Author: staff
It’s a new year but does Keir Starmer still have the same old problems? The Prime Minister is already under pressure, at home and abroad, to clarify his position on Donald Trump’s actions to strike and capture Venezuela’s President Maduro. Can he ‘beige’ it out or will he bow down to the pressure from his opponents and critics? Elsewhere, as MPs flock back to Westminster for 2026, is the PM premiership in a stronger or weaker position since the Christmas break? – Sam has all the behind-the-scenes reaction. Plus, is deeper integration with the European Union on the cards? You…
Published on 05/01/2026 – 9:45 GMT+1 All 40 people who died in a fire in a bar at a Swiss ski resort on New Year’s Eve have been identified, authorities said. The final 16 victims were identified late on Sunday, according to a representative of Valais Police, who responded to the tragedy, described as one of the worst in Switzerland’s recent history. The Alpine country is set to hold a national day of mourning this week. Some 26 of the 40 victims who lost their lives were teenagers, with the youngest being two 14-year-olds from France and Switzerland. A total…
Published on 05/01/2026 – 6:26 GMT+1 •Updated 6:31 US President Donald Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that US officials have determined that Ukraine did not target a residence belonging to Russian President Vladimir Putin in a drone attack last week, disputing Russian claims Trump initially called “deeply concerning”. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said last week that Kyiv had launched a wave of drones at Putin’s state residence in the northwestern Novgorod region, that Russian air defence systems were able to intercept and thwart. Lavrov also criticised Ukraine for launching the attack at a moment where global efforts…
By Liam Gilliver & Jessica Damiano with AP Published on 05/01/2026 – 8:00 GMT+1 Christmas is officially over, which means taking down the lights, putting the chocolates away, and getting rid of your shedding tree. According to the Nature Conservancy, some 10 million live Christmas trees end up in landfills every year. There, they are covered with soil, which results in anaerobic (oxygen-deprived) decomposition rather than the aerobic (oxygen-fueled) process by which they would break down in a natural setting, such as on the forest floor. Anaerobic decomposition is not only very slow (a tree can take years to break down) but it also generates…
By Euronews Published on 05/01/2026 – 7:00 GMT+1 Migrant arrivals to the United Kingdom in 2025 hit their highest level since 2022, according to government data. The latest figures show 41,472 people arrived in the country via the English Channel last year, up by around 5,000 on 2024’s figures. The 2025 figures are the second highest on record, behind the 2022 peak of 45,774. The numbers for the UK contrast with those recorded across the European Union for last year. According to the EU’s Border and Coast Guard Agency Frontex, irregular entries into the bloc dropped by 25% in the first…
The gender pay gap is a well-observed phenomenon across Europe. In the EU, women earned 12% less than men in 2023, according to Eurostat, meaning women earned only €88 for every €100 earned by men. The gap is even wider when it comes to pensions. Across 27 European countries, including non-EU members, women receive significantly lower pensions than men. On average, women’s pension income is 22% lower than that of men. In some significant economies, the gap exceeds 35% — according to the OECD. In 2024, the gender pension gap ranged from around 6% in Estonia to 37% in the…
It’s true, Yermak was a gift for MAGA’s Ukraine-bashing wing. Whereas Budanov, as a war hero, is less of an easy target, with no links to graft or any obvious self-serving politics. And if he does harbor personal political ambitions, it seems he has put those aside by taking on this new role — at least in the near term. It would be hard for him to run against Zelenskyy in any near-future elections. Plus, if things go wrong in the coming weeks and months, he risks tarnishing his own image and diminishing his electoral appeal. In fact, there’s some…
Updated: 05/01/2026 – 7:00 GMT+1 Catch up with the most important stories from around Europe and beyond this January 5th, 2026 – latest news, breaking news, World, Business, Entertainment, Politics, Culture, Travel. … More
Militäraktion, Blackout, Machtfragen: Das Jahr 2026 beginnt mit Krisen – POLITICO Skip to main content
Published on 05/01/2026 – 5:31 GMT+1 US Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested on Sunday that the US would not govern Venezuela day-to-day, other than enforcing an existing “oil quarantine” following an operation which saw them oust and capture President Nicolás Maduro. Rubio’s statement seems like an attempt to temper concerns that Saturday’s assertive action to achieve regime change in Venezuela would plunge the country into another prolonged foreign intervention or failed attempt at nation-building. The position is an apparent turn-around from initial remarks made by US President Donald Trump in which he insisted that Washington would be “running” the…