French economy to shrink by 8% in 2020, government estimates

The Nordic model encompasses a strong welfare state, protection of workers through collective bargaining, good pension schemes and low levels of poverty. This system has gone hand-in-hand with a progressive approach to issues like gender equality and maternity or paternity leave. But the social model has come under pressure from the trends affecting Europe as a whole, such as Covid debt, inflation and the cost-of-living crisis, the demands of the green transition and – some would say – pressure from migration. We focus on the Nordic model as part of our series on groups of countries or regions within the EU.

Palestinian authorities are calling for the UN to investigate what they call "war crimes", after reporting hundreds of bodies found in mass graves around hospitals in Gaza after Israeli raids. Some bodies were reported to have their hands tied or be stripped naked – although Israel calls the claims "baseless", saying it "examined" bodies buried by Palestinians in a bid to locate its hostages.

In October 2023, for the first time in the history of the Catholic Church, women were allowed to participate in and vote at the Synod of Bishops, a religious gathering that had previously been reserved only for bishops.

Brazil and Colombia experienced a "remarkable" decrease in forest loss in 2022 and 2023, a new report finds. The two countries are home to the Amazon rainforest, one of the world's greatest weapons against climate change.

Food brand Everest, a household name in India, has said its fish curry spice blend was safe for use following concerns about a cancer-causing chemical.

The leader of Russia's Orthodox Church has suspended the priest who led a memorial service for Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny. Church head Patriarch Kirill is a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin's.