Ukraine clears key hurdle in EU membership bid
SCMP •

Ukraine clears key hurdle in EU membership bid

The European Union will on Tuesday open new negotiation chapters with Ukraine, an essential step in Kyiv’s long path to join the bloc. Ukrainian lawmakers on Monday passed legislation protecting the rights of national minorities, which removes a major hurdle in Kyiv’s bid for membership. The status of the Hungarian-speaking minority in western Ukraine had long caused tensions with Budapest and Hun...

Ukraine’s EU accession bid advances after Kyiv passes minority rights law

Ukraine’s EU accession bid advances after Kyiv passes minority rights law

SCMP •

The European Union will on Tuesday open new negotiation chapters with Ukraine, an essential step in Kyiv’s long path to join the bloc. Ukrainian lawmakers on Monday passed legislation protecting the rights of national minorities, which removes a major hurdle in Kyiv’s bid for membership. The status of the Hungarian-speaking minority in western Ukraine had long caused tensions with Budapest and Hun...

How exposed is Saudi Arabia? Yemen's Houthis scale up drone and missile attacks

How exposed is Saudi Arabia? Yemen's Houthis scale up drone and missile attacks

France 24 •

How exposed is Saudi Arabia? Just as Iran’s retaliation to Donald Trump’s war suddenly exposed the vulnerability of neighboring Gulf states…how much is Riyadh reeling from the escalation with Yemen’s Tehran-backed Houthis? We’ll assess the physical and material damage from strikes on airports and oil facilities as well as eventual repercussions for the kingdom’s ability to project strength. In the...

Mahmood orders urgent security review after killing of Ann Widdecombe

Mahmood orders urgent security review after killing of Ann Widdecombe

The Guardian •

Home secretary also expands police support ‘with immediate effect’ for high-profile public figures not currently MPsSecurity arrangements for high-profile public figures including politicians and members of the royal family are to be urgently reviewed after the killing of Ann Widdecombe, the home secretary has said.Shabana Mahmood said former MPs, party leaders who are not MPs, peers, former membe...

Security for high-profile public figures to be reviewed after Ann Widdecombe’s murder

Security for high-profile public figures to be reviewed after Ann Widdecombe’s murder

The Guardian •

Home secretary vows to defend against ‘threats from without and within that target our democracy’Security arrangements for high-profile public figures including politicians and members of the royal family are to be urgently reviewed in the wake of the killing of Ann Widdecombe, Shabana Mahmood said on Monday.The home secretary said former MPs, party leaders who are not MPs, peers, former members o...

Democrats rebuke federal raid of Ilhan Omar’s home: ‘rogue abuse of power’

Democrats rebuke federal raid of Ilhan Omar’s home: ‘rogue abuse of power’

The Guardian •

Top House Democrats question the ‘corrupt weaponization’ of federal government against Trump’s adversariesIlhan Omar’s Democratic colleagues have condemned federal agents’ search of the Minnesota congresswoman’s home on Monday morning, describing it as “deeply disturbing” and emblematic of the Trump administration’s “corrupt weaponization” of the US government.House Democratic leaders, including m...

Burnham says Iran’s IRGC likely behind UK airbase incident

Burnham says Iran’s IRGC likely behind UK airbase incident

SCMP •

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said on Monday that a suspected plot targeting the RAF Fairford airbase in Britain was “highly likely” to have been coordinated in Iran, and almost certainly directed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The RAF Fairford base in southwest England, which had been used by US bombers to carry out strikes on Iran, became the focal point for a major ‌secu...

UK PM Burnham says Iran’s IRGC ‘highly likely’ to have been behind RAF Fairford incident

UK PM Burnham says Iran’s IRGC ‘highly likely’ to have been behind RAF Fairford incident

SCMP •

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said on Monday that a suspected plot targeting the RAF Fairford airbase in Britain was “highly likely” to have been coordinated in Iran, and almost certainly directed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The RAF Fairford base in southwest England, which had been used by US bombers to carry out strikes on Iran, became the focal point for a major ‌secu...

Man rescued from cave on Sardinia after being trapped by rockslide for 26 hours

Man rescued from cave on Sardinia after being trapped by rockslide for 26 hours

The Guardian •

Luca Olmetto was trapped roughly 10 metres below ground in the Gorroppeddu cave in the Urzulei mountain rangeA 31-year-old man has been pulled alive from a cave on the Italian island of Sardinia after being trapped roughly 10 metres below ground for 26 hours following a rockslide.In a huge and complex operation, rescuers worked non-stop after Luca Olmetto became trapped in the Gorroppeddu cave in ...