By Kate Abnett BRUSSELS, Jan 14 (Reuters) - Last year was among the planet's three warmest on record, the World Meteorological Organization said on Wednesday, as EU scientists also confirmed average

Ukraine, in a second effort on Wednesday, named its fourth defence minister in the nearly four years since it was attacked by Russia and also approved the former defence minister to the top job at the energy ministry. A clear majority of 277 lawmakers voted for Mykhailo Fedorov for the top defence job.

On Sunday, dozens of Golani Brigade soldiers and officers walked out of a large conference hall to protest female soldiers singing at the ceremony. Following a series of events taking aim at the role of women in the IDF, the Forum Dvorah NGO, which supports female military service, on Wednesday called on Defense Minister Israel Katz and IDF Chief of Staff Lt.

Stretching 18km between Denmark and Germany, this €7bn immersed tunnel is the world’s longest road and rail link. By 2029, it will replace a 45-minute ferry trip with a 10-minute drive or a 7-minute train ride, offering a 24/7 gateway to Scandinavia.

BBC Persian has received dozens of accounts from inside Iran. Defiant despite potential repercussions, the witnesses said they wanted to ensure the rest of the world knew of the violence against the protesters.

A state of emergency had been declared for the entire energy sector in Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced after a crisis meeting on Wednesday. A coordination centre will be set up to deal specifically with the needs of capital Kiev, a city of 3 million people.

The October 2023 document, addressed to the Joint Operations Command of the UAE Forces, shows the Emiratis intended to use their military bases to support Israel. A leaked official document has revealed that the UAE planned to use its military bases to “strengthen the State of Israel in its fight against terrorists in Palestine.

A crypto investor and his family were bound with cable ties and beaten during a violent home invasion in Verneuil-sur-Seine, France, on Friday evening, as armed attackers targeted the family’s digital assets before fleeing toward a nearby train station.The incident adds to France’s escalating crisis of crypto-related violence, bringing the ...

The foreign ministers of France, Germany, and Italy decried the Iranian regime's crackdown on protestors as "unbearable and inhumane," "brutal," and "absolutely unacceptable. " The foreign ministries of France, Germany, and Italy summoned their nation’s Iranian ambassadors on Tuesday, as worldwide concern spreads over the Iranian regime’s treatment of domestic protests.

At least 2,500 people have been killed in Iran since protests broke out at the end of December, the Norway-based human rights organization Hengaw said on Tuesday. The group noted that its verification team is working daily to document deaths linked to the state crackdown on mass protests.

More than 100 minors have been killed in the Gaza Strip since the truce in October, according to the UN children’s agency UNICEF. The organization reported 60 boys and 40 girls under the age of 18 had died.

In October 2024, Israel passed a law banning the agency for Palestinian refugees in Israel and occupied East Jerusalem.

Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara warns the Israeli government of violating a High Court ruling on military conscription, stressing the risk to Israel's democracy and security. Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara warned the High Court of Justice on Monday that the government is in active violation of a binding court ruling on military conscription, describing the conduct of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his cabinet as a danger to Israel’s democratic system.

Although Russia forbids LGBTQ+ "propaganda," thousands of gay people there are finding ways to stream and connect with the story of a closeted Russian hockey player and his love.

The Israel Air Force struck and killed the terrorists, who were approaching troops from the 188th Brigade, according to the army's statement. The IDF killed four armed terrorists near the Yellow Line in southern Gaza on Monday after they approached troops and posed an immediate threat, the military stated that evening.

Former hostage Eitan Mor shares shocking insights into Hamas' military preparedness, revealing their deep knowledge of Israel and their unwavering commitment to future attacks. Former hostage Eitan Mor said he was “amazed” by how much intelligence he saw Hamas had on Israel during his time in captivity, adding that the terrorist group had been focused on rebuilding and preparing for further attacks.

The IDF’s Tzrifin exhibition offers a rare look at weapons seized from Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, highlighting their organized, state-backed operations. At the Tzrifin base, a restricted Israel Defense Forces (IDF) exhibition offers a rare, consolidated look at weapons seized during Israeli operations against Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah along the northern border.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday evening that intelligence suggests Russia is preparing another major attack on Ukraine. Zelensky said the attack, which could happen in the next few days, could include drones which might take out air defences and missiles, urging Ukrainians to pay attention to air raid sirens.

At least 490 demonstrators have been killed in the mass protests in Iran over the last 15 days, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) told US television station CNN on Sunday. Around 10,700 people have reportedly been detained, CNN reported.

Iran’s diplomatic moves, not calling for assistance or reaching out to its allies, seem to be intended to show that Tehran believes everything is going to turn out all right. Iran has faced almost two weeks of protests.

The long duration and overwhelming logistical complexity of the Israel-Hamas War has led to a negative economic impact that may be taking a bite out of the budgets for arming reservists. A consistent concern pre-war, mid-war, and post-war has been whether IDF reservists are properly armed.

Israeli company, Navitas Petroleum, has recently announced that it will undertake activities near the Falkland Islands, a project the Argentinian government decried as "unilateral and illegitimate. " Argentina is reportedly delaying moving its embassy to Jerusalem due to bilateral tensions relating to an Israeli company’s plans to drill oil from a field near the Falkland Islands.

Israel claims its latest attacks on Lebanon were targeting alleged Hezbollah infrastructure.

Existing law could be used to approve the use of military force to stop sanction-busting ships operated by Russia and Iran.

The Southern Transitional Council denied that it was disbanding on Saturday, contradicting a statement by one of its members that the group had decided to dissolve itself. Yemen's main separatist group, the Southern Transitional Council, denied that it was disbanding on Saturday, contradicting a statement by one of its members that the group had decided to dissolve itself.

Temperatures rose as much as 34 degrees above average in Victoria, Australia, where wildfires have already destroyed 750,000 acres and more 100 homes and buildings. It is the worst heat wave for the country since the catastrophic wildfires of 2020.

Some railway services in Germany resumed on Saturday after Storm Elli had brought the north of the country to a standstill, but major restrictions remained as meteorologists warned of more snow set to come down over the weekend. Long-distance rail services, which were suspended in northern Germany on Friday amid heavy snowfall, are set to continue to see disruptions until Sunday, a spokeswoman for operator Deutsche Bahn told dpa.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Saturday called for the release of all imprisoned protesters in Iran and for full restoration of internet access in the country. "Tehran's streets, and cities around the world, echo with the footsteps of Iranian women and men demanding freedom.

The Metropolitan Police said two arrests were made as demonstrators rallied amid major anti-government protests in Iran.

A magical encounter in northern Finland blends ancient folklore, swirling auroras and an unexpectedly curious fox.