By Andrea Shalal WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Joe Biden has created a new role on the National Economic Council (NEC) to

Get a glimpse into the 'Fantasy' journey of Mariah Carey, whose 'Endless Love' life continues to fascinate fans worldwide

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said he does not think the Irish government would offer condolences to Russia in the event of Vladimir Putin’s death. Mr Varadkar was responding to a question relating to Ireland’s historical foreign policy. He said he did not believe an Irish delegation would be present at the Russian president’s funeral. The hypothetical situation relates to events almost 80 years ago. The Irish government adhered to a strict policy of neutrality throughout the Second World War. However, then-taoiseach and minister for external affairs Eamon de Valera sparked outrage among the international community when he expressed condolences to Germany’s Irish minister Eduard Hempel following Adolf Hitler’s death by suicide in 1945. The event caused significant reputational damage to Mr de Valera and the state, and is regarded as an important moment in the history of Irish neutrality. I wouldn’t imagine we’d be represented at the funeral Taoiseach Leo Varadkar The diplomatic conundrum was dragged into the 21st century this week at a post-Cabinet briefing with Mr Varadkar. While Ireland insists it continues to employ a policy of neutrality, senior government ministers say this relates to being militarily neutral rather than being politically neutral. Last week, Mr Varadkar pledged to stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes when he visited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv. He also announced millions of euro in additional funding for humanitarian aid to Ukraine. Following the trip, the taoiseach was questioned about Mr de Valera’s actions following the death of Hitler. Asked by reporters if Ireland would offer a similar condolence to Russia in the event of Mr Putin’s death, Mr Varadkar said: “I don’t think so.” Briefly pausing to consider the theoretical event, he added: “It’s a good question, I hadn’t thought of it before.” Mr Varadkar, who was banned from travelling to Russia last year, concluded: “I wouldn’t imagine we’d be represented at the funeral.” In November, the Kremlin said it was placing 52 “key representatives” from Ireland on a sanctions list for expressing what it claimed was Russophobic sentiment. Mr Varadkar was among the officials subjected to the ban by Russia. The Russian embassy in Dublin has been approached for comment. Read More Angry Russia refuses to speak at UN meeting on its attacks on Ukraine's key port city of Odesa. Putin ‘looked paralyzed and unable to act’ as Wagner coup unfolded Why are Wagner mercenaries in Belarus – and would they try to invade Poland? Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Joseph Emerson acknowledged the gravity of his psychedelic-induced breakdown and thanked the exemplary job done by the flight's crew to ensure safety

Alice Cooper, the legendary rock star and frontman of the ‘Hollywood Vampires’, has revealed something about his bandmate Johnny Depp

Huge ash columns have erupted from Eurasia’s tallest active volcano and forced authorities to close schools in two towns on Russia’s sparsely populated Kamchatka Peninsula

A Russia-dominated security grouping has held a summit in Belarus with the absence of one of its members, Armenia, which has been irked by what it sees as a lack of support over the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

By Nandita Bose and Steve Holland WASHINGTON U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday marked the one-year anniversary of

There were rumors that PewDiePie had embraced veganism, but that is not true as he consumes fish

A long-running religious freedom case has come full circle with a court ruling this week over the way a deeply conservative Amish community in Minnesota disposes of bath and dishwater

UNICEF is as big a part of Halloween as a carved pumpkin. Here's how that relationship began.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has arrived in Beijing for meetings with Chinese leaders as part of efforts to revive relations that are strained by disputes about security, technology and other irritants