‘It’s pure beauty’ – Italy’s largest medieval mosaics restored
The mosaics in Monreale cathedral, in Sicily, span over 6,400 sq m and contain 2.2 kilos of solid gold.
‘I was raped by Assad’s thugs – but I’m no longer afraid to show my face’
Fergal Keane speaks to two Syrian refugees he met at the height of the migrant crisis in 2015.
Macron rules out resigning, will tap new prime minister, after government falls – The Washington Post
- Macron rules out resigning, will tap new prime minister, after government falls The Washington Post
- France steps into deep trouble The Economist
- Macron vows not to step aside after fall of French government Financial Times
- As France sinks into the political mire, Macron must be kicking himself CNN
- France's Macron seeks new prime minister as Barnier resigns Reuters
Trump’s Threats About the Dollar Could Push Other Countries to Find Alternatives – The New York Times
- Trump’s Threats About the Dollar Could Push Other Countries to Find Alternatives The New York Times
- How Trump Is Rethinking Economic Power The Wall Street Journal
- Trump threatens tariffs to protect dollar against threat few see as real The Washington Post
- Trump threatens 100% tariff on BRICS countries if they pursue creating new currency CNN
- Malaysia says any U.S. tariffs on BRICS nations could impact semiconductor supply Reuters
Romania hit by major election influence campaign and Russian cyber-attacks – BBC.com
- Romania hit by major election influence campaign and Russian cyber-attacks BBC.com
- Statement on Romania’s Presidential Elections Department of State
- EU probes TikTok after surprise win in Romania election DW (English)
- Declassified reports hint at 'state actor' behind Georgescu's campaign Euronews
- Romania’s presidential front-runner Georgescu benefited from Russia-style booster campaign, declassified docs say POLITICO Europe
ESA’s Proba-3 Satellites Set to Create Artificial Solar Eclipses and Reveal the Sun’s Hidden Layers – The Daily Galaxy –Great Discoveries Channel
- ESA's Proba-3 Satellites Set to Create Artificial Solar Eclipses and Reveal the Sun’s Hidden Layers The Daily Galaxy --Great Discoveries Channel
- A spacecraft duo will fly in formation to create artificial solar eclipses Science News Magazine
- European satellites launched to create artificial solar eclipses in a tech demo The Associated Press
- Proba-3 lift-off replay European Space Agency
- India with ESA satellites launches artificial eclipse quest DW (English)
Judge Labour on six targets, Keir Starmer says in major speech – BBC.com
- Judge Labour on six targets, Keir Starmer says in major speech BBC.com
- Have no doubt, this is a reset – and the stakes couldn’t be higher for Starmer The Independent
- Starmer pledges measurable 'milestones' to rebuild Britain after rocky start Reuters UK
- How Keir Starmer hopes to avoid becoming Britain’s Biden POLITICO Europe
- The great reset: Starmer pins hopes on six new policy ‘milestones’ The Independent
How the Syrian rebels’ surprise offensive shocked the world – Vox.com
- How the Syrian rebels’ surprise offensive shocked the world Vox.com
- Map: Where Rebels Have Advanced in Syria The New York Times
- Rebels' capture of Aleppo stirs Syrian homecoming hopes in Turkey Reuters
- Syria’s North-western Front Erupts Crisis Group
- What does Turkey gain from the rebel offensive in Syria? Atlantic Council
Syrian rebels capture key city of Hama in fresh blow to Assad – Reuters
- Syrian rebels capture key city of Hama in fresh blow to Assad Reuters
- Syrian Rebels Storm Hama as Government Forces Withdraw The New York Times
- Why the rebel capture of Syria’s Hama, a city with a dark history, matters The Associated Press
- Rebel army seizes one of Syria's biggest cities as government forces retreat NBC News
- Syrian opposition forces capture Hama Al Jazeera English
Taiwanese President Lai reportedly has phone talks from Guam with US Congress leaders – The Associated Press
- Taiwanese President Lai reportedly has phone talks from Guam with US Congress leaders The Associated Press
- VOA Exclusive: US House Speaker Mike Johnson speaks with Taiwan president VOA Asia
- US House Speaker Holds Call With Taiwan’s Leader, Report Says Bloomberg
- Taiwan: How is China reacting to Lai's 'transit diplomacy?' DW (English)
- China trying to set ‘red line’ for incoming Trump government, official says 台北時報
Russia’s Sergei Lavrov makes first visit to EU since Ukraine invasion – BBC.com
- Russia's Sergei Lavrov makes first visit to EU since Ukraine invasion BBC.com
- Russia’s Lavrov clashes with Blinken at OSCE meeting Al Jazeera English
- Blinken, Russia’s Lavrov clash on Ukraine at a security meeting in Malta The Associated Press
- Blinken, Russian Foreign Minister Trade Accusations at Security Meeting Newsweek
- Western states assail Russia's Lavrov over Ukraine at OSCE meeting Reuters
Romania election: Frontrunner Calin Georgescu vows to end Ukraine aid – BBC.com
- Romania election: Frontrunner Calin Georgescu vows to end Ukraine aid BBC.com
- Romanian election unsettles NATO allies POLITICO
- Exclusive: Presidential frontrunner Georgescu says he'll bar Ukrainian grain exports via Romania Reuters
- Romania’s Trump sets his sights on foreign companies POLITICO Europe
- Calin Georgescu: The ex-soil scientist who rose to prominence on TikTok and is on course to be Romania's next president Sky News
Pete Hegseth says Donald Trump ‘supports us fully’ as he arrives on Capitol Hill to charm senators – US politics live
Trump’s Pentagon pick says president-elect spoke to him on Thursday morning as media reports say Hegseth faced HR investigation over Fox Christmas party antics
Pete Hegseth has continued promoting his nomination for defense secretary on X, writing:
Maybe it’s time for a [defense secretary] who has…
Led in combat. Been on patrol for days. Pulled a trigger. Heard bullets whiz by. Called in close air support. Led medevacs. Dodged IEDs.
We’re going to confirm @PeteHegseth !
The importance of a warrior for the war fighter cannot be overstated. The Secretary of Defense must be clear-eyed, mission-oriented, and vigilant on behalf of the men and women they lead. I appreciate @PeteHegseth’s willingness to serve. The scrutiny of the nomination process and transparency matter. I look forward to his hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Continue reading...UK weather: Storm Darragh to bring 80mph gusts as amber wind warning issued
Fourth named storm of the season follows concern over lack of flooding warnings for Storm Bert last week
An amber warning for wind has been issued for large parts of the UK, with power cuts and flying debris possible amid the arrival of the fourth named storm of the season.
Storm Darragh is expected to bring gusts of up to 80mph and heavy rain late on Friday and into Saturday.
Continue reading...Biden library reportedly under threat by Democrats enraged by Hunter pardon
Senior party figures consider withholding contributions to presidential library to express anger at pardon for son
Senior Democrats are reportedly considering withholding contributions to Joe Biden’s future presidential library amid a mounting backlash over his decision grant a blanket pardon to his son Hunter.
The threat has emerged as simmering anger among congressional Democrats – already building over the president’s insistence on seeking a second term before belatedly stepping aside as the party nominee in favour of Kamala Harris – has burst into the open over Sunday’s pardon, which Biden had previously vowed not to give.
Continue reading...Brianna Ghey’s killer fails in bid to have sentence reduced due to his ‘immaturity’
Eddie Ratcliffe, who was 15 when he and a friend murdered the schoolgirl, wanted 20-year minimum jail term to be cut
One of the two teenagers convicted of the murder of 16-year-old Brianna Ghey has failed in his attempt to reduce the length of his sentence after claiming a judge failed to take into account his “immaturity”.
Eddie Ratcliffe was detained for life with a minimum term of 20 years in February for the murder, along with Scarlett Jenkinson, who received a minimum term of 22 years.
Continue reading...Starmer accuses Whitehall of being comfortable with failure in landmark speech
Prime minister sets out milestones for delivery but faces claims of watering down targets and ignoring immigration
Keir Starmer accused Whitehall of becoming comfortable with failure as he challenged civil servants to hit a series of policy targets and deliver on 150 “major infrastructure projects”.
Ushering in the “next phase” for the five-month-old Labour government, the prime minister urged “a profound cultural shift away from a declinist mentality” and a relentless focus on getting things done.
Higher real household disposable income and gross domestic product (GDP) per capita by the end of this parliament, as part of a long-term aim to make the UK the fastest-growing G7 economy.
Building 1.5m homes in England and fast-tracking planning decisions on at least 150 major economic infrastructure projects.
Putting the UK “on track” to achieve at least 95% clean power by 2030.
Meeting the NHS standard of 92% of patients in England waiting no longer than 18 weeks for elective care.
Getting a record 75% of five-year-olds ready to learn when they start school.
A named police officer for every beat, and 13,000 extra neighbourhood police officers for England and Wales.
Continue reading...Urgent manhunt for UnitedHealthcare CEO shooting suspect enters second day
Bullet casings with the words ‘deny’, ‘defend’ and ‘depose’ found at scene where Brian Thompson was killed
An urgent manhunt continued on Thursday in New York City as police combed through a vast network of private and public surveillance cameras and pursued leads in search of the person who shot and killed the UnitedHealthcare CEO, Brian Thompson, the previous morning.
Investigators deployed drones and dogs as well as sifting through data related to public-use electric bikes from the company Citi Bike, as the suspect remained at large after what police chiefs said was a targeted killing.
Continue reading...Why did France’s government collapse and what happens next?
Emmanuel Macron appears to have few good options after Michel Barnier’s government became the first to fall from a no-confidence vote in more than 60 years
The French prime minister, Michel Barnier, resigned on Thursday morning, after far-right and leftist lawmakers joined forces to topple his government only three months after it took office.
Barnier and his government will stay on in a caretaker capacity, taking care of day-to-day business until the appointment of a new government, the Élysée said in a statement on Thursday.
Continue reading...Disappearances double in Sinaloa amid Mexican cartel rift
The security forces scored a victory with a huge fentanyl bust but levels of violence remain high.