Author: staff

Arkady Dvorkovich, Russia’s former deputy prime minister and president of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), suspended his duties Thursday evening after the European Union sanctioned him. In its latest sanctions package, the EU accused Dvorkovich of “supporting actions or policies which undermine or threaten the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.” The FIDE chief pushed back, stating “unequivocally” that he considers the decision “unlawful and unfair.” “I am confident that justice will prevail,” he added. Dvorkovich became FIDE’s president in 2018, drawing criticism over his closeness to Vladimir Putin’s regime. The Russian president appointed him as deputy prime minister from…

Published on 24/07/2026 – 19:20 GMT+2 Latvia’s parliament approved law tweaks restricting the import of a range of Russian and Belarusian consumer goods not already covered by EU sanctions, in a move aimed at further cutting economic ties with Moscow and limiting the spread of Kremlin propaganda. “To ensure the security of Latvian society… and to provide general support to Ukrainian society, the importation of certain industrial goods into the Republic of Latvia from the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus is prohibited,” the amendments to Latvia’s law (link in Latvian language) on Support for the Civilian Population of…

The plan, which is completely voluntary, was finally adopted by delegates on Friday. It advises countries to address issues such as biodiversity, animal welfare, emissions and how to prevent the spread of disease. The word gender only appears once, to explain the numerous mentions of women and equality throughout the document. The goal is to promote equal opportunities for women farmers as well as their nutrition. “The cross-cutting themes of gender, youth and inclusion are considered essential to ensure that the transformation leaves no one behind,” the agreement states. But for Washington, the word is too ambiguous. The U.S. administration…

Published on 24/07/2026 – 18:34 GMT+2 A suicide bomber, supported by armed militants, targeted a security checkpoint in northwestern Pakistan overnight, killing 15 security personnel, the military said on Friday. In a statement, the military said troops repelled the assault in the Tank district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The attackers attempted to storm the checkpoint before ramming an explosives-laden vehicle into its perimeter wall, causing a powerful blast that severely damaged the site. “Fifteen brave sons of soil including twelve military, two policemen and a government official ex forest department rendered the ultimate sacrifice and embraced Shahadat (martyrdom),” the military’s…

Published on 24/07/2026 – 17:56 GMT+2 Archaeologists in Pompeii have unveiled the partially reconstructed frescoed ceiling of a banquet hall featuring scenes from Greek mythology. Pompeii Archaeological Park said on Friday that it had used an innovative technique to reconstruct the ceiling, which is believed to have belonged to a banquet hall on the upper floor of a house with an adjoining bakery. Experts created a curved support structure to position the fragments in a way that replicates the vault’s original shape. The restoration has so far reconstructed more than a quarter of the original ceiling, while allowing additional sections…

Der überraschende Rücktritt von Jens Spahn löst eine gewaltige Personal-Rochade in der CDU aus. Rixa Fürsen analysiert mit Miriam Hollstein, stellvertretende Ressortchefin Politik bei BILD, den Umbau der Machtzentrale. Von Nina Warken im Kanzleramt bis zu Carsten Linnemann im Gesundheitsressort. Die beiden blicken auf die nächtliche Absage von Fritz Güntzler fürs Verkehrsministerium per SMS. Zudem wackelt die Zukunft von Wirtschaftsministerin Katherina Reiche, während Kanzler Merz bereits weitere personelle Schritte ankündigt. Außerdem: Welche Konsequenzen drohen der SPD angesichts des Machtbebens und der anstehenden Landtagswahlen? Wie der Vizekanzler und SPD-Co-Chef Lars Klingbeil nur informiert statt einbezogen wird, wie es eigentlich um einen…

Published on 24/07/2026 – 17:44 GMT+2 The device was discovered during a planned operation in County Monaghan, close to the border with Northern Ireland. The bomb was made safe by the Irish Army’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal team before being removed for forensic examination. Police said the operation had prevented an attack that could have caused “devastating consequences”. Garda (Irish police) Commissioner Drew Harris described the device as “extremely significant”. At the same time, Assistant Commissioner Angela Willis said it was one of the most sophisticated improvised explosive devices recovered in recent years. The two suspects, both aged in their 40s,…

Travellers to Edinburgh will now have to pay a tourist tax, starting Friday 24 July. A 5% fee now applies to the cost of all paid overnight accommodation in Scotland’s capital. Edinburgh is the first Scottish city to introduce such a scheme, and hopes to raise up to £50 million (€58 million) a year to invest in its worldwide appeal as a place to visit and live. Edinburgh tourist tax comes into force The visitor levy was formally agreed in January 2025, with councillors approving a proposal to charge guests at hotels, B&Bs, hostels and holiday rentals including Airbnbs. The…

It’s yet another thorny issue to solve for the EU’s 27 countries racing to reach a deal before the start of 2027, when national elections are due in France, Italy, Poland and Spain, which could make discussions even more difficult. Major contributors to the budget including Italy, France and Spain, and net recipients of EU funds such as Hungary, Malta and Poland, spoke out against the cash-for-reforms model during Wednesday’s meeting. Critics say that the approach could increase the power of national governments at the expense of regions, and result in the EU imposing reforms with no political backing. “We…

Far-right leaders from the Patriots for Europe group are increasingly raising concerns over the latest political developments in Hungary, warning of a decline in democracy under Prime Minister Péter Magyar – but the European Commission remains supportive of Magyar’s government, which it considers pro-European. Magyar, who ousted his predecessor Viktor Orbán at April’s parliamentary election, has launched a political campaign dubbed “Purgatorium” to dismantle Orbán’s political system and remove officials appointed by his predecessor. Some of the country’s most prominent Orbán-era figures are already falling away. Last weekend, President Tamás Sulyok signed a constitutional amendment that ended his own mandate;…