France: surgeon jailed for abusing 299 patients
29 May 2025
Joel Le Scouarnec, once a respected surgeon, has been sentenced to twenty years in prison after admitting to sexually abusing 299 patients, mostly children, between 1989 and 2014. The judge said he took into account the…
Donald Trump has paused a proposed 50% tariff on EU goods, extending the negotiation deadline to 9 July after a phone call with EC president Ursula von der Leyen. She requested more time to reach a…
Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov has acknowledged delays in weapons deliveries to Armenia due to the strain of the war in Ukraine. Armenia, a long-time Russian ally, has historically depended on Russian arms amid its bitter…
Romania: pro-European wins presidential election
23 May 2025
Nicusor Dan, the liberal and pro-European mayor of Bucharest, has defeated far-right nationalist George Simion in Romania’s presidential run-off, securing 54% of the vote. His victory followed months of political upheaval, including a contested earlier election…
Peace efforts between Russia and Ukraine took a cautious step forward as Russian delegates arrived in Istanbul on 15 May for proposed negotiations. Volodymyr Zelensky had invited Vladimir Putin to meet in person, but Putin declined,…
The EU General Court has ruled that the European Commission failed to justify its refusal to release text messages between Ursula von der Leyen and Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla regarding Covid-19 vaccine contracts. The case, brought…