Authorities in the Netherlands say recruitment of army reservists has seen a significant boost, particularly after the recent enlistment by the country’s queen and her eldest daughter, with authorities now scrambling to arm and train new recruits. ADVERTISING ADVERTISING In February, photos of Queen Maxima in training and aiming a pistol on a shooting range […]
Continue ReadingPRESS REVIEW – Thursday, April 30, 2026: First, the Golders Green attack features on all the British front pages. Next, King Charles’s speech to the US Congress is hailed as a master class in subtle diplomacy. In Germany, papers discuss the latest feud between the US president and the German chancellor. Finally, a stranded whale gets […]
Continue ReadingUkraine is demanding a long-term ceasefire in Russia’s all-out war instead of the short parade-day truce the Kremlin floated to US President Donald Trump, as Kyiv accused Moscow of seeking a few hours of quiet to protect a military parade rather than pursuing genuine peace. ADVERTISING ADVERTISING Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Thursday that […]
Continue ReadingAlmost all of Europe experienced above-average heat in 2025, a year that broke records for wildfires, sea temperatures, and heatwaves as climate change worsens, EU scientists and the World Meteorological Organization said on Wednesday. At least 95 per cent of Europe experienced above-average temperatures, while wildfires burnt more than 1 million hectares of land – […]
Continue ReadingPublished on 30/04/2026 – 12:30 GMT+2•Updated 13:12 Israeli naval forces have intercepted 22 ships and arrested 175 activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla, the largest-ever humanitarian mission bound for Gaza. ADVERTISING ADVERTISING Israel’s Foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed the overnight interception, in international waters near Crete, adding that drugs had been found on board. Over 20 […]
Continue ReadingChina is to ban the sale of drones in Beijing and permits will be required to fly them under new rules that take effect on Friday. Drones and key components will be prohibited from being sold, rented or brought into the Chinese capital. Drone owners will also be required to register their devices with the […]
Continue ReadingThe number incorporated weaker than expected figures from France, where GDP was flat from the fourth quarter. But the region’s largest economy Germany performed better than feared, growing 0.3 percent, while growth in Italy and Spain slowed by less than forecast. The war — and the resulting surge in oil and gas prices — has […]
Continue ReadingPublished on 04/30/2026 – 12:06 GMT+2 Israeli import company Zenziper has stopped the unloading of a cargo vessel allegedly carrying grain stolen by Russia from temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories, Israeli media have reported. ADVERTISING ADVERTISING Ukraine’s foreign ministry welcomed the development, saying it shows that Kyiv’s legal and diplomatic efforts are having an effect. “This […]
Continue ReadingPublished on 04/30/2026 – 12:03 GMT+2•Updated 12:49 Press freedom has fallen to its lowest level in a quarter of a century, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) warned on Thursday. ADVERTISING ADVERTISING “For the first time in the Index’s 25-year history, more than half the world’s countries now fall into the ‘difficult’ or ‘very serious’ categories for […]
Continue ReadingThe USS Gerald R Ford is returning to the United States after more than 300 days at sea — the longest deployment of any American aircraft carrier since the Cold War — following operations in the Iranian war and the mission in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of Nicolás Maduro. ADVERTISING ADVERTISING It is […]
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