Category: Europe

BAKHMUT, UKRAINE: Heavy fighting was underway Sunday in the northern parts of the frontline hotspot Bakhmut, while Russian missile strikes on Ukraine’s second-largest city Kharkiv wounded five people. Despite the flow of Western weapons to Ukraine, Russia has in recent days claimed gains around war-ravaged Bakhmut in the eastern region of Donetsk. However, the head […]

Kyiv, Ukraine-Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday that his war-torn country deserved to start talks “this year” on joining the European Union. “I believe that Ukraine deserves to start negotiations on EU membership this year,” Zelensky said Thursday after talks with EU chief Ursula von der Leyen. He said further integration with the European bloc […]

PARIS: The economic confrontation between the United States and China has put Europe in the crossfire, with Washington’s plan to boost green industries threatening to cause collateral damage to a key ally. The United States has adopted the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which contains $370 billion in sweeping investments, subsidies and tax cuts to reduce […]

The Swedish government says it will further tighten its anti-terror laws to ban more activities linked to militant Kurdish groups, in the hopes of persuading Ankara to drop objections to Sweden’s NATO membership bid. Stockholm had aleady amended its constitution in November to pave the way for the legal changes, which have been in the […]

Russia is mustering its military might in the Luhansk region of Ukraine, officials said Wednesday, in what Kiev suspects is preparation for an offensive as the first anniversary of Moscow’s invasion approaches. Also Wednesday, President Volodymyr Zelensky’s government continued its crackdown on alleged corruption with the dismissal of several high-ranking officials, prominent lawmaker David Arakhamia […]

The EU is having “very constructive talks” with Britain on post-Brexit arrangements for Northern Ireland, but no deal has yet been reached, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said Wednesday. “You know the principle: that everything is only negotiated at the very end when you know what the result is and you give a […]

Ukraine has launched a fresh wave of anti-corruption raids on high-profile figures, including one of the country’s richest men, Ihor Kolomoisky. The home of former interior minister Arsen Avakov was also searched, as part of the apparent purge. Ukraine has launched an anti-corruption drive and officials said the leaders of the customs service had been […]

Türkiye will not approve Sweden’s bid to join NATO as long as it continues to permit those who burn the Quran, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said, repeating Ankara’s favorable position for Finland’s application to the alliance. “Sweden, don’t even bother! We cannot say ‘yes’ to your joining NATO as long as you continue to […]

European countries are still experiencing high incidence of medicine shortages, with deteriorating burdensome impact on patients, according to a recent survey. The Pharmaceutical Group of the European Union (PGEU) conducted a survey with pharmacies in 29 countries, including EU members, Türkiye, Norway, and North Macedonia. The survey results showed that the medicine shortages in most […]

France’s prime minister has ruled out backtracking on a plan to raise the retirement age as unions prepared for another day of mass protests and strikes against the contested reform. An increase in the minimum retirement age to 64 from the current 62 is part of a flagship reform package pushed by President Emmanuel Macron […]