Author: staff
VILNIUS — Lithuania is calling on NATO to help strengthen its air defenses after a drone carrying 2 kilograms of explosives entered the country from Belarus and crashed in a military training area. Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė and Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys sent a letter to NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte to request the deployment of additional, “even experimental,” capabilities on its territory to address air threats, Šakalienė said on Tuesday. “Since similar incidents are likely to continue as long as Russia’s war against Ukraine goes on, it means we must take additional measures,” she said. The drone crossed the border…
Ribera is a member of the Spain’s ruling Socialist party, whose politicians have repeatedly criticized Israel’s war on Hamas. On July 30, she called out Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the College of Commissioners for failing to address Gaza’s escalating humanitarian crisis, saying that “history will not look the other way.” “We are in a race against time, with people dying of hunger,” Ribera said last week. “Europe must react and consolidate itself as a political actor … And mobilize the principles that inspired the construction of the European project.” U.N. agencies warned last week that Palestinians in…
Last month, during a two-hour press conference billed as “a moment of truth,” the French prime minister unveiled his draconian plans to drastically cut public spending in 2026. The plans include slashing two of France’s 11 public holidays, reducing the number of civil servants and freezing welfare payments, including pensions, that are typically adjusted annually for inflation. The plan triggered a wave of outrage from both the far-right National Rally and left-wing opposition parties, which are threatening to bring down the government during the budget vote in the fall. But Bayrou is not giving up, and wants to at least convince…
Updated: 05/08/2025 – 18:00 GMT+2 Catch up with the most important stories from around Europe and beyond this August 5th, 2025 – latest news, breaking news, World, Business, Entertainment, Politics, Culture, Travel. … More
In the absence of a consensus at European level, Slovenia is going it alone. On Thursday, it became the first EU country to ban all arms trade with Israel, including transit and imports. In a press release, the Slovenian government explicitly outlined its concerns about the humanitarian situation in Gaza and denounced the EU’s inability to adopt such a measure because of “internal disagreements.” The decision is above all symbolic, since the Slovenian government says it has not issued any arms export permits to Israel since October 2023 because of the conflict. This decision is intended to intensify the pressure…
By Euronews Published on 05/08/2025 – 18:53 GMT+2 The Russian and Chinese navies are carrying out joint naval drills in the Sea of Japan aimed at “deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership” of the two countries, the Chinese Defence Ministry said in a statement. The Joint Sea 2025 exercises began near the Vladivostok on Sunday and are set to last three days. They include “submarine rescue, joint anti-submarine, air defence and anti-missile operations, and maritime combat,” China’s Defence Ministry said, adding that four Chinese vessels will participate in the exercises. The Chinese and Russian governments have deepened ties in recent years, with…
“We welcome the U.S. decision to provide Ukraine with equipment, including ammunition for the Patriot air defense system, and we support NATO’s coordination of this effort,” Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson said. “Speed is absolutely crucial. That is why we will make our contribution available immediately,” Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said, adding that if Kyiv shows “a need for additional funding at a later date,” Copenhagen is willing to look into that as well. The initiatives follow an agreement made last month at the White House between NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and U.S. President Donald Trump, setting up the Prioritized…
EU countries, Gill added, “have insisted to us that only a negotiated solution could ensure stability and protect our shared interests. This was the view of an overwhelming majority of EU member states,” including Germany. A Commission official granted anonymity to speak freely said “only a small minority” of countries wanted to risk a trade war with the U.S. “Member states pushed for this outcome.” Klingbeil is in Washington to meet U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Ahead of the visit, the German minister said of the trade deal: “I think we were too weak, and we cannot be satisfied with…
Published on 05/08/2025 – 16:30 GMT+2 Shortly before last year’s European elections, the parliamentary assistant of Maximilian Krah was arrested in Germany on suspicion of spying for China. The news rocked Berlin and Brussels alike, as the German MEP was the lead candidate of the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AFD) party. His assistant, Jian Guo, who was dismissed shortly after his arrest, was accused of being employed by the Chinese secret services. German prosecutors allege he handed over around 500 sensitive files to China and provided information about the inner machinations of European lawmaking. Guo’s trial began in the eastern…
Published on 05/08/2025 – 16:38 GMT+2 Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer reported better-than-expected quarterly results on Tuesday and improved its predictions for full-year profits, beating Wall Street expectations. The New York-based company reported second-quarter sales of $14.7 billion (€12.74bn) and earnings per share of $0.51 (€0.44). As of around 16.00 CEST, Pfizer shares were up over 4% at $24.58. “Our business is performing well and I’m pleased with the progress we achieved in the second quarter,” chairman and CEO Albert Bourla said in a statement. “We continue to be actively engaged with policymakers as we navigate a complicated and rapidly evolving geopolitical…