EUROPE

UK SANCTIONS RSF COMMANDERS OVER LINKS TO MASS KILLINGS IN SUDAN

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Britain sanctioned senior commanders of Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces on Friday, over what it said were their links to mass killings, systematic sexual violence and deliberate attacks on civilians in the African country.

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LOUVRE WORKERS ANNOUNCE STRIKE OVER WORK CONDITIONS AND SECURITY AFTER $102M HEIST

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Workers at the Louvre Museum voted Monday for strikes to protest their work conditions, a ticket-price hike for non-European visitors and security weaknesses that a brazen daylight theft of France’s Crown Jewels highlighted in October.

In a letter announcing the strike action starting next Monday, which was addressed to France’s culture minister and seen by The Associated Press, the CGT, CFDT and Sud unions asserted that “visiting the Louvre has become a real obstacle course” for the millions of people who come to admire its huge collections of art and artifacts.

The museum is in “crisis,” with insufficient resources and “increasingly deteriorated working conditions,” said the unions’ strike notice to Culture Minister Rachida Dati.

“The theft of 19 October 2025 highlighted shortcomings in priorities that had long been reported,” the unions alleged.

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ZELENSKY REFUTES ANY PLAN TO SURRENDER UKRAINIAN TERRITORY TO RUSSIA

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has again ruled out surrendering any territory to Russia, insisting that Kyiv cannot "give away precisely what we are fighting to protect," even as American negotiators push a revised framework aimed at ending the nearly four-year conflict. Speaking to reporters after a series of high-level meetings with European leaders, Zelensky said the latest U.S. draft is an improvement but still contains unresolved issues that Ukraine "cannot simply sign off on for the sake of speed."

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EU FINES X ONE HUNDRED FORTY MILLION DOLLARS FOR DSA BREACHES

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The European Union has imposed a one hundred forty million dollar fine on Elon Musk's social media platform X for violations of the Digital Services Act, marking the first major enforcement action under the landmark regulation. The penalty reflects several findings, including deceptive design practices related to the platform's verification system, insufficient transparency in advertising archives and the failure to provide researchers with access to essential public data. The ruling represents a significant moment in Europe's broader effort to regulate large technology companies and enforce consistent standards across digital platforms.

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X BLOCKS EUROPEAN COMMISSION'S ADS FROM ITS PLATFORM

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Social media platform X has blocked the European Commission from running advertisements on its site, a move that follows the Commission's recent decision to fine Elon Musk's company €120m (£105m) over its blue tick badges. Nikita Bier, a senior figure at X, accused the EU regulator of attempting to "take advantage" of "an exploit" in X's advertising system to promote its post about the fine on Friday.

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ROBLOX BANNED IN RUSSIA OVER SAFETY CONCERNS

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Citing concerns over child safety, extremism, and the spread of LGBT-related content, Russia has blocked access to the popular gaming platform Roblox. Local news outlets reported that the country's media regulator stated Roblox was "rife with inappropriate content that can negatively impact the spiritual and moral development of children." The multiplayer online platform, while globally popular, has indeed faced significant criticism regarding its child protection features.

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ZELENSKYY MEETS IN LONDON WITH EUROPEAN ALLIES ON US PEACE PLAN AND SECURITY

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President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met French, German and British leaders in London on Monday amid what Kyiv’s European allies described as a “decisive time” in the U.S.-led effort to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer held talks with Zelenskyy, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the British leader’s 10 Downing St. residence to try to strengthen Ukraine’s hand amid mounting impatience from U.S. President Donald Trump.

“This is the furthest we’ve got in four years, and we welcome the fact that these talks are continuing at every level,” said Starmer’s spokesman, Tom Wells, adding: “It isn’t a straight line between conflict and peace.”

He said “intensive work” will continue in the coming days, although “there are still outstanding issues.”

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GLOBAL TICKET HIKE SET TO TRANSFORM FUTURE LOUVRE VISITS

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The Louvre Museum, one of the world's most recognizable cultural landmarks, is preparing for significant changes that will reshape the visitor experience for millions of travelers from outside Europe. Beginning January 14, 2026, ticket prices for non European Economic Area visitors will rise sharply in an effort to strengthen the institution's long term capacity to protect its priceless heritage. This revision will lift individual ticket costs to thirty five dollars while group visitors accompanied by guides will pay thirty one dollars per person. According to museum officials, the new pricing structure is expected to generate an additional sixteen to twenty two million dollars annually, revenue that will be devoted to the modernization of the Louvre and the reinforcement of its structural and security systems.

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