Author: staff
Any increase would require approval from EU members, who have spent years squabbling over the bloc’s off-budget mechanism for financing military assistance. Outgoing Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán spent years blocking efforts to free cash for EPF reimbursements, and in the past France and Germany have raised objections on technical grounds as well. Kallas framed the cash boost as part of a broader effort to harden Moldova against Russian pressure. “Moldova remains caught in Russia’s hybrid war,” she said, pointing to attacks on energy infrastructure and repeated Russian drone incursions into Moldovan airspace. A new EU-funded radar system has already…
Published on 08/05/2026 – 15:00 GMT+2 AI-driven robots currently in operation in a huge e-commerce warehouse near Berlin have been designed to handle over 600 units per hour. The robots are able to autonomously identify the nature, size, shape and weight of each item and its packaging, and to optimise its handling. “The robots work 24/7. So if you’re comparing robots with humans, they don’t need to take breaks. They can keep going, and they’re basically consistent,” explains Nitin Annam, Head of Operations at CEVA Logistics. “It’s not necessarily about replacing people with automation. It’s more about how we produce…
Published on 08/05/2026 – 9:46 GMT+2•Updated 11:47 Here is the live monitoring of the ship MV Hondius, where there is an outbreak of hantavirus. The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed five infections and three deaths, warning that more cases could still emerge because the virus can have an incubation period of up to six weeks, but it categorically rules out any kind of pandemic: “it is not the next COVID”. The Dutch cruise ship is now on its way to Tenerife, in the Canary Islands, where it is expected to arrive on Sunday, 10 May. The ship is set…
Air traffic at 13 airports in southern Russia has been suspended after drones struck a building at a local air navigation center in Rostov-on-Don, the Russian transport ministry said. The strike led to the suspension of flights to and from airports in Astrakhan, Vladikavkaz, Volgograd, Gelendzhik, Grozny, Krasnodar, Makhachkala, Magas, Mineralnye Vody, Nalchik, Sochi, Stavropol and Elista. In a post on its official Telegram channel, the ministry said: “The regional air traffic control center in Rostov-on-Don, which manages air traffic in southern Russia, has been temporarily adjusted due to the Ukrainian drone strike … personnel are safe, and equipment is…
On the eve of Europe Day (9 May), the bloc finds itself at a critical juncture in the face of geopolitical tensions. It has a lot on its plate. Firstly, there is the existential threat posed by Russia, posed by the continued war in Ukraine, as well as by reports that President Vladimir Putin could be eyeing a territorial expansion in the coming years. Concerns on the eastern front largely revolve around defence capacity. Comments coming from the White House are adding fuel to the fire, hinting both at a shift in the US’ role in the alliance, as well…
At a monastery church in southern Germany, four ornate skeletons known as “catacomb saints” have been on display for centuries, adorned with silk, gold and precious stones. Brought from Rome in the 17th and 18th centuries and believed to be early Christian martyrs, the relics were designed to inspire awe and devotion during the Baroque era. Today, they remain a striking and sometimes unsettling attraction, drawing visitors intrigued by their history, symbolism and elaborate presentation.
By Chaima Chihi & وكالات Published on 08/05/2026 – 13:38 GMT+2•Updated 13:40 The Iraqi Ministry of Oil has announced the discovery of a large oil field in the southern province of Najaf, near the border with Saudi Arabia. The discovery is considered one of the most important in the Iraqi energy sector in recent years, as initial estimates indicate that one of the exploration patches contains reserves exceeding 8.8 billion barrels of crude oil. The Qurnain block is located in southwestern Iraq in Najaf province, about 180 kilometres from Baghdad, along the Iraqi-Saudi border. It is one of the most promising areas for…
Former Bulgarian President Rumen Radev was formally named Bulgaria’s new prime minister on Thursday, cementing a landslide election victory that shattered the country’s long-fractured political order. Radev’s newly formed Progressive Bulgaria party secured the first outright parliamentary majority since 1997 in the April 19 vote, ending years of unstable coalitions and repeat votes in the EU member state. The country’s parliament on Thursday approved his appointment as prime minister and signed off on his cabinet lineup. The former president and air force commander campaigned on anger directed at Bulgaria’s political establishment, blaming traditional parties for years of corruption, instability and…
Published on 08/05/2026 – 13:22 GMT+2•Updated 13:23 The European Union’s Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) warned Europe’s aviation sector on Friday that potential shortages of domestic aviation fuel could force airports and airlines to adapt to a different type of fuel across regions — a scenario that would require heightened safety measures. The warning followed alerts from European airlines that fuel shortages could take place within weeks if disruptions in the Middle East persist. In response, the EU is considering contingency plans, such as importing more jet fuel from the United States, which uses a different fuel specification from Europe. At…
Candlelight vigils were held across Australia to honour a 5-year-old girl whose death has deeply shaken communities nationwide. Known as Kumanjayi Little Baby due to Indigenous naming customs, the child was found dead last week after allegedly being abducted near Alice Springs. People gathered in cities including Sydney and Alice Springs, lighting candles and laying flowers in her memory. A suspect has been charged with murder, while the case has also sparked unrest, including a riot outside a hospital where the accused was being treated.