Ukraine, UK sign a 100-year Partnership Agreement

KYIV, UKRAINE - JANUARY 16: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky look on at the start of their bilateral talks at Mariinskyi Palace on January 16, 2025 in Kyiv, Ukraine. Carl Court/Pool via REUTERS
KYIV, UKRAINE - JANUARY 16: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky look on at the start of their bilateral talks at Mariinskyi Palace on January 16, 2025 in Kyiv, Ukraine. Carl Court/Pool via REUTERS
TT

Ukraine, UK sign a 100-year Partnership Agreement

KYIV, UKRAINE - JANUARY 16: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky look on at the start of their bilateral talks at Mariinskyi Palace on January 16, 2025 in Kyiv, Ukraine. Carl Court/Pool via REUTERS
KYIV, UKRAINE - JANUARY 16: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky look on at the start of their bilateral talks at Mariinskyi Palace on January 16, 2025 in Kyiv, Ukraine. Carl Court/Pool via REUTERS

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy signed a landmark 100-year partnership agreement on Thursday to deepen security ties and strengthen their countries' relationship.

"Today is a truly historic day, our relationship is closer than ever," Zelenskiy told media after the signing.

For his part, Starmer told reporters that "together we signed a landmark agreement, the very first of its kind, a new partnership between the UK and Ukraine that reflects the huge affection that exists between our two nations."



Rome's Chief Rabbi Criticizes Pope Francis over Israel Remarks

FILE PHOTO: Rabbi Riccardo Di Segni speaks with Pope Francis during an inter-religious prayer for peace at the Colosseum in Rome, Italy, October 25, 2022. REUTERS/Remo Casilli/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Rabbi Riccardo Di Segni speaks with Pope Francis during an inter-religious prayer for peace at the Colosseum in Rome, Italy, October 25, 2022. REUTERS/Remo Casilli/File Photo
TT

Rome's Chief Rabbi Criticizes Pope Francis over Israel Remarks

FILE PHOTO: Rabbi Riccardo Di Segni speaks with Pope Francis during an inter-religious prayer for peace at the Colosseum in Rome, Italy, October 25, 2022. REUTERS/Remo Casilli/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Rabbi Riccardo Di Segni speaks with Pope Francis during an inter-religious prayer for peace at the Colosseum in Rome, Italy, October 25, 2022. REUTERS/Remo Casilli/File Photo

Rome's chief Jewish rabbi on Thursday sharply criticised Pope Francis over the pontiff's recent ramping up of criticism against Israel's military campaign in Gaza, in an unusually forceful speech during an annual Catholic-Jewish dialogue event.
Francis has unfairly focused his attention on Israel compared to other ongoing world conflicts, including those in Sudan, Yemen, Syria and Ethiopia, said Rabbi Riccardo Di Segni, spiritual leader of Rome's Jewish community since 2001.
"Selective indignation ... weakens the pope's strength," Reuters quoted Di Segni as saying.
"A pope cannot divide the world into children and stepchildren and must denounce the sufferings of all," he said. "This is exactly what the Pope does not do."
Francis, leader of the 1.4-billion-member Roman Catholic Church, has recently been more outspoken about Israel's military campaign against Palestinian militant group Hamas. Last week, he called the humanitarian situation in Gaza "very serious and shameful".
A complex ceasefire accord between Israel and Hamas emerged on Wednesday, and is scheduled to start on Sunday.
Relations between the Catholic Church and Judaism have improved in recent decades, after centuries of animosity. The event on Thursday, held at a Catholic university, was organized to mark the 36th annual World Day of Catholic-Jewish Dialogue.
One of the organizers, Rev. Marco Gnavi, a Catholic priest, expressed surprise at Di Segni's comments.
He said he felt "discomfort" because of the rabbi's words.