Author: staff
The review comes as von der Leyen’s self-described “geopolitical Commission” confronts growing demands, from trade tensions with Washington and Beijing to supporting Ukraine against Russia. Its expanding role has also sharpened sensitivities in some capitals about the EU executive’s growing reach. Monday’s proposals include shifting more officials from the Commission’s Brussels headquarters to EU capitals to strengthen ties with the bloc’s 27 member countries, accelerating the promotion of a new generation of leaders ahead of an expected wave of retirements, and preparing the institution to become “AI-ready,” according to a senior official involved in the review. The official, granted anonymity…
Published on 13/07/2026 – 16:46 GMT+2 The European Union has sanctioned VK Company, which dominates Russia’s online sphere, for colluding with the Kremlin to identify critics of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine and curtail access to independent sources of information. VK Company runs VKontakte, the country’s most popular social media site. Often described as “the Russian Facebook”, it has an estimated 70 million users. The decision, taken on Monday by foreign ministers, points the finger at VK Company and an associated firm for developing and managing Max App, which is state-backed and comes pre-installed on all phones and tablets sold…
Published on 13/07/2026 – 16:17 GMT+2•Updated 16:18 It’s looking mighty likely that Andy Burnham will become the UK’s next prime minister, and the current Labour MP for Makerfield has made music central to his public image. The likes of Oasis and Elbow have soundtracked his by-election campaign, and his campaign logo even had a northern soul feel to it. It’s hardly surprising that the former Mayor of Greater Manchester used these two Manchester bands – especially since his political ideology is often described as “Manchesterism”, characterised as “business-friendly socialism” by Burnham. Now, Burnham has blind-ranked his favourite British bands in…
Kushner’s participation is a win for the European Commission, which is seeking to coordinate support among the U.S.-backed Board of Peace, the Palestinian Authority, European governments and established international aid bodies. Among the cash pledges announced Monday, the Commission and the European Investment Bank proposed contributing €257 million to the package, with Spain, Denmark, the United Kingdom, Germany, Norway, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, France, Japan, Switzerland, Sweden, Belgium and the World Bank also participating. The conference comes days after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced the first Palestinian legislative election since 2006. This is a developing story.
Published on 13/07/2026 – 11:08 GMT+2 The European Union was unable to secure sanctions against Patriarch Kirill, the head of Russia’s Orthodox Church, after Bulgaria vetoed the proposal during closed-door negotiations, citing religious and cultural reasons. Bulgaria also opposed blacklisting Vagit Alekperov, a Russian billionaire with links to the Kremlin and Lukoil, a major oil company. The two names were definitely removed from a draft sanctions package during an extraordinary meeting of ambassadors on Sunday aimed at reaching a final deal, several diplomats confirmed to Euronews. The deal on the package as a whole did not materialise, but progress was…
After 100 matches at this year’s World Cup, we’re now down to the final four – and what a prospect these semifinals are for football fans around the globe. With France vs. Spain at Dallas Stadium on Tuesday (9 pm CET) and England vs. Argentina in Atlanta on Wednesday (9 pm CET), expect drama and see-sawing emotions (and that’s just for the neutrals) as the four nations look to progress to the World Cup final on Sunday 19 July. Even before anything happens on the pitch, the pre-match facts speak for themselves: Four previous champions, the four top-ranking teams in…
Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced in April the government would legislate to label the group a terrorist organization. Under the National Security (State Threats) Act 2026, which was fast-tracked through parliament, it will be illegal to encourage or express support for the organization, assist them in carrying out U.K. activities, or accept a material benefit from them. The maximum penalty is life imprisonment. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper on Monday summoned Seyed Ali Mousavi, Iran’s ambassador to the U.K., to the Foreign Office. Tehran’s intelligence services have “planned and conducted dangerous, potentially lethal, operations,” she said. The Tehran-linked Islamic Movement of…
Published on 13/07/2026 – 11:09 GMT+2•Updated 14:27 European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called for stronger protections for children online, saying the evidence presented by the Special Panel on Child Safety Online should help shape future European policy. Von der Leyen said the evidence increasingly supported introducing a minimum age for access to social media and suggested a phased approach for different age groups. During a press conference in Brussels, the EU chief said the argument to ban toddlers from screens and digital platforms, and that children under 13 should only be allowed to use social media under…
CCTV footage from the northeastern Ukrainian city of Sumy shows customers inside a coffee shop rushing to safety after explosions shattered the windows during a Russian air strike. A second camera captured people outside dropping to the ground before fleeing as blasts echoed through the area. Ukrainian officials said two Russian guided glide bombs struck a crowded part of the city, killing five people, including a child, and injuring 30 others. One bomb landed near a public transport stop, damaging buses, cars and nearby residential buildings.
Published on 13/07/2026 – 12:23 GMT+2 TSMC said on Monday that June revenue rose 67.9% year on year to NT$398.27 billion (€10.8bn), bringing the first-half of the year revenue to NT$2.4 trillion (€65.4bn), a 35.6% increase from the same period in 2025. Based on the company’s monthly revenue disclosures, second-quarter revenue amounted to roughly NT$1.27 trillion, ahead of the NT$1.264 trillion (€34.4bn) consensus forecast from 20 analysts surveyed by LSEG. Monday’s release covers June revenue and cumulative first-half sales only. TSMC will publish its full second-quarter earnings on Thursday, including net profit, gross margin, operating margin and updated financial guidance.…