Wagner defector exposes Ukraine atrocity orders

A former officer of the Wagner Group, a Russian paramilitary force, is set to provide crucial testimony at the International Criminal Court (ICC) concerning alleged atrocities against civilians in Ukraine. Igor Salikov, 60, fled Russia and currently resides in the Netherlands.

EU migration plan: Fragile truce

After years of internal discord, the European Union (EU) has crafted a nascent migration policy framework.

UN reconsiders Gaza truce: Ceasefire vote looms

The United Nations Security Council is primed to vote on a revised proposal for a Gaza ceasefire on Tuesday, marking a potential shift in the international response following the United States' earlier veto of a similar resolution, as reported by The Guardian.

Charles Michel announces an extraordinary EU summit for 1 February

The European Union will hold an extraordinary summit on February 1 in an attempt to agree on the revision of its multi-year budget, including funds for Ukraine, the president of the European Council, Charles Michel, said on Monday, reports Reuters and Agerpres.

Pope Francis authorizes blessings for same-sex couples

Pope Francis formally permitted Roman Catholic priests to bless same-sex couples on Monday, in a significant shift in the church’s approach to LGBTQ+ people, CNN reports.

EU should prepare for war by end of decade, German Defence Minister warns

The German Defence Minister warns of escalating Russian threats by the end of the decade, urging European countries to fortify their defence industries and adapt to geopolitical shifts, Euronews reports.

POLITICO: EU countries destroy €4B worth of COVID vaccines

At least 215 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines purchased by EU countries at the height of the pandemic have since been thrown away at an estimated cost to the taxpayer of €4 billion, an analysis by POLITICO reveals. And that's almost certainly an underestimate, writes POLITICO.

14 Romanian citizens and their family members, evacuated from the Gaza Strip, arrived in Romania

A group of 14 people, Romanian citizens and their families, evacuated from the Gaza Strip, arrived in Romania on Monday, informs the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) from Bucharest, quoted by Agerpres.

Hundreds evacuated as flood disaster unfolds in northeastern Australia

Rescue teams evacuated more than 300 people overnight, police said, and military helicopters were dispatched to help inundated areas cut off by the floods, AFP reports.

Putin warns of problems with neighboring Finland after West ‘dragged it into NATO’

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned there will be “problems” with neighboring Finland after it joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) earlier this year, CNN reports..

Cameron and Baerbock call for ‘sustainable cease-fire’ in Gaza

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Sunday called for a “sustainable cease-fire” in the Middle East, lamenting that “too many civilians have been killed” in the Israel-Hamas war, Politico reports.

In Odesa, a downed drone fell on a private house and exploded. A man died

On the night of Saturday to Sunday, the Ukrainian Air Defense Forces shot down nine Shahed drones in Odesa, said the head of the Odesa Regional Military Administration, Oleg Kiper, RBC reports.