It seems as though everyone is in some state of emergency these days. US is feeling the pressure of presidential transition, France has extended it’s state of emergency, Russia is feeling diplomatic tensions, and Turkey has continued it’s SOE for three more months. Turkey won’t be considered for EU admissions anytime soon with the political instability that’s been festering since… Read more »
Refugees are being forced to live in freezing, snow-covered camps in Greece because EU states have failed to take in their share of asylum seekers, it’s been claimed. Arctic weather swept into the Greek islands over recent days, leaving thousands to brave the conditions with a just flimsy tent canvas over their heads. The UN’s refugee agency told Euronews pressure… Read more »
A power cut that hit part of the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, in December has been judged a cyber-attack by researchers investigating the incident. The blackout lasted just over an hour and started just before midnight on 17 December. The cyber-security company Information Systems Security Partners (ISSP) has linked the incident to a hack and blackout in 2015 that affected 225,000…. Read more »
Turkey’s parliament on Tuesday approved a government-backed motion to extend by another three months the state of emergency imposed in the wake of the July 15 failed coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The state of emergency — which has seen tens of thousands lose their jobs or be arrested on suspicion of links to the putsch — had already… Read more »
France, Italy, the United Kingdom, Spain or Bosnia-Herzegovina…. All these countries, whether big or small, are being threatened with the same problem: air pollution. According to the World Health Organisation, this is now the environmental factor causing the greatest concern for our health. The European Environment Agency states that around 90% of the urban population in Europe is exposed to… Read more »
One of the Kremlin’s most vocal critics, Alexei Navalny, has said he will stand for the Russian presidency in 2018. The activist and anti-corruption campaigner said those in power had stopped listening to criticism. He won more than a quarter of the vote when he stood for Moscow mayor in 2013. Mr Navalny accuses Russian officials of trying to keep… Read more »
Italy’s new Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni has taken office and announced his new cabinet. Mr Gentiloni, 62, succeeds Matteo Renzi, who resigned after losing a referendum eight days ago. Pier Carlo Padoan remains economy minister and Angelino Alfano becomes foreign minister. Mr Gentiloni is a loyalist from Mr Renzi’s Democratic Party (PD), and he is expected to largely follow the… Read more »
On Sunday, Russian state-run television ran a segment showing what appears to be one of Russia’s most elite military units fighting in Syria, putting an often secretive Special Operations detachment in the limelight, albeit briefly. Footage of Russian troops in Syria is extremely uncommon. The nine-minute segment is composed of various clips, some of it focused on training, likely in Russia,… Read more »
US intelligence agencies believe Russia acted covertly to boost Donald Trump in the election race, US officials have told leading newspapers. A report in the New York Times says the agencies had “high confidence” about Russian involvement in hacking. A CIA assessment reported by the Washington Post made similar findings. But Mr Trump’s team dismissed the CIA line, saying: “These… Read more »
The Netherlands is known for progressivism and secularism with policies such as the legalization of prostitution and soft drugs as well as being the first country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage. It’s surprising, in my opinion, that such country would consider adopting a element of islamophobia with the banning of muslim headwear in public places such as schools, public… Read more »