Author: staff
A Canada-style ban would put a lot of pressure on online safety regulator Ofcom to assess whether platforms are safe for use, but a blanket ban would put a lot of pressure on the government to get the criteria right — a tall order, given how quickly technology, and the risks associated with it, evolve. There is support from influential campaign groups for the Canada model. In May, a coalition of civil society groups, including the pro-ban Smartphone Free Childhood and anti-ban Molly Rose Foundation, managed to unite around the principle that platforms should earn the right to offer their services to children by meeting strict safety standards. “In many ways, this is a more future-proof approach than simply banning…
By Greta Ruffino with AFP Published on 15/07/2026 – 16:42 GMT+2 Russia is planning attacks on critical infrastructure in the Baltic states or Poland, Lithuanian and Latvian presidents warned on Wednesday, citing intelligence reports. “We are talking about energy and transport infrastructur, facilities where damage could… disrupt the functioning of the entire energy system,” Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said at a joint press conference in Vilnius with his Latvian counterpart, Edgars Rinkevics. “This planning is taking place at the highest level, effectively in Moscow,” he added. Rinkevics warned that Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, all EU and NATO members, must be prepared for…
By Euronews Published on 15/07/2026 – 15:14 GMT+2•Updated 16:03 US President Donald Trump said Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) should continue traffic stops after recent fatal shootings, appearing to contradict a new policy halting the practice. Trump wrote on his social media site early on Wednesday that ICE is “doing a GREAT job, one that has to be done.” The President says to remove criminals he says were let into the country under the previous Democratic administration “we must be strong, tough and smart and we CANNOT give up one of ICE’s most important and effective Crime Fighting tools, THE TRAFFIC…
The U.S. State Department on Monday launched a funding scheme worth nearly $5 million “to strengthen and develop democratic resilience, rule of law, freedom of speech and freedom of the press, and the defense of human rights in Europe.” Beneficiaries should “address national sovereignty, migration, censorship, and lawfare challenges in line with shared political philosophy, law, and our common Western civilizational heritage,” the statement reads. The Financial Times was first to report the scheme, which could grant individual applicants up to $3 million. Although the call does not explicitly list political parties as potential beneficiaries, Merz pointed to the illegality…
The lifting of border controls between Spain and Gibraltar has closed “an open wound,” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said on Wednesday as an agreement allowing free movement across the frontier came into force. Speaking at a ceremony marking the removal of the metal gates separating the Spanish town of La Línea de la Concepción from the tiny British territory, Sánchez said the end of routine border checks marked a historic moment. “For decades, the border fence was exactly that, an open wound for the thousands of workers who crossed every day,” the Socialist leader said. “Today, we are making…
Climate activists staged a striking protest outside Rome’s Colosseum on Wednesday, unveiling three melting ice sculptures symbolising a farmer, a cyclist and a construction worker to highlight the risks rising temperatures pose to outdoor labourers. Placards at the demonstration carried the message: “Fossil fuel corporations get rich, we melt.” Greenpeace Italy and the CGIL labour union staged the protest to highlight conditions faced by outdoor workers during heatwaves. Campaigner Simona Abbate called for a phase-out of fossil fuels and heavier taxes on oil and gas companies to fund climate adaptation, while CGIL’s Natale Di Cola said heatwaves were destroying jobs…
Published on 15/07/2026 – 14:52 GMT+2 Boasting vibrant cities, wild coastlines and renowned hospitality, Ireland has become one of Europe’s most popular travel destinations. The Emerald Isle has so many things to see and do that deciding on which ones to include on an Ireland travel itinerary could pose the biggest challenge ahead of your trip. Now, a new study by Cork-based digital marketing agency Baldwin Digital has revealed Ireland’s highest-rated tourist attractions. To determine the ranking, the study analysed the 50 attractions featured in Tripadvisor’s “Things to do in Ireland” list. For each destination, the percentage of five-star reviews…
“The only difference from before is that from now on, Péter Szijjártó will not be paid by the Hungarian people for the same ‘work,’ but by his actual employer,” wrote Magyar. A Fidesz loyalist since the late 1990s, Szijjártó served as Orbán’s spokesperson before he became foreign minister in 2014 — a position he held until earlier this year. As Hungary’s top diplomat, he became one of the strongest advocates for closer ties with Beijing and Moscow. In March, he acknowledged liaising with senior Russian officials while EU governments debated fresh sanctions against the Kremlin. BYD has grown central to…
Published on 15/07/2026 – 8:37 GMT+2•Updated 14:22 Ursula von der Leyen has arrived in Kyiv to meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and deepen defence cooperation between the European Union and Ukraine, with a special focus on drone production. Wednesday’s visit marks the second time this year that the president of the European Commission has travelled to the Ukrainian capital. Back then, in late February, von der Leyen encountered a bleak landscape. Ukraine was going through a gruelling winter of widespread blackouts caused by Russia’s relentless attacks. Hungary had suddenly blocked the €90 billion support loan, and Kyiv’s accession process was…
US military has resumed its air strikes against Iran in broad daylight on Wednesday, as Washington said it was intensifying its campaign aimed at limiting Tehran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. According to US Central Command (CENTCOM), a new 90-minute wave of precision strikes against Iranian targets on Wednesday morning targeted coastal defence systems as well as cruise missile storage and launch sites on Greater Tunb Island. CENTCOM said the strikes were intended to further reduce Iran’s ability to attack commercial vessels passing through the strategic waterway. The operation marks a further escalation in the…