Author: staff

Over dinner, leaders talked about how to make the EU’s barely used mutual defense clause — Article 42.7 — work in practice, while avoiding any suggestion it could replace NATO’s Article 5 security guarantee. That discussion comes at a sensitive moment for European capitals, which are trying to respond to growing uncertainty over Washington’s commitment to European security without sending the signal — either to the U.S. or to Russia — that they are undermining NATO themselves. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk was among those who came out strongly in favor of making Article 42.7 operational, according to a senior…

A bill to legalise assisted dying for terminally ill adults in England and Wales failed in parliament on Friday after getting bogged down in Britain’s unelected upper house, as campaigners vowed to fight on. Charlie Falconer, who sponsored the legislation in the House of Lords, accused opponents of “pure obstructionism” after the bill simply ran out of time. MPs in the House of Commons had backed legalising euthanasia for adults who have been given less than six months to live and can clearly express a wish to die, in a historic vote last June. But more than 1,200 bill amendments…

European hotels come in every size, shape and budget – from luxuriously opulent heritage stays to chic hideaways in your favourite city. This year has already seen a number of iconic hotel openings like Orient Express Palazzo Donà Giovannelli, with others like the Baccarat Hotel Rome planned for later this year. For travellers looking for their next beautiful stay, Condé Nast Traveller has just released its 2026 Hot List, featuring the best European hotels in 2026. Take a look at our favourites from the list. A rustic stay at Tella Thera, Greece Tella There, located among West Crete’s ancient olive…

While Cyprus wants the article to be better defined, countries on the frontline against Russia are worried about the EU pledge clashing with NATO’s Article 5 common defense pact. Seeking to reassure them, Cyprus Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos told POLITICO on the sidelines of the leaders’ meeting that 42.7 is “not about defense, I agree with that, it’s about mutual assistance.” If a country is attacked, the article does not mandate that other members have to respond with military force. It says they have an “obligation of aid and assistance by all the means in their power.” According to the…

Published on 24/04/2026 – 13:40 GMT+2 Posts shared on X feature what appears to be a BBC News report of an interview with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy from his office in Kyiv. In the background of the footage, a painting is visible, identified as Nature morte aux cerises, or “Still Life with Cherries” in English, by the French artist Paul Cézanne. The posts suggested that the painting, recently stolen in Italy, has somehow found its way onto the wall of Ukraine’s presidency. It is true that “Still Life with Cherries” was among three works stolen on the night of 22 and…

The trip was intended to show support as the war enters its fourth year since Russia’s full scale invasion on 24 February 2022. Prince Harry travelled by train and attended the Kyiv Independent Security Forum, where he met figures including combat medic Yuliia Paievska. In a speech, he called for an end to the violence and addressed Vladimir Putin directly, saying no nation wants to see further human losses, while praising Ukrainians for their resilience. On 24 April, Prince Harry visited demining teams from HALO Trust near Bucha, where he observed and tested equipment used to clear landmines and unexploded…

The urgency to invest in and reshape transit routes continues to dominate government priorities in the Caspian region, as do the instability of supplies, the cost of oil and global logistical realities. Anar Habib, senior middle distillates trader at SOCAR, emphasised that investment must flow into infrastructure in this part of the world to secure a more stable future. “Azerbaijan is a real gateway for movement between East and West, and investment into this part of the world is crucial, particularly in highlighting the geopolitical situation here, where hurdles are now being removed,” he said. Senior executives, traders and policymakers…

Published on 24/04/2026 – 16:42 GMT+2 The Chinese artificial intelligence company DeepSeek has unveiled a preview of its new large language model, V4, as the global AI race makes pace. DeepSeek became one of the most closely watched AI companies last year after releasing models in January 2025 that appeared to deliver strong performance at lower cost than many US rivals. The Hangzhou-based startup released the model as DeepSeek V4-Pro and DeepSeek V4-Flash. V4-Pro is a larger model aimed at more demanding tasks, while V4-Flash is a smaller version designed to respond faster and cost less to run. “In world…

Late every summer, hulking white bears gather outside a tiny Alaska Native village on the edge of the continent, far above the Arctic Circle, to feast on whale carcasses left behind by hunters and to wait for the deep cold to freeze the sea. It’s a spectacle that once brought 1,000 or more tourists each year to Kaktovik, the only settlement in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, in a phenomenon sometimes called “last chance tourism” – a chance to see magnificent sights and creatures before climate change renders them extinct. The COVID-19 pandemic and an order from the federal government…

Published on 24/04/2026 – 17:02 GMT+2 A 25-foot ice sculpture in downtown Toronto sounds peaceful enough – until it attracted flamethrowers, sledgehammers, fan frenzy, and eventually the fire brigade. This was Drake’s way of getting people’s attention. The Canadian rapper installed the towering sculpture in a car park in his hometown to tease his upcoming album ‘ICEMAN’ – a name that given America’s political current climate, could be read as a little tone-deaf. Crowds gathered quickly, climbing all over the installation, livestreaming the chaos, and posing for photos. Things escalated fast. Viral clips showed people turning up armed with tools…