Author: staff

Iran fired on three ships in the Strait of Hormuz and seized two of them on Wednesday, intensifying its attacks in the strategic waterway. The attacks came less than a day after US President Donald Trump extended a fragile truce while maintaining a US blockade of Iranian ports. The standoff between the US and Iran has effectively choked off nearly all exports through the strait — where 20% of the world’s traded oil passes in peacetime — and shows no end in near sight. Iranian media said the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was bringing the two ships to Iran,…

Kanzler Friedrich Merz reist heute nach Zypern, wo der informelle Gipfel der EU-Staats- und Regierungschefs unter der aktuellen Ratspräsidentschaft der Republik beginnt. Im Fokus stehen die Antworten auf den Iran-Krieg und die anhaltende Energiekrise. Gordon Repinski berichtet von der Reise und analysiert gemeinsam mit Hans von der Burchard, wie sich die EU weiter schwer tut Antworten auf die akute Iran-Krise zu finden, aber auch auf langfristige Fragen, wie den anstehenden Haushalt zum Beispiel. Während die EU berät, empfängt Berlin heute Reza Pahlavi, den Sohn des letzten Schahs des Iran. Er wird unter anderem auch mit Armin Laschet sprechen, dem Vorsitzenden…

Nearly two months into the crisis, the troubles for Gulf oil and gas exports are far from over. And the world is so dependent on fossil fuels that these problems will continue to deepen and create economic shock waves whenever tensions flare up again in the Middle East — and they will. In Europe, this makes it a good moment to think of waters quite unlike the Strait of Hormuz: dams and reservoirs. Indeed, they may be the future of European energy security — or at least part of it. Dams have controlled river waters for decades, generations even. The…

The move is part of efforts to show Washington that the U.K. — which has angered U.S. President Donald Trump by staying out of offensive missions during the U.S.-Israel war with Iran — is prepared to make a serious contribution to policing the key passage through the Persian Gulf. Britain and France have jointly convened a series of meetings aimed at ensuring freedom of navigation in the trade artery and alleviating some of the economic pressure which has been caused by its closure at the beginning of March. However, participating countries are split on what role the U.S. should play…

A video posted on social media shows a despairing Ukrainian soldier panning his camera around to reveal trenches lined with bodies of dead and injured soldiers. These videos reveal the chilling reality experienced by many Ukrainians battling Russian troops on the frontline — a key component of modern-day warfare. However, in reality, this widely shared footage is in fact AI-generated, as verified by forensic AI detection company Sensity AI. Researchers from Sensity warn that deepfakes are being used to manipulate public opinion and undermine trust in the military, off the back of authentic videos of Ukrainian soldiers documenting their daily…

Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul celebrated the news, too, writing on X that “The €90 billion for Ukraine … are coming now,” since “Hungary is back in the European family.” After initially agreeing to the loan in December, Budapest blocked it in February as a dispute flared over the pipeline. Orbán accused Zelenskyy of slow-walking repairs to the infrastructure in retaliation for Hungary’s friendly relations with Russia. Zelenskyy sounded optimistic the cash would finally reach Ukraine. “The unblocking is the right signal under the current circumstances,” he wrote on X on Wednesday. EU ambassadors gave preliminary backing to the package,…

Former Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin told Euronews that the European Union must recognise that it needs Ukraine and the lessons it has learnt from the war waged against it by Russia for its own defence. She argued that, if it does not take note of Ukraine’s expertise, the EU’s increased spending on defence will be money down the drain. “When we are building our own defence capabilities and hopefully reaching that 5% target that we have set together in NATO, it also and actually even more so, depends on where we use that money, not only how much [money…

Inflation to rebound Rising energy prices will likely push inflation back toward 3 percent this year and next, the government said — prompting financial markets to expect two European Central Bank rate hikes this year. ECB officials say they won’t overreact to what may be a short-lived blip, but have warned that they will raise rates if they see any signs of inflation taking root again, only four years after the last such shock. German Economy Minister Katherina Reiche — whose past employment at energy giant E.ON has made her a target for criticism from the left and environmentalists —…

Published on 22/04/2026 – 19:06 GMT+2•Updated 19:08 The “Global Sumud Flotilla” is ready to sail to Gaza again, after its previous mission was intercepted last October by Israeli authorities and failed to reach the Strip. Almost a hundred boats with around 1,000 people on board will be involved in the new mission, meant to deliver humanitarian aid in Gaza, bypassing Israeli controls. The new initiative is considered even more dangerous than the last one, given the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East. The last boats are expected to depart on Saturday from Augusta, Sicily, and join up with other vessels…

Chinese artist Kong Ning presented a new installation, ‘Journey through peace’, in Beijing on Wednesday to mark World Earth Day. She wore a costume made of balloon dinosaurs, with a headset of greenery and a green sphere. The look drew attention from passers-by in a central district, mixing playfulness with a quiet message about the planet. Kong said the outfit invites the Earth to dream, offering a space to rest and recover. She sees it as a way to restore energy needed to sustain human life. The artist has staged wearable works every Earth Day for more than a decade,…