Author: staff

Published on 17/03/2026 – 13:33 GMT+1 Ukraine will agree to an external inspection of the damaged Druzhba pipeline funded by the European Union, Brussels said Tuesday, just days before European leaders gather in Brussels for a summit hoping to unlock a loan for Ukraine vetoed by Hungary. “The EU has offered Ukraine technical support and funding. The Ukrainians have welcomed and accepted this offer,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa said in a joint statement. “European experts are available immediately.” The political breakthrough comes in the lead-up to a summit of EU leaders…

Lava flows from the Piton de la Fournaise volcano have reached the ocean on France’s Réunion island for the first time in 19 years, following an eruption that began a month ago. Spectacular images show molten rock pouring into the sea, as residents and tourists gathered to witness the rare event. Authorities closed nearby roads as crowds walked towards viewing points, while helicopters monitored the area. Locals described the scene as “spectacular” and a once-in-a-lifetime experience, as lava also continued to spread through forested areas before reaching the coastline.

Eighteen days into the war in Iran, and the scorecard for global equity markets makes for uncomfortable reading. European benchmark indices have shed around 7% since hostilities began — the Euro STOXX 50 down 6.5%, Germany’s DAX off 7%, France’s CAC 40 down 7.2%, and Italy’s FTSE MIB lower by 6.4% — dwarfing the more modest 2.5% decline in the US S&P 500, which benefits from America’s status as the world’s largest oil producer and its relative insulation from the energy shock. Yet the headline numbers tell only half the story. Beneath the surface, an extraordinary divide has opened up…

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed Kyiv’s backing for the plan, writing in a letter to EU leaders that he “welcome[s] and accept[s]” the EU’s offer of “necessary technical support and funding” to complete repairs and explore longer-term solutions. The push follows strikes on the pipeline in January that interrupted oil flows, von der Leyen and Costa said, adding they have held “intense discussions” with member states and Ukraine to “repair and restore the flow of oil.” “Our priority is to ensure energy security for all European citizens,” they said, with the Commission also working on “alternative routes for the transit…

Cuba was plunged into darkness on Monday after a nationwide power outage cut electricity to the island’s 11 million residents, highlighting the severity of its ongoing energy crisis. The Ministry of Energy and Mines reported a “complete disconnection” of the national grid, with no immediate technical failure identified, raising concerns about systemic weakness. By late evening, state media said electricity had been restored to just five per cent of Havana, or around 42,000 customers, as crews prioritised hospitals and key services. Residents spent the night in stifling heat, with some relying on candles and open doors for relief. In recent…

Published on 17/03/2026 – 11:23 GMT+1•Updated 11:36 One notable absence at this year’s Oscars was Sean Penn, who wasn’t there to collect his Best Supporting Actor award for his scene-stealing turn in One Battle After Another. Kieran Culkin, who won last year for A Real Pain, presented the honour. Once Penn was announced as the winner, he quipped: “Sean Penn couldn’t be here this evening – or didn’t want to – so I’ll be accepting the award on his behalf.” People were bemused and wondering why a performer would choose to skip the biggest night of awards season. Especially since…

„Wir wollen das schon vor der Überarbeitung des ETS angehen“, sagte Hoekstra. Der Grund sei, dass dieser Schritt klarer abzugrenzen sei und deutlich weniger Themen umfasse als die gesamte Reform. Deshalb könne der Vorschlag wohl früher kommen. Ganz festlegen wollte sich Hoekstra aber nicht. Es gebe noch eine gewisse Unsicherheit. Hintergrund: Brief von Kommissionspräsidentin Hintergrund ist ein Schreiben von Kommissionspräsidentin Ursula von der Leyen an die Staats- und Regierungschefs der EU vom Montag. Darin kündigte sie an, die Kommission wolle die “Reserve stärken”, “starke Preisschwankungen begrenzen” und “die Preise unter Kontrolle halten”. In diesem Zusammenhang kritisierte Hoekstra Bundeskanzler Friedrich Merz.…

Afghanistan’s government has said that an airstrike by Pakistan hit a drug rehabilitation hospital in the capital Kabul late on Monday, killing at least 400 people. In a post on X, Afghanistan’s deputy government spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat said the airstrike had hit the hospital in Kabul at about 9 pm local time, destroying large sections of the 2,000-bed facility. He said the death toll had “so far” reached 400 people, with around 250 reportedly injured. In a post before the death toll rose into the hundreds, Afghan government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said that those killed and injured were patients at…

Sun belt in focus Marseille, France’s second-biggest city, perfectly illustrates both the National Rally’s advances and its dilemma. National Rally candidate Franck Allisio (35 percent) almost tied with incumbent left-wing Mayor Benoît Payan (36.7 percent) in the first round. That’s more than 15 percentage points higher than the National Rally’s previous score in the 2020 local election.   Still, Allisio now faces an uphill battle to beat the current mayor, with the two main centrist and conservative forces discussing the best strategy to beat him shortly after polls closed.  The conservative candidate, who came third, will not be pulling out — reducing the prospect of her votes going to Allisio. The…

In Khan Younis, women and children line up with pots, waiting for cooked meals from charity-run Tikkiyya kitchens, a daily ritual for many families. Food remains scarce as border crossings limit aid inflows, leaving local market prices unaffordable for most. Displaced residents report struggling for even one meal a day, a challenge that intensifies during Ramadan as demand surges at sunset. Living conditions grow increasingly hazardous. In Khan Younis, a collapsing wall crushed tents sheltering displaced families, killing two women and a child. Survivors initially mistook the incident for an airstrike. Most of Gaza’s population now relies on humanitarian aid…