Latest news bulletin | December 18th – Morning - video Dailymotion

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00:00Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk meets Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky in

00:06a surprise visit to Lviv.

00:12Ukraine claimed responsibility for killing the head of nuclear troops Igor Kirillov in

00:17a blast in Moscow.

00:21Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk has made a surprise visit to the Ukrainian city

00:29of Lviv.

00:31He met with President Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss the ongoing Russian aggression against

00:35Ukraine.

00:37In the meeting, Tusk has pledged more military aid to Kiev and announced the opening of a

00:42new border crossing between the two countries.

00:46Tusk's visit is also meant to reaffirm Poland's continued support to Ukraine.

00:51And as Warsaw gears to preside over the European Union in January, the Polish Premier says

00:56his country will look to advance Ukraine's accession to both the bloc and NATO.

01:23Zelensky hailed Warsaw for its position, emphasizing that Poland's presidency can

01:27quote, bring us closer to joining the EU.

01:31Zelensky also expressed the need for Europe to come together and stand with his country.

01:35He says Europe's strength stems from unity, adding that a strong Ukraine is essential

01:40for Europe's protection against Russian aggression.

02:11A lot can change for Ukraine in the coming weeks on the diplomatic front.

02:16Donald Trump, who's been vocally critical of U.S. support for Ukraine, will take office

02:20in January.

02:22Warsaw hopes its presidency over the EU will ensure Ukraine remains strong for the next

02:27six months.

02:33Ukraine claimed responsibility for killing Igor Kirillov, a top general in charge of

02:37Russia's nuclear, biological and chemical defense forces in Moscow.

02:43Kirillov and his assistant were found dead outside of his apartment block after a bomb

02:48hidden in a scooter exploded outside of the building.

03:07A day before his death, Ukraine's security forces charged Kirillov with the use of banned

03:21chemical weapons in Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine.

03:25He was also under sanctions from several countries, including the UK and Canada.

03:31When asked about the assassination, UK's Prime Minister Keir Starmer reiterated his commitment

03:37to support Kyiv.

03:47Investigators said a criminal investigation has been opened in connection with the deaths.

03:57Oil stains washed up for tens of kilometers along the shore in Russia's southern Krasnodar

04:03that is according to the region's governor.

04:06He said 260 people were deployed to handle with the aftermath, such as by cleaning the

04:11beach covered in black liquid.

04:13It came after a storm damaged two Russian oil tankers over the weekend, one of which

04:18broke in half and sunk.

04:21The submerged vessel was estimated to have spilled 3,700 tons of mazut into the sea,

04:27which is a low-quality heavy fuel oil.

04:30Last week, the European Union issued new sanctions against Russia and their so-called Shadow

04:35Fleet, which consists of oiled, uninsured tankers to circumvent Western restrictions.

04:41The European Union and the shipping industry previously expressed their concerns over Russia's

04:46use of the poorly maintained vessels as they pose significant environmental as well as

04:51safety threats.

04:58Turkey seized the opportunity at a meeting with the EU about the situation in Syria to

05:03try bring ties between the two closer.

05:07On Tuesday, President Recep Erdogan said that EU membership continues to be a strategic

05:13goal for Turkey, adding that it is clear it would make significant contributions to both

05:18Turkey and the Union.

05:22He also said that now the international community could provide the support it has lacked to

05:27give Syria over the last 13 years.

05:47EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced an extra 1 billion euros in refugee

05:52funding for Turkey.

06:12She added that as things evolve in Syria, this number can be adapted, and reiterated

06:17that all returns must be, quote, voluntary, safe and dignified.

06:26The Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group is continuing to consolidate its power over Syria.

06:31The rebel group has now taken control of Damascus police.

06:35It's currently working in a very limited capacity, as it has no legal framework to

06:40work by or laws to enforce.

06:43The HTS is set to be working on creating new nationwide laws, but in the meantime,

06:48the capital's police are only able to take complaints from the public and provide them

06:52with verbal assurances.

06:54The former head of Idlib police, the stronghold region of the ruling rebels, has been appointed

06:59to oversee the capital's stations.

07:02Meanwhile, in the western coastal city of Latakia, the interim government is hosting

07:07a new reconciliation program for former soldiers.

07:11Soldiers and police officers under al-Assad were invited to come to a center and register

07:15for a new special identity card.

07:18The cards are valid for three months and grant their holders freedom of work and movement

07:23in the country.

07:25The interim government says all former security personnel who did not participate in the killing

07:29or torturing of civilians were granted immunity.

07:33They say the new program is an opportunity for them to seek rehabilitation and adapt

07:38to life in a new, safe and united Syria.

07:44The European Commission launched formal proceedings against TikTok on Tuesday over a potential

07:50breach in the Digital Services Act during Romania's presidential election.

07:56Nationalist and Euroceptic candidate Kalin Djordjescu unexpectedly won the first round,

08:02despite being little known to the public.

08:05The election was annulled after the Constitutional Court received evidence of Russian interference

08:10in the voting process.

08:36TikTok is accused of not adequately mitigating risks linked to the integrity of Romania's

08:43election.

08:45The Commission's concerns relate to how the social media's recommendation algorithm works

08:50and the system of political advertisements, which require labeling.

08:54If found non-compliant with EU law, TikTok could face a fine of up to 6% of its global

09:00revenue.

09:06An overnight curfew has been put in place in Mayotte starting Tuesday evening, in the

09:12aftermath of Cyclone Chido.

09:15Dozens have died after the worst storm in nearly a century hit the French overseas territory

09:20in the Indian Ocean.

09:23Aid efforts continue as French military aircraft continue to deliver food and water daily.

09:31An airbase on the nearby Réunion Island is being used as a staging post for emergency

09:36relief supplies.

09:39Nearly 70% of Mayotte's population has been gravely affected, with entire neighbourhoods

09:44reduced to rubble.

09:46The island's main hospital remains severely damaged, and a field hospital is expected

09:51to arrive on Thursday.

09:54French President Emmanuel Macron has pledged to visit Mayotte soon and to declare a national

09:59mourning period.

10:05CDU leader and top candidate Friedrich Merz promised to save 100 billion euros by drastically

10:11reducing the welfare state and by curbing Germany's migration policies.

10:15Merz, alongside sister party CSU leader Markus Söder, vowed to prioritize drawing Germany

10:21out of a recession and a tougher stance on crime and to row back on several of the Ample

10:27Coalition's policies, such as cannabis legalization and the dual citizenship reforms.

10:33Merz and Söder strongly criticized the Greens and the Alternative for Germany and said that

10:38CDU would be focused on implementing policies that were neither left nor woke.

10:44According to the latest polls, the CDU are currently in the lead with around 30% and

10:49the most likely outcome from the elections that take place in just over two months will

10:53be a coalition between the CDU and the Social Democrats, but a lot can change between now

10:59and then.

11:00Liv Stroud, in Berlin, for Euronews.

11:08A shooting at a Christian school in the U.S. state of Wisconsin has killed a teacher and

11:12a student.

11:14The shooter was also killed after sustaining a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

11:18The Madison Police Department have identified 15-year-old Natalie Rupnow, who went by the

11:22name Samantha, as the shooter.

11:25Five other students and a teacher also sustained injuries.

11:29Two of the students are in critical condition.

11:32The Madison PD chief, Sean Barnes, says the shooter's parents were taken in for questioning

11:36and are fully cooperating with the officers.

11:39Their home is also being searched as detectives look to identify a motive behind the attack.

Latest news bulletin | December 18th – Morning

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