Author: staff
The European Union has vowed to stand firm with its strategy to squeeze Russia’s war economy, as the United Kingdom scrambles to reassure its allies that its latest decisions fall short of lifting sanctions. The British government caused confusion and dismay on Tuesday when it published an open-ended licence allowing the import of diesel and jet fuel made from Russian crude oil in other countries, such as Turkey and India, where the oil is purchased at discounted prices. A separate licence enables the provision of short-term service contracts with Russia’s Sakhalin-2 and Yamal LNG projects until January 2027. The publication…
After months of turbulence across regional airspace, Qatar’s tourism sector says the Gulf state is now open for business once again. In an interview with Euronews, Abdulaziz Ali Al-Mawlawi, CEO of Visit Qatar, said the country faced one of its most difficult periods in recent history, but worked closely with embassies, airlines and tourism partners to support stranded travellers and restore confidence in a destination that welcomed five million visitors in 2025. During the early stages of the regional conflict, more than 12,000 international visitors, including 8,000 transiting travellers, were in the country – all of whom needed to be…
By Nathan Joubioux with AP & AFP Published on 20/05/2026 – 17:55 GMT+2•Updated 18:10 The Centre Pompidou continues to expand and cross borders. The Paris museum is set to establish a presence in South Korea, thanks to its Constellation programme, which enables it to lend works in France and around the world. The Korean branch will open on 4 June in Yeouido, the main financial district of Seoul. It will be the institution’s second Asian site, after the one opened in Shanghai. “To mark the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and France, we are inaugurating the ‘Centre Pompidou Hanwha’ as part…
Genaues Ausmaß noch ungewiss Bislang gebe es fast 600 Verdachtsfälle und 139 mutmaßliche Todesfälle bei dem Ausbruch der Krankheit, sagte Tedros. „Wir wissen, dass das Ausmaß der Epidemie in der DRK viel größer ist“, fügte er hinzu. Ebola wird durch eine Gruppe von Viren verursacht – in diesem Fall durch das seltenere Bundibugyo-Virus, für das es keine Impfstoffe oder Behandlungsmöglichkeiten gibt. Die Infektion verursacht zunächst grippeähnliche Symptome, gefolgt von Erbrechen, Durchfall und Blutungen aus der Nase oder im Stuhl des Opfers. Die WHO untersucht derzeit, wann und wo der Ausbruch begann, schätzt aber, dass er „vor ein paar Monaten“ begann,…
In Europe, flights to and from the region remain unaffected, with planes from Congo capital Kinshasa landing daily in Brussels. Meanwhile the bloc has so far accepted two U.S. citizens from the region: a doctor with confirmed Ebola is receiving treatment in a Berlin hospital, while a contact of an Ebola case is being taken to a clinic in Czech capital Prague. Rubio and the U.S. embassy in Czechia expressed their thanks. There have been almost 600 suspected cases and 139 suspected deaths in the outbreak so far, Tedros said. “We know the scale of the epidemic in the DRC…
Published on 20/05/2026 – 16:47 GMT+2•Updated 16:53 The European Commission has backed Spain following allegations that Madrid used EU funds to pay pensions, saying there is no evidence that any rules were broken. In a letter sent to the European Parliament, the Commission said it had found no evidence of misuse of EU public funds by the Spanish government, despite a report by the national auditor suggesting that budget credits linked to a post-pandemic recovery fund were used to finance pension payments in November 2024. Madrid has categorically denied the claims. “Every payment request submitted by Spain has been thoroughly…
The world’s media watched on intently on Wednesday as Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing’s imposing Great Hall of the People to put pen to paper on a new “cooperation” pact with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. The Kremlin has denied there is any link between the Russian leader’s visit and that of US President Donald Trump just days before. But the timing has undoubtedly raised eyebrows, especially across Europe, where fears of being sidelined in global affairs have been mounting. Here are the key takeaways for Europe from Putin’s trip to China. “Unyielding” ties If Europe and the…
Magyar defeated Orbán in April’s election and notably chose Warsaw as the destination for his first international trip as prime minister, which aims to rebuild regional alliances. “The Visegrad Group may regain its vitality and its influence within the European Union,” Magyar said during a joint press conference in the Polish capital. “I am personally ready for us to expand this Visegrad cooperation to include other countries.” Hungary’s prime minister added the expanded format could include “the Nordic countries, perhaps Austria, Croatia, Slovenia, Romania,” or Western Balkan countries that are not part of the EU. Magyar also said Hungary, as…
The Visegrád group may be staging a comeback. With new Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar seeking to reset ties with its neighbours, the main political alliance of Central European nations that once punched well above its weight in European politics could be poised for a second act. The Visegrád Four (V4), which brought together Poland, Slovakia, Czechia, and Hungary, was established in the aftermath of the collapse of communism. The group wielded considerable influence within the European Union after all four members joined the bloc in 2004, and surged to the forefront of European politics during the 2015 migration crisis.…
Published on 20/05/2026 – 15:00 GMT+2•Updated 15:03 The Open Society Foundations (OSF), founded by billionaire philanthropist George Soros, have pledged $300 million (€259 million) over the next five years to defend democratic institutions and advance economic security in the United States. The commitment comes amid escalating political pressure on non-profit organisations and charitable funders from the US administration. Under President Donald Trump’s administration, conservative allies and lawmakers have intensified scrutiny of progressive non-profits. Allies in Congress have requested that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) investigate organisations they accuse of supporting illegal immigration, climate programmes…