The United States ambassador to Russia has visited detained Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich in a Moscow jail, marking the first consular access granted to the imprisoned US journalist amid calls for his release. Ambassador Lynne Tracy confirmed on Monday that Gershkovich is “in good health and remains strong”. Her visit comes a week … Read moreUS envoy visits WSJ journalist Evan Gershkovich in Russian jail
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is set to meet Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, whose stance on Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine has been met with ire by the United States and other Western nations. Lavrov arrived in the capital Brasilia on Monday, where he discussed issues such as trade and Russia’s war in … Read moreLavrov to meet with Brazil’s Lula as US fumes over Ukraine stance
The UN human rights chief has called for an expansion in search-and-rescue operations after an increase in the number of refugees and asylum seekers making risky attempts to cross the central Mediterranean to Europe. “We are seeing a steep increase in the number of desperate people putting their lives at grave risk,” the UN High … Read moreUN rights chief seeks help as Mediterranean refugee deaths surge
Protesters opposing President Emmanuel Macron’s unpopular plan to raise the retirement age to 64 have marched in cities and towns across France in a final show of anger before a decision on whether the measure meets constitutional standards. In Paris, as thousands marched along the designated protest route on Thursday, some protesters holding lit flares … Read moreProtests in France before Friday’s pension reform ruling
The German government has approved Poland’s request to transfer five Soviet-designed MiG-29 fighter jets to help Ukraine defend against the Russian invasion. “I welcome the fact that we in the federal government have reached this decision together,” Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said in a statement on Thursday. Poland needs Germany’s consent to send its remaining … Read moreGermany approves Poland’s request to send MiG-29 jets to Ukraine
United States President Joe Biden has said an investigation into a trove of documents that appeared to be leaked military intelligence was “getting close” while seeking to downplay the significance of the apparent breach. “I’m not concerned about the leak. I’m concerned that it happened, but there’s nothing contemporaneous that I’m aware of that is … Read moreBiden says investigation on US document leak ‘getting close’
French rescue workers have found a sixth body in the rubble of buildings in the southern city of Marseille that collapsed following an explosion, a spokesperson for the police said on Monday. Authorities had said earlier that they had identified eight people missing following Sunday’s explosion, which destroyed two residential buildings and caused a third … Read moreFrench rescue workers find sixth body in rubble of collapsed Marseille buildings
In the Belgian capital of Brussels, an increasing number of its major buildings are powered by heat found deep beneath the ground. Geothermal energy is heat energy from the Earth’s crust and is – in principle – an inexhaustible and clean source of energy. As awareness of the impacts of climate change increases, and with … Read moreHow an EU-project is helping Brussels tap into its geothermal potential
In “pop-up brothels”, car washes, nail bars and countless other types of businesses, slavery is running rampant in the UK, often in plain sight of wider society. Government estimates put the number of victims at 10,000 in 2020, though Anti-Slavery International claims the real figure is ten times higher – more than 130,000 people. “Slavery … Read moreBritain’s growing slavery problem fuelled by ‘culture of fear’, say experts
Less than a year after first applying for membership, Finland became the latest country to join NATO earlier this week – and given the Nordic nation’s history of non-alignment, its accession is significant. The Western military alliance’s frontier with Russia has grown more than 800 miles with the addition of its 31st member. Prior to … Read moreFinland’s long-held neutrality is over. What next?