Author: staff

Europe breathed a sigh of relief after finally agreeing on a new Russia sanctions list. But attention is turning to the compromise that got it over the line: dropping two Russian billionaires. On the show, hosts Zoya Sheftalovich and Sarah Wheaton discuss reactions from around the EU to the deal, plus revelations about why France might have wanted billionaire Alisher Usmanov removed from the list in the first place. Next, the U.K. is planning to release prisoners in an attempt to relieve some of the pressure on its overcrowded jails — but the plan has EU countries nervous. Zoya and…

Montenegro’s ambitious goal of becoming the EU’s 28th member by 2028 could be jeopardised unless it resolves its outstanding bilateral disputes with Croatia soon. Brussels was forced to postpone a pencilled-in intergovernmental conference with the bloc’s “frontrunner” candidate on Tuesday, after Croatia reiterated its opposition to closing several negotiating chapters over the ongoing disputes. Podgorica has already closed 18 negotiating chapters and aims to complete its homework on the remaining 15 by the end of the month, which would then leave it up to member states to sign off on them. But the long-running disputes with Croatia risk derailing the…

Published on 24/09/2026 – 5:46 GMT+2•Updated 5:46 In a grand welcome, US President Donald Trump greeted his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, on the tarmac of Joint Base Andrews, just outside of Washington, D.C, on Wednesday, for his three-day state visit, as their top officials agreed to prolong a trade truce until January. The truce, which includes both countries agreeing to scale back tariffs and not impose new trade restrictions, was announced by Trump’s Treasury Secretary, Bessent, during a Fox News Channel interview, “I don’t know whether a bigger deal can be done. I don’t know whether we will just roll…

The U.N. has been trying — since well before a former Anthropic and OpenAI staffer warned about AI potentially ending humanity within the next decade — to establish itself as the venue for these discussions. After all, both the U.S. and China sit on the Security Council. One of the key bodies at the U.N. formed in recent years to confront new AI challenges is the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI, which released a preliminary report on AI risks at a U.N. AI summit in Geneva in July. The report will be the foundation of the U.N.’s Global Dialogue on AI Governance, set to…

The European Union is facing the prospect of another squeeze on its liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies, as US President Donald Trump’s latest Russia sanctions could disrupt the LNG flows the EU still relies on. Trump recently signed the Lindsey Graham Sanctions Act, allowing him to impose tariffs of up to 100% on countries still buying Russian oil or natural gas, especially those accused of helping Moscow evade sanctions, China and India chief among them. While the law does not automatically impose tariffs on the EU, its practical application remains uncertain and creates a new risk for European governments and…

Published on 23/09/2026 – 8:30 GMT+2•Updated 13:50 Eleven people, among them a pregnant woman, were shot dead late on Tuesday when armed men burst into a house in a township in Durban, South Africa, provincial officials said. The victims had gathered at the homestead shortly before 11pm (local time) when the attackers entered and began shooting, according to Thamsanqa Ntuli, premier of KwaZulu-Natal, the province whose largest city is Durban. Speaking to AFP on Wednesday, Ntuli said two people survived. Police have not yet identified a motive. Ntuli said the killings had left residents “in profound shock and grief.” South…

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The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art opens to the public in Los Angeles, where director George Lucas greets the first visitors. The video shows fans posing with an R2-D2 droid before exploring the ‘Star Wars in Motion’ display. Inside, they view Stormtrooper and Luke Skywalker memorabilia, discover other narrative artworks and browse the museum shop. The display features props, costumes, vehicles and designs from the first six ‘Star Wars’ films. The museum also presents work by artists including Norman Rockwell, Jack Kirby and Banksy, underlining its wider focus on visual storytelling. Several visitors describe the opening as a long-awaited meeting…

Refugee charities condemn the use of such bases as “inhumane,” while the right has seized on them as a poison forced on undeserving countryside communities.  Though unlikely, ministers could still back away from Piddington, given that the village’s referendum vote fell within the consultation period during which the government must consider local objections to the proposals. But Labour MPs in the North of England, whose constituencies have long been used for asylum accommodation, are urging the government to “hold firm.” “Yes, it could be a flashpoint. But then, so have asylum hotels been,” one of them, granted anonymity to speak…

Published on 23/09/2026 – 17:08 GMT+2•Updated 21:13 For photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand, the idea of living together is at the heart of his latest portrait project, Vivre Ensemble, now on display in Lyon. The exhibition brings together hundreds of portraits exploring the people and stories that make up contemporary France. Arthus-Bertrand began the project with demographer Hervé Le Bras, aiming to document different professions, social classes and family structures in a country he says is changing rapidly. The photographer says he has photographed around 40,000 people as part of the project, including nearly 1,500 people in Lyon, where a studio photographed…