Author: staff

Published on 24/03/2026 – 11:31 GMT+1 It is an over 20-hour flight to Sydney, but the prize at the end might just be worth it. Or like European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said, “trade is not just economics, it’s power”. Let’s take a look. The economic ties are already massive. The EU is currently Australia’s third-largest trading partner, exporting almost €28 billion more in goods than it imports. For the EU, Australia ranks just 20th. But this deal is not about selling more machinery. It is about securing the green transition — a goal that the Iran war…

Published on 24/03/2026 – 10:55 GMT+1 Revolut, the UK-based digital banking platform, reported record financial results for 2025. Beating analysts’ estimates, the neobank’s revenue rose 46% to £4.5 billion (€5.2bn), the company reported on Tuesday. This was mainly driven by higher income from customer fees and the expansion of lending products, with Revolut’s loans portfolio having grown by 120% to £2.2bn (€2.5bn). “2025 was another landmark year. We have built a diversified, resilient business that is profitable at scale, providing the foundation for our next phase of growth,” co-founder and CEO Nik Storonsky said in a statement. Profit before tax…

The AfD denies it passes information from the system to Russia or China. “We do not comment on baseless allegations,” a spokesperson for the AfD’s parliamentary group said in response to a request for comment.   A leaky system Unlike in other national parliaments, all MPs and their aides in Germany’s Bundestag have access to EuDoX, a databank containing thousands of EU files ranging from ministerial summit briefing notes to summaries of confidential meetings among ambassadors. The system was set up as a safeguard against unchecked executive power, a particular concern in Germany given its Nazi past. The documents — around 25,000 per…

Published on 24/03/2026 – 9:14 GMT+1 Valerie Perrine, the Oscar-nominated actress best known for her performances in Lenny alongside Dustin Hoffman and her role as Eve Teschmacher in Superman (1978) and Superman II (1980), has died at the age of 82. Her death was announced by filmmaker Stacey Souther, who directed the 2022 documentary Valerie about Perrine’s career and battle with Parkinson’s disease. Souther wrote in a post on Perrine’s official Facebook page: “It is with deep sadness that I share the heartbreaking news that Valerie has passed away. She faced Parkinson’s disease with incredible courage and compassion, never once…

What will decide the vote?  While Denmark may have come together to resist the pressure from the White House, voters are most concerned about what’s happening at home. Ahead of the vote Danish parties debated a plethora of divisive issues, none of which proved decisive. A poll published by Epinion on Monday suggested almost one in five Danes still didn’t know who they’d vote for.   Everything suggests that Frederiksen’s center-left party, the Social Democrats, will prevail in the vote. Her big talking point has been the revival of a wealth tax that hasn’t been enforced in Denmark for 30 years, and whose reinstatement would thrill left-wing voters. But her main challenger, Deputy Prime Minister Troels Lund Poulsen, leader of the center-right…

The mayor of Tel Aviv said a “direct strike” damaged a building on Tuesday after an Iranian missile attack warning, as Israeli first responders said they had treated four people for light injuries.The strike in an upscale neighbourhood in the north of the Israeli coastal city tore open the facade of an old three-storey building and scattered debris across the street, according to reports from the scene.Tel Aviv mayor Ron Huldai told reporters that the building had been hit by a “direct strike”.According to several Israeli media outlets, including military radio, police believe the damage was caused by a cluster…

The Trump administration will pay $1 billion (€860mn) to the French energy giant TotalEnergies SE to walk away from two US offshore wind leases as it ramps up its campaign against offshore wind and other renewable energy. TotalEnergies has agreed to what is essentially a refund of its leases for projects off the coasts of North Carolina and New York, and will invest the money in fossil fuel projects instead, according to their press statement. “Considering that the development of offshore wind projects is not in the country’s interest, we have decided to renounce offshore wind development in the United…

Si les relations entre le président et sa secrétaire générale n’étaient pas au beau fixe d’après deux sources internes, aucun signe avant-coureur ne laissait présager une telle décision. Celle-ci surprend d’autant plus que la nomination d’Aurélie Bretonneau, fin mars 2025, avait été validée par Richard Ferrand, tout juste installé à la tête du Conseil constitutionnel. Des tensions sur les ordonnances Entre les deux, des “divergences” ont toutefois émergé ces derniers mois, notamment “sur la place du droit”, d’après deux sources internes. Selon l’une d’elles, des tensions sont apparues à la fin de l’année dernière. Le gouvernement envisageait alors de recourir…

Iran launched a new wave of missiles against Israel early on Tuesday, hours after US President Donald Trump hailed “very good” talks to end the war despite Tehran denying any dialogue had taken place. Trump’s comments prompted a positive response from jittery markets and pushed oil prices down, and came ahead of a deadline he imposed for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz shipping lane or see the US “obliterate” its power plants. The US President then extended his deadline by five more days. Trump said his administration was speaking with an unidentified “top person”, while warning if talks…

The clock is ticking for young classical musicians looking to make their mark on one of the world’s most prestigious stages. Applications are now open for the 2026 edition of the George Enescu International Competition, a landmark event that continues to shape the careers of emerging artists across the globe. Set to take place in Bucharest from August 23 to September 19, the competition marks its 20th anniversary under the theme “In Pursuit of Excellence.” First held in 1958, it is now part of the World Federation of International Music Competitions and is widely regarded as one of the leading…