10 h. ago ‘Vladimir, stop!’: Trump criticises Putin as Starmer and von der Leyen warn over Russian energy ‘blackmail’ – Europe live

US president says he is ‘not happy’ over Kyiv attack as death toll rises to 12 with 90 people injuredWe understand that while the visit will be cut short after Zelenskyy’s meeting with Ramaphosa, their media activities will still proceed, meaning we should hear from the Ukrainian president in the next few hours.Rachel and I will keep an eye on this development to see if Zelenskyy takes part in a scheduled press conference in Pretoria in case he wants to say more about the attacks overnight. Continue reading...

Events

10 h. ago Starmer pushes for his Brexit 'reset' but at what price? PM hosts EU's von der Leyen in No10 amid fears he will cave on 'youth free movement', fishing rights and Brussels rules

Keir Starmer has welcomed Ursula von der Leyen to Downing Street amid intense negotiations over a new package.

Politics

15 h. ago UK deal with EU will not return to ‘arguments of the past’, minister says

Exclusive: Nick Thomas-Symonds says growth is highest priority of talks as Keir Starmer prepares to meet EU chiefNick Thomas-Symonds: A new deal with the EU is exactly what Britain needs. Here’s how Labour will achieve itUK politics live – latest updatesThe UK’s new deal with the EU will be a break from “debates and arguments of the past,” the UK’s chief negotiator, Nick Thomas-Symonds, has said, pledging that growth would be the highest priority of the talks.It comes as Keir Starmer prepares to meet the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, in London, as momentum builds towards a crucial EU-UK summit in May. Continue reading...

Politics

15 h. ago Starmer pushes for his Brexit 'reset' but at what price? PM meeting EU's von der Leyen in No10 TODAY amid fears he will cave on 'youth free movement', fishing rights and Brussels rules

Keir Starmer is meeting Ursula von der Leyen in Downing Street later amid intense negotiations over a new package.

Politics

20 h. ago Energy, defence and fish on the menu for von der Leyen in London

Energy, defence and fish on the menu for von der Leyen in London  Financial Times

Politics

21 h. ago The EU fined Apple and Meta – but failed to really hold them to account. Was that to appease Trump? | Alexander Hurst

Instead of bazooka-level fines on global turnover, this €700m was no more than a slap on the wrist. It’s a missed opportunityThe European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, had some tough words for big tech this week, but it seems that at the last minute, the EU lost its nerve. Under the Digital Markets Act, companies that the EU has designated as “gatekeepers” – that is, digital platforms that provide core services such as search engines, app stores and messenger services – have special obligations and constraints that are meant to ensure a fair playing field for other companies.Apple, which takes a significant cut of purchases (including subscriptions) made through its App Store, violated the act by preventing developers from directing customers to their own websites to get around the “Apple tax”. In Meta’s case, the company was fined for forcing Facebook and Instagram users to either consent to letting Meta use their personal data, or pay a monthly fee to remove ads.Alex...

Politics

33 h. ago Xi contrasts China’s clean energy promises with Trump turmoil

Virtual meeting of leaders also hears UN’s António Guterres proclaim ‘no group or government’ can stop green revolutionChina will continue to push forward on the climate crisis, Xi Jinping has said while appearing to criticise the “protectionism” of Donald Trump’s tariff policies.The Chinese president was attending a closed-door virtual meeting with the UN secretary general, António Guterres, Brazil’s president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, and about a dozen other heads of state and government to discuss the climate crisis. Continue reading...

Politics

34 h. ago UN chief: no group or government can stop clean energy future

Remarks by António Guterres follow virtual meeting with world leaders including China’s Xi JinpingNo government or fossil fuel interest can hold the world back from pursuing a clean energy future, the the UN secretary general has said, after a key meeting with the president of China.António Guterres held a closed-door virtual meeting with Xi Jinping of China on Wednesday, along with Brazil’s president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva; the EU commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, and about a dozen other heads of state and government, to discuss the climate crisis. Continue reading...

Politics

39 h. ago Lovesick Hornbill finally finds mate at Fife Zoo after search halted by Brexit

Zazu, a rare Von der Decken hornbill, arrived the Cupar zoo as part of an endangered species breeding programme before Brexit and a broken beak thwarted his quest for love.

Politics

5 d. ago Orbán’s stance on Ukraine pushes Hungary to brink in EU relations

Member states are considering removing the country’s voting rights after its attempts to stymie support for KyivThe posters are going up all over Hungary. “Let’s not allow them to decide for us,” runs the slogan alongside three classic villains of Hungarian government propaganda.They are: Ukraine’s wartime leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy; the European Commission’s president, Ursula von der Leyen; and Manfred Weber, the German politician who leads the centre-right European People’s party in the European parliament, which counts Hungary’s most potent opposition politician among its ranks. Continue reading...

Politics

7 d. ago EU chief Ursula von der Leyen delivers crippling warning to the West as she condemns Trump's inner circle of 'bros' and 'oligarchs'

The President of the EU, painted a grim picture of transatlantic relations to Die Zeit, contrasting Washington's tariffs and unpredictable behaviour to the EU's commitment to global trade.

Events

7 d. ago Trump's inner circle of 'bros' and 'oligarchs' are condemned by EU chief von der Leyen as she declares 'the West as we knew it no longer exists'

The President of the EU, painted a grim picture of transatlantic relations to Die Zeit, contrasting Washington's tariffs and unpredictable behaviour to the EU's commitment to global trade.

Politics

8 d. ago ‘West as we knew it no longer exists,’ warns von der Leyen – Europe live

Wide-ranging interview addresses how Trump presidency has upended certainties over EU-US relationsThe United States has removed sanctions on a close aide of the Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orbán, the state department said, adding that the punitive measures had been “inconsistent with US foreign policy interests”.Marco Rubio, the secretary of state, spoke on Tuesday with his Hungarian counterpart, the foreign minister, Péter Szijjártó, and informed him of the move, state department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement. Continue reading...

Events

8 d. ago ‘West as we knew it no longer exists,’ warns Von der Leyen – Europe live

Wide-ranging interview addresses how Trump presidency has upended certainties over EU-US relationsUkraine’s parliament voted to extend martial law until 6 August, a senior lawmaker said, as Russia’s full-scale invasion of the country continues.Reuters reported that an overwhelming majority of 357 deputies supported the extension, which allows the country to continue mobilizing troops and suspends the election cycle. Continue reading...

Events

9 d. ago Europe's race to rearm is pointless if its adversaries are waging war online | Johnny Ryan

Ireland holds the algorithm off-switch. Ursula von der Leyen must force Dublin to use itEurope is scrambling to remilitarise. The European Commission is raising a €150bn (£129bn) defence fund and is calling on EU countries to invest €650bn (£561bn) more. Germany has cast aside its government debt limit to invest hundreds of billions of euros in defence. Poland will train every male of fighting age for battle, and envisages an army 500,000 strong. Latvia’s president has urged the rest of Europe to conscript citizens, as Latvia does. Even neutral Ireland is buying combat jets. No wonder Europe’s defence industry is booming. In just a few months, the share prices of several big weapons manufacturers have nearly doubled and doubled again. But, despite this new martial pulse, the continent is still sleepwalking towards disaster.Europe can harden its shell and sharpen its claws, but it has done little to protect its soft underbelly against political manipulation. The US is capitulating to...

Events

2 w. ago EU could tax Big Tech if Trump trade talks fail, says von der Leyen

European Commission president tells FT she wants ‘balanced’ deal but could hit US services in retaliation

Politics

2 w. ago Wall Street opens lower despite hopes that ‘well advanced’ trade talks will yield deals

Ursula von der Leyen says EU “want to give negotiations a chance”, by pausing countermeasures for 90 daysRead the latest full reportUS-China trade war intensifies as Beijing’s tariffs come into effect after Trump pauseChina and the European Union have exchanged views on strengthening their economic and trade cooperation in response to US tariffs, the Chinese commerce ministry said on Thursday, according to Reuters news agency.In a video call on Tuesday, China’s commerce minister Wang Wentao discussed with European trade and economic security commissioner Maros Sefcovic the restart of talks on trade relief and to immediately carry out negotiations on electric vehicle price commitments, the Chinese ministry statement said. Continue reading...

Economics

2 w. ago The Latest: S&P 500 falls 2% at the open despite Trump’s tariff pause

U.S. stocks are giving back some of their historic gains from the day before as Wall Street weighs a global trade war that has cooled in temperature but is still threatening the economy

Politics

2 w. ago ‘We are stepping up,’ UK defence secretary tells ‘coalition of the willing’ for Ukraine – Europe live

John Healey tells meeting of more than 30 countries that coalition is working on ‘putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position’We’re getting a bit more details from EU spokesperson, Olof Gill, speaking at the commission’s press briefing right now (which, notably, got delayed by almost half an hour as that von der Leyen statement was being put out).He said:We are not going to offer any greater detail at this point about what we are not saying to the Americans beyond what we have already said.We want to negotiate, we want to talk. Continue reading...

Society

2 w. ago Wall Street to fall back despite hopes that ‘well advanced’ trade talks will yield deals

Ursula von der Leyen says EU “want to give negotiations a chance”, by pausing countermeasures for 90 daysRead the latest full reportUS-China trade war intensifies as Beijing’s tariffs come into effect after Trump pauseChina and the European Union have exchanged views on strengthening their economic and trade cooperation in response to US tariffs, the Chinese commerce ministry said on Thursday, according to Reuters news agency.In a video call on Tuesday, China’s commerce minister Wang Wentao discussed with European trade and economic security commissioner Maros Sefcovic the restart of talks on trade relief and to immediately carry out negotiations on electric vehicle price commitments, the Chinese ministry statement said. Continue reading...

Economics