Russia must engage in credible risk management to prevent miscalculations: UK statement to the OSCE

Thank you, Madam Chair. The United Kingdom’s approach in this Forum is consistent: to hold each other to account against shared OSCE commitments, such as calling for Russia to end its illegal war of aggression in Ukraine. The UK has also used this Forum to manage risks and prevent unintended escalation. Last Summer, Russia’s actions […]

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The 2026 Winter Olympics are the most geographically dispersed ever —— here’s why that could be a good thing

Italy’s 2026 Winter Olympics have been described as the most regionally distributed Winter Games ever staged. Events are spread across more than 22,000 km², taking in Milan, as well as the towns of Cortina d’Ampezzo, Valtellina, Val di Fiemme and Livigno in the Alps. Geographical dispersion is not entirely new. In 1956, the equestrian events […]

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Sanae Takaichi’s push to revise Japan’s constitution could put an end to decades of post-war pacifism

Japan’s Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, has already made history since taking office in October 2025. Capitalising on her high approval ratings and “fresh new image”, she dissolved the lower house and called an election just four months into her term. Her gamble paid off, winning the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) more seats in the lower […]

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‘Carb-loading’ is a myth. But how much carbohydrate do athletes really need?

For many years, sports nutrition was rooted in a simple metaphor: the body is an engine, glycogen (the body’s quick-release carbohydrate reserve) is its fuel, and fatigue occurs when the tank runs low. Under this logic, nutrition strategy seemed quite obvious: eat lots of carbohydrates, fill the tank, and if possible, keep topping it up […]

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Football has a real fossil fuel problem – and it’s not sustainable

In 1958, Brazil won the men’s Fifa World Cup in Sweden. The team, which included a 17-year-old Pelé, stayed in a modest country hotel and travelled by train or bus to small stadiums in cities such as Uddevalla and Göteborg. Fan attendance was fairly low for that 16-team tournament. And so too was the the […]

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Sudan crisis: UN agency launches $1.6 billion appeal to support refugees in seven countries

The 2026 Sudan Regional Refugee Response Plan (RRRP) aims to deliver lifesaving assistance this year to 5.9 million people across seven neighbouring countries: the Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Libya, South Sudan and Uganda.  The plan will continue to prioritize aid for roughly 470,000 new refugees who are expected to cross into these countries, as well as thousands more who remain in border areas and have received only the most basic assistance.  World’s largest displacement crisis  The Sudan war erupted […]

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How can Europe meet the challenge posed by the retreat of the US?

At the Munich security conference, US secretary of state Marco Rubio spoke more warmly about the transatlantic relationship than US vice-president J.D. Vance at the same venue last year. However, faced with the presidency of the erratic Donald Trump, the need for Europe to do more to protect its security remains urgent. In a later […]

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UN forum calls for overhaul of agrifood systems

These numbers point to an even deeper crisis: in 2024, an estimated 2.3 billion people experienced moderate or severe food insecurity, and chronic hunger affected 96 million more people than in 2015. Against this backdrop, senior UN officials called for urgent investment and innovation to transform global agrifood systems. These systems encompass everything from farming […]

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Four years of war in Ukraine: Childhood has ‘moved underground’, displacement continues – UN humanitarians

Speaking to reporters from a basement in Kherson, UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) representative in Ukraine Munir Mammadzade said that the frontline city remains “under constant fire,” with daily attacks destroying homes and critical infrastructure, as well as the services that children and families rely on. “I have been constantly hearing artillery shelling,” he said, speaking […]

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Italy: information for victims of rape and sexual assault

Updates to this page Published 19 June 2017 Last updated 17 February 2026 + show all updates 17 February 2026 List of English-speaking Italian solicitors specialising in rape, sexual assault and domestic violence has been updated. 19 November 2025 Guide on rape and sexual assault updated 19-11-25 7 August 2024 New lawyer added to the […]

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