All posts tagged: Breaking News: Europe

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz loses confidence vote

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz loses confidence vote

Published by Sam

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will undergo a vote of confidence in Parliament on Monday, December 16. Michael Kappeler | Picture Alliance | Getty Images German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday lost a confidence vote in the country’s Bundestag, clearing the path for an early election in February. Scholz was expected — and hoping — to lose the vote, which he had called for himself in November in order to trigger earlier-than-planned elections, which were originally scheduled for the fall of 2025. It marks only the sixth time in Germany’s history that such a vote has taken place, and the fourth time a president has fallen foul of the vote. Scholz said Monday that he had called the vote not only for parliament but the whole of the electorate. “Do we dare be a strong country, to invest powerfully in our future,” Scholz told lawmakers prior to the vote, according to a Google translation. Scholz sacked former Finance Minister Christian Lindner in November, effectively bringing an end to Germany’s ruling coalition which had been in power …

Latest news in Russia and the war in Ukraine

Latest news in Russia and the war in Ukraine

Published by skeptic

Russia ‘will not allow anyone to threaten us,’ Putin tells Victory Parade Russian President Vladimir Putin watches a military parade on Victory Day, which marks the 77th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, in Red Square in central Moscow, Russia May 9, 2022. Mikhail Metzel | Sputnik | Reuters Russia President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russia will do everything it can to avoid a global confrontation but said the country would “not allow anyone to threaten us.” Addressing thousands of troops, officials, veterans and guests at the May 9 Victory Day parade in Moscow — an annual event that marks the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War II — Putin said Russia’s strategic nuclear forces were always combat-ready. Putin said the truth about World War II was being “distorted” while Russia had never denigrated the contribution of allies during the conflict. — Holly Ellyatt Ukraine air attack on Belgorod injures 8, governor says A Ukrainian air attack on Russia’s Belgorod region injured eight people and damaged …

UK court rules Julian Assange can appeal his extradition to the U.S.

UK court rules Julian Assange can appeal his extradition to the U.S.

Published by skeptic

WikiLeaks’ founder Julian Assange leaves Westminster Magistrates Court in London, Britain. Henry Nicholls | Reuters WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on Tuesday was granted permission by a U.K. court to appeal his extradition to the U.S., where he is wanted on spying charges. Assange will therefore not be extradited immediately, the court said. The ruling from the Royal Courts of Justice in London means Assange will have the opportunity to pursue a new hearing, unless the U.S. provides “satisfactory assurances” on certain aspects that would address his grounds of appeal. The court said it would give the U.S. three weeks to give assurances that Assange is permitted to rely on the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, that he is not prejudiced at trial by reason of his nationality, that he is afforded the same First Amendment protections as a U.S. citizen and that he would not be subject to the death penalty. An appeal hearing will be granted if those assurances are not given. A further hearing on May 20 will determine whether the assurances …

Russia-Ukraine war updates from Feb. 28, 2024

Russia-Ukraine war updates from Feb. 28, 2024

Published by skeptic

Wed, Feb 28 202411:11 AM EST Russia says it may take ‘retaliatory measures’ as Sweden joins NATO Russia on Wednesday said it regrets that Sweden is set to join NATO and pledged to take some retaliatory measures to protect itself. “Russia will take retaliatory measures of a political and military-technical nature in order to stop threats to its national security. Their specific content will depend on the conditions and scale of Sweden’s integration into NATO, including the possible deployment of NATO troops, strike systems and weapons on the territory of this country,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a post via Telegram, according to a Google translation. Russia said that while security matters are a sovereign question for Sweden, the move would have a negative impact on northern Europe’s stability and the Baltic Sea region, which is shared by Sweden, Russia and various other countries. Sweden bid to join NATO, where an attack one member country is seen as an attack on all members, following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. After long-standing opposition, …

Russia-Ukraine war live updates, Feb. 12, 2024

Russia-Ukraine war live updates, Feb. 12, 2024

Published by skeptic

Russia stays quiet after Trump’s NATO remarks Former U.S. president Donald Trump pictured during a meeting with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg at Winfield House, London on Dec. 3, 2019. NICHOLAS KAMM | AFP | Getty Images The Kremlin on Monday declined to comment after former U.S. President Donald Trump said he would not protect NATO countries from Russian attacks if they lagged on their membership payments. “I am still [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s press secretary, but not Trump’s,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters, according to Reuters. Speaking at a rally in South Carolina on Saturday, Trump said that, as president, he warned NATO allies that he “would encourage” Russia “to do whatever the hell they want” to a member country that didn’t meet its defense spending guidelines. U.S. lawmakers and top Western officials swiftly rebuked Trump’s comments. Read the full story here. — Sam Meredith Putin: Special attention needed on containing Russian inflation Russian President Vladimir Putin is seen on a screen during a meeting with his confidants for the 2024 election at Gostiny …

News on Russia and the war in Ukraine

News on Russia and the war in Ukraine

Published by skeptic

Ukraine targeted the Russian city of St. Petersburg with a drone attack overnight, Ukraine’s minister of strategic industries, Oleksandr Kamyshin, told a panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos, according to Interfax news agency. Russia claimed on Thursday that Ukraine had attacked several areas of the country with drones, including the northwestern Leningrad region for the first time. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday night urged allied countries to ensure that sanctions against Russia are fully enforced. “The terrorist state manufactures weapons, including missiles. There are dozens of critical components in each of them that were manufactured abroad, many of which were produced by companies from the free world,” he said in a post on X. A Ukrainian soldier looks at the sky after hearing the sound of a nearby drone, at the Bakhmut frontline, in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine on January 13, 2024.  Ignacio Marin | Anadolu | Getty Images “Blocking sanctions evasion loopholes means literally blocking terror. I am grateful to all of our partners who understand this, as well as everyone around …

Latest news on Russia and the war in Ukraine

Latest news on Russia and the war in Ukraine

Published by skeptic

After almost two years of war, Ukraine casts a long shadow over Davos this year The wars in Ukraine and the Middle East are set to cast a long shadow over the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, this week. Global business and political leaders and officials are expected to focus on the ongoing fighting in Ukraine as it approaches its second anniversary and a political resolution seems a distant prospect. A fireman is carrying a stretcher for the injured following the rocket attack on a hotel in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on January 10, 2024. In the evening of January 10th, Russia launched a missile attack on Kharkiv. Rockets struck a local hotel, resulting in at least 10 injuries, including foreign journalists. (Photo by Pavlo Pakhomenko/NurPhoto via Getty Images) Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images “Rebuilding Trust” is the main theme of the 54th annual economic forum that runs from Jan. 15-19. Aside from war, global trade, inflation, supply chains and technological change are expected to be high on the agenda. Perhaps the most heavyweight political figures set …

Russia-Ukraine war updates for Jan. 12, 2024

Russia-Ukraine war updates for Jan. 12, 2024

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U.S. military assistance to Ukraine has “ground to a halt,” with Congress yet to authorize the emergency spending requested by President Joe Biden’s administration in late October. In a White House press briefing on Thursday, National Security Council Spokesperson John Kirby said Washington had “issued the last drawdown package that we had funding to support.” “And that’s why it’s critical that Congress move on that national security supplemental request and we get more funding. The assistance that we provided has now ground to a halt,” he said. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday thanked Estonia and Latvia after meeting with leaders of the two Baltic nations to discuss further military aid and Ukraine’s path toward EU and NATO membership. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky (L) and Estonia’s President Alar Karis address a press conference as they meet in Tallinn, Estonia on January 11, 2024. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky was in Estonia on January 11, 2024 on the second leg of a Baltic tour aimed at boosting flagging support in his country’s fight against Russia. (Photo by …

Russia-Ukraine war updates for Jan. 11, 2024

Russia-Ukraine war updates for Jan. 11, 2024

Published by skeptic

Estonia PM pledges more Ukraine aid, says similar from others could help Kyiv win war Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas speaks during a joint press conference at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium on June 28, 2023. Anadolu Agency | Getty Images Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas on Thursday announced a fresh 80 million euros ($87.5 million) in military assistance to Ukraine, and said Estonia would provide long-term assistance equaling 0.25% of its GDP over the next four years. “If all the countries supporting Ukraine made a similar commitment, this would lead to a definite victory for Ukraine,” Kallas said.  She met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Estonian capital Tallinn. A memorandum of understanding was signed in support of defense partnerships between the countries, including research and production of autonomous systems, and electronic warfare equipment, according to a release. Zelenskyy is touring the Baltic states, which also includes Latvia and Lithuania. Located near Russia’s northern border, the former Soviet states — all European Union members — are among Ukraine’s staunchest allies. — Jenni …

Russia-Ukraine war updates for Jan. 10, 2024

Russia-Ukraine war updates for Jan. 10, 2024

Published by skeptic

Wed, Jan 10 202411:16 AM EST Russia exploiting its position in UN Security Council by procuring North Korean weapons, U.S. says A joint statement from the U.S. and seven other countries on Wednesday accused Russia of exploiting its position as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council to acquire weapons from North Korea. The export of weapons from North Korea violates multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions, according to a statement released by the United States Mission to the United Nations. “Each violation makes the world a much more dangerous place.  And a permanent Security Council member that willingly engages in these violations demonstrates a clear exploitation of its position,” it said. Alongside the U.S., the joint statement was issued on behalf of France, Japan, Malta, the Republic of Korea, Slovenia, Ukraine and the U.K. Earlier in the day, the U.S. and its Western allies had released a statement condemning the alleged import of North Korean missiles to Russia. A Kremlin spokesperon on Tuesday declined to comment when asked to respond to U.S. claims that Russia …