Category: Europe

STRASBOURG: The European Parliament stripped Greek lawmaker Eva Kaili of her senior assembly post on Tuesday over allegations that World Cup host Qatar had bribed her to influence decision-making, charges she has denied. Kaili, one of 14 vice presidents in the parliament, was among four people arrested and charged in Belgium over the scandal that […]

French President Emmanuel Macron is pushing back his presentation of a significant pensions overhaul denounced by labour unions, citing recent leadership changes at two opposition parties. The Greens and the right-wing Republicans have elected new chiefs, and Macron said on Monday he would consult them before unveiling details of the significant reform on January 10, […]

Allegations Qatar bribed EU officials to try to win influence are of the “utmost concern”, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says. Ms von der Leyen said the accusations were “very serious” and called for the creation of a new EU ethics body. Belgian police have arrested four people, among them European Parliament Vice-President […]

The arrest and charging of four people in connection with an anti-corruption investigation involving members of the European Parliament and a Gulf state, said to be Qatar, could shake Brussels to its core. Some MEPs, including vice-president Eva Kaili, have been accused of accepting large sums of money from a Gulf country reported to be […]

Germany plans to tighten its gun laws in the wake of a suspected plot by a far-right group to violently overthrow the government and install a minor royal as a national leader, its interior minister said in an interview published on Sunday. German police last week arrested 25 people suspected of involvement in the plot, […]

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said he will ask the people’s support for the last time in the 2023 presidential polls. “Inshallah, in 2023, with the power of support from you that I am asking on my behalf for the last time, we will start the construction of the Turkish Century and deliver this blessed […]

Greek MEP and European Parliament Vice President Eva Kaili was among those previously arrested in the case. Prosecutors suspect the Gulf state tried to influence parliament decisions with donations of money or gifts. Local media have reported that the accused country is Qatar, which the Qatari government has denied. Watchdogs and opposition MEPs have said […]

German police gave the all clear after a shopping mall and surrounding areas in the eastern German city of Dresden were evacuated because of a hostage-taking. “The Dresden Police Department is currently carrying out an operation in downtown Dresden. The background is the suspicion of a hostage situation,” the police said in a statement. A […]

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis has blasted Austria for single-handedly blocking his country’s accession into the EU’s passport-free Schengen Area, calling the move “inexplicable,” “regrettable” and “unjustified.” “A single member state chose to ignore these realities and block European unanimity, in an inexplicable way that is difficult to understand for the entire European Union,” Iohannis said […]

LONDON: Britain on Thursday said it was preparing to enlist the army to cover ambulances and border security before a wave of strikes this month as workers demand higher wages. Home Secretary Suella Braverman warned the public against flying over Christmas, after passport control officers voted to walk out, joining many sectors which have gone […]