Europe

Police in the UK are extending their investigation into former prince Andrew to include allegations of sexual misconduct, following claims that a woman was brought to Windsor for “sexual purposes” in 2010. The inquiry stems from connections with Jeffrey Epstein, amid concerns of public perception regarding misconduct in public office.

Donald Trump announced an unexpected deployment of an additional 5,000 US troops to Poland, citing the electoral success of President Karol Nawrocki, whom he endorsed. The decision surprised both Polish authorities and the US administration, with reports indicating Trump did not consult military officials prior to the announcement.

The war in Ukraine has forced a major rethink in European security, with both Sweden and Finland abandoning their long-standing policy of non-alignment and applying for NATO membership last year. But while Finland was admitted into NATO this April, delays have persisted on Sweden’s entry, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan linking a serious of unrelated issues to Ankara’s ratification of Sweden’s accession – the latest of which is a potential sale of US F-16 fighter jets to Turkey. We discuss what Sweden’s entry to NATO would actually mean with Sweden’s top diplomat, Foreign Minister Tobias Billström.

Denmark’s parliament on Thursday adopted a law criminalising the “inappropriate treatment” of religious texts, effectively banning Koran burnings after a series of desecrations of Islam’s holy book sparked anger in Muslim countries over the summer.

Russian President Vladimir Putin Thursday held talks with Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi on trade and an expected arms deal. Iranian officials confirmed late November rumours surrounding a large weapons deal, which includes fighter jets, between Tehran and Moscow. This is “the first time Iran has purchased fighter jets since the 1990s, which could be a big shift in the military power balance in [the Middle East],” Russia correspondent Daniel Hawkins told FRANCE 24.

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