Author: staff
Western leaders have urged the Iranian regime to reopen the waterway, through which a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas transits. Prolonged closure is driving up global oil prices and damaging economic growth prospects across the EU. Kallas, the EU’s foreign policy chief, wrote on X that “under international law, transit through waterways like the Strait of Hormuz must remain open and free of charge.” But the Iranian regime poured scorn on Kallas’ assertion. “Oh, that ‘international law’?! The one that the EU dusts off to lecture others while quietly green-lighting a U.S.-Israeli war of aggression…
Democratic strategist Fred Hicks said he’s encouraged by voters reengaging with the party after an uninspiring 2024 that saw former President Joe Biden drop out from the presidential race and Harris’ abbreviated campaign fail to prevent Trump’s reelection.“Trump’s decisions and his announcements sobered up Democrats and Democratic-leaning voters right away, so that people realized they didn’t have the luxury of sitting in their feelings,” Hicks said.Another encouraging sign for Democrats is that some of the state legislative elections have overlapped with congressional battlegrounds. Three state legislative special elections in Iowa, for example, occurred within the bounds of the state’s 1st…
By Serge Duchêne Published on 19/04/2026 – 13:57 GMT+2 A night-time strike in northern Ukraine claimed the life of a teenager and wounded four people, the city’s military administration said on Sunday. “One person was killed: a 16-year-old boy”, Dmytro Bryjynsky, head of the military administration of the town of Chernihiv, said on Telegram. He added that four people were injured in the attack, which damaged several homes as well as administrative and school buildings. On Saturday night, Russian forces launched 236 drones against Ukrainian cities, 203 of which were shot down or neutralised by Ukrainian air defences. 18 sites were…
Updated: 19/04/2026 – 12:00 GMT+2 Catch up with the most important stories from around Europe and beyond this April 19th, 2026 – latest news, breaking news, World, Business, Entertainment, Politics, Culture, Travel. … More
For Mullin’s backers, those moves — in particular the reversal of the contract review policy — are a sign he is turning the department around. But his approach so far has brought him criticism from both Democrats who say Mullin’s changes don’t go far enough, and from immigration hardliners in President Donald Trump’s political base who argue Mullin’s rhetoric is undermining the president’s promised immigration crackdown.“During this grace period, things have happened that have been counter to the mass deportation cause, and nothing seems to have happened that is in favor of the mass deportation cause,” said Mike Howell, who…
Bulgarians headed to the polls Sunday for the eighth time in five years, with anti-corruption candidate and former president Rumen Radev’s bloc tipped to win. The European Union’s poorest member has been through a spate of governments since 2021, when large anti-graft rallies brought an end to the conservative government of long-time leader Boyko Borissov. Eurostat data shows Bulgaria consistently ranks last in the EU by GDP per capita. In 2025, Bulgaria (along with Greece) was at 68% of the EU average. Radev, who has advocated for renewing ties with Russia and opposes military aid to Ukraine, was president for…
By Peter Barabas from Doha Published on 19/04/2026 – 12:19 GMT+2 After a brief sigh of global relief over the Strait of Hormuz reopening in a path towards peace, Iran reignited the standoff by firing at ships attempting to cross the waterway on Saturday, triggering a new escalation amid questions as to who makes the decisions in Tehran, with three days before the ceasefire expires and with no new peace talks scheduled yet. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) who reports only to Iran’s supreme leader, signalled that it decides the conditions of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, contradicting Iranian foreign ministers…
Orbán’s Fidesz party came in a distant second with only 52 seats in the parliament. “Here are the results of the 2026 parliamentary election: an unprecedented majority, an unprecedented mandate — and, at the same time, an unprecedented responsibility,” Magyar wrote in an X post on Saturday. He added that he could be officially sworn in as prime minister in mid-May. Magyar’s supermajority could facilitate the swift approval of democratic reforms necessary to unlock €17 billion of EU funds that were frozen over rule-of-law shortcomings under Orbán’s tenure. Under the current rules, the Hungarian government has to fulfill 27 EU-mandated…
US President Donald Trump on Saturday announced an easing of restrictions on research into psychedelic drugs – such as so-called “magic mushrooms” – that have shown promise in treating people with mental health conditions. Flanked by US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, top medical officials and podcaster Joe Rogan, who has pushed for access to the drugs, Trump signed an executive order that would help federal researchers cut through the red tape to allow for quicker studies. The president said the order would “clear away unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles, improve data sharing among the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and…
Published on 19/04/2026 – 7:58 GMT+2 German technology company Siemens and chip giant Nvidia have tested a humanoid robot on a live factory floor. The test in partnership with robotics company Humanoid based in the United Kingdom, marks a step towards artificial intelligence-driven production where machines and humans work alongside each other. Siemens said in an announcement that the robot, powered by Nvidia’s AI technology, was deployed at its electronics plant in Erlangen, in southwest Germany. The robot, Humanoid’s HMND 01, performed routine logistics tasks, such as picking up, moving, and placing containers used by human workers. The robot operated…