Author: staff
LONDON — A by-election in which Keir Starmer’s rival Andy Burnham could win a parliamentary seat will be held on June 18. Greater Manchester Mayor Burnham needs to become an MP if he is to challenge Starmer for the leadership of Britain’s ruling Labour Party. He said in a weekend interview he wants to “campaign to change Labour” in Makerfield. The by-election was triggered after former minister Josh Simons stood down as a Labour MP to create a path for Burnham to return to Westminster. Wigan Council published the notice of election confirming the date on Wednesday. Burnham has already been…
The global race for critical raw materials is no longer about mineral access, but about power, the head of the European Commission’s department for international partnerships, Koen Doens, said on Wednesday, amid the bloc’s high dependence on China. The senior Commission official’s remarks come as the European Union is struggling to diversify its supply of critical raw materials, deemed crucial for the development of clean technologies. EU auditors have recently warned that the bloc risks undermining a successful energy transition while remaining highly dependent on China. “Power will rest in the hands of those that control extraction, refining, processing, transport…
Activists staged a protest outside the UN headquarters in Geneva as the World Health Assembly met, using giant balloon figures of WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and Bill Gates to criticise the new pandemic treaty talks. The CitizenGo group has framed the treaty as a threat to sovereignty, while the WHO says the draft text does not give it authority to impose lockdowns, vaccine mandates or border rules on member states. The dispute has become a familiar clash over trust in public health policy.
The resignation “has nothing to do with the relationship with Lena,” Eickhout told POLITICO via a spokesperson. The spokesperson declined to give further details. In a statement on Wednesday, the Greens group said it respected and understood Eickhout’s decision to quit. “We take any allegations of breaches of the code of conduct very seriously,” the group said. “A professional, open working environment for everyone is essential and our group has acted accordingly. We will continue to work on building a culture of respect, trust and openness in the workplace.” It added: “We understand the impact of this announcement and we…
The EU seems to be acting upon its promises to tighten border control. Fewer migrants are entering the EU than a few years ago, while repatriation orders are on the rise. This is according to newly released Eurostat data, which reflects what appears to be a medium-term trend, rather than a temporary turn. Since 2022, the number of new migrants entering the EU has consistently decreased, from 5.4 million to 4.5 million in 2024 (-24%). In 2025, the number of asylum seekers granted protection status also shrank, reaching 361,000, the lowest level since 2019. EU says it will have the…
A baby aardvark named Womble is settling into life at Chester Zoo in northwest England, with keepers helping it through regular feeds. The calf was born on 3 April to mother Oni and is only the second aardvark ever born at the zoo in its 94-year history. Its sex is still unknown. Keepers say Womble, is adjusting well but needs extra care as Oni was not producing enough milk. Staff now provide supplementary feeds through the night while the mother forages. The zoo says there are only 68 aardvarks in European zoos, making each birth significant for conservation work.
Her remarks came after reports from Reuters, Haaretz and Libération that France Unbowed lawmaker François Piquemal, who advanced to the runoff in the Toulouse mayoral race but lost in the second round, was among those targeted. The allegations come on the heels of accusations by Slovenian law enforcement earlier this year that an Israeli private intelligence firm had helped leak recordings designed to influence the election in Slovenia in March. The Israeli Embassy in Paris did not respond to a request for comment from POLITICO. Piquemal, who was arrested by Israeli authorities last year alongside activist Greta Thunberg on a…
The European Union has vowed to stand firm with its strategy to squeeze Russia’s war economy, as the United Kingdom scrambles to reassure its allies that its latest decisions fall short of lifting sanctions. The British government caused confusion and dismay on Tuesday when it published an open-ended licence allowing the import of diesel and jet fuel made from Russian crude oil in other countries, such as Turkey and India, where the oil is purchased at discounted prices. A separate licence enables the provision of short-term service contracts with Russia’s Sakhalin-2 and Yamal LNG projects until January 2027. The publication…
After months of turbulence across regional airspace, Qatar’s tourism sector says the Gulf state is now open for business once again. In an interview with Euronews, Abdulaziz Ali Al-Mawlawi, CEO of Visit Qatar, said the country faced one of its most difficult periods in recent history, but worked closely with embassies, airlines and tourism partners to support stranded travellers and restore confidence in a destination that welcomed five million visitors in 2025. During the early stages of the regional conflict, more than 12,000 international visitors, including 8,000 transiting travellers, were in the country – all of whom needed to be…
By Nathan Joubioux with AP & AFP Published on 20/05/2026 – 17:55 GMT+2•Updated 18:10 The Centre Pompidou continues to expand and cross borders. The Paris museum is set to establish a presence in South Korea, thanks to its Constellation programme, which enables it to lend works in France and around the world. The Korean branch will open on 4 June in Yeouido, the main financial district of Seoul. It will be the institution’s second Asian site, after the one opened in Shanghai. “To mark the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and France, we are inaugurating the ‘Centre Pompidou Hanwha’ as part…