Author: Rachel Maddow
The European Union has taken another major step in strengthening its military capabilities, approving fresh national investment plans under its €150 billion defence loan scheme as part of the wider Readiness 2030 strategy. The programme is designed to sharply increase defence spending before the end of the decade, amid warnings from intelligence agencies that Russia could pose a direct threat to another European country in the coming years. On Monday, the European Commission approved defence investment plans from Estonia, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Finland. Together, these eight countries requested €74 billion in funding, nearly half of the…
The World Bank Group has officially launched its first office in Doha, a move that signals a stronger and more strategic partnership with Qatar and highlights the country’s growing influence in international development and finance. The new office, inaugurated on Sunday, is set to act as a regional base for cooperation between the World Bank Group and Qatari institutions, with an emphasis on development funding, mobilising private investment and supporting countries affected by fragility and conflict. It is hosted at the headquarters of the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD), in coordination with the Ministry of Finance. World Bank Group President…
Focus Turns to Donbas as Talks Resume Peace negotiations aimed at ending Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine are continuing in Abu Dhabi, with representatives from Ukraine, Russia and the United States meeting for a second day on Saturday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the future of the eastern Donbas region is central to the discussions, which come nearly four years after Moscow launched its invasion. Zelenskyy said Ukrainian officials are keeping him closely updated, calling the talks significant because such three-way meetings have been rare in recent years. While stressing it is too early to draw firm conclusions, he said…
Claims Spark Anger in London The UK government has criticised Donald Trump after the US president suggested NATO allies played only a limited role in Afghanistan, comments that have caused deep anger among British politicians and military families. In an interview with Fox News, Trump claimed allied troops stayed away from the front lines, appearing unaware that 457 British service personnel died during the conflict that followed the September 11 attacks. Official UK figures show that 405 of those deaths were the result of hostile action, underlining the scale of Britain’s involvement. In response, the UK said on Friday that…
A proposed security arrangement for Greenland, negotiated by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, will need to be put before all NATO allies before it can move forward, according to Spain’s foreign minister speaking to Euronews. José Manuel Albares said the discussions revealed so far amount to a bilateral exchange between Rutte and US President Donald Trump, not a decision taken by the alliance as a whole. “This is not NATO,” Albares said, stressing that any such framework must ultimately be debated by the NATO Council (Euronews). Limited details and growing unease Albares said allies have not been briefed beyond Trump’s…
A new artificial intelligence tool cleared for use in the United States could significantly improve how doctors spot fetal abnormalities during pregnancy, addressing a long-standing gap in prenatal care. Why Ultrasounds Still Miss Problems Prenatal ultrasounds are a routine part of pregnancy and play a key role in monitoring a baby’s development. They can reveal issues affecting organs, limbs or other structures while the fetus is still growing. Yet despite their importance, traditional scans don’t catch everything. Research shows that a single early scan, usually carried out between 11 and 14 weeks, identifies only about 38 percent of birth defects.…
Poland has significantly boosted its gold reserves, with the National Bank of Poland now holding around 550 tonnes of bullion worth more than €63 billion. The move underscores a long-term strategy to strengthen financial security and reduce exposure to global economic shocks. A Strategic Bet on Stability NBP President Adam Glapiński has long argued that gold plays a unique role in national reserves. Unlike currencies or bonds, gold carries no credit risk, is not tied to the monetary policy of other countries, and has historically proven resilient during periods of financial turmoil. High bullion reserves, the central bank believes, help…
Valentino Garavani, the legendary Italian designer whose name became synonymous with timeless glamour and red-carpet perfection, has died at his home in Rome. He was 93. For decades, Valentino dressed the world’s most powerful and famous women, earning a reputation as the man who truly understood how to make women feel beautiful. The Designer Who Defined Red-Carpet Glamour Universally known simply as Valentino, he built an empire around refined femininity, flawless tailoring and his signature “Valentino red.” From the 1960s onward, his couture house remained a pillar of Italian fashion, long outlasting trends and even his own retirement in 2008.…
Airlines across Europe are tightening their rules on power banks after a series of dangerous onboard fires, with Germany’s Lufthansa becoming the first major carrier on the continent to introduce sweeping new restrictions. The move follows mounting safety concerns after investigations linked several aircraft fires to lithium battery packs, prompting regulators and airlines to rethink how these everyday devices are handled in the air. Lufthansa Draws a Line on In-Flight Use Lufthansa has updated its onboard safety policy to sharply limit how power banks can be used during flights. Passengers are no longer allowed to charge their phones or other…
EU leaders close ranks amid trade threats European leaders have pledged to stand shoulder to shoulder after US President Donald Trump threatened a new wave of tariffs unless Denmark agrees to sell Greenland. The warning has rattled capitals across Europe, raising fears of a fresh trade war and a serious rupture in transatlantic relations. Leaders including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stressed that Europe would respond in a united and coordinated way to defend its sovereignty. Trump announced that goods from Denmark, Sweden, Norway, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland…