Neither bombs nor reformist illusions will deliver freedom in Iran
The Iranian situation is as dangerous as it is misunderstood. A fragile ceasefire hangs by a thread. The region remains volatile.
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News
Latest reporting and analysis on news.
Italy’s Liberation Day marred by clashes over Israel and Ukraine
Italy’s Liberation Day celebrations were shaken by tensions as demonstrations marking April 25 — the anniversary of the country’s liberation from Fascist rule…
Almost 214,000 Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine identified by journalists
Independent Russian journalists have verified the identities of 213,858 Russian military personnel killed in the war against Ukraine, marking another grim milestone…
City of Hamburg spent almost €600 million to house asylum seekers in hotels
The city administration of Hamburg has spent €593 million between 2022 and 2025 to pay for hotel rooms for asylum seekers.
BP and TotalEnergies propose delay to German offshore wind expansion, citing ‘wake’ effects
Energy multinationals BP and TotalEnergies, major investors in Germany’s North Sea offshore wind sector, are seeking to slow the pace of future auctions and capacity…
Italy’s Dep PM Salvini urges EU fiscal flexibility amid rising energy costs and inflation
Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini has renewed his call for the European Union to ease fiscal constraints, arguing that current budget rules limit governments’…
The hijab appears as haute couture in Paris fashion week show
Paris has hosted its first Modest Fashion Week, bringing together more than 30 designers from Indonesia, Turkey, Nigeria and beyond.
Belgium approves lifetime entry bans for terrorism suspects
Belgium’s federal parliament has approved a major reform proposed by Asylum and Migration Minister Anneleen Van Bossuyt aimed at strengthening national security…
China vows countermeasures if EU enacts ‘Made in Europe’ plan
Beijing slammed on today an EU plan aimed to bolster the bloc's industries against fierce competition from China, vowing countermeasures if it is enacted.
Tech CEO warns age checks ‘kill anonymity’ online as EU pushes verification app
As the European Commission pushes ahead with plans for European Union-wide online age verification via a dedicated app, the tech sector warns about the potential…
Poland to take EU Mercosur trade deal to the ECJ
Poland has announced plans to file a legal challenge at the European Court of Justice (ECJ) against the European Union’s trade agreement with South America.
Poland’s budget deficit continues to rocket, now second-highest in EU
Poland has recorded the European Union’s second-largest budget deficit when compared with the size of its economy, raising fresh concerns over the country’s…
EU considers visa ban for Russian soldiers who fought in Ukraine
The European Union is considering restricting entry into the Schengen area for Russian nationals who have taken part in the war in Ukraine, as discussions among…
Pentagon floats suspending ‘terrible ally’ Spain out of NATO
An internal Pentagon email has outlined options for punishing NATO allies seen as insufficiently supportive during US operations in the Iran war, including the possibility…
German Conservatives team up with hard left to change Saxony-Anhalt constitution ahead of AfD win
The State parliament of Saxony-Anhalt has approved a major reform of the eastern German state’s constitution — supposedly aimed at “strengthening democracy”…
Trump threatens UK with ‘big tariff’ over digital services tax
US President Donald Trump has warned Britain that he will impose a “big tariff” on the United Kingdom unless it scraps its Digital Services Tax, which he says…
EU signs €20 billion ‘green’ fund for developing world as European households show growing uncertainty
The European Union and several development finance institutions have signed a new fund designed to channel up to €20 billion in private capital into sustainable…
EU court adviser backs Italy’s migrant return policy and Albania ‘hotspots’ plan
The Advocate General of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has delivered a significant legal opinion supporting Italy’s approach to returning irregular…
German Government denies it misspent 95 per cent of record investment package
Germany’s finance ministry has countered claims by leading economists who accused the government of having misspent most of a debt-financed “special fund”…
Belgium’s sovereign wealth funds invests in the arms sector
Belgium is making a strategic shift by investing public money into the defence industry, marking what officials describe as a “historic turning point”.
Syrians and Afghans in Germany eight times as likely to be suspects of violent crime as locals
Some groups of foreigners in Germany are much more likely to commit violent crimes as Germans themselves, new numbers from the German police show.
Dutch Government moves cloud services to EU provider from US tech firms
The Dutch Government is adopting STACKIT, a German cloud provider, to reduce its reliance on US technology firms.
Macron calls on Brussels to extend censorship to lock down 2027
On April 17, the press revealed that the Élysée Palace is pressing the European Commission to revise the guidelines of the Digital Services Act (DSA) in order…
Pope Leo XIV comes out in defence of state borders
Pope Leo XIV has stated that sovereign states have the legitimate right to control their borders, rejecting the idea of uncontrolled entry that could create new…
Tusk doubts US ‘loyalty’ if Russia attacks
Poland’s Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, has cast doubt on whether the US would be “loyal” to its NATO commitments in the event of a Russian attack on NATO’s…
EU-Funded EV charger appears in Romanian meadow: No road, no cars
More than €100,000 of European Union money has been spent on an electric vehicle charging station that currently sits in the middle of a meadow with no access…
EU leaders push Ukraine accession talks in political landscape of their own making
European Union leaders have moved to advance Ukraine's membership bid, pressing ahead with accession negotiations in a Hungary reshaped by an election that Brussels…
Norway to ban social media for under-16s
Norway said today it will present a bill this year making it the latest country seeking to ban social networks for under 16s, adding that technology companies will…
Allegations of sexual abuse in Paris’ after-schools rock France
Paris and wider France is being shaken to its core by serious allegations of sexual abuse within Paris’ after-school care system (“périscolaire”).
Ukraine is still there – Europe’s “forever war” needs a holistic solution
Spring flowers are blooming in the Donbas across a landscape of iron and fire.