Belgium: EU approves full Schengen membership for Bulgaria and Romania

The European Union has cleared Bulgaria and Romania to become full members of the borderless Schengen zone from the start of next year, according to officials. Hungarian Minister of the…

Ukraine: Zelenskyy asks for air defences as Trump warns aid to Ukraine could be cut

Ukraine’s president has sharply raised his demand for air defence systems, highlighting how much Russia has intensified the air war in recent months. Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday said Ukraine needed…

LIVE UPDATES: Russia-Ukraine war

List of key events, day 1,022. Here is the situation on Thursday, December 12:

Spain: Fernando Alonso ‘still dreaming’ of third world title

Fernando Alonso is considering his past, present and future in Formula 1 – and most of all his thoughts on his prospects of winning a third world drivers’ title, even…

France: Kylian Mbappe says he remains committed to playing for his country

Kylian Mbappe has promised he remains committed to playing for France despite being left out of their last two squads. The 25-year-old Real Madrid forward has 86 caps for France,…

UK: Rape victim urges tougher regulation for therapists

A woman who successfully sued a therapist over claims he raped her during a therapy session has called for tougher regulation of therapists and counsellors. Ella Janneh was awarded more than…

France: 50 men accused in mass rape of Gisèle Pelicot

Collectively, the defendants accused of raping Gisèle Pelicot are facing more than 600 years in jail. They are young, old, burly, thin, black and white. Among them are firefighters, lorry…

UK: Ex-BBC journalist Duncan Bartlett jailed for child sex offences

A former BBC journalist has been jailed for eight years for a string of child sexual abuse offences. Duncan Bartlett, 52, was jailed at Wood Green Crown Court in north…

UK: Authorities ‘keeping close eye’ on British jihadists in Syria

Any prospect of British jihadists returning from Syria would be “a concern” and the UK is keeping “a very close eye” on the situation, a Home Office minister has said.…

Netherlands: Police arrest three after The Hague flat explosions

Authorities in the Netherlands have arrested three suspects in connection with devastating explosions that rocked an apartment block in The Hague, killing six people and leaving a community in shock.…