Author: staff
The 73rd edition of the San Sebastian International Film Festival in northern Spain experienced one of its highlights on Friday night with the presentation of the Donostia Award to Jennifer Lawrence. At the age of 35, the American actress became the youngest performer to receive this recognition for her career, which already includes an Oscar, a Golden Globe and enormous public support for a long series of films that have marked an entire generation. “Our freedom of speech is under attack in the United States.” “It’s a huge honour,” the actress told a pre-ceremony press conference, where she also reflected…
Published on 27/09/2025 – 9:05 GMT+2 The United States said it would revoke Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s visa after he urged soldiers to disobey US President Donald Trump’s orders during a pro-Palestine demonstration in New York on Friday. The comments came as the Colombian leader visited the city to participate in the UN General Assembly High-level week, set to close on Saturday. The US Department of State said in a post on X that President Petro “stood on a NYC street and urged US soldiers to disobey orders and incite violence. We will revoke Petro’s visa due to his reckless…
The UN Security Council rejected a last-ditch Chinese and Russian effort to delay reimposing sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian called the decision “unfair, unjust and illegal” immediately after its announcement. The resolution, tabled by Moscow and Beijing, who are Iran’s closest allies among the 15-member council failed to garner support from the nine countries required to bring the series of UN planned sanctions – set to take place on Saturday – to a halt. The vote ended with four votes in favour of the resolution, nine votes against, with two abstentions. “We had hoped…
By Roselyne Min with AP Published on 27/09/2025 – 8:00 GMT+2 Artificial intelligence (AI) took center stage at this week’s annual high-level United Nations (UN) meeting in New York. Leaders at the UN Security Council addressed AI’s possible benefits and harms in security, military use and misinformation. “The question is not whether AI will influence international peace and security, but how we will shape its influence used responsibly,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in opening remarks at Wednesday’s meeting. “AI can strengthen prevention and protection, anticipating food insecurity and displacement, supporting de-mining, helping identify potential outbreaks of violence, and so much more. But…
Before Vladimir Putin’s invading forces came swarming over the border, eastern Ukraine was the country’s beating heart of sports. Now, that has been all but wiped out in a trail of devastation. Moscow’s attempt to extinguish Ukrainian culture can be seen through the prism of prominent stadiums across the region, one of which even played host to footballers including Cristiano Ronaldo and Xavi, and pop megastars such as Beyoncé and Rihanna. In several cities, gleaming sporting and cultural landmarks now resemble haunting, silent scenes from a zombie apocalypse movie. And on the Crimean Peninsula, illegally occupied by Russia since 2014,…
More policy reveals are expected at the conference ahead of the PM’s keynote speech Tuesday, including on infrastructure and health, senior officials familiar with his thinking told POLITICO. Yet many of Starmer’s own MPs and ministers are arriving in Liverpool doubtful it will turn the tide of public frustration with Labour. Starmer won a 174-seat majority in July 2024, yet his administration has been beset by scandals, revamps and resignations of his most trusted aides. Tricky economic decisions have angered pensioners, businesses, farmers and the aid sector. Starmer’s team is already braced for two crisis points — a tax-raising budget…
Amnesty International said, it’s “a dark day for Slovakia” in a press release. European Democracy and Justice Commissioner Michael McGrath said in January, when the proposal to amend the constitution was announced, that “the primacy of EU law … is nonnegotiable.” Since Fico returned to power in October 2023, Slovakia has cracked down on independent media and judiciary, along with LGBTQ+ and artists’ rights, following an “illiberal” playbook sketched out by Hungary. The controversial amendment, which will come into force in November, was surprisingly approved by a narrow margin. The government coalition, which initially lacked support to pass the change,…
Four people briefed on the plans told POLITICO the Commission is hoping to base its action on a set of European Council conclusions that all EU leaders, including Orbán, agreed to on Dec. 19 last year. In that statement, the leaders declared: “Russia’s assets should remain immobilised until Russia ceases its war of aggression against Ukraine and compensates it for the damage caused by this war.” At the time, that statement had largely been understood to mean the assets themselves should remain frozen, mainly at Euroclear bank in Belgium, and not accessed by Russia, while interest could be used for…
Published on 26/09/2025 – 19:52 GMT+2 Slovakia’s parliament passed an amendment to the constitution on Friday that recognises only two sexes, along with other measures that critics say might breach the country’s international obligations and undermine the protection of human rights. The amendment, which was drafted by Prime Minister Robert Fico’s government, required a three-fifths majority. It passed with 90 votes in the 150-seat National Council, with 12 lawmakers from the conservative opposition helping the ruling coalition win the vote. The amended constitution now recognises only two sexes, male and female, and states that Slovakia retains sovereignty in matters of “national…
On Friday, the Commission gathered defense ministers from Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Romania. Hungary, Slovakia and the Danish Council presidency were also represented. In a separate meeting where NATO was present as an observer, Ukraine’s Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal briefed them on his country’s “battle-tested expertise.” Participants agreed the drone wall should include detection, tracking and interception capabilities, the Commission said. Other assets should include ground-based defenses, such as anti-mobility systems, maritime security as well as space-based situational awareness. In a bid to bring Southern European countries and those more distant from Russia on board, both the…