Reuters UK

Acid attack survivor fronts fashion book in new awareness campaign

By Johnny Cotton and Marie-Louise Gumuchian NIVELLES, Belgium/LONDON (Reuters) - Sitting at her home in the Belgian town of Nivelles, acid attack survivor and campaigner Patricia Lefranc flicks through a sleek book of pictures of her shot by British fashion photographer Rankin. In one, she holds a photo of herself before the devastating 2009 attack by an ex. Others show her in different poses throughout the lookbook, a photo catalogue typically used by fashion brands. “I have learnt to see myself after (the attack). If I had seen this photo of myself five or six years ago I would have been in ...

Netanyahu rejects Hamas conditions for hostage deal which include 'outright surrender'

By Emily Rose JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday rejected conditions presented by Hamas to end the war and release hostages that would include Israel's complete withdrawal and leaving Hamas in power in Gaza. As Israeli planes resumed bombing Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters the Israeli leader's refusal to end the military offensive in Gaza "means there is no chance for the return of the (Israeli) captives." "In exchange for the release of our hostages, Hamas demands the end of the war, the withdrawal...

Iceland volcano recedes after 'black day' of town fires

REYKJAVIK (Reuters) - A volcano that erupted in southwest Iceland for the second time in less than a month appeared to be significantly less active on Monday despite indications of magma still flowing underground.

"A black day" read the front page headline of Icelandic daily Morgunbladid across an image of bright-orange lava fountains and houses burning in the town of Grindavik, some 40 kilometres (25 miles) southwest of the capital Reykjavik.

As Davos crowd gathers, governments urged to rein in 'billionaire class'

By Mark John (Reuters) - The combined fortunes of the world's five richest men have more than doubled to $869 billion since 2020 while five billion people have been made poorer, anti-poverty group Oxfam said. An Oxfam report, which comes as business elites gather this week for the annual World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos, found that a billionaire is now either running, or is the main shareholder of, 7 out of 10 of the world's biggest companies. Oxfam called on Monday for governments to rein in corporate power by breaking up monopolies; instituting taxes on excess profit and wealth; a...

Volcano erupts in Iceland, posing risk to fishing town

A volcano erupted in southwest Iceland on Sunday, posing an immediate threat to a nearby small fishing town although it had been evacuated earlier and no people were in danger, authorities said.

Early-morning video footage from the site showed fountains of molten rock spewing from fissures in the ground, the bright orange lava flow glowing against the dark sky.

"No lives are in danger, although infrastructure may be under threat," Iceland's President Gudni Johannesson said on social media site X, adding there had been no interruptions to flights.

Biden: U.S. does not support Taiwan independence

WASHINGTON — U.S. President Joe Biden said on Saturday the United States does not support the independence of Taiwan, after Taiwanese voters rebuffed China and gave the ruling party a third presidential term.

Earlier in the day, the Taiwanese ruling Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) presidential candidate Lai Ching-te came to power, strongly rejecting Chinese pressure to spurn him, and pledged both to stand up to Beijing and seek talks.

"We do not support independence..." Biden said, when asked for reaction to Saturday's elections.

Biden warns of more strikes on Yemen's Houthis if Red Sea attacks persist

By Nandita Bose and Mohammed Ghobari WASHINGTON/ADEN (Reuters) - President Joe Biden vowed further military action against Yemen's Houthi forces if they keep up their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea despite dozens of U.S. and British air strikes on the Iran-backed group's facilities. Intensifying concerns about a widening regional conflict, U.S. and British warplanes, ships and submarines this week launched missiles against targets across Yemen controlled by the group, which has cast its maritime campaign as support for Palestinians under siege by Israel in Hamas-ruled Gaza. Even as Houthi ...

Explainer: Did Biden break the law by ordering Yemen airstrikes?

WASHINGTON — Some members of the U.S. Congress have charged that President Joe Biden violated the Constitution by authorizing overnight strikes on Yemen.

But provisions in U.S. law give the White House the authority to launch limited foreign military action, experts say.

"There's not actually a strong case to prevent Biden from this kind of action," said Michael O'Hanlon, director of research in foreign policy at the Brookings Institution.

Tesla Berlin to stop most output for two weeks due to Red Sea disruption

BERLIN — Tesla will suspend most car production at its factory near Berlin from Jan. 29 to Feb. 11, the company said on Thursday, citing a lack of components due to shifts in transport routes because of attacks on vessels in the Red Sea.

The partial production stop is evidence that the crisis in the Red Sea, unleashed by Iranian-backed Houthi militants attacking vessels in solidarity with Palestinian Islamist group Hamas fighting Israel in Gaza, has hit Europe's largest economy.

Vatican moves to calm bishops over same-sex blessings approval

VATICAN CITY — The Vatican on Thursday moved to calm Catholic bishops in some countries who have reacted negatively to last month's approval of blessings for same-sex couples, telling them that the measure cannot be seen as "heretical" or "blasphemous".

In a five-page statement, the Vatican's doctrinal office also acknowledged that such blessings could be "imprudent" in some countries where gay people who receive them might become targets of violence, or incur prison or even death.

Toll in Ukraine air strikes on Russia's Belgorod rises to 22, officials say

The death toll from what Moscow said was an "indiscriminate" Ukrainian air attack on the city of Belgorod just north of Ukraine's border has risen to 22, a Russian official said on Sunday.

"Unfortunately, to our great grief, the number of those who have died in result of yesterday's strike at Belgorod has increased," said Vyacheslav Gladkov, the governor of the Belgorod region of which Belgorod city is the administrative center.

UK's King Charles urges Christmas compassion, care for environment in time of conflict

LONDON — Britain's King Charles called on people on Monday to help those less fortunate during a time of economic hardship and global conflict, using his Christmas Day message to emphasize the importance of kindness, compassion and care for the environment.

In his second Christmas message since becoming king, Charles also paid tribute to volunteers, charity workers and people working over the holidays in roles caring for others.

Ukrainian Catholic church says document on blessing same-sex marriage does not apply

(Reuters) - The head of Ukraine's eastern-rite Catholic church on Saturday said a document endorsed byPope Francis this week permitting blessings for same-sex couples did not apply to his church and its teachings. Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk said the Vatican document "interprets the pastoral meaning of blessings in the Latin Church" but made no reference to issues governing the eastern, or Greek Catholic, church. "Thus ... this Declaration applies solely to the Latin Church and has no legal force for the faithful of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church," Shevchuk said in a statement. ...

Israel pushes for control in northern Gaza; Biden, Netanyahu discuss outlook

CAIRO/JERUSALEM — Israel fought to wrest full control of northern Gaza from Hamas militants as the U.S. and Israeli leaders discussed the outlook for the 11-week-old war, after the U.N. Security Council appealed for more aid for the Palestinian enclave.

Thick smoke hung over the northern town of Jabalia on Saturday and residents reported persistent aerial bombardment and shelling from Israeli tanks, which they said had moved further into the town.

Security hiked at Cologne cathedral for Christmas amid attack threat

BERLIN (Reuters) - German police said on Saturday they were heightening security at Cologne Cathedral following indications of an attack planned for New Year's Eve, a week after the interior minister warned of the rising threat of Islamist violence. The police said in a statement they would use tracker dogs to check the cathedral after evening mass and then close it off. On Sunday, Christmas Eve, they would carry out a security check on all visitors whom they recommended to get to services early. Police said they could not elaborate, citing the ongoing investigation. German newspaper Bild earl...