Author: staff
Published on 02/12/2025 – 19:53 GMT+1 The right to trial by jury will be pared back in the United Kingdom in an attempt to clear a backlog of cases clogging up the justice system, the government announced on Tuesday. Justice Secretary David Lammy said overload and delays had created “an emergency in our courts” that risks collapsing trust in British justice. The UK’s court system has struggled to clear a backlog of cases built up since the COVID-19 pandemic. The government says there are almost 80,000 cases waiting to be heard in criminal courts in England and Wales, more than…
The 52-year-old’s tenure was short-lived, as she was made the EU’s high representative — the foreign policy chief — the same year, a position she held until 2019. Her time in the job is perhaps most notable for her work on the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. At the end of her five-year term, she became the rector of the Bruges-based College of Europe, a position she’s been in ever since. But her appointment was mired in claims of cronyism, as professors and EU officials argued that she was not qualified for the post, did not meet the criteria and applied…
The European Central Bank has declined to provide emergency liquidity to the reparations loan for Ukraine, warning that doing so would breach the European Union’s founding treaties and undermine the bank’s much-prized independence. The news, first reported by the FT, represents a fresh setback to the bold plan of using seized Russian assets to support the country it has invaded and destroyed. “Such a proposal is not under consideration as it would likely violate EU treaty law prohibiting monetary financing,” a spokesperson for the ECB said in a statement. The reparations loan is one of the three options presented by…
The Olympic flame is close to completing its short tour of Greece and soon to be on its way to Italy for the Winter Games next February. A handover will take place on Thursday 4 December, the start of a 63-day, 12,000-kilometre relay through all 110 Italian provinces, highlighting cultural sites and host venues before reaching Milan’s San Siro Stadium for the opening ceremony. Its journey officially began a week ago with a spectacular ceremony at the archaeological site where the Olympics began. For several weeks, however, before the flame was lit, dozens of young people, either dancers or actors,…
Published on 02/12/2025 – 19:09 GMT+1 •Updated 19:12 The EU executive will present fresh guidelines on Wednesday meant to reinforce the bloc’s market protection in the face of rising foreign risks. The doctrine’s launch comes after months of tense exchanges with China, which has restricted exports of rare earths and chips – both crucial to several strategic EU industries. The EU is also grappling with a sharp shift in the trade policy of its closest ally, the US, whose nationalist, protectionist approach has put Brussels under extreme pressure, resulting in what many see as an unbalanced trade deal reached in…
Published on 02/12/2025 – 18:29 GMT+1 •Updated 18:33 The detention of Federica Mogherini as part of an investigation into suspected fraud by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office has sent shockwaves in Brussels and Rome. Mogherini is well-known in diplomatic circles, highly connected and has served in top political roles including the Italian foreign minister under Matteo Renzi and as High Representative of the European Union. She currently serves as Rector of the College of Europe, an institution dedicated to European studies seen as platform to access EU jobs. Early years: from communist youth to social democrat minister Mogherini, born in…
Updated: 02/12/2025 – 18:00 GMT+1 Catch up with the most important stories from around Europe and beyond this December 2nd, 2025 – latest news, breaking news, World, Business, Entertainment, Politics, Culture, Travel. … More
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A post on Facebook has sparked confusion — and disbelief — after claiming that German cities have built “sleek robotic mailboxes” where residents can dispatch lost items, such as wallets and keys, that the machines will then return to their original owners. “Once dropped inside, the mailbox scans the contents using internal cameras and AI-trained object recognition systems,” the post says. “The system then cross-checks the item with local address databases and initiates an automated return,” it continues. “Items are packed in tamper-sealed envelopes and rerouted through existing postal networks — often reaching the owner within 48 hours.” Multiple users…
Ishikawa Prefecture in central Japan held its first winter auction of premium yellowtail, where a Kirameki-branded fish weighing 14.5 kilograms sold for a record-tying 4 million yen, or over 22,000 euros. The top-grade winter yellowtail, shipped annually from December, must weigh at least 14 kilograms and meet strict freshness standards to earn the Kirameki label. The record-priced fish came from Noto, an area recovering from last year’s major earthquake. A supermarket operator purchased the fish, saying they hoped to support the region’s revitalization by promoting its high-quality seafood.