Scandinavia shivers: Record cold grips Nordic region

A frigid blast from Siberia has plunged Scandinavia into record-breaking chills, while storm Henk unleashed fury across Western Europe, causing disruptions and claiming a life, as reported by The Guardian.

U.S. Secretary Blinken initiates diplomatic tour amid escalating Israel-Hamas tensions

In a move to address mounting concerns over the Israel-Hamas conflict, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to embark on a new diplomatic tour in the Middle East, starting with a stage in Israel on Thursday, Agerpres reports.

US quietly reaches agreement with Qatar to keep operating largest military base in Middle East

The United States has quietly reached an agreement that extends its military presence at a sprawling base in Qatar for another 10 years, three US defense officials and another official familiar with the agreement told CNN.

English doctors begin longest-ever NHS strike

Hospital doctors in England on Wednesday, January 3, began their longest consecutive strike in the seven-decade history of Britain's National Health Service (NHS). Junior doctors – those below the consultant level – started a six-day walkout, in a major escalation of their long-running pay dispute with the UK government, AFP reports.

Norway sends 2 fighter jets to Denmark for Ukraine training mission

Norway will send two F-16 fighter jets to Denmark to contribute to the training of Ukrainian pilots on the use of the U.S.-made airplane, the Norwegian defence minister said on Wednesday, Reuters reports.

Iran says at least 53 people killed in blasts at ceremony honoring slain general Soleimani

Explosions at an event honoring a prominent Iranian general killed in a US airstrike in Iraq in 2020 have killed at least 53 people and wounded 40 others, state-run media in Iran reported Wednesday, January 3, writes Le Monde.

Poland's president: We must respond to the latest carnage over Ukraine in the language Putin understands

The West should tighten sanctions against Russia and supply Kiev with long-range missiles in response to Moscow's latest bombing of Ukraine, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said on Wednesday, BBC reports.

Zelensky: Russia launched 300 missiles and 200 drones on Ukraine in the last 5 days

Russian officials say they have foiled a Ukrainian attack on a border city as the aerial war between the two nations continues to intensify. The officials said a dozen missiles were downed before they could reach Belgorod, where 25 people were killed on Saturday. Ukraine has not commented, BBC reports.

Passenger jet in fiery crash at Haneda airport was cleared to land, Japan Airlines

A passenger jet that collided with a coast guard plane in a catastrophic accident at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport had been given permission to land, Japan Airlines executives have said, as police reportedly prepared to investigate whether the crash involved professional negligence, The Guardian reports.

States Trump appeals disqualification from Maine primary ballot

Former US President Donald Trump on Tuesday appealed a decision by Maine's top election official to exclude him from the state's Republican presidential primary ballot over his role in the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack, DW reports.

Death toll rises to 57 after Japan earthquake flattens buildings

The death toll in the wake of the Jan. 1 earthquake off Japan’s northwest coast rose above 60 as the government doubled the number of personnel dispatched to the affected areas to bolster rescue operations, Bloomberg reports

Israeli drone kills deputy Hamas chief in Beirut

Deputy Hamas chief Saleh al-Arouri was killed on Tuesday night in an Israeli drone strike on Beirut's southern suburbs of Dahiyeh, a stronghold of the allied Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, signalling the conflict between Hamas and Israel could be expanding to engulf more of the region, Reuters reports.