Ukraine-Russia war news – live: Putin wants ceasefire as cover to push us back, says Zelensky
Ukraine’s president says war ‘will end either when your soldiers leave or we throw them out’
Europe
Pope Francis leads funeral of Benedict XVI as tens of thousands gather at Vatican
At his request, Benedict’s coffin has been buried in the underground Vatican grottoes in the niche where first Pope John XXIII and then John Paul II were interred
Caroline Crouch killed by Greek husband because of his drug smuggling, father claims
David Crouch says incarcerated son-in-law Babis Anagnostopoulos wrote him a letter about Athens killingThe father of Caroline Crouch, the British woman who was murdered by her Greek helicopter pilot husband as she lay asleep in their Athens home, has c…
Spain expands free travel offer to intercity bus services
Government introduced free travel on train journeys in SeptemberFree train travel introduced by the Spanish government in September to offset the rise in the cost of living has been extended to intercity bus services with free travel on the 389-mile (6…
EU ban on deforestation-linked goods sets benchmark, say US lawmakers
Campaigners hail EU move, and congressman says it gives fresh impetus to similar US plansA groundbreaking EU deal to ban the import of goods linked to deforestation has set a global benchmark and will hasten the passage of a similar law in the US, Amer…
Amateur archaeologist uncovers ice age ‘writing’ system
‘Lunar calendar’ found in caves may predate equivalent record-keeping systems by at least 10,000 yearsA primitive writing system used by ice age hunter-gatherers appears to have been uncovered by an amateur archaeologist, who concluded that the 20,000-…
‘A volatile canvas’: Banksy bequest in Ukraine’s rubble leaves dilemma for preservers
Would-be thieves of Banksy graffito painted in ruins of war anticipated challenges facing those hoping to preserve it for nation’s futureA wide-ranging public discussion is taking place in Ukraine over what to do with seven street murals painted in Nov…
Live: Russia’s Patriarch Kirill calls for Orthodox Christmas ceasefire in Ukraine
Russia’s spiritual leader Patriarch Kirill on Thursday called for a ceasefire in Ukraine on Orthodox Christmas, celebrated this week by both countries. The call came as NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg warned that it would be dangerous to under…
Pope Francis leads funeral of Benedict XVI as tens of thousands gather at Vatican
At his request, Benedict’s coffin has been buried in the underground Vatican grottoes in the niche where first Pope John XXIII and then John Paul II were interred
Russian politician sends piece of shrapnel to Macron after he survives being hit by French-made howitzer
‘In this envelope you will see shrapnel from a shell fired by a French 155-mm Caesar artillery unit’