Author: staff
Published on 02/01/2026 – 16:03 GMT+1 •Updated 16:04 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appointed the head of military intelligence Kyrylo Budanov as his new chief of staff on Friday, a move that comes as the US leads a diplomatic push to end Russia’s nearly four-year war. In announcing the appointment of Lieutenant General Budanov, Zelenskyy said Ukraine needs to focus on security issues, the development of its defence and security forces and peace talks, areas overseen by his office. “At this time, Ukraine needs greater focus on security issues, the development of the Defense and Security Forces of Ukraine, as well…
Chinese President Xi Jinping said 2025 was the year that China’s technologies, including artificial intelligence and semiconductor chips, “reached new heights”. In his New Year’s address, Xi lauded the efforts of Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductor chip companies by saying that they “integrated science and technology deeply with industries, and made a stream of new innovations”. “Many large AI models have been competing in a race to the top, and breakthroughs have been achieved in the research and development of our own chips,” he added. Xi’s comments came after China’s AI advancements dominated headlines in 2025. The country is…
Ali Shamkhani, political adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, warned Trump to back off. “The people of Iran are well acquainted with the experience of Americans coming to the rescue, from Iraq and Afghanistan to Gaza. Any hand of intervention that approaches Iranian security with pretexts will be severed by a regret-inducing response. Iran’s national security is a red line, not fodder for adventurist tweets,” Shamkhani wrote on X. Protests have been taking place in several Iranian cities since December 28, driven by people angered by soaring living costs and opposition to the country’s clerical regime. Local media reported six…
Updated: 02/01/2026 – 7:00 GMT+1 Catch up with the most important stories from around Europe and beyond this January 2nd, 2026 – latest news, breaking news, World, Business, Entertainment, Politics, Culture, Travel. … More
The battle of the electric vehicles seems to be comfortably leaning in favour of Chinese producer BYD as Elon Musk’s Tesla cars continue to underperform sales-wise, with the Chinese producer posting a nearly 28% increase in year-to-date sales for December. Tesla sold around 480,000 of its Model 3 and Y in the third quarter, and around 400,000 in the fourth quarter, according to December estimates. 1.6 million models are expected to be sold in 2026, down from about 1.79 million in 2024. In comparison, BYD sold about 1.7 million battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in 2024 and around 2.25 million in…
The rescue comes as SOS Méditerranée resumes operations with the Ocean Viking. In mid December 2025, the organisation announced it had completed repairs costing around 130,000 euros, along with upgrades to crew training and onboard safety procedures. The aim is to restore regular search and rescue patrols along one of the world’s deadliest migration routes. The operating environment remains tense. SOS Méditerranée reports a rise in violence and obstruction targeting rescue ships and people in distress, including several incidents involving other NGOs. Since an attack on the Ocean Viking in August, the organisation has warned that the lack of accountability…
By Rebecca Ann Hughes & JENNIFER SINCO KELLEHER with AP Published on 02/01/2026 – 13:04 GMT+1 •Updated 13:17 A federal appeals court ruling on New Year’s Eve blocked Hawaii from enforcing a climate change tourist tax on cruise ship passengers, a levy that was set to go into effect at the start of 2026. Cruise Lines International Association challenged the fee in a lawsuit, arguing that the new law violates the US Constitution by taxing cruise ships for entering Hawaii ports. They also argued it would make cruises more expensive. The lawsuit notes that on top of the 11 per cent levy, the law authorises…
“We predict with high probability a transition from manipulative influence to the [Russian Federation] special services’ armed provocation, resulting in significant human casualties,” the intelligence service said in a statement. “The location of the provocation may be a religious building or other object of high symbolic significance both in [Russia] and in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine,” the statement read.The spy service said the Kremlin intended to pin the attacks on Ukraine by deploying Western-made drones brought from the front line to the site of the faked attack.Such operations are “consistent with modus operandi of Russian special services,” the…
Donald Trump’s return to the White House in 2025 marked a stunning political comeback, with the US president pushing an aggressive MAGA policy from trade to international relations. While the US leader has shaped the events of a turbulent 2025, the new year may prove harder to manage for Trump as the midterm elections approach. For Europeans, that is one factor to watch after a difficult year in which the future of the transatlantic relation, the bedrock of economic prosperity and security for the continent since the end of the Cold War, came under scrutiny as MAGA went after the…
Binéfar, an Aragonese town of just over 10,000 inhabitants, located between Huesca and Lérida in northeastern Spain, is home to the largest military robotics plant in the country. This town in the Alto Aragon region designs and manufactures ground robots that are now used in war scenarios, explosive ordnance disposal operations and logistical support missions in more than 20 countries. The plant belongs to the EM&E Group (Escribano Mechanical & Engineering) and is one of the key players in the growth of the Spanish defence sector in a context marked by the war in Ukraine and the rise of unmanned…