Author: staff

Sea-Watch spokesperson Giulia Messmer said the incident is part of a pattern of growing attacks. “We saw in the last couple of weeks that the violence on the central Mediterranean is escalating … this is definitely not a single occurrence,” she told POLITICO. Sea-Watch reported that a Corrubia-class patrol boat — identified as belonging to Libya — ordered the Sea-Watch 5 to turn north, a move that would have interrupted the rescue. When the crew did not comply, the patrol boat opened fire, the organization said. The NGO issued a mayday call and a Frontex surveillance plane later confirmed the Libyan vessel…

He added: “I’m sure there will be some reduction, but by how much we don’t know.” While some American policymakers have called for reducing U.S. troop numbers, the Pentagon has yet to reveal its plans. Officials in countries that neighbor Russia — which has repeatedly violated European airspace in recent days — are bracing for imminent drawdowns, with Estonian President Alar Karis telling POLITICO earlier this month that front-line nations needed to prepare for this possibility. The main concern for European NATO allies, per Stubb, was that the U.S. continues to keep “essential equipment,” such as “air carriers” and radar,…

The European Union has formally launched an initiative to establish a drone wall along the bloc’s eastern flank, a groundbreaking step being taken amid alarming violations of airspace at the hands of Russia. The inaugural meeting of the project took place on Friday afternoon and brought together ten member states: Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Finland. The European Commission chaired the talks. Ukraine was also invited to participate. The country has developed a high-tech edge in the sector and is estimated to have the capacity to produce four million drones annually. This week, President Volodymyr…

It’s hardly a piping hot take to say that Paul Thomas Anderson has not made a bad film. From his breakout second feature Boogie Nights to his misunderstood romantic comedy Phantom Thread, via the Oscar-winning There Will Be Blood and the Silver Lion-nabbing The Master, the American filmmaker has consistently proven that he’s in a league of his own. And whether you pick Punch-Drunk Love or Licorice Pizza as your least favourite entry in his filmography, his ‘weakest’ would still top other directors’ screen credits. So, it will come as a shock to no one that his tenth feature, One…

Like an eVisa or passport, the ID will include a person’s name, date of birth, nationality or residency status, and photo. Subject to forthcoming consultation — timeline TBD — other details, such as address, could also be added to the mix.   The government said there will be “no requirement for individuals to carry their ID or be asked to produce it.” But given it will be mandatory for anyone wanting to work in the U.K., it will be something millions of people will need to sign up for if they want to make a living.  While curbing illegal migration is…

Published on 26/09/2025 – 15:33 GMT+2 Former Brexit Party MEP Nathan Gill has pleaded guilty to bribery charges relating to statements in favour of Russia, the BBC and other UK media have reported. Gill served as an MEP from 2014 to 2020, first representing Wales for the UK Independence Party (UKIP), and then from 2019, for the Brexit Party. During his first legislative term, he allegedly made statements in the Parliament “supportive of a particular narrative” which would “benefit Russia regarding events in Ukraine”. According to the charges, Gill “agreed to receive financial advantage, namely money” to make these statements…

Moldovans will go to the polls on Sunday in an election mired in meddling attempts that Western security officials and cyber intelligence firms say originate in Russia. Moldovan President Maia Sandu told the European Parliament on Monday that Russia is spending “hundreds of millions of euros” to subvert the election. In one of the most recent attacks, hackers hijacked Wi-Fi routers to attempt to overload the servers of Moldova’s Central Electoral Commission, the country’s police chief Viorel Cernăuțeanu told local media on Wednesday, in what is known as a distributed denial-of-service attack. Like Ukraine, Moldova is a “laboratory” for confronting…

The European Union’s high-tech trade balance is back in the black. These include technologies ranging from semiconductors and AI-powered machinery to renewable energy technologies and medical equipment. In 2024, its global market exports reached more than €501 billion, marking an 8% increase from 2023, Eurostat figures showed. By comparison, the United States exported €447 billion worth of high-tech goods in 2024. Meanwhile, EU imports remained stable at €478 billion following a marginal 0.2% drop. This means that after four consecutive years of deficit, EU high-tech businesses can finally post a surplus, totalling €23 billion. The US was the bloc’s largest export partner…

Dittrich called on the government to immediately do away with unnecessary bureaucracy and overhaul Germany’s social security system to control surging costs. “We must not lose our competitiveness because we cannot afford to pay for all this,” Dittrich said. “We must ensure that we can continue to invest.” ‘There is no plan’ One reason Merz’s options are limited is his relative political weakness. With the rise of the political extremes, the chancellor’s ideologically divergent coalition has one of the narrowest parliamentary majorities in Germany’s postwar history. It was that weakness that forced Merz to undertake what may well end up…

It’s a subject that has caused a stir in French politics: the so-called Zucman tax. The proposal involves levying a minimum 2% tax on top of regular income tax on individuals who have assets of more than €100 million. In France, this new tax rate would apply to roughly 1,800 people. For its supporters, this idea represents tax justice at a time when European member states are being called on to spend more on security and defence. Giulia Varaschin, policy adviser at the EU Tax Observatory, points out that it is not only “a very popular measure” with the public,…