Europe

The United States has raised the prospect of using military force to take control of Greenland as leaders in Europe and Canada rallied behind the Arctic territory, saying it belongs to its people.

In a statement on Tuesday, the White House said that US President Donald Trump sees acquiring Greenland, which is part of Denmark, as a national security priority, necessary to “deter our adversaries in the Arctic region”.

“The president and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and of course, utilizing the ​US military is always an option at the commander-in-chief’s disposal,” it said.

Any attempt by the US to seize Greenland from longtime ally Denmark would send shockwaves through the NATO alliance and deepen the divide between Trump and European leaders.

The opposition has not deterred Trump, however.

His interest in Greenland, initially aired in 2019 during his first term in office, has been rekindled following the US’s abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in an attack on Caracas.

Emboldened by the operation, Trump has said that “American dominance in the Western Hemisphere will never be questioned again”, and has stepped up pressure on both Colombia and Cuba. He has also argued that controlling Greenland is vital to US national security, claiming the island “is covered with Russian and Chinese ships” and that Denmark lacks the capacity to protect it.

Greenland, the world’s largest island, but with a population of just 57,000 people, has repeatedly said it does not ‍want to be part of the US.

Its strategic location between Europe and North America makes it a critical site for the US ballistic missile defence system, while its mineral wealth aligns with Washington’s ambition to reduce reliance on Chinese exports.

Greenland ‘belongs to its people’

The White House statement on Tuesday came as leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom joined Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in issuing a statement reaffirming that Greenland “belongs to its people”.

“It is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland,” they said.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney also voiced support, announcing that Governor General Mary Simon, who is of Inuit descent, and Minister of Foreign Affairs Anita Anand would visit Greenland early next month.

In a separate statement, Nordic foreign ministers – from Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Denmark – also stressed Greenland’s right to decide its own affairs. They also noted they had increased their investments in Arctic security, and offered to do more in consultation with the US and other NATO allies.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk also warned that threats against a NATO member undermined the alliance’s credibility. “No member should attack or threaten another ‌member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. Otherwise, NATO would lose its meaning,” he said.

Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen welcomed the European leaders’ pledge of solidarity and renewed his ‌call to the US for a “respectful dialogue”.

Denmark, meanwhile, rejected Trump’s assertion that it is unable to protect Greenland.

“We do not share this image that Greenland ‍is plastered with Chinese investments… ⁠nor that there are Chinese warships up and down along Greenland,” Danish Minister for Foreign Affairs Lars Lokke Rasmussen said, adding that the US was welcome to invest more on the island.

Greenland’s government said it had asked for an urgent meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, together with Rasmussen, to discuss the situation.

Also on Tuesday, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, whom Trump appointed last month as US special envoy to Greenland, said he was not interested in talking to people in Denmark or European diplomats over Greenland.

Instead, he said he wants to have conversations directly with residents of Greenland. “I want to talk to people who want an opportunity to improve the quality of life in Greenland,” the Republican said on a Fox News radio show.

Separately, The Wall Street Journal reported that Rubio had told US lawmakers during a congressional briefing that the recent threats did not signal an imminent invasion of Greenland and that the goal is to ‌buy the island from Denmark.

The White House deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller, also dismissed concerns about Danish sovereignty.

“You can ⁠talk all you want about international niceties and everything else,” Miller told CNN. “But we live in a world, in the real world, that is governed by strength, that is governed by force, that ​is governed by power.”

Members of Congress, including some of Trump’s fellow Republicans, pushed back.

“When Denmark and Greenland make it clear that Greenland is not for sale, the United States must honour its treaty obligations and respect the sovereignty and ‌territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark,” said Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen and Republican Senator Thom Tillis, the co-chairs of the Senate NATO Observer Group.

Barcelona begin the defence of their Spanish Super Cup crown against Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday in Saudi Arabia.

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said that retaining the Spanish Super Cup this week would be a boost for his team’s other ambitions this season.

The record 15-time champions face Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday in a semifinal clash at the King Abdullah Sports City stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Barca won the competition last season as the first part of a domestic treble, the first triumph of Flick’s reign, followed by triumphs in La Liga and the Copa del Rey.

“This tournament is a little bit different [to the equivalent competition] in Germany, but I like it,” said former Bayern Munich coach Flick.

“For us to win the Super Cup [last season] gave us a lot of energy for the rest of the season, and this is also what we want this year.”

Even though significant questions remain about their defending, Barcelona are the favourites to win the Super Cup and lead La Liga after nine consecutive top flight victories.

Despite being outplayed by neighbours Espanyol in a tense derby clash on Saturday, late goals and a sensational performance from stopper Joan Garcia helped the Catalans claim a 2-0 victory.

Flick insisted his team had to perform better at the back if they were to succeed in the sixth edition of the tournament in Saudi Arabia.

“It will not be an easy match [if] we make the same mistakes as on Saturday; it will not be easy, so we have to work on our things,” continued Flick.

“We have to play much better in the defence; we have to play connected as one team, and this is what I missed on Saturday, so we have to make things much better.”

Barcelona target Cancelo could be on the move from Saudi Arabia

Central defender Ronald Araujo could return to action this week after an extended mental health break.

The Uruguayan was granted leave for about a month following a red card in Barcelona’s 3-0 Champions League defeat by Chelsea in November.

“We will see this training [session] today, and I will also want to speak with him, so we have not decided how to do it tomorrow,” said Flick.

“I think it takes time, so if he feels ready for tomorrow, maybe we will change something, but at the moment, it’s not our plan to do this.”

Flick confirmed that Barcelona were close to signing Joao Cancelo from Al-Hilal, who is on loan until the end of the season, but the deal has not been completed.

“With Joao, maybe he can give us more options also as full-back, both sides in the offence, good quality, but [as far as] I know, it’s not done,” said Flick.

Cancelo spent the 2023-24 season on loan at Barcelona from Manchester City.

Athletic, eighth in La Liga, last won the Super Cup in 2021, beating Barcelona in the final, and have lifted the trophy on three occasions.

Only the Catalans and Real Madrid, with 13 triumphs, have a better record. On Thursday, Xabi Alonso’s Real Madrid face city rivals Atletico Madrid in the other Super Cup semifinal.

The UN human rights office says the US military intervention that ousted Venezuela’s leader violates international law and the UN Charter, warning it undermines global security and risks worsening human rights. It says Venezuela’s future must be decided by its people.

Escape the cold with these hidden European gems perfect for a winter sun getaway, with budget flights for £150 or less from the UK.

As the chilly weather and shorter days persist, you might be yearning for a dose of winter sun. More and more Brits are opting to escape abroad in the early months of the year.

Data from ONS1 shows that UK residents took 18.7 million overseas trips from January to March 2025, a significant increase from the 16.7 million recorded in 2024.

While well-known destinations like Tenerife and Corfu are undoubtedly favoured during this season, Europe also boasts a plethora of lesser-known treasures ideal for a winter retreat.

With this in mind, the travel experts at Eurochange have compiled a list of top winter sun spots that won’t break the bank, with flights from the UK costing £150 or less.

Cadiz, Spain

• Return flights: From £34 from London Stansted to Seville in January
• Accommodation price: Starting from £51 per person, per night
• Average January-March temperature: Highs of 17°C

The seaside town of Cadiz, just a brief train journey from Seville, is brimming with remarkable landmarks to explore, including the Castle of Santa Catalina and the Torre Tavira, which offers breathtaking views of the city. Nestled in one of Spain’s warmest regions, temperatures in Cadiz seldom dip below 10°C, even during the winter.

Formentera, Spain

• Return flights: From £57 from London Stansted to Ibiza in March
• Accommodation price: Starting from £62 per person, per night
• Average January temperature: Highs of 16°C

If you’re an Ibiza enthusiast seeking a quieter, more affordable, yet equally stunning alternative, Formentera could be your perfect match. Once a ‘hippie’ commune, the island retains a laid-back atmosphere, making it an ideal destination for those seeking tranquillity during their holiday.

Karpas Peninsula, Cyprus

• Return flights: From £62 from London Gatwick to Larnaca in March
• Accommodation price: Starting from £55 per person, per night
• Average Jan-March temperature: Highs of 16°C

Highlighting the Karpas Peninsula, also known simply as Karpass, the travel specialists said: “This much less densely populated area of Northern Cyprus stretches 80km to the northernmost tip of the island, and is a great winter sun destination that also offers seclusion.

“It is considered one of the most unspoiled places anywhere in the Mediterranean, with beautiful deserted beaches and natural beauty in the Dipkarpaz National Park. In terms of where to stay, there are lots of beautiful farmhouses in Iskele. But if you prefer to stay in a town, Rizokarpaso is a good option – a quaint beach town with plenty of ancient landmarks to explore and a beautiful marina.”

São Vicente, Madeira, Portugal

• Return flights: From £37 from London Stansted to Madeira Airport in January
• Accommodation price: Starting from £25 per person, per night
• Average January temperature: Highs of 19°C

Famous for its breathtaking landscapes, spectacular coastlines and superb wines, Madeira makes an ideal choice for those seeking to escape Britain’s chilly winter months. São Vicente, situated in the extensive Laurissilva region, is celebrated for its valleys and vineyards, and also boasts numerous hidden beaches waiting to be discovered.

Valletta, Malta

• Return flights: From £38 from London Gatwick to Valletta in March
• Accommodation price: Starting from £31 per person, per night
• Average January temperature: Highs of 16°C

Valletta, Malta’s capital, is an underappreciated European treasure, which the specialists have described as a “little oasis in the heart of the Mediterranean.” Dubbed the ‘sunny city’, Valletta enjoys an average of 2,957 hours of sunshine annually, making it an excellent winter sun escape.

Palermo, Sicily

• Return flights: From £35 from London Stansted to Palermo
• Accommodation price: Starting from £40 per person, per night
• Average January temperature: Highs of 15°C

“For those who want to sample an Italian city break with fewer crowds in January, Palermo should be top of the list,” say the experts. “Situated on the North-west coast of Sicily, the southernmost island in Italy, it’s a perfect winter sun destination.

“Palermo offers both city break and beach holiday vibes, with plenty of gorgeous beaches and cute seaside towns just a short drive from the city centre. Spend your days meandering the cobbled streets, exploring the stunning Gothic architecture and the many churches and cathedrals. No Italian city break is complete without sampling the local cuisine of course, and in Palermo, the Arancini is a must-try.”

Swiss authorities say fire safety inspections had not been carried out at the bar in Crans-Montana since 2019.

No safety inspections had been carried out for more than five years at a Swiss bar where 40 people were killed during New Year’s celebrations, local authorities have revealed.

Crans-Montana Mayor Nicolas Feraud said at a news conference on Tuesday that no fire checks had taken place at the Le Constellation ski bar since 2019.

“Periodic inspections were not conducted between 2020 and 2025. We bitterly regret this,” Feraud told reporters in the Alpine ski resort.

The fire tore through the popular ski bar early on New Year’s Day. Most of the victims were teenagers. The youngest who was killed was a 14-year-old Swiss girl, followed by two 15-year-old Swiss girls. The oldest was a French national, aged 39.

Police said on Monday that 83 people are still being treated in hospital. In total, 116 people were injured in the blaze.

Authorities believe the fire started when revellers raised champagne bottles with lit sparklers attached, setting light to sound-insulating foam on the ceiling of the bar’s basement.

Feraud said the foam was considered acceptable at the time of the last fire safety check at the bar in 2019.

The mayor announced that all sparkler candles have now been banned inside bars and clubs in Crans-Montana. A statement from the local council said an external agency has been commissioned to further inspect all public establishments.

Authorities are investigating the two people who ran the bar on suspicion of crimes, including homicide by negligence. On Sunday, police said circumstances did not currently merit them being put under arrest and they did not see any flight risk.

Liam Rosenior says he could not turn down Chelsea but admits unusual situation as a deal has not yet been signed.

Racing Strasbourg coach Liam Rosenior says he has reached an agreement with Chelsea to become their next manager but has yet to sign a contract with the Premier League club.

“I ‍haven’t signed yet. I have agreed verbally with Chelsea. It’s really important – this is different to anything anyone has ever done. Nobody has made a statement before they have signed a contract,” ‍Rosenior said at a ⁠news conference on Tuesday.

“Everything is agreed, and it will probably go through in the next few hours,” he said in Strasbourg, France. “I’m here because I care about this club and I felt it was right to answer your questions physically here today before I move on.”

Rosenior added that he would take his ⁠assistants Kalifa Cisse and Justin Walker with him to the Premier League club.

The 41-year-old, who joined Ligue 1 side Racing Strasbourg in 2024, said his time at the club had been the most rewarding period of ​his career after spells at Derby County and Hull City.

“The ‌last 18 months have been a joy and the best of my professional career,” Rosenior said. “I have met some incredible people, created incredible memories and made history.”

He said he had been transparent with Strasbourg’s ‌ownership about outside interest.

“I have had interest from many clubs, including Champions League clubs, which I have always been open ‌with to our president, Marc Keller, and our ownership,” ⁠Rosenior said. “I will love this club for the rest of my life, but I cannot turn down Chelsea.”

Little-known Rosenior had been widely touted as the front runner to succeed Enzo Maresca since the Italian was sacked on Thursday, not least because Strasbourg and Chelsea are owned by the same consortium, BlueCo.

Rosenior, who has no Premier League coaching experience, will become Chelsea’s fourth permanent boss since BlueCo took control of the Londoners in 2022.

Chelsea has yet to confirm the appointment but held talks with Rosenior in London on Monday.

UK’s King Charles III praises Schloss for her lifelong work on ‘overcoming hatred and prejudice’ around the world.

Eva Schloss, the Auschwitz survivor who dedicated decades to educating people about the Holocaust, and who was the stepsister of diarist Anne Frank, has died aged 96, according to her foundation.

The Anne Frank Trust UK, of which Schloss was the honorary president, said on Sunday that she died on Saturday in London, where she lived.

The United Kingdom’s King Charles III said he was “privileged and proud” to have known Schloss, who co-founded the charitable trust to help young people challenge prejudice.

“The horrors that she endured as a young woman are impossible to comprehend, and yet, she devoted the rest of her life to overcoming hatred and prejudice, promoting kindness, courage, understanding and resilience through her tireless work for the Anne Frank Trust UK and for Holocaust education across the world,” the king said.

In a statement posted on X, the European Jewish Congress said it was “deeply saddened” by the passing of Schloss, who it described as a “powerful voice” for Holocaust education.

Born Eva Geiringer in Vienna in 1929, Schloss fled with her family to Amsterdam after Nazi Germany annexed Austria.

She became friends with another Jewish girl of the same age, Anne Frank, whose diary would become one of the most famous chronicles of the Holocaust.

Like the Franks, Eva’s family spent two years in hiding to avoid capture after the Nazis occupied the Netherlands. They were eventually betrayed, arrested and sent to the Auschwitz death camp.

Schloss and her mother, Fritzi, survived until the camp was liberated by Soviet troops in 1945. Her father, Erich, and brother, Heinz, died in Auschwitz.

After the war, Eva moved to the UK, married German-Jewish refugee Zvi Schloss, and settled in London.

In 1953, her mother married Frank’s father, Otto, the only member of his immediate family to survive.

Anne Frank died of typhus in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp at the age of 15, months before the end of the war.

Schloss did not speak publicly about her experiences for decades, later saying that wartime trauma had made her withdrawn and unable to connect with others.

“I was silent for years, first because I wasn’t allowed to speak. Then, I repressed it. I was angry with the world,” she told The Associated Press news agency in 2004.

But after she addressed the opening of an Anne Frank exhibition in London in 1986, Schloss made it her mission to educate younger generations about the Nazi genocide.

Over the following decades, she spoke in schools, prisons and international conferences, and told her story in books, including Eva’s Story: A Survivor’s Tale by the Stepsister of Anne Frank.

She kept campaigning into her 90s.

“We must never forget the terrible consequences of treating people as ‘other’,” Schloss said in 2024.

Schloss is survived by their three daughters, as well as grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Russia’s Defence Ministry had published a video of a downed drone it said Ukraine had launched at Putin’s residence, which Kyiv rejected.

United States President Donald Trump has dismissed claims that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s residence had been attacked by Ukraine as the war grinds on, saying he did not “believe that strike happened”, after having initially accepted the Kremlin’s version of events at face value.

On Sunday night, Trump, on board Air Force One, told reporters that “nobody knew at that moment” whether a report about the alleged incident was accurate. He added that “something” happened near Putin’s residence, but after US officials reviewed the evidence, they did not believe Ukraine targeted it.

Ukraine immediately denied its involvement, accusing Russia of a false-flag type operation to undermine peace negotiations. Moscow promptly said the incident would harden its peace talks stance.

Reports of the attack emerged last week after Russia’s Ministry of Defence published a video of a downed drone it said Kyiv had launched at Putin’s residence in the Novgorod region.

According to the ministry, the residence was not damaged, and Putin was elsewhere at the time.

Alongside Ukraine, its Western allies also heavily disputed that the attack had occurred at all.

The claim of the attack came as Russia and Ukraine work towards agreeing to a ceasefire deal to end the nearly four-year-long war.

European leaders are expected to meet in France on Tuesday for further talks on a US-backed ceasefire plan, which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said was “90 percent ready”. Territorial issues over ceding land conquered in war or not remain at the heart of the matter.

First civilian deaths in Kyiv in 2026

Ukraine’s authorities reported on Monday morning that an overnight Russian attack on the Kyiv region had killed two people, in the first casualties in the capital in 2026.

According to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, the Russian attack set a medical facility in the Obolonskyi district in Kyiv’s northern sector, where an inpatient ward was operating, on fire.

The service said once the fire was extinguished, a body was found inside. A woman was also injured, and 25 people were evacuated, the service added on Telegram.

Towns and villages across the Kyiv region were also damaged and critical infrastructure hit, leading to the killing of a man in his 70s in the Fastiv district, southwest of the capital, Governor Mykola Kalashnyk said on Telegram.

Kalashnyk added that small parts of the region were left without power.

Russia has not commented on the overnight strike yet.

The US president’s latest threat comes a day after Washington bombed Venezuela and abducted its president.

Denmark’s prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, has ‍urged US President ‍Donald Trump to stop threatening to take over Greenland, after the latter reiterated his wish to do so following Washington’s abduction of the leader of Venezuela.

“It makes absolutely no sense to talk about the US needing ⁠to take over Greenland. The US has no right to annex any of ​the three countries in the Danish Kingdom,” Frederiksen said in ‍a statement on Sunday.

The comments followed an interview published by The Atlantic magazine, in which Trump said: “We do need Greenland, absolutely. We need it for defence.”

On Saturday, the United States bombed Venezuela and toppled President Nicolas Maduro, raising concerns in Denmark that the same could happen with Greenland, a Danish territory.

“I would therefore strongly urge the US to stop the threats against a historically close ally and against another country and another people who have very clearly said that they are not for sale,” Frederiksen said.

The Greenlandic prime minister’s office did not ​immediately comment on Trump’s latest remarks.

The US president has repeatedly called for Greenland, a self-governing Danish territory and NATO member, to become part of the US.

Last month, the Trump administration named Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, who publicly supports annexation, as special envoy to the mineral-rich Arctic Island.

Greenland’s strategic position between Europe and ⁠North America makes it a key site for the US ballistic missile defence system, and its mineral wealth is attractive, as the US hopes to reduce its reliance on Chinese exports.

Katie Miller, the wife of Trump’s deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller, posted on Saturday the contentious image of the Danish autonomous territory in the colours of the US flag on her X feed.

Her post had a single word above it: “SOON”.

Stephen Miller is widely seen as the architect of much of Trump’s policies, guiding the president on his hardline immigration and domestic agenda.

Greenland’s prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, called the post “disrespectful”.

“Relations between nations and peoples are built on mutual respect and international law – not on symbolic gestures that disregard our status and our rights,” he said on X.

But he also said that “there is neither reason for panic nor for concern. Our country is not for sale, and our future is not decided by social media posts”.

Denmark’s ambassador to the US, Jesper Moeller Soerensen, reacted to the post on Sunday by saying, “We expect full respect for the territorial integrity” of Denmark.

Soerensen gave a pointed “friendly reminder” that his country has “significantly boosted its Arctic security efforts” and had worked with the US on that.

“We are close allies, and should continue to work together as such,” he wrote.

This film explores how the Spanish empire built its global dominance by fusing military conquest, religious conversion and imperial wealth.

At the heart of the Spanish expansion was the close alliance between crown, church and conquest. Military campaigns were inseparable from missionary efforts as conversion to Christianity became both a justification for empire and a tool of control. Faith and force advanced together, reshaping societies across the Americas.

Through the conquests of the Aztec and Incan empires, the documentary shows how Spanish power was established through violence, alliances and religious authority. The mission system spread across the Americas, reorganising Indigenous life around churches, labour regimes and colonial administration. Conversion promised salvation but enforced obedience and cultural destruction.

The film also examines the economic foundations of Spanish imperial power. Vast quantities of gold and silver were extracted from the Americas alongside the exploitation of Indigenous and enslaved labour. These resources fuelled European economies, financed global trade and helped integrate the Americas into an emerging world system built on extraction and inequality.

By tracing how faith, conquest and wealth operated together, the documentary reveals how Spanish colonialism shaped global capitalism, religious power and imperial governance. It shows how the legacies of conquest, forced conversion and resource extraction continue to influence social inequality, cultural identity and economic structures in the modern world and how current global superpowers like the United States and China adopt this model to their benefit. It also draws on the parallels between the erasure of cultural artefacts then and today’s “algorithmic colonisation”.

As global crises multiply and trust in international institutions erodes, the United Nations faces growing questions about its relevance and authority. Thirty years after pledges to end hunger and reduce inequality, progress is stalling, wars are spreading, and UN Security Council vetoes are paralysing action.

In this episode of Talk to Al Jazeera, UN General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock reflects on the UN’s credibility, the limits of the UNSC, and whether a more assertive UNGA can drive reform before the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals deadline.

‘Been away for a while but I’m back now, 37 years old and still punching,’ Fury said in a post announcing his return.

Former world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury has announced his return to boxing, having retired from the sport in December 2024 after losing to Oleksandr Usyk in a bout for three of the four major world titles.

The British star confirmed his comeback in a post on social media, which sets up the prospect of a long-awaited showdown with Anthony Joshua.

Fury posted on Instagram that “2026 is that year. Return of the mac.”

“Been away for a while but I’m back now, 37 years old and still punching,” he said. “Nothing better to do than punch men in the face and get paid for it.”

Before his two bouts with Usyk, Fury was unbeaten in 35 fights, winning 34 and drawing one.

Fury did not mention potential opponents, but his announcement comes after increased speculation about a clash with British rival Joshua in 2026. Joshua, who is also a former world champion, last month knocked out YouTube star Jake Paul. But he was injured in a fatal car crash that killed two of his friends in Nigeria this week, which has resulted in uncertainty over his immediate plans.

Fury is a two-time world champion. He ended the reign of Wladimir Klitschko with a points win in 2015 that saw him crowned Super WBA, IBF and WBO champion.

He didn’t fight again until 2018 – but a thrilling trilogy with American Deontay Wilder resulted in a draw and two victories for him to claim the WBC title.

Fury previously said he was retiring after he beat Dillian Whyte in 2022, but was back in the ring the following year.

A fight with Joshua has long been anticipated. There is also the potential of a trilogy-capping fight with Usyk or a clash with WBO champion Fabio Wardley.

According to the Valais police, those identified include 10 Swiss people, two Italians, one person with Italian-Emirati citizenship, one Romanian, one person from France, and one from Turkiye.

Swiss police say they have identified 16 more of those who died during a fatal fire in a bar on New Year’s Eve that killed 40 people, in one of the country’s deadliest disasters.

According to the Valais police on Sunday, those identified include 10 Swiss nationals, two Italians, one person with Italian-Emirati citizenship, one Romanian, one person from France, and one from Turkiye.

So far, 24 people have been identified among those who died in the blaze at the Le Constellation bar in the mountain resort of Crans-Montana, southern Switzerland.

The wait for families for news of their loved ones has been anguished.

Of those identified, the youngest person to have been killed is a 14-year-old Swiss girl, followed by two 15-year-old Swiss girls.

According to the police, 10 other bodies identified on Sunday were teenagers aged between 16 and 18. Two Swiss men, aged 20 and 31, and a French national, aged 39, were also identified.

Officials are continuing efforts to identify the remaining casualties from the fire that injured about 119 people, some of whom suffered severe burns and were transferred to burn units across Europe.

For the local community, the aftermath of the tragic fire is causing acute distress.

Damiano Vizioli, a 24-year-old living in neighbouring Sion, was in Le Constellation on New Year’s Eve but had gone outside to smoke a cigarette when the bar was suddenly engulfed in flames.

“I’m not sleeping well because I can hear the people screaming,” Vizioli told the Reuters news agency. He went back to the bar, desperate for news of a friend working there whom he has not heard from since.

Eric Schmid, a 63-year-old local businessman, also told Reuters that the disaster will be felt “quite deep, and I think it’ll take time to heal”.

“We [the Swiss] are mountain people. We will survive, of course, but that’s not the most important thing,” he said.

“It’s more about the kids and all these people who have been affected. But the messages and signs of solidarity are super important,” he added.

Swiss prosecutors said on Saturday two people who ran the bar are under criminal investigation on suspicion of offences including homicide by negligence.

Protesters have rallied worldwide after Donald Trump announced the US would ‘run’ Venezuela following the abduction of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife. Demonstrators from Paris to Sao Paulo are denouncing what they call US aggression and imperialism.

Scilly Swim Challenge, Cornwall

SwimQuest’s annual Isles of Scilly challenge is a 15km island-hopping swim, broken into five sessions with walks in between. The longest swim is the 6km leg from St Agnes to Bryher; the shortest is 600 metres from Bryher to Tresco; and the island walks in between are no longer than 45 minutes. Swimmers can opt to complete the challenge in one tough day, or space it out over two – there is a party after both events.
Entry is £299 for the one-day challenge on 20 September or £379 for two days (17 and 18 September), no minimum fundraising, scillyswimchallenge.co.uk

Ultra Challenge, across the UK

With 18 annual events, Ultra Challenge is one of the UK’s biggest series of treks and trail runs. Fundraising is optional but popular – there are 600-plus charities to choose from and the events raise more than £12m a year for good causes. Despite the name, it doesn’t have to be ultra-challenging; beginners can try a 10km taster trek, and build up to 25km, 50km or even 100km, and participants walk or run at their own pace. There’s lots of support, too, from a training app to shuttle buses to the events, plus a medal, massage and meal at the end. Locations include coastlines and countryside in England and Wales; new this year is Scarborough to Whitby.
Registration and recommended fundraising varies; next events are London Winter Walk, 24 and 25 January and the Bath 50, 28 March, ultrachallenge.com

Ride the Route, London loop

Railway Children is a charity that helps young people living on the street, or at risk of it, in the UK, India and Tanzania. Its annual Ride the Route event is a three-day group cycle ride covering more than 200 miles, requiring a “moderate to good” level of fitness and enough training to withstand six to eight hours a day in the saddle. The route changes every year and always follows a railway line. This year it is a circular route following the High Speed 1 line from London to Folkestone, continuing along the coast to Brighton, then back to London.
£50 for one day’s cycling with £150 fundraising pledge, or £75 for all three days, with a £350 fundraising pledge, 3-6 September, railwaychildren.org.uk

Race the Sun, England

This is a team challenge for two to four people across three disciplines: cycling, hiking and canoeing/ kayaking. It’s not a relay – all team members must cycle 23-34 miles, hike 6-10 miles and paddle 2 miles. The fastest teams race around the course in five hours; others take from dawn to dusk. There are five races: a new one on the South Downs (25 April), plus Cheddar Gorge (11 July), the Jurassic Coast (27 June) and two in the Lake District (13 June and 15 September). All events are in aid of Action Medical Research.
£120 for two, £240 for four, minimum fundraising £1,000/£2,000, action.org.uk

Lake 24 Peaks Challenge, Cumbria

This Hatt Adventures event is a tough challenge that requires a high level of fitness: climbing 24 Lake District peaks in 24 hours, all of them over 700 metres (2,400ft). Groups tackle 10 mountains on the 14-hour first day (including Scafell Pike, England’s highest) and 14 mountains over 10 hours on the second day. The cost includes a 12-week fitness plan; transport from Manchester, Birmingham, London or Brighton; two nights’ bunkhouse stay; two buffet breakfasts, packed lunches and pub dinners; and a qualified mountain leader. The company also runs Yorkshire and UK Three Peaks Challenges.
£5,600 for groups of eight to 12, April to October, fundraise what you can for a charity of your choice, thehatt.co.uk

SupBikeRun, England and Wales

This is a triathlon with a difference: instead of open-water swimming, it starts with paddleboarding, followed by either mountain biking or road cycling, then a trail run. The shorter race is a 3k paddleboarding, 15k mountain biking (or 21k on road) and a 5k run; the longer one is double and there is also a three-person team relay. The events take place at lakeside locations in mid-Wales (16-17 May), Devon (11-12 July) and the Lake District (12-13 September) – camping and family and friends welcome.
From £65pp (team) or £123 (individual), board hire £16, camping extra, fundraise what you can for a charity of your choice, supbikerun.co.uk

Great River Race, London

London’s “river marathon” is an annual 21.6-mile boat race from Millwall in the east to Ham, Richmond, in the south-west, passing under 28 of the city’s famous bridges. It is for fixed-seat rowing boats only, and the 2,500 competitors range from record-breaking athletes to friends in fancy dress. Crews can camp at the Thames Young Mariners campsite, a few minutes’ walk from the end of the race, from Thursday to Sunday (the race is on Saturday). There is a barbecue and bar on the Friday night, breakfast on Saturday and Sunday mornings, and a transfer bus to the starting point.
Entry £80 adults/£60 under 18s, fundraise for a charity of your choice, entries open on 1 April, race on 12 September, greatriverrace.org.uk

SuperHalfs, Europe

If one half marathon isn’t enough of a challenge, how about six? The SuperHalfs series rewards runners who complete the Cardiff, Lisbon, Prague, Berlin, Copenhagen and Valencia half marathons with a SuperMedal. More than the medal, the series is “For the fun of running. For the thrill of travel. And for the joy of saying ‘I did it!’” In return for a minimum fundraising target, entrants can pick a charity from an extensive list for guaranteed entry into their chosen race or the entire series.
£175 refundable deposit for entry into all six races, minimum fundraising target £1,950; 8 March Lisbon; 28 March Prague; 29 March Berlin; 20 September Copenhagen; 4 October Cardiff; 25 October Valencia; superhalfs.com

24-hour skiing relay, French Alps

The ski resort of Le Grand-Bornand in the French Alps hosts an annual 24-hour nonstop skiing challenge in aid of children’s charities. Teams of eight to 10 ski relay laps of an easy intermediate slope, which is suitable for anyone just above beginner level, from 2pm on Saturday to 2pm on Sunday. Each team must complete between four and 12 laps every hour. In 2025, 158 teams took part, and since it began in 2008, Glisse en Coeur has raised almost €5.5m for four charities. There is a carnival atmosphere, with a concert on the slopes, celebrity appearances and lots of cheering spectators.
€690 for a team of 10, plus €500 minimum fundraising, 20-22 March, legrandbornand.com

Hyrox fitness races, worldwide

Hyrox has taken in off in popularity – 550,000 keep-fitters competed in around 85 indoor races in more than 30 countries around the world last year. The format is the same globally, comprising a 1km run followed by a “functional workout station” (various pushes, pulls, jumps, carries, etc), repeated eight times. It is open to “everyday fitness enthusiasts”, with no entry qualifications or time limits.
The UK events are in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support; £64 entry plus £400 minimum fundraising; 21-25 January in Manchester, 11-15 March in Glasgow, 24-29 March in London and 29 April to 4 May in Cardiff; hyrox.com

The UK’s Ministry of Defence says an underground facility likely storing ISIL weapons was the target of the attack, but the area was ‘devoid of any civilian habitation’.

The United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence has said its aircraft joined France in striking an underground facility in Syria that had likely been used by the ISIL (ISIS) group to store weapons, as the group appears to be resurgent after a period of relative dormancy in the region.

“Royal Air Force aircraft have completed successful strikes against Daesh in a joint operation with France,” the ministry said of the Saturday night attack in a statement, using the Arabic acronym for ISIL.

The statement said the area, north of the ancient site of Palmyra, was “devoid of any civilian habitation”.

The United States military in late December said it had killed or captured about 25 ISIL fighters in a wave of attacks over nine days in Syria.

The Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees the US military’s Middle East operations, issued a statement on Tuesday marking the conclusion of the operations last month.

The campaign followed the killing of two US soldiers and a civilian interpreter by an ISIL attacker in Syria on December 13, and widespread US strikes against the group six days later.

In the meantime, Turkiye’s government said on Wednesday it had detained more than 100 ISIL suspects in nationwide raids, as the group shows signs of intensified regional activity after a period of relative dormancy.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced the arrests, saying Turkish authorities rounded up 125 suspects across 25 provinces, including Ankara.

The operation was the third of its kind in less than a week during the holiday season, and follows a deadly shootout on Tuesday between Turkish police and suspected ISIL members in the northwestern city of Yalova.

That clash killed three Turkish police and six suspected ISIL members, all Turkish nationals. A day later, Turkish security forces arrested 357 suspected ISIL members in a coordinated crackdown.

In 2017, when the group still held large swaths of neighbouring Syria and Iraq before being vanquished on the battlefield, ISIL attacked an Istanbul nightclub during New Year’s celebrations, killing 39 people. Istanbul prosecutor’s office said Turkish police had received intelligence that operatives were “planning attacks in Turkiye against non-Muslims in particular” this holiday season.

On top of maintaining sleeper cells in Turkiye, ISIL is still active in Syria, with which Turkiye shares a 900km (560-mile) border, and has carried out a spate of attacks there since the ouster of former President Bashar al-Assad last year.

Syria has faced mounting security challenges after more than 13 years of ruinous civil war that ended late in 2024 with the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad’s government.

Declan Rice shrugged off a knee injury to extend Arsenal’s advantage at the top of the Premier League to six points with a come-from-behind 3-2 win at Bournemouth.

A rare Gabriel Magalhaes error gifted the Cherries an early opener through Evanilson on Saturday, but the Brazilian quickly redeemed himself to level.

Rice had been a doubt after missing Tuesday’s 4-1 demolition of Aston Villa due to knee swelling.

The England international returned to the starting lineup and doubled his tally for the season with two composed finishes either side of the hour mark.

Eli Kroupi’s fine strike gave Bournemouth hope, but Arsenal comfortably saw out the closing stage to move seven points clear of Manchester City, who host managerless Chelsea in their game in hand on Sunday.

There had been a glimmer of hope for Pep Guardiola’s men when Arsenal conceded after just 10 minutes.

Gabriel mishit his attempted cross-field pass towards Jurrien Timber and presented the ball to his compatriot Evanilson, who slotted past David Raya for his first home goal of the season.

Arsenal’s towering centre-back netted on his first start for nearly two months against Villa in midweek and showed his eye for goal once more to equalise within six minutes

Gabriel pounced to slam home Noni Madueke’s deflected cross for his 20th Premier League goal since he joined the Gunners in 2020 — seven more than any other defender.

Rice has also turned into a useful source of important goals since being pushed into a more advanced role this season.

He was perfectly picked out by Martin Odegaard to slot in from the edge of the box to put the visitors in front on 56 minutes.

Bukayo Saka came off the bench to create Arsenal’s third as Rice swept home his cut-back.

Bournemouth remain without a win, stretching back 11 games to October 26.

However, only five sides have scored more Premier League goals this season than Andoni Iraola’s men.

A stunning strike by Kropi from long range set up a nervy finale.

But Mikel Arteta’s men held firm to take another big step towards ending their 22-year wait to lift the Premier League title.

Villa beat Forest, while West Ham ’embarrassed’ at Wolves

Aston Villa beat struggling Nottingham Forest 3-1 at their home fortress to ease the pain of their midweek mauling by Arsenal, leapfrogging Manchester City into second place in the Premier League.

Ollie Watkins’s strike on the cusp of half-time gave Unai Emery’s side a deserved lead, and John McGinn scored twice in the second half, either side of a Morgan Gibbs-White goal for the visitors.

Villa’s 11-game winning streak in all competitions was brought to a shuddering halt with a 4-1 defeat at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday, raising doubts about their ability to maintain a title charge.

But their impressive record at Villa Park remains intact – they have now won 11 straight matches there since a 3-0 defeat to Crystal Palace in August.

Villa boss Emery told Sky Sports that his players and coaching staff had held a meeting after their chastening loss to Arsenal.

“I am so happy,” he said. “We had to recover our energy and our confidence. Here, at Villa Park, the energy we create was really important.

“Forest are competitive. After the Arsenal match, we met the players and staff: how we are doing this season, how we are feeling, how we needed to keep the same consistency as before, how we needed to be together and strong.”

Villa started brightly on a bitingly cold day in Birmingham, but struggled to make their dominance count in a tepid first half.

But the in-form Watkins broke the deadlock in the closing moments of a half in which they enjoyed nearly 80 percent possession.

The England international received the ball outside the area from Morgan Rogers and slammed home for his fourth goal in three games.

McGinn doubled Villa’s lead in the 49th minute, side-footing home from a Matty Cash cross.

Villa appeared to be cruising, but Forest were back in the game in the 61st minute courtesy of a fine finish from Gibbs-White, who chipped past the diving Emi Martinez.

The home side were gifted a third goal in the 73rd minute when Forest goalkeeper John Victor inexplicably vacated his goalmouth to try to reach a long ball from Youri Tielemans, even though there were defenders nearby.

Scotland midfielder McGinn collected the ball and remained cool, sidestepping Victor and stroking the ball into the empty net with his left foot from well outside the area.

The win took Villa to 42 points, one ahead of Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, who host managerless Chelsea on Sunday.

Forest, who have now suffered four straight league defeats, remain one place above the relegation zone, four points clear of West Ham, who were thumped 3-0 at bottom-of-the-table Wolves.

“The first half was embarrassing, and I have to apologise to the fans – this is not what we want to show,” beleaguered Hammers’ manager Nuno Espirito Santo said after.

Elsewhere, second-bottom Burnley lost 2-0 at Brighton and Hove Albion.

Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe is out of Sunday’s Real Betis clash in La Liga, but could be fast tracked for return in Atletico Super Cup derby.

Real Madrid forward Kylian ‌Mbappe will miss Sunday’s La Liga home game against Real Betis due ‍to a knee ‍injury but is pushing to be available for next week’s Spanish Super Cup semifinal against Atletico Madrid, manager Xabi Alonso has said.

The 27-year-old France captain, who equalled Cristiano Ronaldo’s club record of 59 ⁠goals in a calendar year for Real in their 2-0 La Liga win over Sevilla ​on December 20, has a sprain in his left knee.

The initial assumption was that such an injury would mean a spell of at least three weeks on the sidelines.

“We’ll ‍definitely miss Kylian,” Alonso told reporters on Saturday. “We have to have a lot of faith in those who are going to play tomorrow.

“Now we’ll see. We have to wait and see how things ‍develop, and ⁠we’ll do everything we can to get him back as soon as possible.

“We’re going to be pushing the deadlines; it’s very much a matter of feelings. When is as soon as possible? That’s the question. I don’t know. The Super Cup? We hope.”

Alonso’s men were five points clear at the top before their form took a downturn in November. They ​drew three league games in a row before suffering ‌a shock loss to Celta Vigo at home in December, allowing defending champions Barcelona to surge four points ahead in the title race.

Real’s dip in form has coincided with a goalless run ‌for forward Vinicius Jr. The 25-year-old Brazilian winger, who scored 22 goals last season, has struck just five times ‌across all competitions this term and has not ⁠found the net since October.

When asked how Vinicius is doing after being booed by a section of fans in their last match against Sevilla at the Bernabeu, Alonso said: “Vini looks fine to me, ‌cheerful and smiling. The break has been good for all of us to recharge our batteries.

“Tomorrow, we are the ones who have to give in order to ‍receive, to spread that enthusiasm and rhythm that we need. If that flows in both directions, we will enjoy ourselves.”

Jake Paul’s defeat by Anthony Joshua in their heavyweight bout in December has seen American boxer lose his WBA ranking.

Jake Paul has slipped out of the WBA cruiserweight rankings after the YouTuber-turned-boxer was soundly beaten by former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua last month.

Paul’s jaw was broken in two places and the American needed surgery to repair the damage after Joshua’s sixth-round knockout victory in a heavyweight bout in Miami.

The event had drawn criticism ahead of the bout due to the disparity in the sheer size and experience of the boxers, while Paul spent much of the fight dancing around the ring rather than engaging Joshua.

Paul (12-2, 7 KOs) had entered the WBA’s cruiserweight rankings at No 14 in July shortly after he beat 39-year-old Julio Cesar Chavez Jr by unanimous decision in Anaheim, California.

He was at No 15 entering the bout against Joshua. Bosnia’s Edin Puhalo has taken Paul’s place in the top 15, having recorded his 29th career win in December.

The WBA ranking announcement and changes were for the period ending December 31.

These are the key developments from day 1,409 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Here is where things stand on Saturday, January 3:

Fighting

• Two people were killed, including a three-year-old child, and at least 31 people were wounded in a Russian ballistic missile attack on a five-storey residential building in the centre of Ukraine’s Kharkiv, the region’s governor Oleh Syniehubov wrote on Telegram.
• Russia’s Ministry of Defence denied responsibility for the attack, claiming it was caused by the detonation of Ukrainian ammunition and was meant as a distraction from a deadly attack the day before on the village of Khorly, in a Russian-occupied part of the Kherson region.
• The death toll from the drone strike on a hotel and cafe in Khorly rose to 28 people, the region’s Russian-installed governor, Vladimir Saldo, told Russia’s state-run TASS news agency. Saldo also said that more than 60 people were injured in the attack. Ukraine has responded to the strike by saying it does not target civilians.
• Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Kuleba said in a post on Facebook that Ukrainian authorities have decided to evacuate more than 3,000 children, along with their parents, from 44 front-line settlements in Ukraine’s Zaporizhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions due to Russian aggression.
• A Ukrainian attack on the electricity grid in the Russian-occupied Zaporizhia region of Ukraine left 1,777 households without power, Russian-installed regional governor, Yevgeniy Balitsky, wrote on Telegram.
• Russian forces shot down 64 Ukrainian drones overnight into Friday, Russia’s Defence Ministry said, according to TASS.
• Ukrainian monitoring site DeepState reported Russian forces seized more land in the Myrnohrad and Pokrovsk areas of Ukraine’s Donetsk region, as well as in Svitle in the Ternopil region.
• The Russian army captured more than 5,600 square kilometres (2,160 square miles), or nearly 1 percent, of Ukrainian territory in 2025, according to an analysis of data from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), which works with the Critical Threats Project.
• According to the AFP news agency, the land seized by Russian forces last year was more than in the previous two years combined, but less than the 60,000sq km (23,166sq miles) Russia took in 2022, the first year of its all-out invasion.

Politics and diplomacy

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy named Ukraine’s military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov as his presidential chief of staff on Friday, in the latest Ukrainian leadership shake-up.
• Zelenskyy also nominated Mykhailo Fedorov, a drone and digitalisation specialist who has served as first deputy prime minister and minister of digital transformation, as defence minister. Fedorov, whose appointment must be approved by parliament, will replace Denys Shmyhal, a former prime minister who was being offered a new government post.
• RecepTayyip Erdogan, the president of Turkiye, told reporters in Istanbul that he would hold a phone call with United States President Donald Trump on Monday to discuss peace efforts. Turkiye has been hosting intermittent peace talks during Russia’s war on Ukraine.
• Erdogan also said Turkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will attend a meeting of the “coalition of the willing”, a group of nations backing Ukraine, in Paris, in the coming days.

Crash kills two men and injures British boxer Anthony Joshua in Nigeria.

The driver of a car carrying British boxer Anthony Joshua that was involved in a fatal crash in Nigeria has been charged with reckless and dangerous driving, police in southwestern Nigeria’s Ogun State say.

Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, 46, was driving the boxer and two of his friends, Latif Ayodele and Sina Ghami, on a busy highway linking Lagos and Ibadan on Monday when the Lexus SUV in which they were travelling rammed into a stationary truck.

“The defendant was granted bail in the sum of 5 million naira ($3,480) with two sureties. He was remanded pending when he meets his bail condition,” police spokesman Oluseyi Babaseyi told the AFP news agency on Friday.

Kayode has been held in police custody since he was discharged from hospital on Thursday.

Nigerian police and state officials said Ayodele and Ghami died at the scene while Joshua and the driver sustained minor injuries.

Preliminary investigations showed that the vehicle was moving at an excessive speed and had burst a tyre before the crash, the Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency in Ogun State, where the accident occurred, told AFP earlier in the week.

After leaving the hospital on Wednesday, Joshua and his mother paid their respects at the funeral home where the bodies of his friends were being prepared for repatriation.

A government source suggested to AFP on Thursday that the remains of the victims may have been repatriated to the United Kingdom. Joshua’s whereabouts are unknown.