Author: staff

In light of United States President Donald Trump placing into question the fundamental nature of the transatlantic alliance, Wadephul has been clear-eyed in his assessment of the challenge. In an interview with German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine, he described the recent confrontation by Trump and Vice President JD Vance against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House as “shocking — both emotionally and intellectually.” Wadephul warned that, despite the unpredictability of American politics under Trump, he had not expected “such a reversal of responsibility for the war in Ukraine.” Although he believes that “America stands by NATO,” Wadephul cautioned that…

India has agreed to purchase 26 Rafale fighter jets for its navy from France, the Indian defence ministry announced on Monday, strengthening the country’s naval aviation capabilities as it continues to modernise its armed forces.According to an official statement from New Delhi, the contract is valued at around €6.5 billion. No French sources had publicly commented by Monday midday.The deal expands India’s existing Rafale fleet, following a 2016 agreement for 36 of the French-built aircraft. That earlier deal, worth nearly €8 billion, remains the most expensive contract secured by France’s military aviation industry to date.Manufactured by Dassault Aviation, the Rafale…

BRUSSELS ― Germany has asked the European Union to activate an emergency clause that would allow it to rapidly increase defense investment without breaching the bloc’s spending rules. Russia’s continued war of aggression against Ukraine and the “changing environment” in global security “requires a significant build-up of defense capabilities with a major impact on its public finances,” acting Finance Minister Jörg Kukies wrote in a letter dated April 24 and obtained by POLITICO. The European Commission’s emergency clause would give EU governments the ability to increase defense spending up to 1.5 percent of gross domestic product each year for four years as…

Spain and Portugal lost power Monday in a massive blackout, according to the Spanish grid operator. Blackouts were reported from Madrid to Lisbon, with large parts of the Iberian Peninsula without power as of late morning Monday. Spain’s grid operator said it was working to restore power. This story is being updated.

As Trump’s 100 days in office edges closer, Anne checks in from DC to bring us all the latest on a domestically difficult week for the US president. Also, will the upcoming Canadian elections be a referendum on Trump from its biggest neighbours? Sam and Anne discuss what the global ramifications of that result might be. And back in Blighty, local elections are nearing and Sam explains how they might shine a light on tensions in Labour between Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and Chancellor Rachel Reeves. Will their briefs demand they push in opposite directions? To find lists of candidates…

“Comrade Kim Jong Un defined it [the mission] as a sacred mission for further consolidating as firm as a rock the traditional friendship and solidarity between the DPRK and Russia,” it added. Later Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin thanked Kim and the North Korean troops for their “solidarity” and “heroism.” “We highly appreciate this and are sincerely grateful, personally to the Chairman of the State Affairs Committee, Comrade Kim Jong-un, as well as to the entire leadership and the people of North Korea,” Putin said. The report comes just two days after Valery Gerasimov, chief of the General Staff of the Russian…

BERLIN — Germany’s incoming Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Monday released his first batch of Cabinet picks, highlighting clear themes: experience, party loyalty and business-minded leadership. At the Foreign Ministry, Johann Wadephul, a seasoned defense and foreign policy expert, is set to lead Germany’s diplomatic efforts at a time of rising global tensions. In a major economic move, Katherina Reiche — a former energy executive and ex-lawmaker — will head the Ministry for Economy and Energy, overseeing Germany’s reindustrialization plans. Patrick Schnieder, a veteran transport policymaker, takes over the Ministry of Transport, while Karin Prien, who previously led education policy in…

Following their controversial Coachella performance, in which they received backlash over their support for Palestine, Northern Irish rap group Kneecap are finding themselves in hot water with the UK counter-terror police – this time for two videos.  The Metropolitan Police revealed its counter-terror unit was investigating a clip of a Kneecap performance from last November, over claims it showed one member shouting: “Up Hamas, up Hezbollah”. The second clip is believed to be dated from November 2023, a gig video which allegedly sees the trio calling for the death of Conservative MPs, with one member of the group alleged to have said: “The only…

Marine Le Pen’s most faithful lieutenants arrived early at the stately baroque Val-de-Grâce church in the fifth arrondissement in the heart of Paris. It was a freezing day and a crowd had gathered outside to pay homage to her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, founder of her far-right National Rally party, who died days earlier on Jan. 7. Many of the mourners fit a familiar mold: party veterans, family members and long-term friends and loyalists, some of them decked out in paratroopers’ red berets and clasping tricolors. But one conspicuously tall figure inside the church seemed cut from a different cloth.…

As technology, emerging destinations and demand for luxury travel reshape the global tourism industry, all eyes turn to Dubai for the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2025, the Middle East’s leading travel and hospitality trade show.Taking place from 28 April to 1 May at the Dubai World Trade Centre, 2,600 exhibitors are expected at this year’s ATM, including tourism boards, airlines, hotels and tech providers from across the globe.With ministers, executives and entrepreneurs also in attendance, ATM is a key moment in the industry’s calendar for trendspotting, deal-making and planning.It also offers a front-row seat to what’s next for travel worldwide.ATM…