World
Europe
Giorgia Meloni named ‘Man of the Year’ by right-wing Italian newspaper
The Libero article was criticised by women’s rights activists who have accused the Italian prime minister of promulgating regressive views.
- by Josephine McKenna
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Updated
Russia-Ukraine war
UN Security Council meets after Russia launches biggest airstrike of war on Ukraine
The Ukrainian foreign ministry said the vast end-of-year air assault showed there should be “no talk of a truce” with the Kremlin.
- by Yuliia Dysa, Tom Balmforth and Simon Lewis
Wars, Trump’s courtroom dramas and our new King: The world in 2023
From the Israel-Hamas conflict, China’s growing influence in the world, to the COP28 climate summit and beyond - our correspondents look back at the events that have shaped the world in the past year.
- by Eryk Bagshaw, Chris Barrett, Lucy Cormack, Rob Harris, Farrah Tomazin, Lia Timson and James Lemon
‘Peace, freedom and democracy’: Russian anti-war presidential hopeful blocked from running
Former regional legislator Yekaterina Duntsova has promoted her vision of a “humane” Russia “that’s peaceful, friendly and ready to co-operate”.
Stars publish essay in defence of French icon Depardieu amid rape allegations
More than 50 performers, writers and producers published an essay defending film star Gerard Depardieu, whom more than a dozen women have accused of misconduct.
Putin critic Navalny, missing for weeks, turns up in Arctic gulag prison
The prison, about 60 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle, was founded in the 1960s as part of what was once the gulag system of forced Soviet labour camps.
- by Andrew Osborn and Olzhas Auyezov
UK becomes first G20 nation to halve carbon emissions
Britain has halved its carbon emissions from its peak in the ’70s, but it was still near those levels about 10 years ago.
- by Neil Johnston
Analysis
Royal family
Christmas Day showed King’s vision for monarchy at its clearest yet
Here was The Firm and The Family, together but separate, and as clear a statement of regal intent as the public had seen since Charles took the throne.
- by Hannah Furness
Velazquez painting worth $51m vanishes ahead of auction
The full-length portrait of Isabella of Bourbon, who in 1621 became Queen of Spain as wife of King Philip IV, was set to go on sale on February 1 in New York.
- by James Badcock
Ukraine destroys one of Russia’s biggest amphibious warships in Crimea
In a rare move, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu personally told Vladimir Putin about the attack that bore the hallmarks of British Storm Shadow missiles.
- by James Kilner
Updated
Russia-Ukraine war
Ukraine celebrates Christmas on December 25 for the first time
Many Ukrainians embraced the move to celebrate Christmas on December 25 with enthusiasm, while Kyiv took the opportunity to strike a Russian ship in Crimea.