Author: staff
Published on 16/01/2026 – 11:17 GMT+1 •Updated 11:21 Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico will meet President Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago residency in Florida on Saturday, aiming to deepen ties between the two countries. Fico, who is politically aligned with the MAGA agenda, has praised the US for its efforts to end the war in Ukraine and follows a similar hardline approach to migration. Separately, the two leaders could discuss plans that would see Slovakia entering a business agreement to buy nuclear reactors from the US in a project that could be worth around €13 to €15 billion, according to…
Published on 16/01/2026 – 11:20 GMT+1 The United States has warned Iran that all options are “on the table” as representatives of both countries faced off at an emergency UN Security Council session on the protests in Iran on Thursday. US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz warned that President Donald Trump is ready to militarily intervene in Tehran if authorities continue to use lethal force to quell the unrest. “Colleagues, let me be clear: President Trump is a man of action, not endless talk like we see at the United Nations,” Mike Waltz told the council. “He has made…
“As a small country, it’s very clear our interest is to be part of a community, of a family, and be part of the programs that make up the EU, and not at all to be an equal decision-maker as countries that have been at the origin of this organization and are much more powerful,” Zourabichvili told POLITICO. “I think it’s very logical if you want to have an organization that can take decisions efficiently.” Edi Rama, prime minister of Albania said the measures are a “good idea” and that his country would even accept for a period of time…
Festival director Tricia Tuttle visited the foundry as work continued ahead of the 76th Berlin International Film Festival, which runs from 12 to 22 February. The workshop has been producing the festival’s iconic bears since the early years of the Berlinale in the 1950s. Their design is based on a standing bear created in 1932 by sculptor Renée Sintenis, inspired by Berlin’s heraldic symbol. While small refinements have been introduced over the decades, the casting process itself has changed little. Each finished Bear stands around 20 centimetres tall and weighs about four kilograms, a heft often noted by winners when…
Standing alongside Weidel, Tino Chrupalla, the AfD’s other national leader, partly defended Trump for pursuing what he perceives to be American interests within the country’s “sphere of influence.” At the same time, he also condemned the approach Trump was taking. “Wild West methods are to be rejected here, and the end does not always justify the means.” By distancing themselves from Trump, the AfD leaders are following the path of Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally in France, whose leaders, due to the American president’s deep unpopularity there, have been far more critical of Trump and view his administration’s overtures to…
Spanish pivot The pivot from the Spanish lawmakers, traditionally the staunchest supporters of deepening ties with Latin America, reflects the sky-high pressure building upon the European Parliament. In the Parliament’s hallways, EPP lawmakers from other countries have noticed the shift. “We always thought they were rock solid, but then lately there was some nervousness,” said one senior MEP, who was granted anonymity to discuss the sensitive situation. They added that the Spaniards had not expressed themselves directly to the group yet but expressed confidence they will ultimately support the deal. “It seems they have a heated internal debate ongoing,” one…
Good Friday morning from Brussels. Just in: Latvia’s defence minister Andris Sprūds has told our flagship morning show that Europe needs to “realise what it’s dealing with” when contemplating talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “Yes, we can engage in some diplomatic activity, but there must be some limits in terms of how far we can go,” he said, throwing cold water on calls on the EU to name an envoy for talks with Russia. Watch. But we lead this morning with the latest on Iran. As tension still lingers over the Middle East, the European Union’s diplomatic arm has…
The country’s livestock breeding industry is now on the verge of collapse — endangering the trademark white cheese, into which producers pour 80 percent of the country’s sheep and goat milk. “If there is no immediate response, feta cheese will become a luxury item,” said Vaso Fasoula, a sheep farmer in Greece’s agricultural heartland of Thessaly, who has confined her 2,500 sheep to protect them from the contagion. An alternative to all this killing: vaccines, available free from Brussels. “Vaccination is the only additional measure that can stop the occurrence of new outbreaks, limit further spread to the rest of…
Updated: 16/01/2026 – 7:00 GMT+1 Catch up with the most important stories from around Europe and beyond this January 16th, 2026 – latest news, breaking news, World, Business, Entertainment, Politics, Culture, Travel. … More
European governments are preparing for a sustained increase in defence spending, raising a key economic question. Can rearmament also support growth at a time when the eurozone economy is struggling to gain momentum? Germany is at the centre of this shift. Berlin plans to lift defence spending to almost 3.5% of GDP by 2029, up from 2.1% in 2024, marking one of the most significant military investment programmes in post-war Europe. By 2029, the government aims to spend more than €100bn annually on defence equipment and maintenance. According to Niklas Garnadt, economist at Goldman Sachs, the impact on growth could…