Europe’s next national leader looks likely to come from the far right. With Herbert Kickl in pole position to become chancellor of Austria, the European Union’s establishment is bracing for fresh torment ― and another punch in the guts in its stand against Russia’s Vladimir Putin. Kickl, who would become Austria’s first far-right leader since … Read more
“We invited the entire diplomatic corps, but after the situation with Mr. Romanowski, [Foreign] Minister Sikorski sent a note to the Hungarian ambassador that he was not a welcome guest at the theater,” said Polish Deputy European Affairs Minister Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka. She added that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was not invited either. “We are waiting to … Read more
One of the most politically sensitive topics in Brussels, the €1.2 trillion budget governs spending on anything from support to Ukraine to film subsidies. Hawkish Eastern European and Nordic countries including Poland and Sweden are keen to boost EU spending on defense, while Southern ones such as Italy and Greece would like more cash to … Read more
At the other end of Europe, Russia’s war in Ukraine continues. Ukrainians chalked up some successes in 2024, becoming a dominant force in the Black Sea despite the country’s tiny navy, and mounting a counteroffensive into Russia’s Kursk region in August. But they are ending this year on the back foot, having lost many of … Read more
Germany’s plan comes days after rebel groups entered the Syrian capital Damascus on Sunday and declared it free of the Russia-backed regime of President Assad. Hours later, Assad reportedly fled the country and was granted asylum in Russia. Following the regime’s ouster, Austria on Monday announced plans to deport Syrian migrants, while Belgium, France, Greece and … Read more
In October, some EU countries, led by Italy, pushed to normalize ties with Syria in order to facilitate the deportation of migrants. Assad, who held power for 25 years until fleeing to Moscow with his family, has been accused of torture and of using chemical weapons on his own people. With the ouster of Assad, … Read more
Exiled former Syrian leader Bashar Assad is in Moscow, Russian state media said Sunday citing a source in the Kremlin. Assad fled Syria after opposition forces stormed the capital, Damascus, early Sunday. He had been in power for almost 25 years, presiding over a bloody civil war during the latter half of his reign. Russia’s … Read more
“If you succeed and escape, you arrive in neighboring countries. But then you have to make the tough passage to Europe through mountains and smuggling routes — that’s very dangerous and very difficult. Women are more vulnerable, so they rarely travel on foot. The majority of Afghans who come to the EU are men,” he … Read more
SINGAPORE: Mr Lee Hsien Yang is turning a “personal vendetta” into an international smear campaign “against his father, his family and his country”, said the Singapore government on Thursday (Oct 31) after the son of the country’s founding prime minister gave another media interview – the second in slightly over a week – criticising it. … Read more
Charles, too, has mellowed his well-known views on issues such as climate change and housing, at least in public, as part of the strict convention of neutrality that comes with being king. His style in the past was far from laid back. One former minister recalled Charles, as prince of Wales, inviting them for tea … Read more
