French Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly granted an interview to FRANCE 24 and RFI in Dakar, Senegal. Parly slammed a "disinformation campaign" aimed at creating "anti-French discourse" in Africa's Sahel region, as France reorganises its military presence there. The minister said she did not believe Russian Wagner Group mercenaries were in the Malian capital Bamako, but added that "that does not mean the current Malian authorities are not planning to bring them there". The arrival of Russian mercenaries in Mali would be "simply unacceptable", she said.

Here are a few reasons to pick up a copy of The Guardian on Wednesday.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson apologised on Wednesday for a video showing his staffers joking about reports of a party in Downing Street during the COVID lockdown, saying he was furious but that he had been assured there was no party.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's wife, Carrie, has given birth to a baby girl, his office said.

The assault on police officers guarding a polio vaccination team took place a day after the militants had called an end to their truce with the Pakistani government.

The leader of the UK's opposition Labour party said on Sunday (December 12) that British Prime Minister Boris Johnson had broken the public's trust over COVID-19 regulations, making him "unfit for public office." Speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show, Keir Starmer said Johnson posed a risk to public health following reports that parties were held at Downing Street during a 2020 Christmas lockdown when such festivities were banned.

The Group of Seven countries have condemned Russia's military buildup near its border with Ukraine and warned that further military aggression against Ukraine would have "massive consequences." G7 foreign ministers also issued a warning to Iran.

As Mali and Russia continue to strengthen their military cooperation, a video purporting to show Russian helicopters during military exercises in Mali does not necessarily seem that far-fetched. So how to go about debunking it? Find out in Truth or Fake.

Here are a few reasons to pick up a copy of The Guardian on Wednesday⁣⁣⁣

A Berlin court has convicted a Russian national of murdering an ethnic Chechen of Georgian nationality, giving the man a life sentence. The judge said prosecutors had demonstrated his ties to Russian intelligence.

Parents have accused the government of lacking empathy, as they remember one of the worst attacks in Pakistan's history. Imran Khan is negotiating with the TTP — which is responsible for the deaths of 132 children.

The omicron coronavirus variant is spreading rapidly in the UK, where the number of daily infections has hit a record high. Health experts warn that it's the most significant threat to public health since the start of the pandemic.