Europe
Three European countries recognise Palestine
The leaders of Norway, Ireland, and Spain have announced that their countries will recognise Palestine as a state on 28 May to promote peace in the Middle East, Norway’s prime minister Jonas Gahr…
Slovakia PM in stable but serious condition after shooting
Prime Minister Robert Fico is in a stable but serious condition after being shot multiple times on Wednesday. Fico, 59, underwent five hours of surgery at a hospital in Banska Bystrica. The hospital…
Ukraine: Russia and China issue nuclear war warning
Vladimir Putin is in China for crucial talks with President Xi Jinping, shortly after Russia launched a fresh incursion into Ukraine's Kharkiv region. Putin was received with full military honours, and Xi emphasised…
Ukraine: assassination plot foiled, massive Russian attack on energy structures
According to Ukrainian intelligence, a Russian assassination plot against Volodymyr Zelensky has been thwarted and two men arrested. They supposedly intended to kidnap and kill the president and other top officials as a…
North Macedonia: crucial election votes
On 8 May, North Macedonia held parliamentary and presidential elections. If Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, from the nationalist VMRO-DPMNE party, wins the presidential election, that could complicate EU accession talks. These talks have been delayed,…
Ukraine: Russia accused of using chemical weapons
US officials have accused Russia of using chemical weapons in Ukraine, violating international laws. They claim that the choking agent chloropicrin was used to make ‘battlefield gains’. The Kremlin has yet to respond…
Germany: ICJ rules against halting arms sales to Israel
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has denied Nicaragua's request for emergency measures to halt Germany's arms sales to Israel, claiming that this violated the UN genocide convention. Germany is a key ally…
Russia: minister arrested on charges of taking bribes
A deputy defence minister, Timur Ivanov, has been detained in Moscow, accused of accepting large-scale bribes. Ivanov, who denies the charges, has been overseeing military infrastructure projects since his appointment in 2016. There…
Russia: priest demoted for taking part in Navalny’s funeral
The head of the Russian Orthodox Church has sanctioned a priest who conducted a memorial service for Alexei Navalny, the late opposition leader. Patriarch Kirill, a close ally of Vladimir Putin, has banned…
Greece: orange dust from Sahara envelops Athens
A dense orange haze has enveloped Athens as clouds of Sahara desert dust swept across Greece, marking one of the worst episodes since 2018. Similar clouds hit Greece, Switzerland, and southern France in…
