Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has held meeting with Syria’s new rulers in Damascus, and urged talks on easing European Union sanctions imposed on the previous government of Bashar al-Assad.
The office of the Italian prime minister announced Italian journalist Ms. Cecilia Sala detained for several days in Iran has been released an is en route to Italy.
US President-elect Donald Trump has stated that NATO members should spend 5% of their gross domestic product on defence, a significant increase from the current 2% target.
China may have talked Russian President Vladimir Putin out of deploying nuclear weapons amid Moscow's war against Kyiv, outgoing US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has stated in an interview with the Financial Times.
The French and German foreign ministers have met Syria’s de facto rulers in Damascus, marking the first trip by top European officials to the Arab country since the overthrow of former president Bashar al-Assad late last year.
President Vladimir Putin has directed the Russian government and the state-owned bank Sberbank to develop artificial intelligence (AI) technology partnerships with China, according to instructions published on the Kremlin web portal.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that Kiev has a chance to contribute to restoring stability and security in Syria after years of Russian interference, emphasizing that this endeavour will also bolster Ukraine’s own pursuit of peace.
Asma Assad, the British-born wife of ousted Syrian leader Bashar Assad, has been effectively barred from returning to the United Kingdom after her British passport expired, according to local media.
Almost one in five of the world’s children live in areas affected by conflicts, with more than 473 million children suffering from the worst levels of violence since the second world war, according to figures published by the UN humanitarian aid organisation for children, UNICEF on Saturday.
US President Joe Biden has directed the Pentagon to "continue its surge" of weapons and military equipment deliveries to Ukraine in response to Russia's mass attack on the country on Christmas Day.
Russia has accused the West of “stealing” its assets after the US transferred $1 billion from Moscow’s frozen central bank funds to Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has stated that Noscow could take legal action in response.
Pope Francis has urged the world “to silence the sounds of arms and overcome divisions” in his traditional Christmas message, using his address to call for peace in West Asia, Ukraine and Sudan. He has also expressed concern over the “extremely grave” humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
Nine countries will officially join BRICS as partner states in 2025, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov has said, adding that the economic group is open to like-minded partners.
Doha will stop gas shipments to the EU if member states enforce new legislation on carbon emissions, Qatar’s energy minister Saad al-Kaabi has told the Financial Times (FT). Qatar has become an important supplier to the bloc after Brussels resolved to wean itself off Russian gas following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not attend an event marking the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland over fears he would be detained and handed over to the International Criminal Court (ICC), Polish media has reported.
The Iranian Embassy in France has provided details regarding the tragic shooting that claimed the lives of two Iranian citizens in Dunkirk, northwestern France.
Russian President Vladimir Putin will not be invited to the next G20 summit due to a pending arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), a spokesperson of the South African president told TASS news agency.
The European Union will not lift sanctions on Syria before its new rulers ensure minorities are not persecuted and women’s rights are protected within a unified government that disavows religious extremism, the EU’s top diplomat has stated.
The UK government has confirmed having "diplomatic contact" with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the Syrian group that recently overthrew the Bashar Assad government.
The Biden administration is considering implementing harsher sanctions on Russian oil ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, Bloomberg has reported, citing its sources.
Germany and France have expressed readiness to work with Syria's new government while emphasizing that respect for fundamental human rights and the protection of minorities would be essential for interaction.
