Author: staff

“As the prime minister and fellow leaders said yesterday, we cannot stand by in the face of this new deterioration,” Lammy said. “It is incompatible with the principles that underpin our bilateral relationship. Rejected by Members across this House and frankly it’s an affront to the values of the British people. “Therefore today, I am announcing that we have suspended negotiations with this Israeli government on a new free trade agreement. We will be reviewing cooperation with them under the 2030 Bilateral Roadmap.” Lammy added that Israel’s ambassador to the U.K. had been summoned to the Foreign Office. The U.K.…

The European Commission this month pledged a new package of €500 million for the period 2025-2027, part of which will be specifically earmarked for research projects with industrial applications.President Ursula von der Leyen said the bloc needs to “stand for science” in a speech at the Sorbonne University in Paris, adding that it’s “the fuel for growth and progress” but “is being questioned in today’s world”.US government budget cuts are seen as an opportunity to attract such talent to Europe, as Ekaterina Zaharieva, European Commissioner for start-ups, research and innovation, acknowledged.”In Europe, we do things differently. We don’t tell researchers how…

Published on 20/05/2025 – 16:20 GMT+2An Egyptian man based in the UK who smuggled thousands of migrants from north Africa to Italy as part of a £12 million (€14mn) operation has been jailed for 25 years.Ahmed Ebid, a former fisherman, was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court in London on Tuesday, having pleaded guilty to conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration. He is thought to be the first person in the UK convicted of organising illegal boat crossings in the Mediterranean Sea.The 42-year-old, who described himself on social media as “Captain Ahmed,” was involved in smuggling nearly 3,800 people — including women…

If you are looking for a city break on a budget this summer, consider some of Eastern Europe’s culture-rich capitals. A new report by the UK’s Post Office has ranked the top 10 cities in Europe where you could save money on a holiday. The City Costs Barometer found that prices have fallen in half the cities surveyed. Seven out of 10 destinations are in Eastern Europe, including the top spot. Europe’s lowest-cost cities for food, transport and attractionsThe analysis calculated the costs of 12 common tourist items in 38 cities in Europe. These included consumables like a cup of…

Aside from the shadow fleet, the EU also put restrictions on a Russian oil company and a shipping business. EU entrepreneurs are also forbidden to do business with more than 45 entities and individuals in the military industry. A Chinese state-owned company was added to the same list, a long with two others from that country. Several dozen Russian and third-country companies will face stricter export controls when they want to buy European goods. As the push for a ceasefire becomes stronger, the EU is already exploring the next round of sanctions, including banning dealings with the companies behind the…

A new report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) quantifies the worldwide value of counterfeit goods at over €416 billion, roughly 2.3% of global imports.The EU is a primary target: nearly €99 billion worth of its imports, or 4.7%, are fake.Remarkably, 20 of the world’s top 25 destinations for counterfeit products are EU member states.When it comes to seized goods, Germany is only second to the United States in volume – but leads the world in value: Berlin seizes more than a quarter of the total value of counterfeit goods.France and Belgium are also prime targets, with…

Crimes attributed to perpetrators motivated by a right-wing ideology constituted by far the largest proportion of all politically motivated crimes. Political crimes involving violence also surged, reaching the highest level since 2016 with 4,107 cases. More than one out of every four violent crimes was attributed to actors with a right-wing ideology, according the report. “When political crimes and violence increase, this is not just a statistical phenomenon — it is a reflection of our social polarization and growing radicalization and shows once again that our democracy is under pressure,” said Holger Münch, the head of Germany’s Federal Criminal Police…

Published on 20/05/2025 – 14:08 GMT+2•Updated 14:12A variety of vegetables and fruits imported from outside the EU could become more expensive in the UK, following UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s pledge to align the country with the EU’s food and drink import regulations.This could impact fruits such as pineapples, avocados, oranges and mangoes, as well as more regularly used items such as tomatoes. According to the Fresh Produce Consortium, only 5% of fresh food products on average are inspected currently. At the moment, EU import checks are more rigorous than those already in place in the UK. This means that the UK…

Don’t be fooled by Sunday’s triple election: The hard right is stronger than ever. Centrists breathed a sigh of relief on Sunday as their candidates beat right-wing rivals in three coinciding elections across Europe. In Romania, the centrist Nicușor Dan exceeded expectations in beating far-right firebrand George Simion in a presidential election runoff. In Poland, liberal Rafał Trzaskowski squeezed past his Law and Justice-backed rival Karol Nawrocki to gain the most votes in the first round of the presidential election. And in Portugal’s snap election, far-right Chega surged against parties that held the center, though none won a majority. Onlookers…

Democrats quickly denounced the deal over ethical, security and even constitutional concerns, with some Republicans and stalwart MAGA allies, such as Missouri Senator Josh Hawley, also voicing their trepidation. But the donation is totally above board, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani stressed Tuesday, calling it “a normal thing that happens between allies.” “I don’t know why people consider it as bribery or Qatar trying to buy influence with this administration,” he said at the Qatar Economic Forum. “There was a lot of controversy that’s been created out of this, what I call an exchange between two countries,”…