Author: staff
Morning. Angela Skujins holding the pen for you this Tuesday, where two major news stories are set to dominate the day. What is expected to be a turbulent North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) summit starts in the Turkish capital and a court in Paris will chart the course of France’s 2027 presidential election. First, NATO. My colleague Shona Murray is on the ground in Ankara and reports that US President Donald Trump’s criticisms of NATO threaten to overshadow the meeting, though they have been par for the course during his presidency. The fundamental disagreements are steeped in divisions over the…
Marine Le Pen’s political future – and potentially the course of France’s 2027 presidential election – will be decided at 13:30 on Tuesday, when the Paris Court of Appeal rules on whether to uphold her five-year ban from holding public office over allegations of embezzling EU funds. If the ruling is upheld, it would effectively end Le Pen’s presidential ambitions and leave Jordan Bardella as the National Rally’s (RN) likely candidate for the Élysée. Despite her conviction, the 57-year-old three-time presidential candidate remains the strongest individual contender, polling 32% in the first round. Bardella, however, is polling between 35% and…
Europe is on the edge of its seat as it awaits a crucial verdict in the case of France’s National Rally leader, Marine Le Pen, today. If the Paris appeals court upholds her five-year ban on holding public office, Le Pen’s dream of running in 2027 will be dashed, and the campaign of her 30-year-old protégé, Jordan Bardella, will officially kick off. Also on the show, NATO allies are meeting in Ankara with one goal: avoiding a Donald Trump blow-up. To placate the U.S. president, they’re keeping the meeting short and focusing on big spending numbers. Finally, the EU’s Entry/Exit System has been causing a bit…
The European Parliament is set to vote again this week on controversial legislation that would allow technology companies to scan online communications for child sexual abuse material. This time, it will be voted under different voting rules, which will make it easier to be approved, thanks to a political move by the European People’s Party. A legal framework that expired on 3 April has allowed platforms such as WhatsApp and Messenger to take voluntary measures derogating from e-privacy rules to identify users suspected of sharing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). While a new version of the law is being discussed,…
Published on 07/07/2026 – 7:28 GMT+2 Thunderstorms and strong winds have killed at least 15 people and injured 275 in central China, state media said on Tuesday, as heavy rains and flooding left two more dead in the south. Multiple areas in Hubei province experienced “severe convective weather” on Monday, state broadcaster CCTV reported. “Thunderstorms and strong winds swept” through cities including Huangshi and Huanggang, killing eight people, it added. Tornadoes were reported in some areas and nine people are missing. The “severe weather” had injured 275 people in Huanggang’s Huangzhou district as of Tuesday morning, state news agency Xinhua…
By Apostolos Staikos & Andros Routes Published on 07/07/2026 – 7:00 GMT+2 In 2010, a project was launched on Andros that radically changed the Greek island’s cultural and tourism identity. It was an initiative that had nothing to do with beaches, sun or sea. On the initiative of the non-profit organisation Andros Research Centre, Andros Routes was born. The island’s trails came to life and became a destination for thousands of people from all over the world. “A web that initiates us into the rich natural and cultural heritage of Andros and at the same time provides important infrastructure for aware visitors, for…
Heute entscheidet ein französisches Berufungsgericht über die politische Zukunft von Marine Le Pen. Eine Bestätigung des Urteils wegen Veruntreuung von EU-Geldern, das auch ein fünfjähriges Ämterverbot beinhaltet, könnte ihren Präsidentschaftstraum beenden. Stattdessen könnte der 30-jährige Jordan Bardella, der als moderater gilt, aber inhaltlich auf Le Pens radikaler EU-Linie bleibt, als Präsidentschaftskandidat des Rassemblement National antreten. Eine Analyse mit Marion Solletty vom POLITICO Playbook Paris. Im 200-Sekunden-Interview spricht die AfD-Außenpolitikerin Diana Zimmer über die schwierige Beziehung zu den französischen Rechtspopulisten. Trotz inhaltlicher Differenzen und der öffentlichen Distanzierung Bardellas betont Zimmer die gemeinsamen patriotischen Ziele wie die Stärkung der nationalen Souveränität. Beim…
Published on 07/07/2026 – 6:06 GMT+2 Kylian Mbappé took to social media to condemn racist remarks made by a Paraguayan senator following the country’s loss to France in the round of 16 at the World Cup. Mbappé called Celeste Amarilla, a senator from Paraguay’s Liberal Radical Party, a “despicable woman” who was “unworthy” of serving in Paraguay’s Congress. “Through your recklessness and your brazen racism, the entire world has already forgotten the journey and the historic effort that your players accomplished during this World Cup,” Mbappé wrote on X. “You do not represent Paraguay, the country that has sweated passion…
Published on 07/07/2026 – 7:00 GMT+2 Irish hospitality brand The Dean has opened the doors to its new design-led hotel in Munich – its second property in Germany following the opening of The Dean Berlin in February. Located in Munich’s Westend district, the 281-room boutique property is just a short distance from Marienplatz, Viktualienmarkt and the city’s historic centre. Blending Bavarian heritage with contemporary elements, The Dean Munich’s interiors have been created by London-based designer Tatjana von Stein, who drew inspiration from both Bavaria’s Art Nouveau heritage, known as “Jugendstil”, and Munich’s colourful 1980s nightlife. Throughout the hotel, custom furniture…
Some 16 legal complaints or reports have been lodged against her over remarks about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, according to the Paris prosecutor’s office. One has resulted in this trial, two are still pending and 13 did not lead to charges. Born stateless in a Palestinian refugee camp in Syria, Hassan has devoted most of her political work to the cause. Her most-criticized stance is that armed action carried out by groups such as Hamas, which the EU classifies as a terrorist organization, can be legitimate in the context of Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories. “Regarding the struggle for independence and…