European Union leaders were to consider yesterday what economic sanctions they could impose on Russia if Moscow were to launch a new attack on Ukraine, Slovenia’s prime minister said, warning that the bloc was prepared for Russian “surprises”.

Under-fire British Prime Minister Boris Johnson yesterday faced a crucial test of his leadership as polls opened in a by-election in a constituency his party has never lost, where defeat would intensify calls for a new leader.

Germany yesterday vowed to “defend itself” against radicalised anti-vaccination groups after police launched raids in response to death threats against a top politician backing decisive measures to fight the pandemic.

European Union policymakers yesterday set out a second set of proposals to cut emissions across its economy this decade and to put it on track for net zero greenhouse gas output by 2050.

Nearly half of adults in Britain cannot cook a full Christmas dinner that includes all the traditional trimmings, according to a survey unveiled yesterday.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson yesterday defended his record on tackling the coronavirus pandemic, after nearly 100 of his own MPs broke ranks and rebelled against new restrictions.

NATO is not planning to deploy intermediate-range nuclear missiles in Europe, the Western military alliance said on Tuesday, rejecting Russian accusations and a call by Moscow for a moratorium on this kind of weapons in Europe.

France said yesterday it could tighten border controls to protect against the Omicron Covid variant, which is infecting a huge number of people in Britain.

The UN yesterday said it had received credible allegations of over 100 extrajudicial killings in Afghanistan since the Taliban took power in August, with most carried out by the Taliban.

At least 50 people were killed when a gas tanker exploded in the Haitian city of Cap-Haitien yesterday morning, according to a local official, with overwhelmed local medics saying the toll was feared to rise.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson faces a large rebellion among his Conservative lawmakers yesterday in a parliamentary vote over new restrictions to try to curb the spread of the new Omicron coronavirus variant.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said the collapse of the Soviet Union spelled the end of “historical Russia,” revealing he drove a taxi to make ends meet following the USSR’s fall.

This is going to be our new normal. The effects that we’re seeing from climate change are the crisis of our generation. We do see tornadoes in December, that part is not unusual, but at this magnitude I don’t think we’ve ever seen one this late in the year. But it’s also historic.” 

At least one patient has died in the United Kingdom after contracting the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said yesterday.

Boris Johnson yesterday faced fresh questions about alleged government breaches of coronavirus restrictions after a photo emerged of him at a Christmas event last year.

Countries have until the end of next year to ensure their climate commitments meet the Paris agreement’s cap on global warming. But who will check that their promises really do stack up?

The G7 yesterday said time was running out for Iran to agree a deal to curb its nuclear ambitions, and warned Russia about the consequences of invading Ukraine.

The Pacific territory of New Caledonia goes to the polls today for a third and final referendum on independence from France with campaigning marked by angry demands to call off the vote because of the Covid pandemic.

Mexico has urged Washington to rethink its migration policy after a horror road accident killed 55 undocumented migrants in a truck on a major transit route to the United States.

At the British general election in December 2019, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson campaigned on a pledge to “Get Brexit Done” -- and won by a landslide.