Author: staff
Published on 29/04/2026 – 16:06 GMT+2 Gulf leaders gathered in Jeddah on Tuesday for their first in-person summit since the outbreak of the Iran war, projecting a unified front, even as the meeting stopped short of announcing concrete joint measures. Chaired by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the consultative Gulf Cooperation Council meeting focused on coordination, diplomacy and regional security after weeks of Iranian missile and drone attacks on energy and civilian infrastructure across the bloc. The meeting was as much about signalling unity as delivering concrete outcomes. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman personally received Qatar’s Emir Tamim…
Sybiha on Wednesday insisted his country was not engaging “Twitter diplomacy,” but instead making a “very concrete legal and diplomatic request for international legal assistance that necessitates a response.” “We expect the Israeli side to take it seriously rather than responding with emotional statements,” he added. Sa’ar rejected the allegation and doubled down on his criticism, insisting Israel was right in expecting “the submission of a legal request” for the seizure. He added that the formal petition, which was submitted by Ukraine’s Prosecutor General’s Office on Tuesday, was “now being examined by the relevant authorities.” “The Ukrainian side asks the…
Published on 29/04/2026 – 11:47 GMT+2 Ukraine is tracking multiple vessels carrying grain it says Russia stole from the occupied territories and shipped to at least four countries, as the diplomatic row over Ukraine and Israel over another stolen grain purchase rumbles on. The Ukrainian foreign ministry confirmed on Tuesday that Moscow’s sales of stolen grain are not limited to Israel, and that the total number of countries that have bought its shipments is likely bigger. “Such shipments arrived in Turkey, Egypt, Algeria and some other countries. These are only the cases I can recall from memory that happened earlier,”…
By Babak Kamiar & Euronews Persian Published on 29/04/2026 – 14:11 GMT+2•Updated 14:13 Tehran has executed at least 21 people and detained more than 4,000 since the start of the Iran war, the UN Human Rights Office said on Wednesday. In a statement from Geneva, the office said at least nine of those executed had been linked to the January protests, 10 were killed for alleged membership of opposition or hostile groups, and two were put to death on espionage charges. All executions took place after US and Israeli strikes on Iran began on 28 February. “I am shocked and alarmed,” said Volker…
For many Europeans, Finland remains a winter destination. However, this image contrasts with the explosion of light in the summer period. More and more travellers are discovering that the Finnish summer is one of the most amazing experiences in Northern Europe: mild temperatures, dreamy forests, good food, unique festivals and the spell of the midnight sun. “There is so much to discover in this country outside the classics,” explains David Campano, Visit Finland’s country manager for Spain and Italy. “We’ve been working hard on deseasonalisation over the last few years so that travellers discover that Finland is not just December…
What happens next will hinge on two reviews: one by ex-minister Alan Milburn into the rise of under-25s not in employment, education or training, and a separate review by Disability Minister Stephen Timms into Personal Independent Payments (PIP) for sick and disabled people regardless of whether they work. Government officials insist they are still committed to reforming both systems before the next general election due in 2029. Milburn’s review is due to report back at the end of this summer and Timms’ is due in the fall. That means welfare reform is unlikely to be given a fixed bill in…
EU Defence Commissioner Andrius Kubilius is pushing a new geopolitical proposal: a treaty-backed European Defence Union that would include the EU as well as Britain, Norway and Ukraine. Speaking in Poland on Wednesday, Kubilius said Europe must be ready to defend itself with or without allies in Washington – adding, “there is no time to waste”. “It would (be) a big strategic mistake from our side not to seek such an integration,” Kubilius said. “Let’s be realistic. NATO membership for Ukraine for the time being is not available and full membership of the European Union is a complicated process, which…
By Nina Borowski with AFP Published on 29/04/2026 – 14:31 GMT+2 Not as far, not as long and, above all, not as expensive. Against a backdrop of geopolitical tensions, a global energy crisis and inflation weighing on purchasing power, the French are revising their holiday plans for the summer of 2026. As a result of budgetary prudence and the search for security, fewer people in France are planning to head on holiday at all this summer, and those that are are opting for destinations closer to home – mainly in France. Enthusiasm for travel remains high, but less are certain their holidays will…
“London’s Jewish community have been the target of a series of shocking antisemitic attacks. There must be absolutely no place for antisemitism in society,” Khan added. In the House of Commons, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the attack is “deeply concerning.” “We all need to do everything we can to support that investigation and be absolutely clear in our determination to deal with any of these offenses, the like of which we’ve seen too much recently,” he added. Wednesday’s Golders Green stabbing marks the latest attack on Jewish communities in the capital since the start of 2026. Four Hatzola ambulances…
A man has been arrested in Berlin on suspicion of spying for Russia, German prosecutors said on Wednesday, the latest alleged Moscow-linked espionage plot uncovered in the country. Prosecutors said the suspect gave his Russian intelligence handler information about German military aid for Ukraine and photos of NATO military convoys moving along motorways and also identified possible targets for sabotage. Authorities in Germany, one of Kyiv’s key military backers, have uncovered scores of suspected espionage, sabotage and disinformation plots tied to Russia since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The suspect in the latest case, reportedly a Kazakh national…