Alice Liddel 
European Union leaders decided on Thursday to launch formal membership talks with Ukraine, providing a much-needed boost for Kyiv amid uncertainty over the future of vital wartime foreign assistance. Brussels offered Kyiv candidate status four months after Moscow’s February 2022 invasion, prompting a rush by Ukrainian authorities to reform priority areas identified by the European … Read more
City Councilman Curren Price is set to be arraigned on Friday, Dec. 15, on criminal charges of theft by embezzlement, perjury and conflict of interest for allegedly voting on projects involving developers tied to his wife’s consulting firm, then failing to report the connections. A judge is expected to hear the defense’s legal challenge involving … Read more
By W.G. RAMIREZ The Associated Press LAS VEGAS — Chargers defensive leader Khalil Mack said he didn’t have his unit ready after Thursday’s historic 63-21 loss to the rival Las Vegas Raiders. In an even bigger statement, he made it clear the team still believes in Coach Brandon Staley. “Of course we believe in him,” … Read more
RTL Group is selling its Dutch business RTL Nederland for €1.1B ($1.2B) in cash. DPG Media, a European operation with bases in Benelux and Denmark, has reached an agreement with RTL to acquire the business, which comprises a family of free-TV and pay-TV networks and popular streaming service Videoland. The all-cash transaction is expected to … Read more
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been slammed as being “out of touch” after he was spotted on holiday in WA’s world-class wine region tasting some of the most expensive reds in the country — including a $500 bottle of red. Mr Albanese spent Sunday to Thursday in the South-West region of WA with his partner … Read more
The energy watchdog has set out plans that would result in households paying an extra £16 on top of their energy bills to help suppliers recover almost £3bn in bad debts from customers struggling to pay bills. Ofgem said the one-off extra charge, which would be levied at £1.33 a month on bills paid between … Read more
We had already suspected Reserve Bank of Australia officials were insensitive to the cost of living crisis when they spent $25,000 in May hosting Perth’s political and business elite for dinner at Fraser’s Restaurant. But we’re downright certain now after the Sydney suits were forced this week to release the menu for the annual Governor’s … Read more
The number of Americans filing for jobless benefits fell last week as the labor market continues to thrive despite high interest rates and elevated costs. Applications for unemployment benefits fell by 19,000 to 202,000 for the week ending Dec. 9, the Labor Department reported Thursday. Analysts were expecting around 224,000. About 1.88 million people were … Read more
A large bushfire has broken out in Jindalee as multiple firefighters — including two water bombers — rush to the northern suburb. Firefighters received a 000 call just before 4pm about a fire in bushland near Marmion Avene in Jindalee. A DFES spokesperson said eight firetrucks and two helicopters — capable of dousing the flames … Read more
State-owned Punjab National Bank’s (PNB) market capitalization crossed the Rs 1 lakh crore mark for the first time after its stock rallied nearly 80% in the last six months. Meanwhile, in Friday’s trade, the stock rose over 2% to hit a 52-week high of Rs 92, backed by heavy volumes on the NSE. A total … Read more
