukraine’s government as it battles … Read moreHungary blocks $54bn EU financial aid for Ukraine
Global coal use is expected to reach a record high in 2023 as demand in emerging and developing economies remains strong, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has said. The demand for coal is seen rising 1.4 percent in 2023, surpassing 8.5 billion tonnes for the first time as usage in India is expected to grow … Read moreGlobal coal use to reach record high in 2023, energy agency says
Denmark is holding two people in custody and targeting four more in an investigation that may have ties to others across Europe that are linked to Hamas. The two suspects detained have been ordered to remain in pretrial detention until January 9, prosecutor Anders Larsson said on Friday. The arrests coincide with detentions in Germany … Read moreDenmark stepping up terror probe amid suspicion of Hamas links
Giada, a 30-year-old writer, lives in central Italy with her boyfriend, a shop assistant also in his thirties. After several unpaid internships, she finally secured a more reliable position this year. As a writer specialising in science, she earns about 800 euros ($876) a month on a one-year part-time contract. “They said they are going … Read more‘We barely make ends meet’: In Italy, some women are postponing motherhood
Britain’s foreign secretary has warned he could withdraw cooperation with Scottish ministers if they hold future foreign meetings without United Kingdom representation after Scotland’s first minister Humza Yousaf met Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. David Cameron issued the threat after Yousaf met Erdogan on the sidelines of the COP28 summit in Dubai to discuss the … Read moreUK’s David Cameron scolds Scottish leader Humza Yousaf over Erdogan meeting
Poland’s parliament has elected centrist party leader Donald Tusk as prime minister, paving the way for a new pro-EU government after eight years of national conservative rule. Tusk was elected prime minister nearly two months after a national election that was won by a coalition of parties ranging from left-wing to moderate conservative. The parties … Read morePoland’s parliament elects Donald Tusk as prime minister
Experts say the Israeli war on Gaza will force the Middle East to go into a “reset” and will impact the region’s normalisation process with Israel, creating a multipolar world away from the hegemony of the United States. Prominent global experts spoke at the Doha Forum, which concluded in the Qatari capital on Monday, after … Read moreIsrael’s war on Gaza means Arab normalisation is ‘off the table’: Experts
The European Union’s top diplomat says he will propose sanctions on Jewish settlers who are violent against Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Monday said the bloc was “alarmed by the violence in the West Bank by extremist settlers” and condemned the Israeli government’s decision to approve … Read moreEU mulls sanctions on violent Israeli settlers in occupied West Bank