Author: staff

The “Kingdom of Germany” was founded in 2012 in the eastern German city of Wittenberg and became known for running unlicensed banking operations and promoting its own laws. Fitzek ruled as “King Peter I,” appointing two deputies and a finance chief. The ban comes after heightened scrutiny of Germany’s so-called Reichsbürger scene, or “Citizens of the Reich,” after a 2022 coup plot involving another faction. The movement consists of individuals and small groups who reject the legitimacy of the modern German state, insisting that the German Reich continues to exist. Many believe Germany continues to be under allied occupation. There…

The UK’s desire to reset post-Brexit relations with the European Union could depend on reaching an agreement over the future of Gibraltar, according to Spain’s foreign minister.London and Madrid have been in talks for years in a bid to strike a deal to ensure people and goods can keep flowing over the British overseas territory’s land border with Spain.The UK left the EU in 2020 with the relationship between Gibraltar and the bloc unresolved, although it was agreed that the outpost would stay part of agreements such as the border-free Schengen Area while a permanent solution was negotiated.Next week, the UK…

Munich Re’s shares dropped by around 5% this morning in Europe, after the reinsurer company reported a steep fall in its first-quarter net profit. The net result came in at €1.09 billion in the first quarter of 2025. This compares with €2.12bn in the previous year. According to the German reinsurer’s quarterly report, the drop in earnings was mainly driven by major claims and the volatility in the capital markets. Wildfires in Los Angeles were the main source of a major loss of expenditure, costing the company €1.1bn. According to reinsurance broker Gallagher Re’s latest Natural Catastrophe and Climate Report, the Los…

With the war raging in Ukraine and European security a concern amid threats from Russia, it’s expected the summit will focus on defense and security, an area where the French and the British have in the past worked together closely. Ties between France and the United Kingdom have improved since the frosty days of tense Brexit negotiations, which concluded with a deal in 2020. Starmer’s effort to reset relations with the bloc have helped further thaw London’s relationships with both Brussels and Paris. The visit will also be an opportunity to address some thorny issues that divide the two countries.…

The Austrian ministry side-stepped POLITICO’s question on whether the country supports the use of foreign carbon credits, merely noting that “Wopke Hoekstra has already signaled a pragmatic approach” to the 2040 target.  The spokesperson insisted that the new government was nevertheless “committed” to the EU’s and Austria’s existing climate neutrality targets as well as “the implementation of the EU legal requirements adopted to date.”  But there’s no question that the new government — which consists of the conservative Peoples’ Party (ÖVP), the center-left Social Democrats and the liberal NEOS party — is treating climate policy as less of a priority than…

Sky News’ Sam Coates and Politico’s Anne McElvoy preview how the day will play out in British politics. After Labour’s migration plans were announced yesterday, Sam and Anne discuss Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s rhetoric and its populist overtones. But how authentic is it? Also, the Tories launched their deportation bill in parliament yesterday. What’s in it, and is it all a bit of a stunt? And Sam reflects on his interview with Nigel Farage, where he pressed the Reform leader on a loophole in the party’s manifesto, which could allow an unknown number of people to come into the…

Radio Schuman spoke with outgoing Brussels Mobility Minister Elke Van den Brandt about Brussels being without rule for almost a year. She told us how this damages Brussels’ reputation, hurts locals and why it is so difficult to come to an agreement.Van den Brandt also touched on the uncertain future of the Metro 3 project, aimed at connecting the city’s northern and southern neighbourhoods, and the criticism of her vision to make Brussels liveable.We also head to the Western Balkans for the start of European Council President’s four-day tour as part of diplomatic efforts to keep candidate countries on an…

The Met said of the fire at Starmer’s home: “As a precaution and due to the property having previous connections with a high-profile public figure, officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command are leading the investigation into this fire. Enquiries are ongoing to establish what caused it.” They added: “All three fires are being treated as suspicious at this time, and enquiries remain ongoing.” While Starmer is based in Downing Street as prime minister, he still retains his north London residence. Damage was caused to the property’s entrance, but nobody was hurt, according to police. A resident of the street…

Donald Trump has recently stepped up his threats to send Americans to foreign jails, saying he would “love” to deport “homegrown” US citizens who commit violent crimes to a notorious mega-prison in El Salvador.“I would love to do that if it were permissible by law,” Trump said in an interview with Time magazine last month. “We’re looking into that.”Apparently, that legal research hasn’t brought a clear answer yet, as Trump has also been on the lookout for more domestic space to house America’s top criminals.“I’m talking about violent people. I’m talking about really bad people. Really bad people,” Trump said,…

But this presents Bibi with a problem. For Trump, money speaks louder than anything else, and Gulf leaders will be looking for quid pro quos. Ending the war in Gaza will be high on their list — a war that Bibi, largely for the maintenance of his own rambunctious coalition and to avoid elections, is determined to continue, if not expand. The Gulf countries have also underlined, time and again, the need for a return to two-state negotiations. Saudi leaders, for instance, have insisted there can be no “normalization” of relations with Israel without clear diplomatic movement in that direction.…