World news on politics, society, conflicts, economy and human rights from an international perspective.
The NATO urgently needs a 'Plan B' in case of a US withdrawal or a drastic reduction in its participation, according to a media report. Secretary General Mark Rütte has banned any discussion of this at the alliance's headquarters, as 'The Economist' reports.
The US government's 'America First Global Health Strategy' prioritizes American interests over global solidarity. As Zeit reports, initial bilateral deals, such as one with Kenya for an HIV prevention drug, have already been signed.
Waymo has suspended its robotaxi services in Atlanta and San Antonio due to heavy rain and stopped highway rides in four other cities, according to Heise.
David Lammy, Britain's first black Lord Chancellor, has chaired the inaugural meeting of the new Judicial and Legal Diversity Board alongside Lady Chief Justice Sue Carr. The body aims to accelerate the recruitment of solicitors from ethnic minorities and working-class backgrounds into the judiciary.
According to a confidential dossier seen by Euractiv, European governments fear that some Iranian military attachés in EU capitals are actually covert officers of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
US Donald Trump has announced the deployment of 5,000 additional US soldiers to Poland, contradicting recent Pentagon statements, as reported by Deutsche Welle.
Federal prosecutors in New York have charged two men with using artificial intelligence to create deepfake pornography of prominent women. The case is based on a 2023 law that criminalizes the distribution of intimate images without consent under federal law.
Portuguese police have arrested the mother and stepfather of two French toddlers who were found crying on a country road. The couple was discovered on the terrace of a café in Fátima, according to the Tagesspiegel, citing broadcaster RTP.
Several EU member states are demanding sanctions against Israel's Minister for National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, after he released a video taunting detained flotilla activists. According to Politico Europe, even Berlin is reconsidering its previous opposition to punitive measures against Israeli officials.
Democratic Party has released its long-awaited analysis of the 2024 presidential election loss. DNC chair Ken Martin apologized for the delay, while Republicans in the Senate criticized the timing and lack of detail on security provisions.
US Donald Trump has ordered the aircraft carrier Nimitz and other naval units towards Cuba. According to Welt, experts reject the assumption that the US is incapable of a military action due to the ongoing Iran war.
Rachel Reeves calmly rebuked a foul-mouthed Reform UK supporter at a petrol station in Leeds, telling him that good manners are part of British culture.
Czech Petr Pavel, a former NATO general, has warned that peace in Europe can no longer be taken for granted. According to Guardian, Pavel urged European states to strengthen their defense capabilities.
Just days after US Donald Trump, Chinese leader Xi Jinping received Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing. Both stressed their close partnership, but no breakthrough was reached on a planned gas pipeline, according to Tagesschau.
The NATO is monitoring a Russian military project called 'Skythen' with concern, according to investigations by WDR and NDR. The project involves stationing nuclear missiles on the seabed.
Politico Europe’s Brussels Playbook Podcast looks at how drone alerts, shelters and fighter jets over the Baltics are changing Europe’s sense of security.
Two young brothers from France were found crying on a dusty road near Lisbon. Police believe their parents deliberately abandoned them.
Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong has condemned a video posted by Israel's National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir showing bound activists from a Gaza aid flotilla. Wong called the footage 'shocking and unacceptable'.
The British government has apologized for easing sanctions against Russia. Trade Minister Chris Bryant called the decision 'clumsy' and promised to revoke the license for commodity deliveries as quickly as possible.
Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, is backing Shabana Mahmood's controversial migration changes, allies confirmed, dealing a blow to internal party calls for a softening of the plans.
Two children aged three and five were discovered on a roadside in Portugal. According to Stern magazine, they apparently come from France and have been handed over to the French embassy.
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing on May 20 for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. However, a breakthrough on the key issue for the Kremlin failed to materialize.
According to Spiegel, former Iranian Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was allegedly at the center of a secret US-Israeli plan for a regime change in Tehran.
Russia accuses Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania of complicity in drone attacks originating from Ukraine. The Baltic states reject the allegations and seek support from the EU and NATO, as reported by Zdfheute.
Donald Trump has declared that all of his endorsed candidates won in the Republican primaries on May 19, according to Guardian. The former president cited victories in Alabama, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Idaho, Oregon, and Kentucky, while longtime Representative Thomas Massie lost in Kentucky.
The United States has carried out its first deportation flight to Sierra Leone, landing in the West African country as part of a deal that includes financial compensation.
On the morning of May 20, an air raid alert was triggered in eastern Lithuania after a drone was spotted near the border with Belarus, prompting the evacuation of top officials and the suspension of flights and public transport in Vilnius.
The director of the German Orient Institute, Reinicke, has described Israel's settlement policy in the West Bank as a 'de facto annexation' and is calling for stronger countermeasures from the international community. As reported by Deutschlandfunk, Reinicke is particularly critical of the new settlement project 'E1'.
The Knesset has voted in a preliminary ballot to dissolve itself. The trigger is a dispute over military conscription for ultra-Orthodox Jews, as reported by Süddeutsche Zeitung.
Lithuania has lifted an air alert after suspected drones approaching from Belarus were diverted. The incident occurred a day after NATO shot down a suspected stray Ukrainian drone over Estonia.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards have threatened a war that would extend far beyond the Middle East if the United States resumes attacks on Tehran. The warning came after US Donald Trump again threatened military strikes unless Iran accepts a deal to end the conflict.
The US Department of Defense has rejected reports that the deployment of 4,000 American soldiers to Poland was abruptly canceled. Pentagon spokesman Joel Valdes said the decision was made after extensive consultations, according to Ukrainska Pravda citing RMF24.
The US Treasury Department has extended the exemption for purchasing Russian oil already loaded on tankers by another 30 days, as announced by Secretary Scott Bessent.
The cruise ship MV Hondius, which reported a hantavirus outbreak resulting in one death, docked at the port of Rotterdam on May 18. According to Ukrainska Pravda, citing NOS, four Ukrainian citizens are among the crew members.
US Donald Trump has issued an ultimatum to Iran: without a swift peace deal, the country faces destruction. Meanwhile, a drone strike hit the Barakah nuclear plant in the United Arab Emirates, the Guardian reports.
The European Commission is set to adopt a tougher approach towards China amid rising concerns over cheap imports and dependence on critical raw materials.
Thousands gathered in Washington D.C. for a prayer event celebrated as patriotic by the U.S. government.
Iran is grappling with an internet blackout and record inflation, leading to massive layoffs and increasing poverty. Many citizens in Tehran are affected by the crisis.
Israel is bracing for a potential resumption of attacks in Iran. According to the newspaper "Jediot Achronot," the Israeli army is on high alert.
A 35-year-old man has been killed by a bear in Bulgaria. The incident occurred in the Vitosha Mountains near Sofia, reports Spiegel.