Valentine’s Day, named after a Christian saint, may now be marked in countries around the world but traditions are often very different – and sometimes have nothing at all to do with romance. While in Europe it is all about couples celebrating their relationship, in the United States it is as much about schoolchildren marking … Read moreValentine’s Day celebrations around the world
Ukraine’s allies are in a race against time to produce enough ammunition, fuel, and spare parts to thwart an offensive by Russian forces that NATO’s chief says is already under way. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has again urged Ukraine’s Western allies to ramp up their military support. Asked Monday when he expects Russia’s so-called spring … Read moreUkraine: NATO in logistics ‘race’ as Russian offensive begins
“It feels like a big injustice,” says 40-year-old Helen Bone as she sips tea in her kitchen in Middlesbrough, in England’s northeast. In 2021, Helen was diagnosed with mesothelioma – an incurable cancer the United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS) says is overwhelmingly linked to exposure to asbestos, a carcinogenic mineral that has been part … Read moreA long and lethal legacy: In the shadow of asbestos in the UK
Protesters held a sometimes restive fourth round of nationwide demonstrations across France against President Emmanuel Macron’s plans to reform the country’s pension system. More than 960,000 people marched in Paris, Nice, Marseille, Toulouse, Nantes and other cities on Saturday, according to the interior ministry. In Paris, authorities counted some 93,000 participants, the most to demonstrate … Read moreNearly one million French march as pension protests continue
Cyprus voters have elected the former Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides as the next president of the small European Union member state, with his rival conceding defeat and congratulating him. Christodoulides, 49, defeated fellow diplomat Andreas Mavroyiannis with 51.9 percent of the vote compared to 48.1 percent on the divided Mediterranean island on Sunday. Mavroyiannis, 66, … Read moreEx-foreign minister Christodoulides wins Cyprus presidential vote
Police have arrested 15 people after an anti-refugee demonstration outside a hotel used to house asylum seekers turned violent near the English city of Liverpool. The Merseyside Police department said a police officer and two civilians sustained minor injuries during the disturbance on Friday night in Knowsley. The police force said some protesters threw objects … Read morePolice arrest 15 after violent protest outside UK refugee hotel
Russian forces have bombarded power facilities across Ukraine as officials said a new Russian offensive was under way in the east. Ukraine’s air force said 61 of 71 Russian missiles had been shot down on Friday. But energy minister German Galushchenko said Russia had hit power facilities in six regions with missiles and drones, causing … Read moreRussia attacks Ukrainian power grid and gains ground in the east
Can London’s police force ever recover public trust? The Metropolitan Police Force’s Commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, is certainly banking on the expectation that it can. Many would say it’s an almost insurmountable task. But the alternative is unthinkable. The force is the first port of call for law enforcement and prevention of crime in the … Read moreWith criminals in the ranks, trust in London’s police force sinks
SpaceX has conducted a successful test-firing of the engines on the most powerful rocket ever built, designed to eventually send astronauts to the Moon and Mars. The test on Thursday, called a static fire, of the 33 Raptor engines on the first-stage booster of SpaceX’s Starship took place at the private space company’s base in … Read moreSpaceX fires up giant Starship rocket engines in key test
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has criticised France and Germany after she was not invited to a dinner in Paris with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, adding to friction between the European Union allies. Zelenskyy started a surprise visit to Western Europe on Wednesday with a visit to the United Kingdom and then to France, where … Read moreItaly prime minister irked by ‘inappropriate’ Zelenskyy meeting