Vladimir Putin has warned Joe Biden that new sanctions against Russia over Ukraine would be a big mistake, according to the Kremlin. The Russian leader spoke with the US president for 50 minutes over the phone on Thursday. A build-up of an estimated 100,000 Russian troops and military equipment on the Ukrainian border has sparked
World
The year began with a promise. “America is back,” proclaimed Joe Biden, taking its rightful place at the vanguard of the free world, making up for the sins of his predecessor. The Trump presidency had ended with a desecration. Americans had turned on their holy of holies, the high temple of their democracy on Capitol
India’s government has blocked a charity founded by Mother Teresa from receiving foreign funds. The Missionaries of Charity, which runs schools, clinics, hospices and homes for abandoned children in India, had applied to renew its foreign-funding licence. But on Christmas Day, India’s home ministry said it had rejected the application due to “adverse inputs”. Image:
Russia’s Supreme Court has ordered the country’s most prominent human rights group to be liquidated. The court ruled that the group Memorial must be closed for breaking the law on foreign agents. The group says the lawsuit was politically motivated and has announced it will appeal the ruling before the European Court of Human Rights.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s daughter has joined those paying tribute to the late anti-apartheid hero, recalling the day he saved a young man from being burned alive as her “proudest moment”. Nontombi Naomi Tutu said she was shown video of a funeral on the outskirts of Johannesburg in July 1985, where mourners were beating and kicking
More than 100 British tourists have been denied entry to Austria after COVID rules were not updated before they left for their holiday, it has been reported. Some 110 Britons, most of whom are thought to have been going on a ski trip, flew into Innsbruck on Sunday, believing they only needed to have had
Two Save the Children staff members were among at least 35 people, including children, who were killed in Myanmar on Christmas Eve during an attack blamed on government forces. The charity said both men were new fathers who were “caught up” in the rampage in Kayah state while on their way back to their office
Men’s tennis world number one Novak Djokovic has pulled out of the Serbia team for the ATP Cup in Sydney, casting further doubt on whether he will defend his Australian Open title next month. “Team Serbia will now be led by world number 33 Dusan Lajovic,” organisers of the team event said in a statement. There
2021 was the year that warnings on climate change went into overdrive. It was the year that scientists seemed to run out of patience. And it was the year that the consequences of climate change finally, indisputably, arrived at the doorstep of the western world. By summer, the UN’s special climate panel declared global warming
A vocal pro-democracy website in Hong Kong has been shut down after police raided its office, froze its assets and arrested senior staff. Stand News said in a statement that its website and social media were no longer being updated and would be taken down. It said all employees have been dismissed. The outlet was
By Howard Bloom Wednesday December 15th, the National Archives released close to 500 new documents on the Kennedy assassination. Within hours of that release, CNN yawned that “JFK researchers [are] underwhelmed by [the] latest release of assassination documents.” The New York Post disagreed. It pointed to new evidence that Lee Harvey Oswald, the man who
The tallest volcano on the Indonesian island of Java has erupted, killing at least one person and sending huge clouds of ash into the air. TV footage shows Mount Semeru in the Lumajang district of East Java spewing giant clouds of ash at around 7pm local time (12pm UK) on Saturday as villagers run for
Strict new limits on Ireland’s hospitality sector and home visits have been announced by the country’s prime minister. From Tuesday, 7 December, nightclubs will close until 9 January, and bars will only be allowed to run table service with a maximum of six people per table in both bars and restaurants. Speaking in a televised
International passengers heading to the US will have to be tested for COVID-19 within one day of travel regardless of their vaccination status, as the Omicron variant spreads around the world. The tightening of coronavirus rules by the White House comes after America reported its first known case of community transmission of the highly contagious
Lewis Hamilton has said he does not feel comfortable about racing in Saudi Arabia’s grand prix this weekend, as he expressed concern about human rights in the kingdom. The seven-times Formula 1 world champion will be competing in a night race around a street circuit in Jeddah. Hamilton said he had received a warm welcome on arrival,
Unvaccinated people in Germany are to be excluded from non-essential stores, cultural and recreational venues, Chancellor Angela Merkel has said. In addition, parliament will consider making coronavirus jabs mandatory from February. About 68.7% of the population in Germany is fully vaccinated, far below the 75% minimum ministers are aiming for. Image: Angela Merkel says the