Author: staff
Shortly after midnight on New Year’s Day, a fire broke out in the spire of the Vondelchurch in central Amsterdam. The neo-Gothic building, completed in 1880 and out of service since 1977, was soon engulfed in flames believed to have started from fireworks. The church, a familiar landmark near Vondelpark, collapsed as the fire spread through its wooden tower. Nearby residents were urged to leave their homes while firefighters tried to contain the blaze. Streets around the site were cordoned off through the night. By early morning, little remained of the historic structure beyond its scorched brick walls, leaving locals…
The US military struck five alleged drug-smuggling boats over two days, killing a total of eight people while others jumped overboard and may have survived, US Southern Command said in a social media post on Thursday. Southern Command, which oversees South America, did not reveal where the attacks on Tuesday and Wednesday occurred. Previous similar attacks have taken place in the Caribbean Sea and in the eastern Pacific Ocean. A video of Tuesday’s attack posted by Southern Command on social media shows three boats traveling in a close formation, which is unusual, and the military said they were in a…
Updated: 01/01/2026 – 12:00 GMT+1 Catch up with the most important stories from around Europe and beyond this January 1st, 2026 – latest news, breaking news, World, Business, Entertainment, Politics, Culture, Travel. … More
Updated: 01/01/2026 – 18:00 GMT+1 Catch up with the most important stories from around Europe and beyond this January 1st, 2026 – latest news, breaking news, World, Business, Entertainment, Politics, Culture, Travel. … More
Published on 01/01/2026 – 19:16 GMT+1 •Updated 19:17 British boxer Anthony Joshua will initially stay in Nigeria as he recuperates from injuries sustained after a deadly crash, his promoter said on Thursday. “As reported, Anthony was released from hospital last night and will remain in Nigeria over the coming days,” Matchroom Boxing said in a statemen. A vehicle carrying the former heavyweight champion and two of his associates crashed into a stationary truck on Monday on a major thoroughfare, the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, which links Ogun state to Lagos. The two associates, Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele, were killed. Joshua…
Published on 01/01/2026 – 18:39 GMT+1 A vessel seized in Finland suspected of damaging an undersea telecommunications cable between Helsinki and Tallinn was transporting Russian steel subject to European Union sanctions, Finnish customs officials said on Thursday. On Wednesday, Finnish police detained the Fitburg, a 132-metre-long cargo ship en route from St Petersburg in Russia to the Israeli port of Haifa. Its 14 crew members were also detained following suspicion the ship’s anchor had damaged the telecoms cable in the Gulf of Finland. “Preliminary information indicated that the cargo consisted of steel products originating in Russia, which are subject to…
Europe welcomed 2026 with large public celebrations, as fireworks and countdowns marked the start of the New Year across several capitals. In London, crowds lined the River Thames to watch an elaborate fireworks display around the London Eye. Big Ben chimed at midnight for the first time in the new year, setting the pace for celebrations in the city centre as thousands gathered despite cold conditions. In Paris, people filled the Champs-Elysees for fireworks and music near the Arc de Triomphe, continuing a tradition that draws large crowds each year. Berlin also marked the moment with a fireworks display over…
Published on 01/01/2026 – 16:59 GMT+1 President Donald Trump has eased pressure on two key import sectors — furniture and pasta — by delaying or scaling back steep tariffs shortly before they were due to take effect on 1 January, 2026. For furniture, Trump has postponed planned tariff increases on certain imported home goods for one year, keeping existing duties in place while allowing further negotiations with trading partners. On Wednesday Trump signed a proclamation delaying the scheduled increases — originally set to take effect on Thursday — until January 1, 2027. The order preserves the current 25% tariff on…
The Bulgarian central bank’s governor, Dimitar Radev, has taken a seat on the table with the Governing Council of the European Central Bank. “I warmly welcome Bulgaria to the euro family and Governor Radev to the ECB Governing Council table in Frankfurt,” ECB President Christine Lagarde said in a statement on Thursday. People will still be able to pay in levs for about a month, but they will start getting their change in euros. Until June 30, old money can be exchanged for no fee at banks and post offices, and indefinitely at the Bulgarian Central Bank. Public opinion, however, remains mixed. According…
Published on 01/01/2026 – 15:27 GMT+1 Authorities in Syria said on Thursday that a suicide bomber who killed a security forces member in Aleppo on New Year’s Eve was a member of the so-called Islamic State (IS) jihadist group, which had planned attacks on churches and gatherings. IS recently increased its attacks in areas of Syria controlled by the new Damascus authorities and was blamed for an attack last month in Palmyra that killed three US citizens. The interior ministry said in a statement it had information that IS planned “suicide operations and attacks targeting New Year’s celebrations in a…