Author: staff
By Dianne Apen-Sadler with AP Published on 23/02/2026 – 9:45 GMT+1•Updated 24/02/2026 – 8:16 GMT+1 Tourists in parts of Mexico have been warned to stay inside after violence erupted across the country following the killing of a cartel boss. Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho”, was killed during a shoot-out in his home state of Jalisco as the Mexican military attempted to capture him on Sunday 22 February. Cartel members responded with violence, blocking roads and setting fire to vehicles. While the situation has returned to normal in many parts of the country, the US State Department is still advising its…
On the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, European leaders gather in Kyiv to signal unity and solidarity. But back in Brussels, Hungary blocks a new sanctions package against the Kremlin and a €90 billion loan to Ukraine. Host Ian Wishart is joined by senior finance reporter Kathryn Carlson. We also hear from Zoya Sheftalovich on the train to Kyiv with Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa, as she describes the mood around the trip — and how Hungary’s veto cast a shadow over the anniversary. Plus: Aging EU buildings are showing their wear — from water…
By Theo Farrant & AP Published on 24/02/2026 – 7:01 GMT+1 Robotaxis could begin operating on London’s streets as early as this year. But does the technology work, and is it better than a human brain that’s memorised the many thousands of streets around central London? In north London, a steering wheel turns smoothly through traffic with no hands touching it. The vehicle, developed by UK autonomous driving company Wayve, moves through congested streets, responding to traffic lights, cyclists, junctions and pedestrians in real time. A safety operator sits behind the wheel, ready to intervene if necessary, as required under current UK regulations…
Friedrich Merz reist nach China. Mit einer 30-köpfigen Wirtschaftsdelegation und klaren Worten im Gepäck. Kurz vor dem Abflug hat der Kanzler das Land als globalen Machtfaktor beschrieben, der Abhängigkeiten ausnutzt, Taiwan unter Druck setzt und die internationale Ordnung in seinem Sinne neu deutet. Gordon Repinski analysiert, wie der Kanzler die kritische Perspektive darauf und wirtschaftspolitische Interessen Deutschlands auf seiner Reise in Einklang bringen will. Im 200-Sekunden-Interview spricht BDI-Hauptgeschäftsführerin Tanja Gönner über Wettbewerb mit China, De-Risking, Exportkontrollen bei Seltenen Erden und die Balance zwischen strategischer Eigenständigkeit und wirtschaftlicher Kooperation. Bei den Grünen steht eine weitreichende Parteireform an. Maximilian Stascheit über ein…
By César Olmos with AP Published on 24/02/2026 – 7:02 GMT+1 Nearly 150 years after the last giant tortoises were removed from Floreana Island in Ecuador’s Galápagos archipelago, the species made a comeback on Friday (20 February), when dozens of juvenile hybrids were released to begin restoring the island’s depleted ecosystem. The 158 newcomers, aged 8 to 13, have begun exploring the habitat they are destined to reshape over the coming years. Their release was perfectly timed with the arrival of the season’s first winter rains. “They are large enough to be released and can defend themselves against introduced animals such as rats…
As the war of words continued, Ukraine’s Sybiha said Hungary and Slovakia should “send their concerns to the Kremlin.” Russian oil accounted for 92 percent of Budapest’s energy imports last year, according to the Center for the Study of Democracy, a European policy institute. Orbán has frequently argued his country has no viable alternatives to Russian imports. Funding war Budapest last week called on Croatia to supply it with seaborne shipments of Russian oil via its Adria pipeline in order to replace the supplies lost as a result of the Druzhba closure. Croatia has long offered to step in to…
In hundreds of emails between Ehnbom and Epstein, or his assistant Lesley Groff, their chatty, familiar manner paints a picture of an established relationship that benefited them both. The communications continued from 2005 through 2018 — after his 2008 conviction and during his 13-month jail term. He died by suicide in jail in 2019. Ehnbom later said that she was “deeply outraged” by the abuse girls had been subjected to. The exchanges released by the U.S. Department of Justice and reviewed by POLITICO show Ehnbom telling Epstein she was financially dependent on him to continue her projects in Sweden. These included…
In the meantime, Ukraine’s manpower challenge is of a higher order — as this column has persistently reported since early 2024. Around two million Ukrainians are wanted for military registration violations, the new Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov disclosed last month. In November, Ukraine’s Office of the Prosecutor General revealed there are 310,000 criminal cases outstanding for unauthorized absences and desertion with the bulk occurring in 2025. Simply put, the Ukrainian armed forces (AFU) are recruiting insufficient numbers to compensate for losses — and desertions. Mobilization is unpopular and there’s a growing reluctance to serve. “The main factors responsible for the…
Bien malin qui pourrait prédire qui sera élu maire d’Annecy le 22 mars prochain, tant les projections de notre sondage* exclusif Cluster 17 pour POLITICO sont serrées. Trois candidats sont en mesure de l’emporter : maire entre 2007 et 2020, Jean-Luc Rigaut (divers droite) est crédité de 26% des intentions de vote, tout comme le député Antoine Armand, soutenu par Renaissance, Les Républicains, Horizons et l’UDI. Et, seulement un point derrière, on trouve la liste d’union de la gauche (hors La France insoumise) menée par Alexandre Mulatier-Gachet. Au pied du podium avec 14% des voix, le candidat Rassemblement national, Guillaume…
Costa went on to warn Orbán that failing to abide by the Dec. 18 decision would “constitute a violation of the principle of sincere cooperation” between EU countries and that “no Member State can be allowed to undermine the credibility of decisions taken collectively by the European Council.” However, in a reply later that same day, Orbán — who is up for reelection in April — insisted he would continue to oppose the transfer of funds, accusing Kyiv of slow-walking repairs to the Druzhba pipeline, which was damaged in a Russian drone attack. “There are no technical obstacles to restarting…