Europe
France: Le Pen’s death highlights his daughter’s rise
Jean-Marie Le Pen, founder of France’s far-right National Front (FN), has died at 96, leaving behind a divisive legacy. Known for incendiary rhetoric, he propelled anti-immigration nationalism into mainstream French politics. His controversies…
Azerbaijan: Putin urged to accept responsibility for air crash
President Ilham Aliyev has urged Russia to accept responsibility for the Christmas Day crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines plane, which killed 38 of the 67 onboard. The flight, from Baku to Grozny, was…
Ukraine stops transporting gas to Europe
Ukraine has decided to stop transporting Russian gas to Europe after a deal with Moscow expired, marking a historic and symbolic shift in policy. As a result, both countries will incur financial losses:…
Russia: senior general assassinated
On 17 December Lieutenant-general Igor Kirillov and his assistant were killed in Moscow by a Ukrainian agent in a targeted assassination, intensifying a new front in the conflict. Kirillov, the head of Russia’s…
France: fifty men found guilty of mass rape in landmark case
In a landmark case in Avignon, 72-year-old Dominique Pelicot and fifty co-defendants have been found guilty of mass rape against his wife Gisele over a decade. Dominique, who admitted to drugging and allowing…
Germany: early election after no-confidence vote
The chancellor, Olaf Scholz, has lost a vote of no confidence in the German parliament, resulting in an early election which will take place on 23 February. Although he expected the loss, Scholz…
Ukraine: Russia could launch hypersonic missile ‘within days’
US intelligence suggests Russia may launch its experimental Oreshnik hypersonic missile against Ukraine within days. First used in an attack on Dnipro in November, the missile displayed astonishing speed and precision, striking a…
France: author guilty of downplaying Rwandan genocide
French-Cameroonian author Charles Onana has been found guilty of downplaying the Rwandan genocide, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 800,000 people in 1994. He was fined €8,400, and his publisher was fined…
France: government collapses in no-confidence vote
Prime minister Michel Barnier has been ousted in a historic no-confidence vote, leading to the collapse of his government. The motion follows his controversial use of special powers to pass a budget without…
France: Notre Dame reopens after restoration
Notre Dame Cathedral is set to reopen on 7 December, after a five-year restoration following the devastating 2019 fire. Ceremonies will blend tradition and modernity, including a symbolic door-striking ritual led by Archbishop…
