A key committee in the Turkish parliament on Tuesday approved Sweden’s bid to join NATO after months of delays, clearing another hurdle in the Nordic country’s accession process in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year.

Nearly 60 French actors and other prominent figures have denounced the “lynching” of disgraced cinema legend Gerard Depardieu, who is charged with rape and facing a litany of sexual assault claims. Last week French President Emmanuel Macron said Depardieu had become the target of a “manhunt”, while his family has denounced an “unprecedented conspiracy” against him. FRANCE 24’s Philip Turle brings you this analysis

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny on Tuesday said he was “fine” after a “pretty exhausting” 20-day transfer from his prison near Moscow to a penal colony beyond the Arctic Circle.

Protesters tried to storm Belgrade’s city council building Sunday, using stones, flag-poles and eggs to break the building’s windows. Tensions ran high on Christmas Eve in Serbia’s capital as thousands of people came out to protest the results of this month’s elections. 

Serbian police said Monday they have detained at least 38 people who took part in a protest against reported widespread irregularities during a recent general ballot that declared the governing populists as winners of the parliamentary and local councils’ elections. 

Previously, celebrations were held on January 7. That was until Ukraine decided to ‘snub’ Russia by moving the date.