Author: staff
The EU has summoned Moscow’s ambassador to Brussels to explain an assault on a European diplomat in Russia. A diplomat with the European External Action Service was attacked on May 26 in Vladivostok, an eastern Russian city near the North Korean border, where she was on official business, Der Spiegel reported Tuesday. “We can confirm that a member of our staff was assaulted in the early hours of Monday, May 26, in Vladivostok,” European Commission spokesperson Anitta Hipper said Wednesday. “We condemn any violence against EU diplomats. They must be able to carry out their duties free from fear and…
Published on 18/06/2025 – 14:10 GMT+2Russia poses a direct threat to the European Union and its massive defence spending shows that the Kremlin has a “long-term plan for long-term aggression”, the EU’s foreign policy chief warned on Wednesday. Kaja Kallas said that Russia was violating the bloc’s airspace, attacking its pipelines, undersea cables and electricity grids, and recruiting criminals to carry out sabotage. The EU and several member states have repeatedly accused Russia of conducting sabotage campaigns in the West. The Kremlin has strongly denied such allegations.Kallas noted that Russia is already spending more on defence than the EU’s 27…
“This decision is an important step to maintaining and restoring ties with millions of Ukrainians around the world,” Oleksiy Chernyshov, minister for national unity, wrote on Facebook. The bill was introduced to the parliament by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last August. The government now needs to draft a list of countries whose citizens will be eligible for dual Ukrainian citizenship. The law also simplifies procedures for children born to Ukrainian parents abroad and Ukrainians who obtain an additional citizenship through marriage. As for foreigners who want Ukrainian citizenship, they will have to pass a test proving knowledge of the Ukrainian language,…
On Tuesday, Bardella again fueled speculation over a growing rivalry with Le Pen, when he appeared to favor an early presidential election. “In reality, only a presidential election, even an early one, would enable us to emerge from the current democratic crisis,” said Bardella on French radio. But an early presidential election would de facto exclude Le Pen, who currently cannot run for public office, and who has already lost a local mandate. While French President Emmanuel Macron has categorically denied he could resign and trigger an early presidential election before the end of his mandate in 2027, political opponents…
Published on 18/06/2025 – 10:51 GMT+2Indonesian police have arrested three Australian men on suspicion of murder over the fatal shooting of another Australian on the resort island of Bali. Zivan Radmanovic — a 32-year-old from Melbourne — was killed just after midnight local time (6 pm CET) on 13 June at a villa near Munggu Beach in Bali’s Badung district, local authorities said. A second man — 34-year-old Sanar Ghanim from Melbourne — was left seriously injured in the attack.”Three suspects have been arrested along with several pieces of evidence allegedly used to carry out the shooting,” Bali police chief…
By Euronews with AP Published on 18/06/2025 – 10:39 GMT+2The Dutch government advised parents not to allow their children under age 15 to use social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, citing psychological and physical problems among kids, including panic attacks, depression, and difficulties sleeping.The country’s health ministry also encouraged parents to limit how long their children spend using electronic devices, keep phones and laptops out of bedrooms, and have 20 minutes of screen time followed by two hours of outside play.The advisory “gives children the time to further develop digital resilience and media literacy,” Vincent Karremans, caretaker deputy minister for youth…
By Sarah Miansoni with AP Published on 18/06/2025 – 10:50 GMT+2Alfred Brendel, a classical pianist and writer renowned for his refined playing of Beethoven and Schubert, died Tuesday at his home in London. He was 94.Born on 5 January 1931 in Moravia, now the Czech Republic, Brendel spent most of his childhood in Croatia and Austria. “I grew up in a family that was not musically inclined, not artistically inclined and not intellectual, so I had to find out a lot of things for myself”, he said in a 2012 interview for the Verbier Festival. As a child and teenager, he studied piano…
Sky News’ Sam Coates and Politico’s Anne McElvoy serve up their essential guide to the day in British politics. They start by picking over what Sir Keir Starmer had to say about the potential for an American attack on Iran – which sounded rather different from the line his German counterpart was taking. So what was going on there then? Back in Westminster, the details of benefit cuts which will impact millions get published – the government needs to convince dozens of Labour MPs to back the plan. And HS2 slows down – we’ll hear today the new line will…
Published on 18/06/2025 – 11:01 GMT+2The EU and Australia announced on Wednesday they will start talks for a defence and security pact, with the bloc expected to strike a similar deal with Canada next week, a first step that could eventually allow both NATO allies to take part in the EU’s €150 billion programme to boost military production. “I very much welcome the EU’s offer for a Security and Defence Partnership and Australia will warmly take it up and commence work immediately,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a joint statement released following a meeting on the sidelines of…
The event, held beside Museum Island in the city’s Mitte district, was organised by Fluss Bad Berlin, a group campaigning to reintroduce public swimming to the German capital after a ban that’s lasted nearly 100 years.The protest was officially registered, sidestepping the swimming ban, which was introduced in 1925 due to pollution.Campaigners say the river is now clean enough on most days and point to Paris, where the Seine has recently reopened to swimmers.