Author: staff
In a speech delivered to a packed room, the pope did not specify what concessions he thought Kyiv or Moscow might have to make to secure peace. Russian forces are persistently bombing Ukraine and attempting to push forward in the Donetsk region, but the Kremlin’s military has so far failed to subjugate Kyiv after more than four and a half years of all-out war. The pontiff has taken an active role in recent months, pushing for an end to hostilities in Ukraine. In August, Leo sent Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the equivalent of his foreign minister, to Moscow to meet with…
Pope Leo XIV has praised multilateralism as “the best defence against the desire for dominance” in a speech in the French city of Metz, the birthplace of Robert Schuman, one of the founding fathers of European integration. The pontiff lamented a world marked by conflict, from war and hunger to deteriorating personal relations, describing an “increasingly uncivilised” climate. He also criticised the “lies and deception” he said were fuelling growing distrust between citizens and governments. Speaking in Schuman’s hometown, a city closely associated with European reconciliation, Leo said Europe could break this vicious cycle by reaffirming its commitment to the…
Fighting in the north of Ethiopia continued to rage over the weekend, raising fears of a return to a 2020-2022 war in which an estimated 600,000 people died. Heavy clashes have resumed between the Tigray People’s Liberation Front and the federal government since Wednesday. The TPLF has seized airports and launched attacks into the neighbouring Ethiopian states of Afar and Amhara, saying they were engaged in a “defensive war” against the government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. The headquarters of Tigrai TV, seen as the key outlet for the rebel authorities in the Tigrayan capital Mekelle, was hit by a…
Washington and Beijing have now detailed the plan for which goods stand to gain from the trade deal struck at last week’s summit between US President Donald Trump and China’s President Xi Jinping. China’s list runs to 1,619 categories of American products, while the US list contains 77 categories of Chinese goods, but neither side has said how deep the cuts will be or when they will apply. The two countries will consider the products “with a view toward providing reduced tariff treatment to those goods in a reciprocal manner,” the White House stated. The lists were drawn up by…
Uzbekistan says investment commitments for new data centres now exceed $6bn (€5.3bn), as it tries to build the computing power needed to develop artificial intelligence at home rather than rely mainly on infrastructure abroad. Some of that capacity is already operating. A new government computing cluster using Nvidia technology was launched this summer to run AI projects, while much larger commercial data-centre developments are now under development. The expansion is also drawing international capital into Central Asia’s technology sector. It is one of the main themes at ICT Week Uzbekistan 2026 in Tashkent, an annual event bringing together technology companies,…
Each year, Prix Versailles puts the spotlight on the best new architectural designs, from museums and hotels to emporiums and restaurants. Now the award series has turned its eyes towards train stations, with seven beautiful new openings making the list for 2026. Of the selection, three are in Europe: Lyon Part-Dieu Station, Colosseo – Fori Imperiali Station in Rome, and Monte Sant’Angelo Station in Naples. “In the realm of transport stations, the stakes are high when it comes to creating cultural expressions that are simultaneously beautiful, fashionable and sustainable, that reinforce passenger mobility whilst revitalising local neighbourhoods and that support…
Kallas added that Monday’s discussion will look at how EU institutions can work with member countries to determine which tools in the EU’s arsenal could be used as part of the protocol response. While diplomats say the details are still vague on what the protocol could entail in theory, it could apply to drone incursions, sabotage and cyberattacks, once it’s clear who was responsible. Kallas stressed that the protocol would apply to “everything that is under the threshold of armed aggression.” Over the summer, hybrid activity linked to Russia increased dramatically. Drone overflights, crashes and explosions have become almost daily…
Demonstrators camping in a central Madrid square vowed on Monday to keep up the pressure on Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez over Spain’s housing crisis, as the 87-year-old woman at the centre of the protest called on them to “hold on.” The demonstrators set up around 100 tents in the capital’s busy Puerta del Sol square after tens of thousands took to the streets on Saturday to demand action to lower housing costs and protect tenants. The movement was triggered by the police eviction on Wednesday of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal from her lifelong Madrid apartment. “I’m asking you all to be…
A jet ski rider manoeuvred through a flooded street in Bangkok as deep floodwaters inundated parts of the Thai capital. Video shows the rider navigating through the water while people stopped to watch and film the unusual sight. The flooding has driven thousands of residents into shelters as others try to protect their homes and secure essential supplies. Days of heavy rain have flooded roads, markets and homes, forcing thousands of residents into shelters.
Washington and Beijing have now detailed the plan for which goods stand to gain from the trade deal struck at last week’s summit between US President Donald Trump and China’s President Xi Jinping. China’s list runs to 1,619 categories of American products, while the US list contains 77 categories of Chinese goods, but neither side has said how deep the cuts will be or when they will apply. The two countries will consider the products “with a view toward providing reduced tariff treatment to those goods in a reciprocal manner,” the White House stated. The lists were drawn up by…