67 h. ago ‘Honest folk are paying for this’: the fight against Britain’s billion

From raids on marijuana farms to illegal bitcoin miners, suppliers are finding new ways to tackle the rise in gas and electricity theftMore British households struggling with bills will resort to energy theft, campaigners sayBy the time a team of police officers and engineers stormed a disused office block in Wigan, Greater Manchester, on a November morning last year, the building had been abandoned.Left behind were rooms filled with thousands of cannabis plants: a nursery on the first floor, the growing crop on the second, and leaves drying out on the third. The criminal gang behind the marijuana farm is thought to have fled after the grid operator cut off the stolen electricity used to power scores of LED lamps. Continue reading...

Economics

3 d. ago JD Vance joins world tributes to Pope Francis after Easter Sunday meeting

French President Emmanuel Macron said Pope Francis wanted to ‘unite people with one another and with nature’.

Politics

2 w. ago British holidaymakers among 500 people evacuated as fire rips through French ski resort hotel

More than 90 firefighters tackled the blaze in La Plagne on Tuesday morning, with some guests losing ‘everything’ to the flames

Events

2 w. ago Brits among tourists evacuated after huge fire rips through ski resort hotel in the French Alps

A huge fire at a ski resort in the French Alps forced around 420 people, including British nationals, to evacuate the building with at least two people rushed to hospital

Society

2 w. ago Marine Le Pen claims claims inspiration from Martin Luther King Jr

Leader is appealing the court’s decision to ban her from running in the 2027 election

Politics

2 w. ago Marine Le Pen ruling is fuel for the global right’s attacks on court authority

Rightwing and populist leaders are seizing on conviction to push narrative they are being silenced – but legal experts disagreeThe three-word message, launched minutes after the verdict came in, was succinct in its solidarity. “Je suis Marine!” Hungary’s Viktor Orbán posted on social media after France’s far-right leader, Marine Le Pen, was found guilty of embezzling European parliament funds and barred immediately from running for public office.Messages soon came tumbling in from Brazil to Belgium, hinting at how rightwing nationalist and populist leaders had seized on the ruling to push their own narrative. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago Marine Le Pen claims ‘existence of France is at stake’ at first far

Le Pen has appealed the court’s decision to ban her from running in the 2027 election

Politics

2 w. ago US’s Rubio shrugs off market falls at Nato press conference – Europe live

US secretary of state says ‘markets will adjust’ during press conference following Nato summit in BrusselsAsked further about Ukraine, Rutte lists a number of projects by Nato member states, including Poland, Denmark, and the Czech Republic.He says that “the shortest answer” to question on safety guarantees is to adopt measures that make sure that “Putin will never, ever try again to get one square kilometer or one square mile of Ukraine in the future, that he knows that there is a deterrence and a defence by which Ukraine can never be attacked in the future.” Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Mark Rutte says US tariffs do not violate Nato commitments on ‘eliminating conflict in international economic policies’ – Europe live

Nato secretary general says ‘we have seen many examples of fights over tariffs in the past’ when pressed on US tariffsAsked further about Ukraine, Rutte lists a number of projects by Nato member states, including Poland, Denmark, and the Czech Republic.He says that “the shortest answer” to question on safety guarantees is to adopt measures that make sure that “Putin will never, ever try again to get one square kilometer or one square mile of Ukraine in the future, that he knows that there is a deterrence and a defence by which Ukraine can never be attacked in the future.” Continue reading...

Economics

2 w. ago Trump offers backing for Marine Le Pen ahead of rally in Paris to show support for convicted politician – Europe live

US president attacks French judiciary as frustration grows in France with Trump’s policies; part of French left prepares counter demonstration in ParisSomewhere between ecstatic posts about the effect of tariffs – leaving markets in turmoil with losses in trillions of dollars and about $5m Trump golden card for wealthy immigrants looking to move to the US Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago ‘The law is the same for everyone’: Macron addresses Le Pen verdict for first time and criticises threats against judges – Europe live

French president says ‘the judiciary is independent’ following threats made against judges in case against former French far-right leader The French government expects President Trump’s tariffs to be in the range of between 20-25%, said government spokeswoman Sophie Primas on Wednesday.“They risk being pretty powerful. People are speaking of tariffs between 20 and 25 percent,” Primas told reporters. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago Marine Le Pen judge given police protection after death threats

A police investigation into the threats is underway

Events

3 w. ago France’s left is celebrating Le Pen’s conviction. But gloating will make it harder to beat the far right | Georgios Samaras

Beware the backlash strategies used by Trump and Berlusconi. It is vital that the National Rally leader isn’t able to capitalise on this verdictThe verdict is in: the National Rally (NR) and its leader, Marine Le Pen, have been found to have employed fictitious European parliament assistants between 2004 and 2016. The fraudulent scheme enabled the misappropriation of around €2.9m in European funds, and Le Pen has now been barred from holding public office for five years. Could this mark the end for the National Rally? Highly unlikely – and the reason lies in the party’s strategy.During the trial, Le Pen deliberately maintained silence in response to the allegations – a tactic some outlets dismissed as evidence of a weak defence, even questioning her credibility. Yet this quiet is far from a sign of weakness; it reflects a long-established approach that consistently shuns conventional manoeuvres in favour of an intentionally unpredictable stance.Georgios Samaras is assistant professo...

Politics

3 w. ago What is Marine Le Pen guilty of in National Rally embezzlement case?

The far-right leader has been banned from running for office for five years after an EU parliament fake jobs scamAfter a nine-week trial, the French far-right leader Marine Le Pen was this week found guilty of the embezzlement of European parliamentary funds through a fake jobs scam of an unprecedented scale and duration. She was banned from running for office for five years with immediate effect, which could prevent her making a fourth bid for the French presidency in 2027.She has said she will appeal against the verdict and sentence, which also included a four-year prison term – with two years suspended and two to be served outside jail with an electronic bracelet – and €100,000 (£84,000) fine. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Marine Le Pen condemns ‘nuclear bomb’ court ruling as party urges nationwide protests

Le Pen has vowed to fight a ban on her standing at the presidential elections after being convicted of embezzlement

Events

3 w. ago French justice minister urges prompt appeal hearing for Le Pen – Europe live

Gérald Darmanin stresses court timelines are outside government control as PM admits he has questions over immediate public office bansLe Pen ban is ‘political and partisan’, says French far-right party’s presidentIn Kyiv, Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha has offered an update on the talks with the United States over a new minerals deal.Sybiha told a press conference held with his Lithuanian counterpart, Kestutis Budrys, that one round of consultations had already taken place and that an agreement providing for a strong American business presence in Ukraine would contribute to his country’s security infrastructure, Reuters reported. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Marine Le Pen slams ‘nuclear bomb’ court ruling as her party calls nationwide protest

Le Pen has vowed to fight a ban on her standing at the presidential elections after being convicted of embezzlement

Events

3 w. ago French far right calls for nationwide protests against Marine Le Pen ban

National Rally president says French electorate ‘must be outraged’ at judgment that would ‘rob’ them of a voice Europe live – latest updatesFrance’s far-right National Rally (RN) party is calling for nationwide demonstrations against a court decision to ban Marine Le Pen from public office for five years, seemingly wrecking her hopes of becoming president in 2027.Jordan Bardella, the RN president, said French people “must be outraged” after what he called a “disproportionate, political and partisan” judgment that would rob them of a voice in the election. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago ‘We will not let French people have election stolen from them,’ says Le Pen – Europe live

Far-right leader says guilty verdict was ‘a nuclear bomb’ used against her as her party president calls for protestsLe Pen ban is ‘political and partisan’, says French far-right party’s presidentIn Kyiv, Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha has offered an update on the talks with the United States over a new minerals deal.Sybiha told a press conference held with his Lithuanian counterpart, Kestutis Budrys, that one round of consultations had already taken place and that an agreement providing for a strong American business presence in Ukraine would contribute to his country’s security infrastructure, Reuters reported. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Outrage grows over Marine Le Pen's blocked presidential run: Trump and European allies offer support as 'tyrannical judges' are accused of 'depriving millions of people of their representation'

Le Pen has pledged to fight the court-imposed prohibition that appeared to exclude her goal of seeking and potentially winning the French presidency in 2027.

Politics