Author: staff

China’s first corgi police dog has once again captured public attention — this time by snatching a sausage while on duty. Fuzai, a one-and-a-half-year-old pooch based at a police dog training centre in Weifang, Shandong province, has built a reputation not just for his bomb-sniffing skills but also for his mischievous nature, according to local media. He was discovered at just two months old by police dog trainer Zhao Qingshuai, who was immediately taken by the young dog’s curiosity and instincts. Fuzai officially joined the ranks in October 2024 after successfully completing his training in explosive detection, vehicle inspection and obstacle…

The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) announced Monday that it will disband and disarm, ending 40 years of conflict with Turkey. The announcement follows a February call by PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, who has been imprisoned on an island near Istanbul since 1999, for the group to hold a congress and formally dissolve. According to Öcalan, the PKK has outlived its original mission. In March, the PKK declared a unilateral ceasefire with Turkey amid political signals from Turkey’s ruling coalition suggesting the PKK leader could be granted parole if the group disbanded. The group, which had been designated a terrorist organization…

Sky News’ Sam Coates and Politico’s Anne McElvoy preview how the day will play out in British politics. Today’s the day when Sir Keir Starmer finally reveals his big shake-up of migration laws. Sam and Anne discuss the focus on low-skilled workers that will be big for the social care and university sectors, and how there’s a growing concern in government that the benefits of migration are being overstated. That’s how the PM wants to start the week, but his agenda might be overshadowed by international events. The Foreign Secretary David Lammy will be part of today’s efforts to make…

The nub of the issue is whether text messages should be classed as documents and therefore eligible to be published in the name of transparency. While campaigners and many external observers say they should be treated just like any other means of official communication when related to policymaking, the Commission says not. Major embarrassment The case is legally tricky for von der Leyen because she not only personally signed off on the bloc’s largest vaccine contract — worth billions of euros — she also presides over the very institution tasked with enforcing EU law, which includes principles of transparency and…

Risk-on sentiment continued to dominate global market trends during Monday’s Asian session after officials from the US and China signalled “substantial progress” following two days of trade negotiations in Switzerland over the weekend.China’s Vice Premier, He Lifeng, described the meeting as “an important first step” towards resolving differences, with both sides agreeing to establish a mechanism for further discussions. However, no specific details were provided regarding the points of agreement or the timeline for subsequent meetings. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that more information would be shared on Monday, while he noted that a joint statement would be released.Risk-on…

Anders Fogh Rasmussen, former NATO chief and founder of the Alliance of Democracies Foundation that coauthored the index, said he was “not surprised that perceptions of the United States have fallen so sharply.” Meanwhile, China kept improving its global standing, overtaking the U.S. for the first time and recording mostly positive perceptions in all regions except Europe. Russia, the reputation of which tanked in the wake of President Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, is still (slightly) more unpopular than the U.S. — though its image is also improving. Trump’s reputation is in line with that of his…

Europe’s fuel manufacturers are strategic allies — not obstacles — in achieving climate neutrality. We stand ready to accelerate decarbonization across all transport sectors, with the right policy support. Europe’s fuel manufacturers are strategic allies — not obstacles — in achieving climate neutrality. With growing concern, FuelsEurope and its members observe the recent public discourse questioning the availability of SAF in Europe — and, astonishingly, the commitment of Europe’s fuel manufacturing sector. Recent claims by the aviation industry, citing an early version of a Boston Consulting Group (BCG) report,1 allege that fuel producers are falling short of delivering SAF to…

Während Friedrich Merz in Kiew mit Selenskyj, Macron und Tusk auftritt, kämpft Lars Klingbeil an der SPD-Basis mit Wut und Vertrauensverlust. Der Rückzug von Saskia Esken ebnet den Weg für einen Neustart endgültig – wahrscheinlich mit Bärbel Bas und Tim Klüssendorf. Eine Analyse von Gordon Repinski Im 200-Sekunden-Interview erklärt Serpil Midyatlı, wie sich die SPD aufstellt und wo sie ihre Rolle dabei sieht. Und aus Kiew berichtet Hans von der Burchard über Merz’ Reise, Putins Taktik und das Dilemma wachsender Erwartungen an einen Waffenstillstand. Das Berlin Playbook als Podcast gibt es morgens um 5 Uhr. Gordon Repinski und das POLITICO-Team…

This symbiotic relationship is, of course, how Westminster has worked for decades. The Conservative government had its own mostly separate battalion of “friendly” think tanks that helped draft policies and strategy. Plenty also doubt think tanks will actually end up driving more policy. “There’s ‘we need your help,’ and there’s ‘sure! We’re always glad to have your help!’” said one Labour member of parliament, rolling their eyes. “Those are two different things.” All the same, Labour has every reason to ask. Almost a year into a five-year term, the government is fighting slow economic growth, a slump in opinion polls…

A lone exit poll released by Klan Kosova — a news channel from neighboring Kosovo — and the English-language Albanian Post news site known for its pro-government views, points to a decisive win for Prime Minister Edi Rama’s Socialists at 51 percent, with Sali Berisha’s Democrats lagging significantly behind at 38 percent. Broadcasters have offered no obvious explanation for their decision not to publish the polls, running normal stories such as analysis on what a win for either contender could mean or on small incidents such as a ballot box being damaged in the region of Kamëz. “My guess is…