Author: staff
“The future of Armenia will be a strategy of strengthening independence, statehood, democracy, and the rule of law,” Pashinyan told reporters outside a polling station after casting his ballot Sunday morning. “We will continue along the path of democratic reforms, of course with the support of our European partners, because the European Union is our main partner in implementing democratic reforms.” The Central Election Commission is scheduled to announce official preliminary voting results on Monday. The election was buffeted by concerns of Russian meddling. Armenian authorities announced on Saturday that more than 40 people had been arrested on suspicion of…
Published on 07/06/2026 – 20:53 GMT+2 The official vote count has begun in Armenia’s decisive parliamentary elections after polls closed at 20:00 local time, 18:00 CET, amid warnings for caution as various unofficial and conflicting exit polls projections started circulating on social media on Sunday evening. The final turnout was higher than in 2021, but lower than in 2012 and 2017. Armenian prime minister Nikol Pashinyan posted a video on social media after the polls closed, saying “Good evening, and I love you all,” indicating his optimism for a victory of the pro-West Civil Contract party that he leads. The…
Published on 07/06/2026 – 18:14 GMT+2•Updated 18:38 Russian national teams and clubs from the Russian Federation will not take part in UEFA-run international tournaments in the 2026/27 season. The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has extended the suspension of Russian teams from its competitions. “The UEFA Executive Committee has amended the list of entrants for the 2026/27 season in order to bring it into line with the current suspension of Russian national teams and clubs from UEFA competitions. The list of participants has also been adjusted to reflect competition results, namely the redistribution of titleholder places and access via…
Published on 07/06/2026 – 17:51 GMT+2 The 2026 football World Cup will not only be the biggest in history; it also looks set to become one of the most unusual and ambitious tournaments FIFA has ever organised. From record-breaking numbers and extreme heat to a Super Bowl-style show, the 2026 World Cup is set to bear little resemblance to any previous edition. Here are five unusual features that will define the tournament, to be held between 11 June and 19 July in the United States, Canada and Mexico. 1. First World Cup with 48 teams For the first time, 48…
Earlier on Sunday, Israel said it had intercepted two projectiles launched from Lebanon toward northern Israel. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) also warned residents of the southern Lebanese city of Tyre to evacuate ahead of possible strikes. Clashes between Israel and Hezbollah continued over the weekend despite a U.S.-backed ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon, which Hezbollah rejected last Thursday. The Iran-backed militant group is conducting its attacks from Lebanese territory. Since March 2, 3,613 people have been killed and 11,072 wounded in Lebanon as a result of the conflict, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry’s Emergency Operations Center.
Published on 07/06/2026 – 15:44 GMT+2 An equid skeleton has been uncovered during archaeological excavations in a bakery area of Pompeii’s House of the Chaste Lovers complex. The Insula of the Chaste Lovers is one of the most important excavation sites in Pompeii because it preserves an entire production complex, including a bakery oven, storage rooms, workspaces and the owner’s residence. The complex is named after the famous “Chaste Kiss” fresco discovered in a triclinium of the house and comprises a large bakery with adjoining stables, where other equids used to operate millstones and transport grain for bread production had…
“Albania should refrain from actions that could undermine the fulfillment of the closing benchmarks and [we] expect the Albanian authorities to act without delay,” a European Commission spokesperson told POLITICO in response to a question about the controversial proposed development. “In the EU accession process, as part of the closing benchmarks for negotiating Chapter 27 on environment and climate change, Albania is expected to align fully with EU legislation in this area, including the Birds and the Habitats Directives,” said the spokesperson, urging that Albania repeal the changes to the Law on Protected Areas and “terminate” the law on strategic…
France is set to begin trialling its own artificial intelligence-powered battlefield command during a NATO exercise on Monday, Defense News reports. AI battlefield systems help optimise decision-making and target identification. Developed with French firms, Arcadia is being positioned as a European alternative to Maven, an AI platform used by NATO that was developed by US defence tech contractor Palantir. Push for European defence tech sovereignty The system, known as Arcadia, will be deployed during NATO’s Coalition Warrior Interoperability Exercise in Poland from 8 to 26 June, according to General Patrick Justel, deputy chief of staff of the French Army. The…
The agreement will define the terms under which French forces can be stationed, train and operate in Cyprus while respecting national sovereignty. It will cover military coordination and interoperability, defense technology and industry links, joint military exercises and educational activities, personnel exchanges and administrative arrangements for forces operating on each other’s territory. The agreement has stirred controversy since plans for it were announced in April by Christodoulides during a visit by French President Emmanuel Macron to the island. Cyprus has been divided into a Turkish Cypriot north and a Greek Cypriot south since Turkish forces invaded in 1974 in response…
Updated: 07/06/2026 – 10:02 GMT+2 US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth used a D-Day anniversary speech in Normandy to warn European leaders about migration, saying that “boats and men” arriving on southern European shores posed a challenge that governments could no longer ignore. … More