Author: staff
Russia has begun a three-day parliamentary election to fill all 450 seats in the State Duma, with about 111 million people eligible to vote. Polling stations opened first in Kamchatka, Chukotka, Magadan and other eastern regions, where local officials urged residents to turn out. The Kremlin is closely watching participation, with Vladimir Putin presenting high turnout as a sign of national unity and support for the war in Ukraine. The vote is taking place in a tightly controlled political environment. United Russia is expected to remain dominant, while the main registered anti-war party, Yabloko, has been excluded from the national…
German Air Force Chief Lt. Gen. Holger Neumann said at the show that he has asked the defense ministry to procure “fifth-gen-plus platforms beyond 2035,” adding: “I’m not saying the new system has to be ready [in 2035], but we have to pick up there.” One option is for Germany to boost the number of F-35s in its fleet by buying 15 additional jets. “The F-35 has a clear mission in nuclear sharing,” said Marie-Christine von Hahn, managing director of Germany’s aerospace and defense industry association BDLI. But she warned that the procurement should not distract policymakers from a larger…
Published on 18/09/2026 – 20:14 GMT+2 Russia has launched attacks on several areas of Ukraine, with two killed in Balakliia in Kharkiv and missiles launched at the capita, Kyiv. In a post on Telegram, the head of Balakliia’s military administration Vitalii Karabanov gave an update on the damage and loss of life: “Sadly, the consequences of this attack are terrible. Early reports indicate that two people have been killed in the strike. I extend my deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those killed.” There have been further attacks on the Kyiv on Friday evening. Ukrainian media reports…
Canadians in Vancouver have reacted to Prime Minister Mark Carney’s proposal to deepen ties between Canada and the European Union. Carney said closer cooperation with Europe could help Canada reduce its dependence on the United States and strengthen its economic and political position. Speaking in Vancouver, residents welcomed the idea of stronger links with Europe, while noting that Canada’s trade with the EU remains far smaller than its trade with the US.
U.S. intelligence reports in August warned that Moscow was planning a limited assault on a NATO country in the coming years. CIA Director John Ratcliffe warned Russian officials in Moscow late last month not to escalate conflict with NATO allies, in particular Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, in response to Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Yet it remains unclear whether the latest warnings are based on fresh intelligence. On Friday, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys said Vilnius had “the same intelligence” as Tusk “about a possible foreign-flag operation” but suggested that dated back to July. “I see the public statements of politicians…
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz and Trump’s war with Iran are causes behind the turmoil in the energy markets, not Ukraine’s attacks on Russian diesel refineries. That is the message Irish Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister (Tánaiste), Simon Harris, shared with Euronews in an exclusive interview Harris pushed back against recent remarks made by US President Donald Trump, who blamed Ukraine’s strikes on Russian diesel refineries for creating a shortage. Oil prices are hovering around $108 per barrel. “The reason there’s a major energy crisis in the world right now is because the Strait of Hormuz is…
Published on 18/09/2026 – 17:57 GMT+2 Three people are dead after a school shooting in the southern Philippines, including two 14-year-old students and the 16-year-old gunman. At least eight others are reported to be injured. Authorities say the gunman, a student at Banga National High School in South Cotabato, opened fire on students in a neighbouring classroom. The school is located in the town of Banga, which is on the island of Mindanao. This is the third school shooting incident in the Philippines since June. The Governor of South Cotabato, Reynaldo Tamayo, said the two students killed were a boy…
Shakira kicks off in Madrid this Friday night a marathon of 12 concerts that will bring her world tour to a close and end an eight-year absence from Spanish stages. The Colombian singer, 49, will perform until 11 October in a temporary venue with capacity for 50,000 spectators, erected in the south of the capital and dubbed “Shakira stadium”, according to Live Nation, the promoter of the shows. With no new European dates announced, Madrid’s authorities are expecting a major economic impact from her return to Spain. In May and June the city already hosted ten concerts by Bad Bunny,…
‘Smart voting’ The Russian opposition is still seeking to make its voice heard in an increasingly repressive environment. Navalnaya called the upcoming elections a “propagandistic exercise” for Putin, and believes it is essential to prevent him from getting results that will legitimize his war effort in Russia and in the West. “Our task is to convey to the majority of Russians — the anti-war majority — that, despite total censorship, fear, and repression, these ‘elections’ represent literally the last opportunity to safely express protest against the policies of Putin and his United Russia party,” she told POLITICO. Navalnaya and Katz…
Published on 18/09/2026 – 16:20 GMT+2 British Prime Minister Andy Burnham vowed to take “further steps” to deepen ties with the European Union during a meeting with Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin. The pair met in Manchester on Friday, with Martin becoming the first international leader to visit Burnham’s No10 North, a new regional office established as part of the PM’s devolution drive. During the talks, Burnham “underlined the UK’s desire to work closely with Ireland during its presidency of the European Union as the UK seeks a closer relationship with Europe,” a spokeswoman for Downing Street said. The two leaders,…