Author: staff
French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said in parliament that he was relieved by the news and “thanked from the bottom of his heart those who worked towards this release.” Sansal, a Franco-Algerian dual national and a vocal critic of the Algerian regime, was jailed last November on charges of undermining national unity. His incarceration was met with outrage in France, where he has been seen as a political hostage amid worsening relations between the two countries. France triggered furor in Algeria when it recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over the disputed territory of Western Sahara in the summer of 2024. However, the…
Updated: 12/11/2025 – 12:00 GMT+1 Catch up with the most important stories from around Europe and beyond this November 12th, 2025 – latest news, breaking news, World, Business, Entertainment, Politics, Culture, Travel. … More
Published on 12/11/2025 – 15:33 GMT+1 Russian President Vladimir Putin has authorised US banking giant Citigroup Inc. to sell its Russian banking unit, a move that signals a further retreat of Western financial institutions from Moscow amid heightened geopolitical tensions. A Kremlin-posted presidential order revealed on Wednesday states that “Citigroup Inc. is permitted to sell its bank inside the country” to Russian investment bank Renaissance Capital. The document, which provided no further sale details, follows a spate of Kremlin-approved exits this year. Earlier, Putin signed decrees enabling Goldman Sachs Group’s Russian business to pass to Balchug Capital and Natixis to…
Published on 12/11/2025 – 14:24 GMT+1 Thailand isn’t just about pristine beaches and bustling cities – it’s a country that invites travellers to slow down, immerse themselves in culture and leave feeling both renewed and healed. At the World Travel Market in London, Chiravadee Khunsub, the deputy governor for International Marketing at the Tourism Authority of Thailand, reflected on what makes her country so magnetic. “Yes, I think first of all, when people are thinking about holidays, they’re looking for a place where they can have a good time – happy times. Thailand is that destination,” Khunsub said. “We have…
KYIV — Ukraine was roiled this week by the most damaging corruption scandal of Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s presidency. Ukrainian anti-corruption agencies revealed Monday that some of Zelenskyy’s close associates were allegedly involved in a plot to skim around $100 million from Ukraine’s energy sector. The scandal erupted as Ukrainians suffer blackouts caused by Russian bombing. The state said it had spent tens of millions of euros to protect energy infrastructure from drones and missiles. “Any effective action against corruption is very necessary,” Zelenskyy warned Monday night. “The inevitability of punishment is necessary.” We explain below what’s at stake as the corruption…
From Tuesday night into early Wednesday, a powerful G4 geomagnetic storm made the Aurora Borealis visible far beyond its usual range. Skywatchers across Europe, from Ireland and the UK to Poland and Austria, caught rare glimpses of the northern lights. In Austria, shades of red and pink coloured the skies over Salzburg, Filzmoos, Kaprun, Rauris, and Kolsassberg in Tyrol. The sight was exceptional at these southern latitudes. Forecasters said the display could return on Wednesday and Thursday nights as the storm continues to affect Earth’s magnetic field. The Space Weather Prediction Center issued a severe geomagnetic storm watch, the second-highest…
Ticked off the register: To be fair, Labour whips turned out their flock, with the government benches packed to the rafters despite reports some Labour MPs would boycott the Commons. Starmer entered the chamber with a grin (or grimace) on his face and to a somewhat over-the-top cheer from his colleagues. Caveat alert: There was no sign of Streeting in the chamber because he was in Manchester to address the NHS Providers Conference — and possibly grab some tips from Labour leadership wannabe and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham? Grab the hazmat suit: Badenoch quoted Streeting’s comments today, asking if…
The event called “The Great Melbourne Bagpipe Bash,” took place on the same street where the band filmed its 1976 video, playing on a truck rolling through city traffic. Thousands of spectators packed the square cheering on 374 pipers who broke the previous record of 333 set in Bulgaria in 2012. Among them was 98-year-old piper Gavin Davey, who called it a joyful finale to his long musical life. After their record was confirmed, the massed pipers played Happy Birthday and Amazing Grace to the delighted crowd. The celebration came hours before AC/DC’s first Australian concert in ten years at…
Published on 12/11/2025 – 12:50 GMT+1 On Wednesday, the Eurogroup — the meeting of finance ministers from eurozone countries — will discuss whether the Italian government’s use of discretionary or “golden” powers to block UniCredit’s acquisition of a competitor was justified. Italy’s golden power is a national security filter for deals in strategic assets such as defence or energy and functions like a veto. The government is allowed to intervene directly in the market and stop deals that it believes are not beneficial to the country. Italy’s Minister of Economy, Giancarlo Giorgetti, will be defending Rome’s position. The following day,…
Listen on Spotify Apple Music Amazon Music Sky News Sam and Anne share notes on the late night WhatsApp chats following a day of briefings about Sir Keir Starmer’s future (and the WhatsApps keep coming as we record). The message from the PM’s team was if there’s a leadership challenge – from the someone in his own cabinet or elsewhere – he’d stand and fight. Allies of Team Starmer have pointed a finger at Wes Streeting. He’s denied any plot and has got an opportunity on the morning round to bolster that. As one government figure said to Sam –…