Germany’s Merz says Putin, Zelenskiy to meet within next two weeks

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz credited U.S. President Donald Trump with persuading Russia’s President to agree to a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart.
This meeting, to which Vladimir Putin agreed during a phone call with Trump, would take place at a yet-to-be-determined…[Read more]

Wadephul visits Japan: key partner in Asia

A meeting with his Japanese counterpart Takeshi Iwaya in the capital city Tokyo marked the start of Federal Minister Johann Wadephul’s inaugural visit to Japan. In view of the wars in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip as well as the evolving relations with the USA, Wadephul highlighted the role of cooperation…[Read more]

German economists disappointed by Merz government’s slow reforms, survey shows

Economists in Germany say the new government’s lack of structural reforms, particularly to curb pensions costs, poses long term problems for Germany, even though a massive spending program will boost the economy in the short run.
Germany’s anaemic economy could be…[Read more]

European leaders comment on teleconference with Trump on Ukraine

Donald Trump joined a teleconference with European leaders including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Wednesday, two days before the U.S. leader is due to hold a summit in Alaska with Russia’s Vladimir Putin to discuss how to end the war in Ukraine.

UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT…[Read more]

Germany: Chancellor Friedrich Merz marks 100 days in office

Friedrich Merz has begun curbing irregular immigration and shaping foreign policy, while cracks are appearing in his government.

Germany’s largest-circulation tabloid, Bild, has passed judgment on Chancellor Friedrich Merz : “The solitary chancellor explains his biggest mistake,” the…[Read more]

Man faces jail in US for shipping 850 turtles in socks to Hong Kong

A Chinese man has pleaded guilty in a US district court to exporting around 850 protected turtles wrapped in socks and falsely labelled as toys, the US Department of Justice said.

Between August 2023 and November 2024, Wei Qiang Lin exported to Hong Kong more than 200 parcels…[Read more]

Trump names conservative economist to lead labour statistics agency

US president’s nomination comes after firing of agency head raised concerns about integrity of US government statistics.

United States President Donald Trump has tapped an economist from a conservative think tank to lead a key statistics agency after firing its previous head o…[Read more]

Why is Trump sending US National Guard to Washington, DC?

The president is deploying the National Guard in response to what he calls a crime emergency, with 800 troops slated to be sent to the capital.

United States President Donald Trump has announced that he is temporarily taking control of the Washington, DC, police department, while…[Read more]

Zelensky says Kyiv won’t give up land as US-Russia summit confirmed

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been pushing to make next week’s meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin a three-way summit and has frequently said meeting Putin is the only way to make progress towards peace.

Ukraine won’t give up land to Russia, President…[Read more]

How RFK Jr’s vaccine funding cuts fit with Trump’s vision

Latest move to cut funding for vaccines is not down to US health secretary. It is part of Trump’s wider war on science.

United States Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr has announced that the US is to cut funding for mRNA vaccine development – a move that health…[Read more]

Before Trump-Putin talks, Ukraine rules out ‘gifting land to occupier’

With US and Russian leaders set to meet in Alaska next week, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warns deals without his country will not bring peace.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has ruled out Ukraine ceding land to Russia and demanded his country take part in negot…[Read more]

Trump deploys nuclear submarines in row with Russia

U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the deployment of two nuclear submarines Friday in an extraordinary escalation of what had been an online war of words with a Russian official over Ukraine and tariffs.

Trump and Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of Russia’s security council, have been…[Read more]

US appeals court upholds ban on federal immigration sweeps in LA

A federal appeals court on Friday upheld a lower court’s decision temporarily blocking U.S. government agents from making immigration-related arrests in Los Angeles without probable cause.

Rejecting the Trump administration’s request to pause the lower court’s order, the t…[Read more]

US envoy meets hostage families as Gaza cease-fire calls grow

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff met relatives of the hostages held in the Gaza Strip in Tel Aviv on Saturday, as hundreds rallied to demand a cease-fire that would secure their release, Israel’s Haaretz newspaper reported.

Witkoff’s visit, his third to Hostage Square since the war…[Read more]

Germany’s ‘oldest and biggest’ gay nightclub declares bankruptcy

Germany’s “oldest and biggest” gay dance club has declared itself bankrupt after nearly half a century in business, falling victim to inflation and an evolving party culture threatening Berlin’s nightlife.

Management troubles and dating apps were among the factors putting Schwu…[Read more]

Germany to deliver two Patriot systems to Ukraine in deal with US

Germany said on Friday that it will deliver two Patriot systems to Ukraine after reaching an agreement with the U.S. that Berlin will be first in line to receive the latest systems in return.
Thanks to the U.S. commitment, “Germany can initially support Ukraine with launchers and…[Read more]

Amount of aid entering Gaza is ‘very insufficient’, Germany says

The amount of humanitarian aid that Israel is allowing to enter the besieged Gaza Strip is “very insufficient”, the German government said Saturday, noting “limited initial progress” in getting more aid into the enclave. Aid agencies say that more than two million Palestinians are…[Read more]

Trump ‘ate Ursula von der Leyen for breakfast’, Hungarian PM says

Donald Trump’s handpicked CIA Director, John Ratcliffe, has suggested top officials in the Obama administration and even 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton could be prosecuted over the so-called “Russia hoax”.

This stems from Russia’s interference in the 2016 el…[Read more]

Starmer to discuss Gaza with Trump at Scotland talks

Sir Keir Starmer is expected to discuss efforts to bring about a ceasefire in Gaza when he meets US President Donald Trump in Scotland later.

The prime minister is travelling to Ayrshire for the talks, during which he is likely to discuss what can be done to urgently get a ceasefire in place,…[Read more]

US-EU tariff deal a big Trump win but not a total defeat for Brussels

After weeks of tense negotiations between their top trade officials, the European Union and US have finally struck a framework deal – and it comes on the eve of America’s latest round of tariff talks with China.

Ultimately it took leaders from Washington and Brussels to sit…[Read more]