“I hope that we will treat one another with the necessary respect within the alliance,” Merz added, in an apparent rebuke to Trump’s grousing. Luxembourg’s Deputy Prime Minister Xavier Bettel went even further, stressing his country would not give in to “blackmail” from Washington. “Don’t ask us” to send troops, Bettel told reporters in Brussels. […]
Continue ReadingA man crosses during a power outage in Havana on Wednesday, March 4, 2026.Image: keystone There was a power outage across Cuba on Monday. The authorities are looking for the cause. According to President Díaz-Canel, the island has been missing oil deliveries for months – partly because of US sanctions. March 16, 2026, 8:28 p.mMarch […]
Continue ReadingPublished on 16/03/2026 – 19:34 GMT+1 Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign policy chief, said on Monday there was “no appetite” to extend the mandate of the EU’s naval mission Aspides into the Strait of Hormuz despite growing calls for Europe to help secure the waterway and prevent major disruptions to global oil supplies. ADVERTISING ADVERTISING […]
Continue ReadingOne option proposed in Monday’s letter is to relax state aid rules to permit national capitals to redistribute profits generated by gas-fired plants to support consumers and businesses facing rising bills, the letter says. Another potential change would allow countries to cap the price of gas. Von der Leyen said both of these policies had […]
Continue ReadingWhile U.S. President Donald Trump is pressing EU countries to help clear the Strait of Hormuz, India has avoided taking any sides. Jaishankar maintains regular contact with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, including a phone call late last week. Another conversation is expected to take place in coming days. Asked what sort of message he […]
Continue ReadingA sea of people took over Mexico City’s Zocalo square on Sunday, breaking the Guinness World Records for largest football lesson. The city’s main square became an open-air training ground with 9,500 people practicing football drills under the guidance of instructors. Organisers said the turnout surpassed the previous Guinness World Records set in Seattle in […]
Continue ReadingAn Estonian general distributes flags with the coat of arms of the city of Narva and the Estonian flag.Image: EPA/EPA An Estonian online platform reports on the founding of several groups on Telegram, Tiktok and VKontakte that are calling for the proclamation of the “Narva People’s Republic” on the Estonian-Russian border. Estonia’s Prime Minister speaks […]
Continue ReadingPresident Donald Trump criticized US allies on March 16 for their lukewarm response to his call to help protect shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Despite that, he did claim that some countries had agreed to help – but from what has been heard so far, this isn’t true as FRANCE 24’s Kethevane Gorjestani explains.
Continue ReadingUS President Donald Trump has called on allies to send ships to secure the Strait of Hormuz, effectively closed since the war in Iran started last month, and responsible for one-fifth of global oil traffic. If allies do not respond to the US or react negatively, Trump has threatened a “bad future” for NATO. ADVERTISING […]
Continue ReadingBudapest says farmers need cheaper fertilizer as prices rise, challenging an EU policy meant to curb funding for Russia’s war in Ukraine. Listen AI generated Text-to-speech
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