Russia and Ukraine pound each on the last hours of 2023 with Belgorod, Kharkiv bearing the brunt
Ukraine’s Airforce said the military had shot down 21 out of 49 drones launched overnight by Russia. Most were aimed at the frontline and parts of the Kharkiv, Kherson, Mykolaiv and Zaporizhzhia regions, it said.
Israel scoffs at South Africa’s allegations of genocide in Gaza in case filed at ICC as ‘blood libel’
South Africa asked The Hague-based court to issue an interim order for Israel to immediately suspend its military operations in Gaza. A hearing into the request is likely in the coming days or weeks. The case, if it goes ahead, will take years, but an interim order could be issued within weeks.
Moscow admits Ukrainian Air Force had inflicted damage on its giant warship on Crimean port
Although a Ukrainian counteroffensive has made little in the way of battlefield gains and the Russian military has regained the initiative in several places, Ukraine has been able to launch a series of attacks on Crimea, the headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, inflicting serious damage.
Clubs get greenlight to start Super League as European Court rules UEFA, Fifa breached EU law
In its ruling the EU’s top court said that FIFA and UEFA abused their dominant position by forbidding clubs to compete in a European Super League (ESL), although that project may still not be approved as the court did not rule on it specifically.
UK home secretary arrives in Kigali, ready to sign controversial asylum treaty with Rwanda
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is under intense pressure to cut net migration, which hit a record 745,000 last year, and end the flow of asylum seekers who pay people smugglers for their Channel crossings, often in overcrowded, unseaworthy boats.
Britain in a catch 22 situation as it announces stricter visa measures to reduce net migration
In October, the government’s independent migration adviser recommended abolishing the so-called shortage occupations list, one of the main routes for businesses to hire migrant workers in sectors where there are severe staff shortages.
Unforgiving Pope Francis punishes critic Cardinal Burke by revoking right to subsidised Vatican house, salary
Burke, a 75-year-old canon lawyer whom Francis had fired as the Vatican’s high court justice in 2014, has become one of the most outspoken critics of the pope, his outreach to LGBTQ+ Catholics and his reform project to make the church more responsive to the needs of ordinary faithful.
German police raid Hamas supporters’ properties in Berlin as clamp down on lawlessness picks up
In Berlin alone, more than 300 police officers carried out searches at 11 locations in order to seize evidence and assets. Seven searches were related to Hamas and four to Samidoun. The searches mainly took place at the homes of supporters and the premises of a Palestinian association, German news agency DPA reported.
Riots erupt in Irish capital, Dublin, after children are stabbed in suspected anti-immigrant protests
A double decker bus was burned to the ground in front of the Daniel O’Connell statue at the head of the street and windows were smashed at a nearby Holiday Inn hotel and McDonalds restaurant. A Footlocker store was looted.
Barca politics is like real politics: Catalans top brass are always useless and everything that goes wrong is their fault
The club’s financial report in October 2021 was terrifying. It included £236 million in impairments and provisions – write-offs, in other words – related to bad contracts, legal fees and tax disputes. Barca’s net financial debt – its bank borrowings and bonds, minus cash in the bank – had sailed past £400 million and most of that was expensive, short-term debt. The club paid £36 million in interest that year.
