Electoral fraud allegations escalate as opposition figures maintain hunger strike

In a concerning development, the health condition of Serbian opposition figure Marinika Tepic has worsened.

"Teleradio-Moldova" company admitted 32 songs for the live audition stage of the Eurovision contest

Following the examination of the 51 files entered in the contest, the "Teleradio-Moldova" company admitted 32 songs for the stage of live auditions. The songs will be heard by the professional jury on January 13 and also then the finalists of the Eurovision 2024 National Selection will be selected. The National Final will take place on February 17.

Turkey’s parliamentary committee approves Sweden’s NATO membership

The foreign affairs committee of the Turkish parliament on Tuesday gave its approval for Sweden to join NATO, reported Turkey's Anadolu news agency.

Alexei Navalny's first statement after being reported missing for weeks: "Don't worry about me"

Found after two weeks of continuous search by his associates at a penal colony in Siberia, Russian opposition leader and President Vladimir Putin's critic Alexey Navalny said on December 26 that he was 'fine' after a 'pretty exhausting' 20-day transfer from his prison to a penal colony beyond the Arctic Circle, reported news agency AFP.

UN: There is no end to Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip

There is no let-up in Israeli air strikes in Gaza, a United Nations (UN) official said after visiting a hospital struggling to treat the injured, news.ro reports.

Ukraine // Kiev says it destroyed a Russian ship in the Black Sea

Ukraine's air force said Tuesday it had destroyed a Russian fleet ship off the Crimean peninsula suspected of carrying drones for use in Moscow's war against Kyiv, AFP reports.

Thousands gather In Belgrade to protest Serbian election, demand annulment

Several thousand people gathered for a seventh night in central Belgrade to protest what the opposition and many Western observers called fraud in the country’s December 17 parliamentary and local elections, with some demonstrators attempting to enter the capital’s assembly building late in the evening, RFE reports.

Alexei Navalny: Russian opposition leader found, says team

Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny is alive and being held in a penal colony in Siberia, according to his spokeswoman, BBC reports.

Zelenskiy’s Christmas message: “In the end, darkness will lose and evil will be defeated”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sent his countrymen a Christmas message on Sunday in which he promised them that “in the end darkness will lose and evil will be defeated”, referring to the invasion launched by Russia in Ukraine in February 2022, writes Digi24.RO.

Pope Francis' Christmas message: "Our heart is in Bethlehem. Let's think about Palestine, Israel, Ukraine"

Recalling Jesus’ birth in a stable in Bethlehem, Pope Francis in a Christmas Eve homily said that “the clash of arms even today” prevents Jesus “from finding room in the world", AP reports.

Russia, Ukraine report six civilians killed in attacks on Kherson, Horlivka

Russian attacks on southern Ukraine's Kherson region killed five civilians on Sunday, Ukrainian officials said, while Russian-installed officials in the eastern town of Horlivka said one person was killed in result of Kyiv's shelling, Reuters reports.

At least 70 killed in Israeli strike on refugee camp in central Gaza, health ministry says

An Israeli airstrike on a refugee camp in central Gaza has killed at least 70 people, Palestinian health officials have said as they warned the toll was likely to rise and the strikes that began hours before midnight continued into Christmas Day, The Guardian reports.