Author: Press Room
Published on 20/05/2026 – 18:55 GMT+2 A former British pirate radio station apologised on Wednesday “for any distress caused” after accidentally announcing the death of King Charles III. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The erroneous announcement was made on Tuesday afternoon due to a computer error at its main studio in Maldon in eastern Essex, Radio Caroline said in a post on social media. The error had triggered the so-called death of a monarch procedure “which all UK stations hold in readiness while hoping not to require,” wrote station manager Peter Moore. “Radio Caroline then fell silent as would be required, which alerted…
Chinese leader Xi Jinping welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin to Beijing early on Wednesday morning for talks on the state of play in various global conflicts. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT “In the current tense situation on the international stage, our close partnership is particularly needed,” Putin told Xi, calling the Chinese leader “a dear friend”. According to Chinese state media, Xi said China and Russia should promote what he described as “more just global order” warning of “unilateral hegemony running rampant” across the world. “As permanent members of the UN Security Council and important world powers,” Xi reportedly said, China and Russia…
The European Commission’s latest sweeping fertiliser plan attempts to shield Europe’s food prices from the fallout of the energy crisis, with leaders in Brussels warning that volatile fertiliser markets are feeding directly into higher grocery bills across the bloc. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT At the heart of the plan is an attempt to break the chain reaction linking gas prices, fertiliser shortages and rising grocery bills, triggered by the Middle East conflict and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key trade passage for 30 percent of the world’s fertilisers and 20 percent of its natural gas supplies. Brussels argues that…
The global race for critical raw materials is no longer about mineral access, but about power, the head of the European Commission’s department for international partnerships, Koen Doens, said on Wednesday, amid the bloc’s high dependence on China. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The senior Commission official’s remarks come as the European Union is struggling to diversify its supply of critical raw materials, deemed crucial for the development of clean technologies. EU auditors have recently warned that the bloc risks undermining a successful energy transition while remaining highly dependent on China. “Power will rest in the hands of those that control extraction, refining,…
Europe is confronting a question that would once have seemed unthinkable: whether it can still rely on others for its security at all. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT From Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and conflict in the Middle East to intensifying rivalry between the US and China, the European Union finds itself exposed in a world increasingly defined by hard power rather than rules-based cooperation. “For the first time in living memory, we are truly alone together,” former Italian prime minister Mario Draghi said last week, capturing a growing sense of unease in European capitals. The sentiment reflects a broader shift in…
Published on 20/05/2026 – 14:47 GMT+2 Lithuania’s capital of Vilnius was shutdown on Wednesday due to reports of a potential drone incursion, highlighting growing anxiety along NATO’s eastern flank amid Russia’s war with Ukraine. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Since the start of the month, there has been six reported or suspected drone incursions have occurred in Baltic and Finnish airspace since the beginning of the month, sending shivers up the spine of European countries near Russia’s border – as well as their allies. Wednesday’s warning in Vilnius lasted for roughly one hour, but prompted the closure of the country’s airport, the evacuation…
In a new attempt to put the West under economic pressure, Iran is floating the idea of imposing “access fees” on undersea internet cables crossing the Strait of Hormuz, a move that could further strain global trade following the passage’s blockage. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The plan was first laid out by Iran’s news agency Tasnim, which is linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Questions have arisen over who exactly would have to pay such tariffs, and which kinds of services would be targeted. From a logistical point of view, firms operating cables under the Strait would be forced to…
Published on 20/05/2026 – 12:09 GMT+2 European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told EU lawmakers that the bloc must tear down remaining barriers in its internal market to compete in the current geopolitical climate. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT “We must finish what we started. We must remove the barriers that still persist in our internal market,” von der Leyen told MEPs gathered in plenary session on Wednesday. “We must make it much easier to scale up across Europe. This is the basic promise of the single market and it must be fulfilled.” Von der Leyen singled out the practice of so-called…
Published on 20/05/2026 – 11:13 GMT+2 The US is due to announce major cuts to the number of troops available to Europe in the event of an invasion or war. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The decision comes as part of pre-planned changes to the US force posture in Europe and was initially signalled at the start of Trump administration in line with the priorities of Washington’s “America First” doctrine. The US currently has around 76,000 troops across NATO territory, the largest volume since the Cold War, due to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The announcement due on Friday will…
Published on 20/05/2026 – 10:43 GMT+2•Updated 10:58 Vilnius airport closed on Wednesday after a drone warning was issued across parts of the country. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Lithuania’s defence ministry said an air alert had been issued and NATO Baltic Air Policing had been activated after a suspected drone had been detected approaching from Belarus near to the border. “Immediately seek shelter in a safe place, take care of your close ones, await new recommendations,” a message sent to people in the country’s capital read. The air alert has since been lifted. Latvia also issued a warning on Wednesday morning to residents…