Author: staff
The Ukrainian army has released footage showing what it says is the first evacuation of a wounded soldier from the front line using an aerial drone. According to the drone unit of the 92nd Assault Brigade, the soldier was injured in a position where a conventional evacuation was impossible because of mines and Russian drone activity. The footage shows soldiers monitoring the operation from a control room as the wounded serviceman attaches himself to the drone and is lifted away from the danger zone. The drone is then seen carrying the soldier to a landing point, where he is brought…
Oil prices continued to trade around a five-month high on Tuesday morning, as traders weighed the risk of further Iranian attacks in the Strait of Hormuz, amid relatively strong flows of crude oil from the Persian Gulf. International benchmark Brent crude futures traded at around $110 a barrel ahead of the European markets opening, while US benchmark WTI crude traded above $104 a barrel for delivery next month. According to ING’s commodities strategists, the high prices despite strong flows “suggest the market is pricing in a significant risk premium, given the situation’s volatility”. There is no sign for now that…
When young people challenge the establishment, they often adopt fictional works or popular culture iconography in their protests, with some images and symbols becoming unlikely rallying cries. Amid the banners, placards and slogans seen on the streets of France, a black flag with a smiling skull wearing a straw hat frequently pops up. The pirate emblem immediately speaks to fans of the manga series One Piece: it’s the “Jolly Roger”, one of the most recognizable logos in pop culture. The iconography was already present during last year’s September protests in France, and it has re-emerged during the ongoing student protests…
John Healey’s first budget is shrouded in secrecy so how come we know he won’t be touching capital gains tax? Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy ponder whether the Treasury is worried about growth and discuss how Kemi Badenoch is trying to get the Conservatives on an economic front foot. Plus, they pull apart the weekly polling numbers, and Sam’s got a story about the wait times for parents of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) children.
Published on 20/10/2026 – 9:40 GMT+2 Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary has called European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen “useless”, accusing her of talking about competitiveness while doing nothing to deliver it. In an interview with Euronews, O’Leary said “You have that ship of fools in the European parliament, redesigning more regulations designed to increase the cost of air travel when consumers want lower fares.” O’Leary attacked EU environmental taxes that apply only to flights within the bloc. American, Asian and Chinese carriers are exempt, even though he says they produce more than half of Europe’s aviation emissions. “Nobody…
Paris police imposed an overnight curfew on Monday in two areas of the capital, after a weekend of some of France’s worst rioting in years. People may not enter or stay in Place de la Republique or the Les Halles shopping district from 11pm until 6am on Tuesday. Gatherings and demonstrations are barred from 8pm. On Monday evening, police guarded the two spots and asked passers-by to take other routes. Some people had their identity papers checked. A helicopter with a searchlight passed over Les Halles several times, and the streets stayed quiet. The prime minister had earlier asked prefects…
Published on 20/10/2026 – 9:27 GMT+2•Updated 9:30 Six months before France elects a successor to President Emmanuel Macron, the country was rocked over the weekend by some of its worst street violence in years, with thousands of shops damaged, many looted. The unrest came after weeks of student demonstrations demanding better conditions in schools. More than 3,000 businesses suffered damage, according to the authorities. Since Sunday, screenshots have circulated on social media showing online resale listings for items allegedly stolen during the weekend unrest. “Stolen items from this weekend are being offered for sale on certain platforms,” digital minister Anne…
As temperatures drop and autumn settles in, it’s the ideal time to explore European cities which seem made for cosy escapes. Think winding cobbled streets, historic cafés and canals lined with colourful leaves. Now, a new study of Reddit discussions has revealed the continent’s cosiest destinations for autumn 2026, with Bruges taking the top spot. Amsterdam and Prague follow closely, but the ranking also features some surprising destinations you might not expect – like sunny Lisbon and Athens. The study, by UK-based holiday home letting agency Big House Experience, looked at cities within continental Europe (and outside of the UK),…
Published on 20/10/2026 – 7:10 GMT+2 An Egyptian farmer growing cucumbers on his land has helped archaeologists find the remains of two colossal royal statues, including a head of Ramses II measuring 1.6 metres tall. Khaled Khalil came across a stone bearing ancient carvings on land in front of his home in Behbeit el-Hagar, a village in the Nile Delta’s Gharbia governorate, and alerted antiquities officials. Officials examined the stone before an Egyptian team from the Supreme Council of Antiquities began a rescue excavation, according to the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. Egyptian news outlet Youm7 reported that Khalil had…
Le Pen has already cast herself as the alternative president, delivering a sober address to the nation Sunday and pitching herself as the candidate of a “pacified France.” Jordan Bardella, president of her National Rally party, upped the ante on the protests and pitched his party as the only one able to restore order, dialing up fears about the pillaging. The rioters “will soon be breaking into people’s homes,” he said at a press conference in Paris. “The authorities are collapsing.” But excessive, prolonged chaos could backfire on a party long seen as instigating civil unrest. And the topic is…