Syria transition gains ground with Kurdish deal, but violence and humanitarian strain persist

Briefing ambassadors for the first time as Deputy Special Envoy, Claudio Cordone pointed to the 30 January ceasefire and integration agreement between the Syrian Government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) as a potentially transformative development. The deal provides for a phased military and administrative integration of northeast Syria and includes provisions on the return […]

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Civilians and aid operations under fire as Sudan airstrikes intensify

Two children were reportedly killed and 13 others injured in a drone strike on a mosque in Al-Rahad, North Kordofan, where all the victims were students at the adjoining school. The attack came just hours after a primary school in Dilling, South Kordofan, was hit, with further injuries reported.  WFP warehouse hit  The warehouse of the UN World Food Programme (WFP) in the […]

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UK confirms Russia poisoned Navalny in prison with rare toxin

UK and partners are today exposing the tragic circumstances surrounding Alexei Navalny’s death and have confirmed there was poison found in samples from his body. As Ministers meet at the Munich Security Conference, this news comes on the two-year anniversary of Alexei Navalny’s death in a penal colony in Siberia.  UK reporting the poisoning to the […]

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Man sentenced after waving imitation firearm and causing fear to the Jewish community in Salford

13 February 2026 Press Release Hate crime North West A man who invoked fear to the Jewish community in Salford by deliberately driving slowly while waving an imitation firearm out of the window of his car, has been sentenced. Julius Goncarukas, 42, was given 16 months in prison, suspended for 18 months, after admitting to […]

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The workplace wasn’t designed for humans – and it shows

Input. Output. Targets met. Value created. Performance delivered. Strip work down to its essentials and for many people, this is what remains: a machine-like focus on producing, performing and optimising. The system keeps moving – often with little concern for the human energy, attention and resilience required to keep it running. Over time, this can […]

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World Entrepreneurs and Investment Forum puts women at the heart of economic transformation

That was the central message of the Manama Declaration, issued at the close of the World Entrepreneurs and Investment Forum (WEIF) held this week in Bahrain. The declaration places women at the heart of economic transformation, underscoring that empowering them within business and innovation ecosystems is essential to achieving inclusive and sustainable growth. It also […]

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lovers in 18th- and 19th-century Ireland exchanged hair

In 18th- and 19th-century Ireland, it was common for courting couples to exchange gifts to mark their developing relationships. Many of these items are familiar gifts today: books, cards, items of clothing, jewellery and sweet treats. Others, however, are less familiar. In fact, some of the gifts exchanged by couples in the past might give […]

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Guterres tells AU Summit: ‘This is 2026 – not 1946’ in push for reform

In a world marked by division and mistrust, he said, the African Union (AU) stands as a “flagship for multilateralism,” as he addressed the 39th African Union Summit in Addis Ababa. Mr. Guterres praised Africa’s global leadership in “the struggle for justice and equality,” noting that the UN-AU partnership is stronger than ever, built on […]

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How Paris’ working-class dining experience is reshaping restaurant economics in France

In cities across France, a number of new bouillon soup-kitchen inspired restaurants are opening for business. Dating back to the 19th century and designed to feed Paris’ working-class masses, for some time these cheap and cheerful places to eat fell out of fashion. Why are they making a comeback today? What makes them so special […]

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Joint Statement by the UK, Sweden, France, Germany and The Netherlands on Alexei Navalny’s death

The UK, Sweden, France, Germany and The Netherlands are confident that Alexei Navalny was poisoned with a lethal toxin.  This is the conclusion of our Governments based on analyses of samples from Alexei Navalny. These analyses have conclusively confirmed the presence of epibatidine.  Epibatidine is a toxin found in poison dart frogs in South America. It is not found naturally in Russia.  Russia claimed that Navalny […]

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