Europe

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was worried at the prospect of Donald Trump returning to the White House, branding Trump’s claim that he could stop Ukraine’s war with Russia in 24 hours as “very dangerous.”

In an interview with the U.K.'s Channel 4 News that aired Friday, Zelenskyy invited the former president and front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination to visit Kyiv, but only if Trump delivers on his promise.

England (AP) — When Nikki Haley was a South Carolina legislator, she backed budgets boosted by federal aid. Running for governor, she criticized a “bailout culture” and dependence on Washington.

She once called the Confederate battle flag a heritage symbol and sidestepped calls to remove it from statehouse grounds. After a racist massacre in Charleston, Haley moved to take it down.

MOSCOW, January 19. /TASS/: The Russian Armed Forces carried out 17 group strikes, with weapons including Kinzhal missiles, on Ukrainian defense enterprises from January 6-12, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a daily bulletin of the special military operation.

BRUSSELS, January 19. /TASS/: The European Union intends to introduce new sanctions against Russia by the second anniversary of the start of the special military operation in Ukraine, a EU spokesperson told reporters.

"Yes, I can confirm that member-countries and the top diplomat intend to mark the second anniversary with new sanctions against Russia," he said, stressing that the EU is working on this matter.

"We are working on them and hope to achieve the result," the spokesperson added.

MOSCOW, January 19. /TASS/:  Washington's "toxic reaction" to Moscow's stance on talks about strategic stability serves to affirm that Russia is in the right, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement.

She was commenting on criticism from Pranay Vaddi, a senior director for arms control, disarmament, and nonproliferation at the National Security Council under US President Joe Biden.

LONDON, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Britain's Prince Harry on Friday withdrew his libel claim against the publisher of the Mail on Sunday newspaper over an article about his security arrangements, with his spokesperson saying he wanted to focus on his family's safety.

Harry, King Charles' younger son, had sued Associated Newspapers over a 2022 article which stated he only offered to pay for police protection after bringing a separate legal fight against the British government.

DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan 19 (Reuters) - At a dinner in the Swiss ski resort of Davos this week, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani hosted business and political leaders to showcase Iraq's improved security and finances.

As the private event was about to end, two attendees told Reuters, news reached some guests that Iran had fired ballistic missiles at what it said was an Israeli "spy headquarters" in Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan.

LONDON, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Hundreds of people ignored warnings from the authorities and rallied in the capital of Russia's Bashkortostan republic on Friday in support of a jailed activist whose case has highlighted deep grievances among one of Russia's many ethnic minorities.

Fail Alsynov, 37, is regarded as a hero by many of the region's ethnic Bashkir people for campaigning on behalf of their language, culture and rights.

GENEVA, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Swiss prosecutors on Friday confirmed that Israeli President Isaac Herzog had been the subject of criminal complaints during his visit to the World Economic Forum in Davos, as Israel finds itself accused of committing war crimes in Gaza.

"The criminal complaints will be examined according to the usual procedure," the Office of the Swiss Attorney General said, adding that it would contact the Swiss foreign ministry to examine the question of immunity of the individual concerned.

MOSCOW (AP) — More than 1,000 people rallied in the Russian region of Bashkortostan on Friday, continuing a series of protests triggered by the conviction and sentencing of a local activist and handing a new challenge to the Kremlin.