Author: staff
European Union leaders have gathered in Cyprus for an informal summit that will kick off an internal process to establish a mutual assistance clause that could, one day, stand in for NATO’s Article 5, should the United States withdraw from the alliance, something that President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the war in the Middle East, the worsening energy crisis and the fate of the EU long-term budget will also be on the table. However, no decisions will be made on Thursday or Friday due to the meeting’s informal nature. As the holder of the…
Published on 23/04/2026 – 16:09 GMT+2 The US military seized another oil tanker in the Indian Ocean on Thursday that it said was associated with smuggling Iranian oil, as the wartime sea standoff between the US and Iran continued. The seizure of oil tanker Majestic X followed Iran’s attack on three cargo ships on Wednesday in the Strait of Hormuz, capturing two of them. The US Defence Department released footage of the seizure of the vessel, showing US troops on the deck, stating that the US military “will continue global maritime enforcement to disrupt illicit networks and interdict vessels providing…
The sanctions also include four banks from Kyrgyzstan, Laos and Azerbaijan, in a bid to crack down on sanction-busting strategies and efforts to pay for Russian oil and gas through the back door. EU businesses are also banned from dealing with Russian companies that handle or exchange cryptocurrencies. The list of sanctioned Russian banks now extends to 70 lenders. The sanctions make it much harder for foreign banks to handle international trade, especially as they will be prohibited from using SWIFT, a financial messaging system used to communicate payment instructions across the world. The EU is also curbing exports of…
Arctic sea ice, which has been monitored by satellites since 1978, has beenshrinking dramatically in recent decades. On 22 March, with winter already over, the period of greatest accumulation, the maximum extent for 2026 is thought to have been reached – 14.33 million square kilometres, according to the United States (US) National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC). It is the lowest peak since records began, something now seen for the second consecutive year. With this region warming almost four times faster than the rest of the planet, new sea routes and business opportunities are opening up for many countries…
A US envoy has asked FIFA to replace Iran with Italy in the upcoming World Cup this summer, despite Italy’s failure to qualify. US special envoy Paolo Zampolli said he made the request as it would be a “dream” to see four-time World Cup winners Italy at the final tournament in the US, Mexico and Canada. “I confirm I have suggested to Trump and (FIFA President Gianni) Infantino that Italy replace Iran at the World Cup,” Zampolli told the FT. “I’m an Italian native and it would be a dream to see the Azzurri at a US-hosted tournament. With four…
The war in the Middle East, involving Iran, has now done what no trade dispute, tariff threat or industrial malaise of the past two years managed to achieve. According to a flash Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) surveys released Thursday by S&P Global, business activity across the euro area fell sharply in April. The services sector, the engine of the bloc’s 2025 recovery, posted its weakest reading since the pandemic lockdowns of early 2021. Input costs surged to a more than three-year high. Business confidence dropped to its lowest since late 2022. Weakest level in over a year The flash Eurozone…
While booking a trip well in advance gives you something to look forward to, we’re huge fans of a last-minute getaway. Bad day at work? Time to look at Skyscanner. Good day at work? We’re straight on Google Travel. To be honest… we don’t need a reason to add to our air miles. If you’re the same and you need a little inspiration for where to go on your next unexpected break, you might just want to take a look at lastminute.com’s latest Travel Horizons Report. Based on traveller departures from the UK, Italy, France, Germany and Spain, the travel…
By Abdulla Al Dosari Published on 23/04/2026 – 12:47 GMT+2 A national heritage row has erupted between Mexico and Spain over 18 works by Frida Kahlo, which are set to move to Spain. This move follows Spanish bank Santander taking control of 160 out of 300 works by major Mexican artists from the Gelman Collection. A transfer of the famous Mexican painter’s works to Spain has caused backlash in Mexico’s art world as the move would be against Mexican law, since works designated as being national artistic monuments can’t be permanently exported from Mexico. Concerns started to grow when Daniel Vega…
Comment les Verts britanniques veulent purger leur programme pour mieux gagner – POLITICO Skip to main content
The US and its NATO allies have, on “a practical and military level”, an “excellent relationship” and cooperate continuously, Latvian Defence Minister Andris Sprūds told Euronews’ flagship morning programme, Europe Today. “I see that the alliance remains strong, that it is one for all, all for one, that it is beneficial for all member states, including the United States,” Sprūds said, adding that he prefers to focus more on “practical cooperation” rather than the denigrating public statements coming from the White House. Minister Sprūds also affirmed that he has “no doubt that the US would come to help” should the…