US Pledges $2B for UN Humanitarian Aid as Trump Slashes Funding, Warns Agencies to 'Adapt or Die'
The United States on Monday announced a $2 billion pledge for UN humanitarian aid as President Donald Trump’s administration continues to slash US foreign assistance and warns United Nations agencies to “adapt, shrink or die” in a time of new financial realities. The money is a small fraction of wh»»»
Russia’s hybrid-warfare attacks in Europe dropped this year, but could they pick up in 2026?
Hybrid-warfare operations dominated European headlines in 2025 – be it sabotage, drone incursions or assassination attempts – even though the number of incidents fell compared to the previous year. Does the drop signal that the Kremlin is taking a tactical pause or just changing strategy ahead of 2»»»
‘It’s snowing!’ How a massive cold front just redrew the global map
From New York to Russia, Europe to Srinagar, and even the mountains of Saudi Arabia, recent snowfall has turned landscapes into breathtaking winter wonderlands. Experience the magic of snow-covered cities, forests, and mountains across the Americas, Europe, and Asia. Countries including Saudi Arabi»»»
Germany faces unemployment crisis – official data
Prospects for finding a job in Germany have fallen to their lowest level on record, according to the head of the Federal Employment Agency, Andrea Nahles. Speaking to DW News on Friday, Nahles said the job placement indicator, which normally stands at around seven points, has fallen to 5.7, calling»»»
German company to sell more refurbished appliances – DW – 12/28/2025
BusinessEuropeGerman company to sell more refurbished appliancesMathilda Jordanova-DudaThe second-hand smartphone market has grown significantly in recent years, but other, bulkier items like washing machines are less frequently refurbished and resold. That could soon be changing. https://p.dw.com/»»»
Anti-Russia States Cannot Join Ukraine Peacekeeping – German Lawmaker
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - NATO and EU countries using anti-Russian propaganda cannot join any potential peacekeeping mission in Ukraine, while Germany's direct military involvement risks dragging it into foreign conflict, Steffen Kotre, a Bundestag member of the Alternative for Germany party, told Sputnik»»»
Exports to EU countries increase ‘notably’ by nearly 46% in 10 months - DoS
AMMAN — National exports to the European Union countries recorded a notable increase of 45.7 per cent during the first ten months of 2025, according to foreign trade data issued by the Department of Statistics (DoS).Official figures monitored by the Jordan News Agency, Petra, showed that the Kingdo»»»
Deadly Russian attacks continue ahead of Trump-Zelensky meeting - UPI.com
1 of 4 | Russia targeted Kyiv with 40 missiles and nearly 500 drones that killed one and injured 27 during an early morning aerial assault on the Ukrainian capital on Saturday. Photo by Sergey Dolzhenko/EPA Dec. 27 (UPI) -- Russian attacks on Kyiv killed at least one and injured 27 early Saturday m»»»
Almost 40% of Germans Say Merz Cabinet May Collapse Before Term Ends - Poll
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - In Germany, 37% of residents believe Chancellor Friedrich Merz's government is unlikely to serve its full term, set to end in early 2029, according to a YouGov poll for Welt am Sonntag published on Saturday. According to the poll, 37% of respondents see it as "very unlikely" that»»»
Iran President Says US, Israel, Europe Waging ‘Total War’ on Country
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in an interview published on Saturday that the United States, Israel and Europe were waging "total war" against his country. "In my opinion, we are at total war with the United States, Israel and Europe. They want to bring our country to its knees," Pezeshki»»»
Fax and furious: Why Germany struggles to go digital – DW – 12/27/2025
BusinessGermanyFax and furious: Why Germany struggles to go digitalNicolas Martin | Andreas BeckerGermany, the land of tech pioneers, still relies on fax and paper for basic public services. Why is digital government stuck in the slow lane while Denmark and India race ahead? https://p.dw.com/p/55Yd»»»
Bulgaria Records Weakest Construction Growth as EU Sector Recovers
In October, construction production in the European Union showed a rebound after two months of decline, while Bulgaria continued to experience a contraction, according to Eurostat data. Across the EU, construction activity rose by 0.8% compared to September, which had seen a slight decrease of 0.1%»»»
Egypt, Europe: From neighborhood to strategic partnership
European Union flags flutter outside the EU Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium July 16, 2025. Yves Herman/Reuters The book “Strategic Balance: Features of Egyptian Foreign Policy over Ten Years”, published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, dedicates a major chapter to Egypt’s relations »»»
Beyond tourism: Indonesian Ambassador Penny D. Herasati on Indonesia’s rise, EU ties and opportunities for Hungary – EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
Follow our Facebook page to get the latest news about Hungary! Follow our X (Twitter) page to get the latest news about Hungary! Subscribe to our Telegram channel to get the latest news about Hungary! whatsapp Subscribe to our WhatsApp channel to get the latest news about Hungary! ENITHRNLFRJARORUE»»»
Türkiye Holds Military Funeral for Libyan Officers Killed in Plane Crash
Türkiye held a military funeral ceremony Saturday morning for five Libyan officers, including western Libya’s military chief, who died in a plane crash earlier this week. The private jet with Gen. Muhammad Ali Ahmad al-Haddad, four other military officers and three crew members crashed on Tuesday a»»»
Egypt Warns of Moves to Derail Gaza Deal, Fragment Reconstruction
Efforts by mediators to advance the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement are intensifying, as Egypt issues fresh warnings that the process could be obstructed just days before it is due to take effect in January. Egypt’s position, which rejects fragmenting reconstruction, dividing the Gaza »»»
Two killed in northern Israel by Palestinian stabbing, car ramming attack
At least two people died in a stabbing and car ramming attack in northern Israel on Friday, Israeli police said. Both victims died from their injuries and the alleged attacker, a resident of the occupied West Bank, was injured and hospitalised. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz quickly ordered m»»»
Germany supports consideration of age limits for social media use
Berlin: Germany has expressed its support for considering age limits on social media use, similar to other countries that have banned those under 16 from having accounts on certain social media platforms. German Minister for Digitalization and Social Renewal, Carsten Feldberger, stated that the ide»»»
Midnight Hammer in 2025: Trump Ends Half Measures on Iran
With Donald Trump back in the Oval Office in early 2025, it took less than a year for his revamped “maximum pressure” campaign to set the pace for Iran. What began as an argument over reviving the nuclear deal quickly gave way to a far starker reality: war on Iranian soil, for only the second time »»»
Moscow warns against travel to ‘lawless’ Germany
The Russian Foreign Ministry has advised the country’s citizens to refrain from traveling to Germany, warning that they could face persecution on national grounds there. During a briefing on Thursday, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova drew attention to repeated incidents in which Russian»»»
Libya, Türkiye to send black box of crashed plane to Germany for analysis
Tripoli, Libya: The Libyan Interior Ministry said on Thursday that the Turkish chief public prosecutor and a Libyan committee investigating the crash of a plane carrying Libyan military officials have agreed to send the aircraft's black box to Germany for technical analysis. In a statement, the min»»»
Germany's digital minister says open to social media ban for children
Berlin, Germany: German Minister for Digital Affairs, Karsten Wildberger has expressed openness to introducing a ban on social media use for children, similar to recent measures adopted in Australia, the German News Agency, DPA, reported on Friday. Wildberger told DPA that restricting children's ac»»»
Bulgaria Prepares for the Euro: How to Recognize a Fake Banknote
As Bulgaria prepares to enter the eurozone on January 1, 2026, attention is increasingly turning to the security of euro banknotes and coins. Financial authorities stress that while the euro is among the most protected currencies globally, attempts at counterfeiting still occur, making basic knowle»»»
UK, Canada, Germany and others condemn Israel’s West Bank settlement expansion
The UK, Canada, Germany and several other countries on Wednesday condemned Israel’s decision to approve 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, saying the move violated international law and risked fuelling further instability, and calling on the Israeli government to reverse the decision. Fo»»»
France probes cyberattack on postal service claimed by pro-Russian hackers
France's internal intelligence services are investigating a cyberattack on the country's national postal service that has disrupted deliveries during the busy Christmas season. The attack was claimed by Noname057(16), a pro-Russian group of hackers that has previously targeted Ukrainian media websi»»»
French Christmas traditions: festivities that continue well into the New Year
Christmas in France would not be complete without free-flowing champagne, oysters or a bûche de Noël. And the French holiday season is longer than most – stretching into the New Year with Epiphany (January 6) and its traditional galettes des rois (king cake) into February with Chande»»»
Nature in focus: 2025’s most striking moments from the wild
Dubai: From the tiniest hatchling to the planet’s largest predators, 2025 delivered some of the most powerful images ever captured of animals and the natural world. These photographs go beyond visual beauty, offering quiet but urgent reminders of how fragile life on Earth has become — and how resil»»»
Gaza, Nord Stream and Kiev’s golden toilets: Top stories of 2025 the West wants you to forget
2025 has yielded some extraordinary own goals that have exposed the posturing of Western politicians and left the EU isolated, irrelevant, and alone, pursuing policies contrary to self-interest. Unwelcome stories often cling to reality, like an alien to John Hurt’s face. And just as the notorious s»»»
2025 in Retrospect: Revisiting the Outgoing Year’s Historic Events
This year was full of truly remarkable moments, yet, some of them stand out as truly significant milestones. Some pivotal, history-making events that will remain in all of our memories for years to come are: the high-stakes Putin-Trump summit in Alaska, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Sov»»»
Israel Calls Countries Condemning New West Bank Settlements ‘Morally Wrong’
Israel reacted furiously on Thursday to a condemnation by 14 countries including France and Britain of its approval of new settlements in the occupied West Bank, calling the criticism discriminatory against Jews. "Foreign governments will not restrict the right of Jews to live in the Land of Israel»»»
MARINS: Can Europe defeat a Russian army?
The Europeans are preparing for a possible war. But how do they plan to fight? Amid all the talk of a possible war, Nato launched its largest exercise in decades, Steadfast Defender 2024, on January 24. It involved 90,000 troops. »»»
Czech industry maintains growth of 1.1% y/y in October
Czech industrial output increased in real terms by 1.1% year-on-year and dropped by 0.1% month-on-month. The output was slightly above the 0.8% registered in September, but remains unconvincing amid the struggling German i»»»
COMMENT: The EU’s Reparation Loan vote needs to fail
The EU’s vote on the Reparation Loan needs to fail. If it passes it will kill off any chance of a peace deal being signed. The US version of the plan is well advanced and special envoy to Ukraine retired Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg said last week that only points remain to be agreed. The EU ve»»»
Italy joins France in blocking EU-Mercosur trade deal ahead of expected signing
Italy has thrown its weight behind France's opposition to the EU-Mercosur trade agreement, putting at risk this week's planned signing of the long-negotiated pact between Brussels and four South American nations. Giorgia M»»»
MOSCOW BLOG: Is Russia close to collapse? Russia vs US wartime budget deficits
Is Russia close to collapse? Russia vs US wartime budget deficits One of the EC executive assumptions for wanting to extend the war in Ukraine by two years is they seem to believe Russia’s economy is close to collapse. EU »»»
MACRO ADVISORY: Implications of seizing frozen Russian assets for foreign investors and companies in Russia
The EU is today (and maybe tomorrow) discussing how to formally use the frozen Russian Central Assets to fund Ukraine EU summit to formalise use of Russian frozen assets. The issue of the frozen Central Bank assets appea»»»
MOSCOW BLOG: Reparation Loan voting mess
This is going to get very messy. This morning Fitch announced it was putting Euroclear, which holds most of Russia’s frozen money, on “ratings watch with negative outlook.” That is a polite way of saying the proverbial is about to hit the fan. »»»
MOSCOW BLOG: Reparation Loan voting mess
This is going to get very messy. This morning Fitch announced it was putting Euroclear, which holds most of Russia’s frozen money, on “ratings watch with negative outlook.” That is a polite way of saying the proverbial is about to hit the fan. »»»
MARINS: Can Europe defeat a Russian army?
The Europeans are preparing for a possible war. But how do they plan to fight? Amid all the talk of a possible war, Nato launched its largest exercise in decades, Steadfast Defender 2024, on January 24. It involved 90,000 troops. »»»
Over a third of Albanian households affected by migration, survey shows
About 37% of households in Albania have at least one member who is currently living abroad or has migrated and returned, underlining the scale and persistence of emigration from one of Europe’s poorest countries, a new survey by the national statistics agency INSTAT showed. »»»
COMMENT: The EU’s Reparation Loan vote needs to fail
The EU’s vote on the Reparation Loan needs to fail. If it passes it will kill off any chance of a peace deal being signed. The US version of the plan is well advanced and special envoy to Ukraine retired Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg said last week that only points remain to be agreed. The EU ve»»»
Ukraine deal comes closer as US, Ukraine hunt for a Donbas withdrawal compromise that doesn’t mention “withdrawal”
The US and Ukraine are hunting for a formula to meet the Kremlin’s demands that the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) withdraw from the Donbas region that doesn’t mention the word “withdraw”. “There are some points I don’t lik»»»
Ukraine deal comes closer as US, Ukraine hunt for a Donbas withdrawal compromise that doesn’t mention “withdrawal”
The US and Ukraine are hunting for a formula to meet the Kremlin’s demands that the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) withdraw from the Donbas region that doesn’t mention the word “withdraw”. “There are some points I don’t lik»»»
UK, Canada, Germany and Others Condemn Israel’s West Bank Settlement Plan
Countries including Britain, Canada and Germany and others on Wednesday condemned the Israeli security cabinet's approval of 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, saying they violated international law and risked fueling instability. "We call on Israel to reverse this decision, as well»»»
Sharjah Ruler opens Mleiha Dairy Factory, sets Guinness World Record for largest A2A2 cow farm
Sharjah: His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, inaugurated the Mleiha Dairy Factory on Wednesday, marking a major milestone in the emirate’s food security journey. The factory, spanning 20,000 square metres, has a production capac»»»
EU, France, Germany Slam US Visa Bans as 'Censorship' Dispute Deepens
The European Union, France and Germany condemned US visa bans on European citizens combating online hate and disinformation, with Brussels saying on Wednesday it could "respond swiftly and decisively" against the "unjustified measures". US President Donald Trump's administration imposed visa bans »»»
Who are the deluded ‘experts’ trying to send Germans to war with Russia?
The governments and media elites of the West pride themselves on providing and promoting freedom of thought, opinion, and debate. Together with a selective feminism that easily sacrifices the women of, say, Libya, Iraq, and Palestine, and a very odd understanding of “democracy” that includes the us»»»
Germany says US visa bans over tech rules 'not acceptable'
Berlin: Germany on Wednesday said a US State Department decision to deny visas to five prominent figures in the European tech sphere over freedom of speech was "not acceptable". A German non-government group targeted by the US measures, HateAid, labelled them an "act of repression". Washington anno»»»
Putin not interested in war with NATO – German defense chief
Russian President Vladimir Putin does not want to engage in a direct conflict with NATO, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has said. NATO chief Mark Rutte claimed earlier this month that “we are Russia’s next target” once the Ukraine conflict ends. He suggested that Moscow “could be ready to »»»
Iran and US Reaffirm Commitment to Diplomacy at UN, but Gap on a Nuclear Deal Remains Wide
Iran and the United States reaffirmed their commitments to diplomacy at a contentious meeting of the UN Security Council on Tuesday, but the gap between the Trump administration and Tehran on a nuclear deal remains wide and deep. The sixth round of negotiations between Washington and Tehran had bee»»»