Author: staff
I met Seán again in 2021 and 2023, both times outside the courthouse in Mytilene on Lesvos. In 2023, the lesser misdemeanor charges against him and the other foreign defendants — forgery, espionage and the unlawful use of radio frequencies — were dropped. Then, in 2024, the rest of the defendants were acquitted of those same charges. While leaving the courthouse that day, still facing the more serious felony charges along with the other 23 aid workers, Seán said: “We want justice. Today, there has been less injustice, but no justice.” As Amnesty International, we’ve been consistently calling for these…
More than 300 roe deer were rescued from frozen lakes in Russia’s Novosibirsk region after early migration left them stranded on icy surfaces. The animals, unable to stand or move on the slick ice, were found lying or sliding helplessly. Local fishers in the Karasuk district carried dozens of deer to safety, filming the tense scenes. Emergency crews later joined with a hovercraft. The Ministry of Nature said most of the animals survived, though some were already dead when help arrived.
Technological developments are transforming daily life in many ways, including how people shop. Mobile payments are growing across Europe as more people use smartphones and smartwatches to make purchases. In 2024, 6% of all point-of-sale (POS) payments in the euro area were made through mobile apps, accounting for 7% of the total value. In 2019, both figures were just 1%, according to the European Central Bank (ECB). Mobile payments include the use of a mobile phone, smartwatch, fitness band, or another smart device. These payments are made through digital wallets or other mobile apps. While the payment landscape is shifting,…
Die Union kämpft um ihre Mehrheit beim Rentenpaket. In der Fraktion wurde am Dienstag deutlich, wie brüchig die Unterstützung in der Fraktion ist. Gordon Repinski und Rasmus Buchsteiner ordnen ein, wie viele Abweichler sich in der Union abzeichnen, wie man sie umstimmen will und weshalb Merz und Co. dennoch auf eine knappe Zustimmung setzen. Im 200-Sekunden-Interview erklärt Johannes Steiniger, CDU-Generalsekretär in Rheinland-Pfalz und früheres Mitglied der Jungen Gruppe, warum er trotz inhaltlicher Kritik zustimmen will. Er spricht über Verantwortung, die Grenzen der Kompromissbereitschaft und die Frage, wie die Koalition danach weitermachen kann. Anschließend geht es um ein mögliches nächstes Konfliktfeld.…
By Jerry Fisayo-Bambi with AP Published on 03/12/2025 – 6:33 GMT+1 •Updated 6:39 Talks between Russia and the US on ending the nearly four-year war in Ukraine were constructive, but much work remains, Yuri Ushakov, a senior adviser to President Vladimir Putin, told reporters on Wednesday. Ushakov called the five-hour conversation “rather useful, constructive, rather substantive,” but added that the framework of the US peace proposal was discussed rather than “specific wording.” Asked whether peace was closer or further away after these talks, Ushakov said, “Not further, that’s for sure.” “So far, a compromise hasn’t been found” on the subject of territory, without…
ATHENS — Kimberly Guilfoyle’s arrival in Greece has triggered a level of attention usually reserved for pop stars or prime ministers. In the month since she exploded onto the scene in Athens, the newly appointed U.S. ambassador has fused tabloid-level fascination with high-stakes geopolitics, championing major U.S.-backed energy projects and touching off a diplomatic confrontation with China over control of one of Greece’s most strategic ports. A former Fox News host and prosecutor who was once married to California Governor Gavin Newsom and dated Donald Trump, Jr., Guilfoyle has dazzled the Greek capital with flashy television showings and unapologetic diplomatic…
‘Fair to all generations’ Lawmakers in France are sparring this week over a highly contentious plan to freeze inflation adjustments on pension payments next year, part of a wide-ranging effort to trim billions of euros from the budget and get the deficit below 5 percent of gross domestic product. The debate in France echoes similar conversations in Germany, where Winkel is among a group of young conservatives who rebelled against a pension reform package put forth by Merz’s government, saying current benefits for older people are too generous and asking for a plan that is “fair to all generations.” A group of leading economists argued…
According to Ushakov, Putin flagged “the destructive actions of the European side” — an indication he may try to pin the blame for any failure to reach a peace deal on the EU, which was notably left out of the meeting. Trump’s latest push to inject new momentum into a ceasefire effort — with a plan that, in its original 28-point leaked version, heavily favored Moscow —has ramped up pressure on Kyiv and alarmed European officials. Among other things, it asks Ukraine to give up territory in the country’s east not yet occupied by Russian forces and to formalize that it…
Published on 02/12/2025 – 11:57 GMT+1 •Updated 15:59 Bulgaria’s government announced on Tuesday that it is withdrawing its controversial budget plan after nationwide protests drew tens of thousands of people — the largest demonstrations the country has seen in decades. An estimated 50,000 people took part in a rally in Sofia on Monday night, with organisers saying that another 50,000 joined demonstrations in other major cities. Protesters opposed the budget proposal, which sought to steeply increase taxes and social security contributions, and said it would mainly affect ordinary workers. It comes as Bulgaria enters its final preparatory stages ahead of…
Published on 02/12/2025 – 17:56 GMT+1 Polish authorities have charged a Russian national in absentia with directing a sabotage and espionage network in Poland on behalf of the Kremlin’s intelligence services. Mikhail Mirgorodsky, 28, is accused of leading an organised criminal group of at least 30 people who carried out sabotage on Polish soil at the behest of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), prosecutors said in a statement on Tuesday. While residing in Russia, Mirgorodsky allegedly oversaw “espionage, sabotage, subversion and propaganda activities on behalf of the aforementioned intelligence,” prosecutors said. He used the Telegram messaging app to direct the…