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  • Russian Ban on Roblox Stirs Debate About Limits of Censorship

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    MOSCOW, Dec 18 (Reuters) – A Russian ban on U.S. gaming platform Roblox has ‌fuelled ​debate among some children and parents about censorship and ‌the utility of bans in a world where children can bypass limits with a few clicks.

    Russia’s communications watchdog Roskomnadzor ​said on December 3 it had blocked access to Roblox because it was “rife with inappropriate content”, spread extremist and LGBT propaganda and was popular with paedophiles.

    In wartime Russia, censorship is ‍extensive and Moscow blocks or restricts social media ​platforms such as Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and YouTube while presenting its own narrative through social media and Russian media.

    But the ban on Roblox has hit a nerve, ​leading to a small ⁠rally in the Siberian city of Tomsk at which protesters held banners reading “Hands off Roblox” and “Roblox is the victim of the digital Iron Curtain”.

    A Roblox spokesperson said in an emailed comment to Reuters that the company was ready “to temporarily limit communication features in Russia and to revise our content moderation processes to address the legal requirements necessary to restore our community’s access to the platform.”

    “Roblox intends to continue dialogue with Roskomnadzor as access to the platform is restored, including ‌discussions around additional compliance measures that may be considered over time,” the spokesperson said.

    Roblox says on its website that it provides “rigorous built-in protections to ​help ‌keep users safe” and seeks to “create a ‍secure, age-appropriate environment for every ⁠user.”

    ‘A WINDOW ON A WORLD OF GAMES’

    Russian officials, at odds with the West over the war in Ukraine, say censorship is needed to defend against a Western “information war” and what they cast as decadent Western culture that undermines “traditional” Russian values.

    For many young Russians, Roblox was a window onto a vast world of games and potential friends around the globe. The Kremlin, without providing details, says it has received correspondence about the Roblox ban from many young people.

    “I don’t consider it’s worth blocking Roblox,” 14-year-old Polina Gerina told Reuters in Moscow. “It was so much fun.”

    Her sisters, 11-year-old Darya and seven-year-old Yekaterina, also said they played on the Roblox platform.

    “I think children will still find a way around,” Darya Gerina ​said. “There have been blocks on other apps, and we have found a way around to use them, so I think children will find a way around and continue playing.”

    Many Russians use VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) to get around digital censorship. Hundreds of VPNs have been banned this year but new ones appear, prompting some young Russians to ask why authorities ban apps or sites that can be easily accessed, and why there are few Russian alternatives to them.

    CONCERNS OVER ‘CIRCUMVENTION OF BLOCKAGES’

    Some proponents of tough limits on what can be accessed by children also have concerns about both the security of VPNs and the impact of widespread circumvention of state rules.

    “How many children have downloaded a three-letter app (geocoding system) in the last few days after the game was banned?” asked Yekaterina Mizulina, director of the Safe Internet League censorship organisation.

    Mizulina, who has had sanctions imposed on her by the European Union for enforcing Russian censorship, said some young people wanted to leave Russia because of the Roblox ban.

    She said “the mass ​circumvention of blockages also forms a generally dismissive attitude towards government decisions.”

    Maria Gerina, whose three daughters played on the Roblox platform, said she did not back a ban but would like assurances over the monitoring of apps for inappropriate content and contacts, and that there should be alternatives.

    “If it will be controlled somehow and people will follow what is going on specially, then I would feel calmer as a mother when my ​children are playing,” she said.

    “But I do not think a full ban will resolve the problem – if there is no Roblox, then there will be something else.”

    (Writing by Guy Faulconbridge, Editing by Timothy Heritage)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

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  • EU Must Reform or Risk Irrelevance, Blair and Dimon Say

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    LONDON, Dec 18 (Reuters) – The European Union must reform or ‌risk ​becoming irrelevant as the rivalry between China ‌and the U.S. sparks a new era without precedent, posing challenges on security, energy, technology ​and trade, a report led by Tony Blair and Jamie Dimon says.

    Based on conversations with government, business and civil leaders, the report sets ‍out how a convergence of structural shifts ​is reshaping nations, markets and institutions, threatening those countries and groupings that once relied on the U.S. for security while growing ​trade ties with ⁠China.

    Blair, British prime minister from 1997 to 2007, and Dimon, the head of JPMorgan Chase, said Europe needed to integrate further to prioritise defence and economic growth.

    “If it cannot stand on its own against Russia, it will be even less able to manage systemic competition with the U.S. or China,” their report said. “Reform is not optional; it is required to remain ‌relevant.”

    EU HAS SAID IT MUST TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR OWN SECURITY

    The blunt summary comes as the EU hosts a summit ​to discuss ‌funding for Ukraine and how ‍it can respond to ⁠the “changed landscape for rules-based economic relations”, and as U.S. President Donald Trump heaps pressure on the bloc, including with a new National Security Strategy.

    The head of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has said that Europe must reform and be responsible for its own security. Supporters of the bloc would note that while Europe’s share of global GDP is declining, the U.S. is on the same path.

    The report also set out the challenge posed to middle powers such as India and the Gulf states from the new dynamic, as part ​of a broad overview of how geopolitics, artificial intelligence and political populism were upending the world order.

    NEW WORLD ORDER IS LIKE A 3D CHESS BOARD

    Alexander George, an author of the “World Rewired: Navigating a Multi-Speed, Multipolar Order” report, said people had previously been able to look to moments in history for guidance.

    “We’re really living in a new world which has never actually existed before,” he said. “It’s like this 3D chess board.”

    The report said the U.S. retained enduring power but faced its greatest threats at home where political volatility makes it harder to tackle high debt, while China’s trajectory will hinge on whether it can maintain growth despite demographic and debt constraints.

    On middle powers it said the steep U.S. tariffs on India in retaliation for its purchase of Russian oil showed the ​limitations to a multi-alignment approach, while the UAE’s move to strengthen U.S. technology ties showed that countries were having to choose between the U.S. and China on tech.

    The report was produced by Dimon’s JPMorgan Chase, which has launched a $1.5 trillion, decade-long plan to support industries deemed vital to U.S. economic security and resilience, and the Tony ​Blair Institute for Global Change.

    Blair is the chair of JPMorgan’s international council which advises the firm on strategy and geopolitics.

    (Reporting by Kate HoltonEditing by Alexandra Hudson)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

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  • Tunisians Revive Protests in Gabes Over Pollution From State Chemical Plant

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    TUNIS, Dec 17 (Reuters) – Around 2,500 ‌Tunisians ​marched through the coastal city ‌of Gabes on Wednesday, reviving protests over pollution from a ​state-owned phosphate complex amid rising anger over perceived failures to protect public health.

    People chanted ‍mainly “Gabes wants to live”, on ​the 15th anniversary of the start of the 2011 pro-democracy uprising that sparked ​the Arab ⁠Spring movement against autocracy.

    The protest added to the pressure on President Kais Saied’s government, which is grappling with a deep financial crisis and growing street unrest, protests by doctors, journalists, banks and public transport systems. 

    The powerful UGTT union has called ‌for a nationwide strike next month, signalling great tension in the country. The ​recent ‌protests are widely seen ‍as one ⁠of the biggest challenges facing Saied since he began ruling by decree in 2021.

    Protesters chanted slogans such as “We want to live” and “People want to dismantle polluting units”, as they marched toward Chatt Essalam, a coastal suburb north of the city where the Chemical Group’s industrial units are located.

    “The chemical plant is a fully fledged crime… We refuse to ​pass on an environmental disaster to our children, and we are determined to stick to our demand,” said Safouan Kbibieh, a local environmental activist.

    Residents say toxic emissions from the phosphate complex have led to higher rates of respiratory illnesses, osteoporosis and cancer, while industrial waste continues to be discharged into the sea, damaging marine life and livelihoods.

    The protests in Gabes were reignited after hundreds of schoolchildren suffered breathing difficulties in recent months, allegedly caused by toxic fumes from a plant converting phosphates into phosphoric ​acid and fertilisers.

    In October, Saied described the situation in Gabes as an “environmental assassination”, blaming policy choices made by previous governments, and has called for urgent maintenance to prevent toxic leaks.

    The protesters reject the temporary measures and ​are demanding the permanent closure and relocation of the plant.

    (Reporting by Tarek Amara, editing by Ed Osmond)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

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  • Russian Attack on Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Injures 26, Governor Says

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    KYIV, Dec 17 (Reuters) – ‌Russian ​glide bomb ‌attacks in Ukraine’s ​southern Zaporizhzhia region wounded ‍26 people including a ​child ​on ⁠Wednesday, according to the regional governor.

    “The Russians launched guided aerial bombs, destroying residential buildings ‌and damaging infrastructure and an ​educational ‌institution,” governor Ivan ‍Fedorov ⁠wrote on Telegram..

    Three strikes hit the regional capital and its outskirts, he added.

    Ukraine’s state emergencies service ​said work to clear the rubble was still ongoing.

    The city of Zaporizhzhia, whose southern edge is less than 25 km from the frontline, has been bombed regularly by ​Russia since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

    (Reporting by Yuliia Dysa and ​Max Hunder; Editing by Andrew Heavens)

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  • Europe Must Be Responsible for Its Own Security, EU’s Von Der Leyen Says

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    BRUSSELS, Dec ‌17 (Reuters) – ​Europe must ‌be responsible for ​its own security, ‍European Union Commission ​President ​Ursula ⁠von der Leyen said on Wednesday.

    “This is no longer an option. It ‌is a must,” she ​told the ‌European ‍Parliament in ⁠Strasbourg.

    She added that Europe “cannot afford to let others define its worldview,” adding ​that while the U.S. national security strategy is right to say that Europe’s share of global GDP is declining, the United States is on “the ​same path.”

    (Reporting by Lili Bayer, Writing by Louise Rasmussen, ​editing by Charlotte Van Campenhout)

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  • Finnish Government Approves New Gambling Framework

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    The Finnish parliament has greenlit the proposed gambling framework changes, paving the way to competitive gaming despite certain opposition to the reforms. This means that the local gaming sector could experience some sweeping changes very soon.

    The Gambling Reforms Have Reached the President

    At second reading, the parliament decided to greenlight the proposed gambling reforms, which are set to end Finland’s gambling monopoly. Having secured approval from 94% of parliament members, the new gaming framework is now heading to the Finnish president who will decide its ultimate fate.

    Under the new framework, Finland would adopt a competitive gaming model, in line with the majority of European countries. This would be a major change for Finland and a golden opportunity for gaming companies, which will be able to tap into another promising market.

    If the president sins the new framework into law, Finland’s competitive market will go live on July 1, 2027. This means that the country will have a year and a half to prepare for the coming of regulated gaming and adapt accordingly.

    Under the new framework, the National Police Board will no longer be responsible for regulating gaming. Instead, the responsibilities will be transferred to a newly created National Supervisory Authority.

    There Were Some Disagreements

    However, not everyone seems to be on the same page. Due to earlier disagreements surrounding the gambling ad regulations, the current version of the reformed gaming framework envisions significant restriction. Under those, operators will only be allowed to market within their existing channels, limiting the people they reach but also the potential harm they could cause.

    Some, however, argued that this will limit the competitiveness of the legal market, potentially leading to weaker channelization.

    The previous few weeks also saw lawmakers debate a variety of other issues, such as the legal gambling age, two-factor authentication upon user login, and a potential ban on gambling bonuses.   

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  • Kremlin Says Christmas Ceasefire Proposed by Ukraine Depends on Reaching Peace Deal

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    MOSCOW, Dec 16 (Reuters) – The ‌Kremlin ​said on Tuesday ‌that a Christmas truce that Ukraine has ​proposed would depend on whether a peace deal ‍is reached or not.

    Ukrainian ​President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on ​Monday that ⁠Kyiv supported the idea of a ceasefire, in particular for strikes on energy infrastructure, during the Christmas period.

    Asked about the idea, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry ‌Peskov said: “The question now is whether we, as ​President (Donald) ‌Trump says, will ‍reach ⁠a deal or not.”

    Peskov said Russia was unlikely to participate in such a ceasefire if Ukraine was focused on “short-term, unviable solutions” rather than a lasting settlement.

    “We want peace. We don’t want a truce ​to give Ukraine a breathing space and prepare for a continuation of the war,” Peskov told reporters.

    “We want to stop this war, achieve our goals, secure our interests, and guarantee peace in Europe for the future. That’s what we want.”

    Peskov said Moscow had not yet seen details of proposals ​on NATO-style security guarantees for Ukraine that U.S. and European officials said Washington has offered to provide.

    (Reporting by Dmitry Antonov; Writing ​by Gleb Stolyarov and Mark Trevelyan; Editing by Gleb Bryanski)

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  • Irish Player Wins $20M EuroMillions Jackpot

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    Ireland’s National Lottery has crowned a new victor of a life-changing seven-figure prize, confirming that a player has succeeded in correctly matching all lucky numbers to win some EUR 17 million (approximately $20 million).

    The Biggest Lottery Win in Ireland in a While

    In its official announcement, the National Lottery noted that the prize went to one extremely lucky player from Cavan in the Ulster region. While the $20 million EuroMillions jackpot is a far shot from the EUR 250 million jackpot ($293 million) the lottery awarded last June, it is still a significant prize that is certain to change the winner’s life for good.

    The winning numbers for the recent EuroMillions drawing were 7, 25, 30, 37, and 41. The lucky stars, on the other hand, were 5 and 11.

    Officials hailed the win, with Darragh O’Dwyer, a spokesperson for the National Lottery, celebrating the occasion. O’Dwyer cheered the winner on securing such a fantastic prize, saying that it will be a “huge Christmas surprise” for them.

    As of the time of this writing, however, the winner has yet to come forward. O’Dwyer encouraged all players from the Cavan area to check their tickets.

    We’re asking all Cavan players to check their tickets very carefully and, if you are the winner, sign the back of your ticket and keep it safe. Our claims team is ready to guide you through the claiming process, and we’ll announce the store location on Tuesday.

    Darragh O’Dwyer

    Players Across the Sea Win Big

    In the meantime, players in the US just made history after winning two Mega Millions prizes within a few days from one another. The first was a spectacular $980 million jackpot that went to a player from Georgia, while the one to follow saw a player in New Jersey scoop up $90 million from the same game.

    After a quite busy Mega Millions season, all eyes seem glued on Powerball and the growing $1.1 billion jackpot. The most recent drawing saw the action intensify as dozens of players missed the game’s top prize by a single number.

    In other jackpot news, the California Lottery announced that five players in the state have won prizes of $1 million from scratch-off tickets. These included an incredibly lucky woman from Compton, who won her prize a day before her birthday.

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  • Romania’s Government Survives No-Confidence Vote Over Judicial Pensions

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    BUCHAREST, Dec 15 (Reuters) – Romania’s broad coalition government ‌survived ​a no-confidence vote on ‌Monday over a second attempt to raise the retirement age ​for judges and prosecutors and cap their pensions, but the top court could still ‍strike down the bill later ​this month.

    The Constitutional Court rejected an earlier version of the bill in ​October.

    A ⁠second failure could weaken the fragile four-party coalition, which took office six months ago and wants to reform judicial pensions to meet conditions for accessing European Union recovery and resilience funds.

    COALITION STRUGGLES TO AGREE CUTS

    The government plans to gradually ‌raise the retirement age for judges and prosecutors to 65 from about ​50 over ‌15 years and cap ‍pensions ⁠at 70% of final salary. Judicial pensions can reach 5,000 euros ($5,830) per month, compared with an average Romanian pension of around 600 euros.

    The court, which has a history of blocking pension cuts, will rule on the latest challenge on December 28.

    The coalition has now survived six no-confidence votes since taking power, mostly over tax hikes and ​spending cuts aimed at reducing the EU’s largest budget deficit and preserving Romania’s investment-grade rating.

    But with the 2026 budget plan delayed until end-January, the ruling parties are struggling to agree further cuts.

    The leftist Social Democrats, the largest party and key to maintaining a pro-European majority, have threatened to quit unless Liberal Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan agrees to raise the minimum wage next year.

    They have also demanded the dismissal of Environment Minister Diana Buzoianu over a water supply shortage earlier this ​month. Buzoianu, from the junior centre-right Save Romania Union, is reforming the ministry’s forestry and water agencies, long seen as politicised.

    The no-confidence motion over judicial pension reform comes amid street protests after hundreds of judges ​and prosecutors alleged systemic abuses in the justice system.

    (Reporting by Luiza Ilie. Editing by Mark Potter)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

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  • US Security Experts Say Ukraine’s Abandonment of NATO Goal Will Not Alter Peace Talks

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    NEW YORK, Dec 14 (Reuters) – Ukraine’s offer ‌to ​forgo joining the NATO military ‌alliance probably will not significantly change the course of peace ​talks, two security experts said on Sunday.

    During negotiations with U.S. envoys over a potential Ukraine-Russia peace ‍deal, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on ​Sunday offered to drop Ukraine’s NATO aspirations. Zelenskiy had said security guarantees from the United ​States, Europe ⁠and others instead of joining NATO was a compromise from Ukraine.

    “This doesn’t move the needle at all,” said Justin Logan, director of defense and foreign policy studies at the Cato Institute. “It’s an effort to appear reasonable.”

    NATO membership for Ukraine has not been realistic ‌in a long time anyway, said Logan and Andrew Michta, a professor of strategic ​studies ‌at the University of ‍Florida. Michta ⁠called Ukraine’s NATO admittance a “non-issue” at this point.

    There are other ways for nations to try ensuring Ukraine’s security, Logan said. U.S. President Donald Trump, in response to Zelenskiy’s offer, may commit to the same things the United States has already done to support Ukraine, such as sending weapons and sanctioning Russia, Logan said.

    Not everyone dismissed Zelenskiy’s offer. 

    Brett Bruen, a former foreign policy adviser ​in the Obama administration and now head of the Global Situation Room consultancy, called Ukraine’s concession “significant and substantive.”

    “It’s a way for Zelenskiy to contrast Ukraine’s willingness for significant concessions for peace at a time when Moscow has been short on any significant concessions,” Bruen said. “The question is what did Zelenskiy get in return for backing off a pretty ironclad promise to the Ukrainian people?”

    Bruen speculated Trump may have promised to patrol Ukraine’s skies or respond to aircraft incursions. The United States may also increase supplies of military aid if Russia ​were to re-launch a large-scale military offensive, he said.

    “Ukraine has got to hedge bets on what Trump promises but they need more than a word,” he said. “They need action, some element, that is going to ensure Trump can’t easily ​wiggle out of these situations.” 

    (Reporting by Jessica DiNapoli in New York; Editing by Sergio Non and Chris Reese)

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  • Ukraine, US Peace Talks in Berlin End, to Resume Monday, Zelenskiy Adviser Says

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    Dec 14 (Reuters) – Talks ‌between ​Ukrainian ‌and U.S. officials on ​proposals for a settlement ‍of the war ​in Ukraine ​ended ⁠after more than five hours on Sunday and are set to resume on ‌Monday, a Ukrainian presidential ​adviser said.

    “They ‌went on ‍for more ⁠than five hours and ended for today with an agreement to resume tomorrow morning,” ​adviser Dmytro Lytvyn told reporters in a WhatsApp chat.

    Lytvyn said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy would comment on the talks on Monday once they were completed. Officials, Lytvyn ​said, were considering the draft documents.

    (Reporting by Ron Popeski and ​Olena Harmash; Editing by Paul Simao)

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  • Hong Kong’s Last Opposition Party to Vote on Disbandment Under China Pressure

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    By Jessie Pang and James Pomfret

    HONG KONG, Dec 14 (Reuters) – ‌Hong ​Kong’s last major opposition party holds ‌a final vote on Sunday on whether to disband, as China ratchets ​up pressure on the city’s remaining liberal voices in a years-long national security crackdown.

    The Democratic Party, founded three ‍years before Hong Kong’s return to ​Chinese rule from Britain in 1997, has been the city’s flagship opposition. It used to sweep ​city-wide legislative elections ⁠and push Beijing on democratic reforms and upholding freedoms.

    The Special General Meeting at the party’s headquarters will confirm details of the party’s “dissolution and liquidation” arrangements, according to a party statement.

    Senior party members say they had been approached by Chinese officials or middlemen and warned to disband or face severe ‌consequences, including possible arrests.

    A committee has already spent around half a year making arrangements for the ​disbandment, including ‌resolving legal and accounting ‍matters, and preparing ⁠the sale of a property in the Kowloon district that now serves as its headquarters.

    Disbandment requires a vote of 75% of members to pass.

    The vote on ending three decades of opposition party politics in the China-run city comes a week after Hong Kong held a “patriots only” legislative council election and one day before media mogul and China critic Jimmy Lai receives a verdict in a landmark national security trial.

    Under Hong Kong’s “One-Country, Two Systems” ​arrangement, the city is promised a high degree of autonomy and freedoms under Chinese rule. But in recent years, authorities have used the security laws to arrest scores of democrats and shutter civil society groups and liberal media outlets.

    Beijing’s move in 2021 to overhaul the city’s electoral system – allowing only those vetted as “patriots” to run for public office – marginalised the party by removing it from mainstream politics.

    In June, another pro-democracy group, the League of Social Democrats, said it would shut down amid “immense political pressure”.

    Senior Democratic Party members Wu Chi-wai, Albert Ho, Helena Wong and Lam Cheuk-ting have been jailed or held in custody under a ​national security law that China imposed in 2020 in response to mass pro-democracy protests the year before.

    Some governments, including the U.S. and Britain, have criticised this security law, saying it has been used to stifle dissent and individual freedoms.

    Beijing, however, says no freedoms are absolute ​and the national security law has restored stability to Hong Kong.

    (Reporting by James Pomfret and Jessie Pang; Editing by William Mallard)

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  • Ukraine Says Russian Drone Attack Hit Civilian Turkish Vessel

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    KYIV, Dec 13 (Reuters) – Ukraine’s ‌navy ​accused Russia of ‌deliberately attacking a civilian Turkish ​vessel carrying sunflower oil to Egypt with ‍a drone on Saturday, ​a day after Moscow hit ​two ⁠Ukrainian ports.

    In a statement on Telegram, the navy said the vessel was called the Viva and had 11 Turkish citizens on ‌board. It added that nobody was hurt ​and the ‌vessel was continuing ‍its ⁠journey to Egypt.

    “The strike was carried out in the open sea in Ukraine’s exclusive economic zone, outside the range of Ukrainian air defence systems,” the statement said, accusing ​Russia of breaching maritime laws.

    The navy said it was in contact with the ship’s captain.

    On Friday, Russia attacked two Ukrainian ports, damaging three Turkish-owned vessels, according to Ukraine’s navy. A large fire broke out on one of those ships.

    The attacks come after Moscow threatened ​to “cut Ukraine off from the sea” after Kyiv’s attacks damaged three ‘shadow fleet’ tankers heading to Russia to export ​its oil.

    (Reporting by Max Hunder. Editing by Mark Potter)

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  • UN Completes Investigation Into ICC Prosecutor’s Alleged Sexual Misconduct

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    AMSTERDAM, Dec ‌12 (Reuters) – ​The United ‌Nations has completed ​an investigation into alleged ‍sexual misconduct by ​the ​prosecutor ⁠of the International Criminal Court, Karim Khan, the presidency of the court’s ‌governing body said on ​Friday.

    The ‌findings will ‍remain confidential ⁠while an external panel of judicial experts reviews them – a process that is ​expected to take up to 30 days, the ICC’s governing body said.

    Khan, who rejects all allegations of wrongdoing, stepped aside temporarily while the ​investigation was ongoing.

    (Reporting by Stephanie van den Berg and Bart ​Meijer; Editing by Andrew Heavens)

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  • Germany summons Russian ambassador over alleged sabotage, cyberattacks and election interference

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    BERLIN (AP) — Germany summoned Russia’s ambassador Friday following accusations of sabotage, cyberattacks and election interference, an official said.

    The German government has also accused Moscow of perpetrating disinformation campaigns.

    “The goal of these Russian cyber and disinformation attacks is clear: It is to divide society, stir up mistrust, provoke rejection, and weaken confidence in democratic institutions,” German foreign ministry spokesperson Martin Giese said.

    “This targeted manipulation of information is one of a wide range of activities by Russia aimed at undermining confidence in democratic institutions and processes in Germany,” he said during a government news conference.

    German officials have previously accused Russia of hybrid warfare attacks to destabilize Europe. Moscow didn’t immediately return a request for comment Friday.

    Giese said that the shadowy Russian military intelligence agency known as GRU was behind a 2024 cyberattack against German air traffic control. The foreign ministry says GRU, which has been sanctioned in other countries, was responsible for the attack that was allegedly perpetrated by hacker collective APT28, also known as Fancy Bear.

    APT28 and GRU have also been linked to global cyber intrusions, including in the 2016 U.S. election, where they were accused of aiding U.S. President Donald Trump by leaking Democratic Party emails.

    Giese also said investigators believe GRU also attempted to destabilize and influence Germany’s last federal election, held in February, through a campaign called “Storm 1516.”

    “Our services’ analysis shows that the campaign spreads artificially generated, pseudo-investigative research, deepfake image sequences, pseudo-journalistic websites, and fabricated witness statements on various platforms,” he said.

    Russia will face a series of countermeasures for its hybrid warfare, Giese said.

    “The German government condemns the repeated and unacceptable attacks by state-controlled Russian actors in the strongest possible terms,” he said. “We will continue to strengthen our support for Ukraine and our deterrence and defense.”

    The summons occurred Friday as the European Union indefinitely froze Russia’s assets in Europe to ensure that Hungary and Slovakia, both with Moscow-friendly governments, can’t prevent the billions of euros from being used to support Ukraine.

    Using a special procedure meant for economic emergencies, the EU blocked the assets until Russia gives up its war on Ukraine and compensates its neighbor for the heavy damage that it has inflicted for almost four years.

    It’s a key step that will allow EU leaders to work out at a summit next week how to use the tens of billions of euros in Russian Central Bank assets to underwrite a huge loan to help Ukraine meet its financial and military needs over the next two years.

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  • Slovak Lawmakers Scuffle as Parliament Revises Laws on Whistleblowers, Witnesses

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    Dec 12 (Reuters) – Slovakia’s parliament passed legislation on whistleblowers and ‌crown ​witnesses late on Thursday and Friday, ‌in moves which the opposition warned threaten the rule of law, and ​which led to scuffles and angry exchanges between politicians.

    Critics of pro-Russian Prime Minister Robert Fico’s government say his ‍changes, backed by leftist-nationalist lawmakers, are ​hurting the rule of law in the country of 5.4 million.

    Video footage posted by a lawmaker showed ​opposition politicians ⁠whistling and jeering and heated one-on-one arguments in a Thursday evening vote over criminal codes, including the status of crown witnesses.

    One government deputy threw a plastic bottle at an opponent, while news website Dennik N said journalists heard another deputy screaming he was being choked in the melee.

    On Friday, lawmakers ‌returned to their benches and ruling parties approved a revamp of the country’s whistleblower office, even ​though ‌President Peter Pellegrini had vetoed ‍the law ⁠on Thursday, which he said risked halting EU subsidies, and did not need to be rushed.

    Fico’s government, in power since 2023, had previously weakened criminal codes for financial crime, revamped the public broadcaster and pushed constitutional changes asserting national sovereignty over some EU laws, prompting criticism.

    The government argues the current whistleblower agency UOO had been politically abused in the past – the same reasoning Fico has used for previous legislative changes.

    The European Commission has ​said parts of the legislation raised concerns related to EU law, including the early termination of the office chief’s mandate.

    The ruling parties have said concerns had been addressed by modifications, although the change of leadership remained.

    OPPOSITION CALLS SESSION ‘MAFIA NIGHT’

    Slovakia has become more politically charged since Fico – a four-time prime minister – returned to power. He survived being shot in May 2024 by a man upset over his policies, including a pullback of military aid to Ukraine.

    Opposition says the whistleblower bill is “revenge” after the UOO fined the Interior Ministry in cases involving police officers who were reassigned during corruption investigations without the office’s consent.

    Separate criminal code changes ​fast-tracked on Thursday evening tightened rules for “crown witness” testimony. Critics say this will help a senior Fico ally who is under an ongoing investigation.

    Michal Simecka, leader of the biggest opposition party Progressive Slovakia, called the parliament session “mafia night”.

    “We are following a massacre of the rule ​of law in Slovakia,” he said in a statement.

    (Reporting by Jason Hovet and Jan Lopatka in Prague; Editing by Alexandra Hudson)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

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  • Russia Attacked Energy Facilities in Southern Ukrainian Odesa Region, Officials Say

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    KYIV, Dec 12 (Reuters) – Russia ‌attacked ​energy facilities ‌in the southern Ukrainian Odesa ​region overnight, causing fires and blackouts, ‍the local governor ​and emergency service said ​on ⁠Friday.

    Governor Oleh Kiper said on Telegram the drone attack left several settlements in the region, where Ukraine’s main seaports ‌are concentrated, without electricity.

    Russia has intensified ​attacks on ‌Ukraine’s energy sector ‍and ⁠infrastructure in recent weeks, targeting power stations and railway hubs as winter deepens and the war approaches its fourth anniversary.

    Ukraine’s biggest power company DTEK ​said in a statement that one of its sub-stations and another unspecified energy facility belonging to another firm were hit.

    DTEK said it had restored power to 40,000 customers, however 90,000 were still without.

    Earlier this week, the government approved ​a series of measures to save electricity as entire regions often go without power following Russian ​attacks.

    (Reporting by Pavel Polityuk; Editing by Tom Hogue)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

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  • Irish Minister Defends ‘Limited’ Trade Curbs on Israeli Settlements

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    By John O’Donnell and Padraic Halpin

    DUBLIN, Dec 12 (Reuters) – Ireland’s planned curbs on trade with Israeli settlements ‌will ​be limited strictly to goods, a minister told Reuters, offering ‌the first clear signal on the scope of the contested legislation and rejecting accusations that the country is antisemitic.

    Ireland has been preparing ​a law to curb trade with settlements in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, facing pressure at home to widen the scope of the ban from goods to services, while Israel and the United States want ‍the bill scrapped.

    Ireland has been one of the European ​Union’s most outspoken critics of Israel’s assault in Gaza, which authorities in the Palestinian enclave say has killed more than 67,000 people.

    ‘EXTREMELY LIMITED MEASURE’, SAYS MINISTER

    But Thomas Byrne, Ireland’s Minister of State for ​European Affairs and Defence, ⁠told Reuters that the bill is limited to the import of goods and that it would not become law this year.

    “It’s an extremely limited measure, which would prohibit imports of goods from illegally-occupied territories,” he said in an interview. “Similar measures have already been brought in in a number of European countries.”

    Byrne’s comments give insight into Dublin’s thinking as Ireland seeks to deflect pressure, including from U.S. companies based in the country, to soften its criticism of Israel. Ireland’s bill is expected to help shape how other European nations launch similar ‌curbs on trade with Israeli settlements.

    The Irish government has signalled the bill is imminent but has yet to publicly announce its scope.

    Byrne declined to say when it would be ​sent ‌to parliament, as the government weighs the ‍bill’s implications. “It’s certainly not going to ⁠be implemented this year,” he said.

    Earlier this year, sources told Reuters that the government intended to blunt the law, curbing its scope to just a limited trade of goods, such as dried fruit, and not services.

    That more ambitious move could have entangled companies in technology and other industries in Ireland doing business in Israel. Business lobby groups had sought to kill the idea.

    Limiting the bill to goods only would catch just a handful of products imported from Israeli-occupied territories such as fruit that are worth just 200,000 euros ($234,660) a year.

    LAWMAKER BLACK SAYS SHE STILL WANTS SERVICES BAN

    Most of the international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law.

    Israel disputes this, citing historical and biblical ties to the area. It says the settlements provide strategic depth and security.

    On Gaza, Israel says it acted in ​self-defence following the deadly October 7, 2023, Hamas attack that killed 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Israel has repeatedly said it is committed to international law and tries to minimize harm to the civilian population of Gaza.

    Frances Black, the lawmaker who proposed the Irish bill, told Reuters she would push to include a ban on services. “It will take a lot of work in the new year to get services included but that’s exactly what I’m prepared to do.”

    Byrne also defended Ireland’s government, after Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar recently posted a video online where he accused the Irish government of having an “antisemitic nature”.

    Saar said the Irish government’s response had been slow to a local proposal to rename a park bearing the name of Chaim Herzog, the former president of Israel who was raised in Dublin.

    Irish ministers had roundly criticised the idea and Dublin City Council has since delayed a decision on whether to remove the name.

    U.S. senator Lindsey Graham had also labelled Ireland a “cesspool of antisemitism”.

    EU LAWMAKER REJECTS ANTISEMITISM CHARGE AS ‘NONSENSE’

    “I reject outright that the country is in any way antisemitic,” said Byrne. “We’re deeply conscious of the ​contribution that Jewish people have made in Ireland.”

    Ireland’s relations with Israel have been fraught. Last December, Israel shut its embassy in Dublin amid a row over Ireland’s criticism of its war in Gaza, including Ireland’s recognition of a Palestinian state last year.

    Barry Andrews, an Irish member of the European parliament, urged Dublin to go ahead with its occupied territories bill. “Claims that Ireland is antisemitic are nonsense,” he said. Ireland has nothing to fear. We are no longer the only ones doing this.”

    On Wednesday, ​Ireland’s central bank governor Gabriel Makhlouf was forced to abandon a public speech in Dublin by pro-Palestinian protesters objecting to the central bank’s earlier role in the sale of Israeli bonds.

    (Additional reporting by Conor Humphries, Editing by William Maclean)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

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  • New UK Study Warns That Gambling Harm May Be More Widespread than Expected

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    New ScienceDirect research is raising uncomfortable questions about the scale of gambling-related risk in the UK. The data offers a detailed look into how many people will fall under the government’s upcoming financial risk checks. The study is based on a large amount of open banking data and comes just months before the checks become mandatory for all operators in February 2025.

    Young Males Were More Likely to Take Risks

    Last year, the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC)’s white paper laid the groundwork for enhanced harm prevention measures. The plan requires betting firms to perform  “light-touch” checks on players who lose GBP 150 ($ 201) or more within a rolling 30-day period. The process should be seamless, leveraging indicators such as bankruptcy filings or outstanding debts rather than full affordability assessments.

    Our dataset helps establish a pre-policy baseline and characterizes the population whose gambling patterns would have originally triggered these checks.

    ScienceDirect research

    Despite the UKGC’s ambitions, the number of gamblers who actually cross this threshold, or what distinguishes them from the wider population, remained unknown. Researchers thus analyzed bank transactions of more than 243,000 gamblers spanning over a year. Their findings paint a troubling picture, as nearly 25% of the gambling population would have activated the new checks.

    This group, labelled Exceeding Threshold Gamblers, accounted for roughly 92% of all cash spent on gambling. The study characterizes these individuals as predominantly young males with spending patterns that were significantly more intense than those of their peers. The study’s authors note that the data suggest potential vulnerabilities that warrant closer oversight.

    Researchers used cluster analysis to divide the high-spending group into three subtypes. Approximately 50% of the high-spending group were categorized as diversified spenders whose gambling expenses appeared proportional to their income. The remaining groups revealed concerning findings. They revealed players whose play appeared less controlled, more volatile, or more tightly linked to periods of financial strain.

    Beyond assisting with the implementation of such checks, such data can also be useful for research investigating this policy and the population it might impact.

    ScienceDirect research

    These findings align with other studies that indicate growing pressure in the UK gambling market. In November, an AskGamblers report revealed that nearly 50% of UK gamblers are hiding or downplaying their betting. A third admitted they would rather lose their money rather than ask for help, while a quarter said they would wait until losing GBP 100 ($134) in a single week before seeing a therapist.

    Leading charity Gamble Aware also highlighted the weight of gambling stigma and rising problem gambling rates. The charity also pointed to the prevalence of advertising, with 62% of respondents saying gambling promotions felt unavoidable. Taken together, the data suggest a tougher environment than regulators or operators may have anticipated, hinting that the line between casual play and dangerous behavior may be blurrier than expected.

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  • North Korea’s Kim Jong Un Lauds Sending Troops Overseas in 2025, KCNA Says

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    SEOUL, Dec 12 (Reuters) – North ‌Korean ​leader Kim Jong ‌Un praised his country’s achievements in ​2025, which included sending troops to overseas ‍military operations, state media ​KCNA said on Friday.

    Kim has ​been ⁠presiding over a key party meeting this week to note policy plans and their execution as the country prepares to convene the ‌Ninth Congress of the ruling Workers’ Party ​of Korea, ‌expected early next ‍year.

    According ⁠to Kim, North Korea saw “accelerated forward momentum and redoubled self-sustainability” in 2025, KCNA said on Friday.

    “Over the past year, various soldiers of our military have participated in overseas military ​operations to demonstrate the reputation of our military,” KCNA said, as one example of the country’s achievements.

    Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin have signed a mutual defence pact, and North Korea has sent soldiers, artillery ammunition and missiles to Russia to support Moscow’s full-scale invasion of ​Ukraine.

    Kim said that the country’s ‘five-year’ policy plan broke through a boundary in 2025 toward full-scale development, KCNA added.

    (Reporting by ​Joyce Lee; Editing by Chris Reese and Deepa Babington)

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