Author: staff
But with wars raging in Iran and Ukraine and with U.S. President Donald Trump’s repeated threats to take Greenland from Denmark, von der Leyen used her speech Monday to make a full-throated case for the EU to rip up the way it does foreign policy, much of which requires unanimity from all 27 member countries. That requirement has seen individual countries repeatedly block EU decisions, such as Hungary’s recent move to stall Ukraine’s much-needed €90 billion loan. “We urgently need to reflect on whether our doctrine, our institutions and our decision making — all designed in a postwar world of…
Published on 09/03/2026 – 11:19 GMT+1 Bahrain’s state energy company declared force majeure on its oil shipments on Monday after an Iranian attack set its only refinery ablaze, becoming the latest Gulf state to invoke the clause as Iran widens its campaign against regional energy infrastructure. A strike targeting Bahrain’s sprawling Al-Ma’ameer oil facility caused a fire at the complex along with material damage, the Bahrain News Agency reported, though no casualties were recorded and firefighting operations were under way. Videos widely shared on social media showed thick smoke billowing from the industrial zone housing the refinery. In its force…
Published on 09/03/2026 – 10:48 GMT+1 “JUSTICE THE AMERICAN WAY,” reads a White House post accompanying a propaganda video that celebrates the US and Israel’s bombings of Iran. The video is a supercut of drone footage spliced with extracts from action films and TV shows, featuring the likes of Robert Downey Jr’s Tony Stark from the Marvel films, Russell Crowe as Maximus in Gladiator, Tom Cruise in Top Gun: Maverick, Adam Driver as Kylo Ren in the Star Wars franchise and Bryan Cranston as Walter White in Breaking Bad. Also featured are shots from Braveheart, John Wick, Superman, Deadpool and…
PARIS — Les ministres des Finances des pays du G7 discuteront lundi de la possibilité d’utiliser les réserves pétrolières d’urgence dans un contexte de flambée des prix de l’énergie déclenchée par la guerre des Etats-Unis et d’Israël contre l’Iran. “Le recours aux réserves stratégiques est une option envisagée”, a déclaré lundi un conseiller de l’exécutif français. Le ministre français des finances, Roland Lescure, qui assure la présidence tournante du groupe des finances du G7, présidera la réunion virtuelle prévue à 13h30. Les discussions sur l’utilisation des réserves stratégiques de pétrole — de l’ordre de 300 à 400 millions de barils…
By Alessio Dell’Anna & video by Maud Zaba Published on 09/03/2026 – 10:32 GMT+1•Updated 10:33 If you ever wondered whether young Europeans tend to vote for political parties on the left more than the right, the answer might be neither way. Across the EU’s five largest member states, the majority of people aged 16 to 39 gravitate towards the political centre, particularly in Italy and Germany. That’s according to the Allianz Foundation’s 2026 Next Generation Study. Spain stands out as the most left-leaning country among young people, with 28% identifying either with the left or the far-left. At the other end of the…
A major fire at a vape shop near Glasgow Central railway station caused significant travel disruption on Monday. Authorities closed Scotland’s busiest station after the blaze broke out in a four-storey building on Union Street. Firefighters were called to the scene on Sunday afternoon and were still battling the fire early Monday morning. Rail operators warned passengers of cancellations and delays on several routes connecting Glasgow with other cities. Officials said there was no estimate for when the station would reopen. No casualties have been reported.
Muscat International Airport in Oman’s capital city has been a key transit point providing relief flights for passengers who were unable to take off from the UAE due to ongoing regional airspace closures. Over the past week Oman Air has operated almost 80 extra flights and “helped more than 97,000 passengers get home”, it said in a statement on X. The airline will continue to “add extra frequencies where operationally possible” and additional bus support services have “also been made available for those crossing the land border from the UAE to Oman to catch onward flights”. The “vast majority” of…
It’s now a worldwide campaign. Major cultural institutions from Rome to Seattle to Lyon have reacted to Timothée Chalamet’s comments about opera and ballet, which the actor described as “things that nobody cares about any more”. This explosive remark was made during a podcast organised by Variety and CNN between the Franco-American actor and his Hollywood counterpart Matthew McConaughey, at a University of Texas event on 24 February. Just over 50 minutes into the show, Timothée Chalamet was asked about cinema attendance and the fact that audiences’ attention spans are dwindling, with some viewers wanting the action to start in…
As Iran names its new supreme leader oil prices skyrocket, sending shockwaves across the global economy – but how will the UK government deal with the issue? US President Donald Trump claims the surge is a “small price to pay” for peace – but as G7 finance leaders hold an emergency meeting later today can they find ways to limit the damage? Sam and Anne discuss the steps Sir Keir Starmer can take to reassure the British public, if the conflict could hit people’s pockets, and whether there is potential of world economies collapsing under the pressure. The pair also…
9:26 GMT+1 Two injured in Iranian attacks on UAE capital Abu Dhabi The capital of the United Arab Emirates came under Iranian attack on Monday, with two people sustaining wounds by shrapnel from interceptions in Abu Dhabi, authorities reported. 9:22 GMT+1 Seoul to cap oil prices to stabilise soaring fuel costs South Korea says it will cap oil prices for the first time since 1997 to stabilise soaring fuel costs driven by the Iran War.Kim Yong-beom, the presidential policy chief of staff, said in a briefing on Monday that Seoul plans to introduce the caps sometime this week.The government did…