❌

Reading view

Black Sea and black ops: How exposed is Europe to Ukraine war spillover?

The story is as underreported as it is consequential for the entire planet. Three Turkish-owned cargo ships out of Ukraine have been hit in EU waters by suspected Russian drones. One, the Togo-flagged Alfa Watan, sunk on Tuesday off Bulgaria. Ten Egyptian and Syrian crew members are missing. For its part, Ukraine has been hitting Russian tankers in the Black Sea, with no sign of a return to a UN-brokered deal to allow oil, grain and fertiliser ships to pass. 

  •  

Two Latvian men arrested at UK base housing US and NATO intelligence hubs

British ​counter-terrorism police are investigating after two Latvian men were arrested Thursday near a Royal Air Force ​base in southeast England housing US and NATO intelligence operations, police said in a statement. The arrests come days after a major incident at another UK base led the US military to withdraw B-1 bombers stationed there.

  •  

Search warrants for former prince Andrew's homes were unlawful, UK court rules

Police who searched the properties of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor as part of investigations into his links to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have agreed the search warrants were unlawful, a London judge said Thursday. The 66-year-old younger brother of King Charles II was arrested on February 19 on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

  •  

Nobel Prize in Literature awarded to Canada’s Anne Carson

The Nobel Prize in Literature was awarded to Canadian poet and essayist Anne Carson on Thursday by the Swedish Academy in Stockholm. Toronto-born Carson, 76, draws from ancient Greek and Roman literature for her works blending elements of poetry, essay and fiction. She will receive 12 million Swedish kronor (about $1.2 million) alongside the prestigious award.  

  •  

Democratic party sues Trump administration over taxpayer-funded TV 'propaganda'

The Democratic National Committee sued US President Donald Trump’s administration on Wednesday over taxpayer-funded television ads promoting his political message, alleging illegal government propaganda. The lawsuit seeks to halt federal funding for the ads, which have cost more than $12 million to air ahead of November’s midterm elections, according to AdImpact.

  •  

Thousands protest Brazilian presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro, fearing far-right return

Thousands of people joined a student march in downtown Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday to protest against presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro ahead of Brazil's October 25 presidential runoff. Bolsonaro led Sunday's first-round vote, prompting demonstrators to rally behind incumbent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and oppose the far right's return to power.

  •  

Evicted pensioner who sparked Spain housing protests dies: tenant union

Maricarmen ​Abascal, the 87-year-old woman whose eviction sparked housing ​protests in Spain, has died, Madrid's tenants' union said on Wednesday. Abascal's eviction sparked a series of ​protests ‌across Spain in the past couple ⁠of weeks, including activists camping on one of Madrid's main ‌squares, and calls for tackling a ⁠mounting housing crisis. FRANCE 24's Sarah Morris reports from Madrid.

  •  

From the Acropolis, Rubio calls on Europe to emerge from ‘slumber’

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday urged Western nations to return to what he called their civilisational roots and ensure the West "maintains its place at the head of the world" in a speech delivered against the backdrop of the Acropolis in Athens. The top US diplomat called on Europe to follow President Donald Trump's America in choosing the "unapologetic pursuit of national power" over the "global community".

  •  

What we know about espionage, treason allegations against Germany's ex-spy chief

A court on Wednesday ordered the former head of Germany's foreign intelligence service August Hanning to remain in pretrial detention after his arrest on suspicion of espionage and treason, along with a former deputy who allegedly supplied him with secret files. Here's what we know about one of the biggest security breaches in German history.

  •  

Russia warns against spreading 'false information' as reports emerge of second plague case

The World Health Organization joined Western leaders on Wednesday in urging Russia to share more information about what killed a plague institute worker in Siberia as reports emerged of a second suspected case. The Kremlin said Moscow had shared what it knew and accused the media ​of spreading "false information".

  •  

Philip Ingram sees Russia, China and Iran stepping up 'grey zone' activities across UK and Europe

François Picard is pleased to welcome Philip Ingram, journalist and former British military intelligence officer. The events surrounding RAF Fairford are not an isolated incident, Ingram explains. They are part of a much wider security issue in which conventional military operations, intelligence activity and "grey zone" tactics increasingly overlap.

  •  
❌