English

Gavin Blackburn

Europe News

Voting gets under way in legislative elections in Kosovo

The vote is seen as a key test for incumbent Prime Minister Albin Kurti and this is the first time since independence in 2008 that Kosovo's parliament has completed a full four-year mandate.

Europe News

EU congratulates Lebanon on formation of new government

The country's new administration, the first since 2022, comes after an unusually direct intervention by the United States which said any Hezbollah involvement would be a 'red line'.

Europe News

Thousands protest in Germany against far-right extremism

The far-right, anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany is currently polling in second place as the country prepares to head to the ballot box on 23 February.

Gaza

West Bank, Gaza crowds greet 183 former Palestinian prisoners

The Palestinians were released on Saturday afternoon in exchange for three Israeli civilian hostages whose gaunt appearances caused widespread condemnation.

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Israel

Israeli medic sounds alarm over wellbeing of remaining Hamas hostages

The three hostages released on Saturday by Hamas appeared to be in much poorer physical condition than any of the other 18 returnees, sparking widespread condemnation among Israeli civic society and human rights groups.

Europe News

Students block Athens traffic over delays to Tempi rail crash probe

The crash happened just before midnight on 28 February, 2023, when a freight train and a passenger train crashed head-on on the line linking Athens with Thessaloniki, killing 57 people.

Europe News

Thousands in Slovakia protest against PM Fico's Russia stance

Fico's views on Russia have largely differed from the European mainstream. He ended Slovakia's military aid for Ukraine, criticised European Union sanctions on Russia and vowed to block Ukraine from joining NATO.

Europe News

IAEA chief says attacks around Zaporizhzhia NPP have increased

Russian forces seized the nuclear plant after invading Ukraine in2022. They've held it ever since, but fighting around it has raised fears of a nuclear accident.

USA

US judge blocks Trump plan to put USAID staff on paid leave

USAID is the American government's principal arm for overseas development. It was formed via an executive order by then President John F. Kennedy and currently employs around 10,000 people, two thirds of whom work overseas.

USA

Medevac plane crashes in Philadelphia: at least 7 dead 19 injured

The crash came just two days after the deadliest US air disaster in a generation when an American Airlines jet collided in midair with an Army helicopter in Washington DC on Wednesday night.

World News

Myanmar junta extends mandate to rule by further six months

The military declared a state of emergency in 2021 when it arrested the country's leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, in an army takeover which reversed years of progress toward democracy after five decades of military rule.

Health news

Romania issues health alert as flu cases rise

So far, 22 people have died with the Health Minister Alexandru Rafila saying none of the fatalities had had the flu vaccine.

Europe News

Serbian students blockade bridges in Serbia's second-largest city

Weeks of student-led protests, the largest in Serbia in decades, continue to mount a challenge to the Western Balkan country's President Aleksandar Vučić.

Europe News

Trump promises ‘significant’ action to end Ukraine war

Trump has said repeatedly he wouldn't have allowed the conflict to start if he had been in office, even though he was president as fighting grew in eastern Ukraine between Kyiv's forces and separatists backed by Moscow.

Europe News

Belgian airspace reopens after tech issue forced closure

The system outage forced a plane carrying Prime Minister Robert Fico to turn around and head back to Slovakia.

Israel

Israel exchanges 110 prisoners for eight hostages held by Hamas

Israel had delayed their release in protest against the way the eight hostages freed by Hamas were treated as they were handed over to Red Cross staff in Khan Younis.

USA

Trump blames 'diversity hires' for air collision that killed 67

An American Airlines flight from Wichita in Kansas was landing at Washington Reagan National Airport when it collided with a military helicopter, crashing into the Potomac river in the worst US aviation disaster in more than 20 years.

Europe News

Greeks demand answers two years after Tempi rail crash

The crash happened just before midnight on 28 February, 2023, when a freight train and a passenger train crashed head-on on the line linking Athens with Thessaloniki.

Europe News

Sweden investigates latest suspected sabotage of Baltic Sea data cable

Sunday's rupture follows a string of incidents that have heightened fears of Russian sabotage and spying in the strategic region.

Europe News

EU signals further sanctions on Belarus after Lukashenko election win

Final votes are still being counted, and the result isn't expected to be released until later on Monday, but state television predicted Lukashenko would win with almost 88% of the vote.

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