Iceland: volcano finally erupts
21 Dec 2023
On 18 December a volcano on the Reykjanes peninsula in south-west Iceland finally erupted, spewing glowing orange jets of lava surrounded by billowing clouds of red smoke. The population of Grindavík, a small fishing town nearby,…
On 20 December, a major drone attack by Russia was stopped by Ukraine, whose air force claimed to have shot down 34 out of 35 of the Iranian devices. The drones were sent over in several…
Ukraine war to continue - Putin
14 Dec 2023
On 12 December Vladimir Putin asserted that peace will elude Ukraine until Russia achieves its unchanging objectives, despite nearly two years of heightened tensions with the West due to the ongoing conflict. During a lengthy year-end…
On 12 December, Armenia and Azerbaijan took a significant step forward by exchanging prisoners. This move follows years of conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which Azerbaijan annexed in September, resulting in most of its population fleeing…
A budget crisis in Germany has struck at the heart of the ambitions of the ruling Green Party within the coalition government led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz. The crisis centres around a significant budget shortfall, partly…
Hungary: Orban opposes Ukraine joining EU
07 Dec 2023
Hungary's ruling party, Fidesz, has submitted a resolution opposing Ukraine's accession talks with the European Union (EU). Fidesz, led by Prime Minister Viktor Orban, cited concerns about the treatment of ethnic Hungarians in Ukraine, particularly regarding…