The Guardian
40 minutes ago
Filters
Berlin man charged with 22 counts of raping unconscious women and filming the assaults
Assailant allegedly sedated victims using sleeping tablets and alcohol after meeting them onlineA Berlin man has been charged with nearly two dozen counts of raping unconscious women and filming the acts, while investigators believe based on video evidence that the suspect may have attacked up to 60 victims.In the latest of a series of high-profile cases involving the serial rape of unwitting targets on camera, Berlin prosecutors said they have indicted the 68-year-old German national on 22 counts of sexual assault of 14 women. The man, an electrician, has been in police custody since March. Continue reading...
The Guardian
44 minutes ago
As Russia’s assault continues, Ukraine’s politics shift and an old alliance begins to fray
Beneath the drone strikes and talk of ceasefires lies a battle over history that is testing Kyiv’s chances for an end to the conflict• Don’t get This Is Europe delivered to your inbox? Sign up hereI’ve just come back from a trip to Kyiv, where after more than four years of war, it can feel like the political and diplomatic news agenda has become cyclical: a suggestion that some kind of peace deal could be around the corner, followed by the swift intervention of reality that the Kremlin has no interest in abandoning its maximalist goals, and we all go back to the drawing board.We are now in a period where Russia has again stepped up its air attacks on the Ukrainian capital. Frequent mass drone and missile attacks keep Kyiv residents awake, and some even get through to the city centre, whereas in the past Ukrainian air defences were usually able to repel them. Nights can be noisy and scary: one attack while I was there killed 27 people. Thousands head into the metro to get some sleep. Continue reading...
The Guardian
1 hour ago
Meloni government vows to press on with electoral reform after losing key vote
Italian opposition calls for elections as ruling coalition faces second major rejection of flagship policies this yearEurope live – latest updatesGiorgia Meloni’s ruling coalition has pledged to persevere with its flagship plans to overhaul Italy’s electoral system after a parliamentary setback provoked calls for snap elections.In a secret ballot in the lower house on Tuesday, an amendment to a key aspect of the reforms was defeated by a single vote, with an estimated 20-25 members of the coalition breaking ranks. Continue reading...
The Guardian
1 hour ago
‘They want to break our will’: Gaza flotilla activist tells of rape in Israeli detention
Anna Liedtke files criminal complaint in Israel over alleged attack by female guards and says abuse was intended to silence campaignersThe third time Anna Liedtke was subjected to an illegal strip-search in Israeli detention, female prison guards forced her on to her knees, covered her mouth to stop her screaming and raped her, according to interviews and a criminal complaint filed in Israel.She described hearing male guards laughing during the attack, which she believes they watched and may have filmed. It took place in an area separated from the prison hallway by a partially drawn curtain that her attackers had left open. Continue reading...
The Guardian
2 hours ago
Spain and Gibraltar celebrate as border fence falls after signing of ‘historic deal’
Treaty came into effect at midnight, eliminating border controls on land frontier with British overseas territoryEurope live – latest updatesUK politics live – latest updatesSpain and Gibraltar are celebrating the fall of the last frontier fence in western Europe after the signing of a post-Brexit deal that brings an end to border checks for residents, tourists and the thousands of Spanish workers who cross into the British overseas territory every day.The agreement, which was signed in Brussels on Tuesday and came into effect at midnight, marks the conclusion of more than four years of negotiations between the UK, Spain, Gibraltar and the EU after Britain’s departure from the bloc. Continue reading...
The Guardian
3 hours ago
Surviving extreme heat increasingly boils down to this: access to air conditioning | Mark Wolfe
The next great climate divide will be between countries that have the resources to adapt and those that don’tThis summer, much of the media’s attention has focused on record temperatures across Europe and the United States. Television coverage has been filled with familiar images: heat maps shaded deep red, schools closing, rail lines slowing, wildfires spreading and emergency rooms treating growing numbers of people with heat-related illnesses.Public officials have responded with equally familiar advice: stay indoors, drink plenty of water and, if possible, turn on the air conditioning. Continue reading...
The Guardian
3 hours ago
‘Collective failure’: French press digests World Cup semi-final defeat by Spain
L’Équipe laments ‘mentally sunk’ players in DallasOuest France front page reads: ‘End of American dream’French fans’ expectations of their national team had been at an all-time high: a semi-final on Bastille Day, Kylian Mbappé a hero, a squad unbeaten. Across the country, bars had been packed with viewers spilling on to pavements, ready to crack open the fireworks ahead of hopes for the final.But the night was unexpectedly subdued, streets cleared early. On Wednesday morning, the French media were still digesting the disappointment of defeat in a World Cup semi-final, praising Spain’s performance in Texas while struggling to comprehend Les Bleus’ fall from a high. Continue reading...
The Guardian
4 hours ago
Arrest of American who has given $1m in aid to Palestine prompts fears of ‘growing repression from Trump’
Extradition request for James ‘Fergie’ Chambers sparks concerns that US government is conflating humanitarian aid with terrorismThe arrest in Ibiza and US justice department extradition request for a wealthy American donor to leftwing causes in connection with alleged material support for Hamas is sending ripples through leftwing circles in Spain and being closely monitored in the US for potential “chilling effects” on support for Palestine.Spanish authorities detained James “Fergie” Chambers on Friday and are now holding him without bail in Madrid. A hearing is scheduled for Thursday on whether he can be released on bail. Continue reading...
The Guardian
5 hours ago
Ukraine war briefing: Spotlight on ‘hundreds’ of alleged PoW executions by Russia
Ukraine attacks deter Russian shipping in Sea of Azov; loudest cheers for Kyiv’s troops at Bastille Day parade in Paris. What we know on day 1,603The Russian army has executed hundreds of Ukrainian PoW since 2022 under a deliberate policy, Kyiv says, with the exact number of victims unknown. A Ukrainian intelligence official told Agence France-Presse they have tracked “more than 900 military personnel” killed in “more than 340” incidents since 2022. Speaking on condition of anonymity, they added this might represent 25%-40% of such cases. Under the Geneva conventions, soldiers are considered PoW – and afforded protection – from the moment they issue a clear surrender.A UN report from June cited 129 verified executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war, with the organisation sounding the alarm last year over a “marked increase” in cases. Andriy Atamantchuk from the Ukrainian prosecutor general’s office said that to date Kyiv has opened 116 investigations into the killings of 306 Ukrainian servicemen since 2022. “This stems from a Russian policy that has effectively encouraged and enabled such crimes, with commanders then issuing orders to that effect,” he said. The accusations are rejected by Moscow and Agence France-Presse said Russian authorities did not reply to an AFP request for comment.Russia’s transport ministry admitted it may have to divert cargo away from the Sea of Azov as Ukraine continued to pound Russian shipping there. The commander of Ukraine’s drone forces said on Tuesday that Ukraine had hit “116 vessels over the past nine days”, including several tankers and cargo ships, in the Azov sea. He said the aim was to damage Russia’s “shadow fleet” and to limit Russia’s petrol supplies to Moscow-controlled Crimea.Ukraine’s military said it struck two Russian oil refineries in the Bashkortostan and Krasnodar regions, causing fires at the Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat complex as well as the Afipsky oil refinery. Russian authorities confirmed a fire at the Afipsky refinery in Russia’s southern Krasnodar region, and at Salavat in the Urals region of Bashkortostan.Sevastopol, one of the largest cities in Russian-controlled Crimea, was limiting power supplies after Ukrainian attacks, local authorities said on Tuesday. Crimea has already introduced restrictions on gasoline usage because of fuel shortages caused by Ukrainian strikes on oil refineries and logistics infrastructure. Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Moscow-installed governor of Sevastopol, said electricity would be supplied for two hours, followed by six-hour outages.Ukraine’s air defences managed to shoot down five out of eight ballistic missiles that Russia fired overnight into Tuesday – an increased interception rate – along with 108 out of 135 drones, the Ukrainian air force said. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine’s president, said Russian attacks still damaged 16 sites in the capital, including a school and a business, while city officials reported several fires. Zelenskyy said Russian attacks injured seven people in Ukraine’s eastern Kharkiv region and three in the northern Chernihiv region. He called on European allies to pass their latest sanctions package this week.Kyrgyzstan’s government on Tuesday indefinitely banned exports of gasoline, diesel fuel and oil in response to fuel shortages in Russia, from which the Central Asian country sources the vast majority of its fuel needs. Kyrgyzstan has appealed to neighbours for help in making up for Russian fuel supplies, and sought diesel and jet fuel from Belarus and China.Ukrainian troops marched down the Champs-Élysées as part of the Bastille Day parade in Paris. Kyiv’s troops got the biggest cheers of the day from crowds on the tree-lined avenue. Ukrainian co-pilots trained in France were on board two French Mirage 2000B fighter jets that flew over. Zelenskyy watched as guest of honour alongside Emmanuel Macron, the French president.Ukraine’s prime minister, Yulia Svyrydenko, formally resigned in parliament on Tuesday as part of a government reshuffle previously announced by Zelenskyy. The parliament is expected to vote for a replacement on Thursday. Opposition lawmakers have called for Zelenskyy to further explain the overhaul of his government. Continue reading...
The Guardian
15 hours ago
France holds annual Bastille Day parade in Paris – video
France marked its annual Bastille Day celebration in Paris with a parade of military regiments, including foreign troops. Leaders from the 'coalition of the willing' were invited to watch the parade Continue reading...
The Guardian
1 day ago
Sweden prides itself on equality – so why is its political gender gap growing?
As general election looms, survey shows twice as many men as women support far-right Sweden DemocratsOne is led by Sweden’s first female prime minister, Magdalena Andersson, and has promised smaller school-class sizes, more housing and free dental care for young people. The other, led by Jimmie Åkesson, has neo-Nazi roots and has pledged to lower taxes, improve public safety and treat “anti-Swedishness” as a hate crime.In the run-up to Sweden’s general election in September, the Social Democrats and the Sweden Democrats are placed first and second respectively in the polls, and between them are expected to scoop up more than 50% of the vote. Continue reading...
The Guardian
1 day ago
The Guardian view on Volkswagen’s crisis: another wake-up call for Germany and the EU | Editorial
Robust action is needed to protect European industries from unfair competition. The alternative is social strife amid growing insecurityAccording to a recent analysis, China enjoys a surplus in its manufactured goods trade with the European Union that is roughly equivalent to Italy’s national income. That trade disparity, it is estimated, continues to grow by about 30% each year. The stark implication, according to a paper from Centre for European Reform, is that Europe, with Germany in the frontline, risks “deindustrialisation at China’s hand”.The gravity of the threat was grimly evident in the car industry last week, as Volkswagen’s supervisory board met to discuss radical proposals to cut 100,000 jobs – around a sixth of the company’s global workforce – and close plants. Taking into account indirect as well as direct employment, the automotive sector is responsible for around 3m jobs in Germany. But manufacturers in the country’s flagship industry have found themselves in a triple bind. Continue reading...
The Guardian
1 day ago
Trump’s Nato remarks rang hollow – but he recognizes something real | Christopher S Chivvis
US political leaders must be more clear-eyed about our global alliances, without embracing his scorched-earth approachDonald Trump memorably took out a full-page advertisement in multiple newspapers in 1987 charging that America was carrying too much weight for its allies. In his first term he repeated this charge, threatening to withdraw from Nato and berating US allies around the world in the process. Last week’s gathering of Nato’s heads of government in Turkey suggests his approach is running out of steam as the world adjusts and the president bumps up against the limits of American unilateral power in Iran.Trump’s domestic political opponents should breathe a sigh of relief but not rush headlong into an uncritical embrace of US alliances. For all his counterproductive bluster, Trump recognized something real. If his opponents in the Democratic and Republican parties are not more clear-eyed about what alliances cost Americans – as Biden failed to be with Israel – they will fuel the fires that brought Trump to power in the first place.Christopher S Chivvis is a senior fellow and director of the American Statecraft Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Continue reading...
The Guardian
2 days ago
France and UK to increase staffing at border controls in effort to avert travel chaos
Disruption at Channel crossings expected to rise amid new fingerprint and facial recognition checksFrance and the UK have agreed to increase staffing at border controls in response to warnings of travel chaos caused by new fingerprinting and facial recognition checks.Disruption at Channel crossings is expected to rise sharply next weekend at the start of the summer holiday season, with MPs saying there would be “utter chaos and miles of tailbacks” unless the EU’s entry-exit system (EES) is fixed or checks are suspended. Continue reading...
The Guardian
3 days ago
The week around the world in 20 pictures
The US’s 250th anniversary, the funeral of Ali Khamenei, another brutal heatwave in Europe and the World Cup – the past seven days as captured by the world’s leading photojournalists Continue reading...
The Guardian
4 days ago
Heatwave across western Europe – in pictures
Western Europe has been scorched by its hottest June on record, scientists have said, as the UK enters its third heatwave of the year and wildfires ravage France and SpainWestern Europe records hottest-ever June as heatwaves intensify Continue reading...
The Guardian
5 days ago
EU rejects suspending biometric border controls despite 20 ‘difficult spots’
Officials admit new post-Brexit EES system is ‘not perfect’, as airports and airlines voice fears over delaysThe EU has rejected calls by airports and airlines to suspend the implementation of new fingerprinting and facial recognition border controls even though it admits there are “20 difficult spots” with queue chaos.With only a week to go before the peak summer holiday season starts, EU officials said the new entry/exit system (EES) was “not perfect” but it would tell travel industry representatives that a full suspension was “not needed” and “not possible”. Continue reading...
The Guardian
1 week ago
Brexit rule change means British teens in EU face soaring student fees for UK degrees
‘Home fee’ qualification ends in 2028, leaving those hoping to study in UK not now eligible for British loansBritish teenagers living in the EU could be priced out of UK universities in two years’ time as a Brexit rule change means they face the double whammy of paying costlier international fees, while losing access to student finance.British passport holders living in the EU still qualify for “home fee” status at UK universities. But this will no longer be the case when the grace period ends in 2028, meaning the first wave to be affected are starting their A-levels, or equivalent, this autumn. Continue reading...
The Guardian
1 week ago
Celtic nations begin to plan for breakup of UK in event of Reform election win
Politicians brace for constitutional turmoil if Nigel Farage’s party ends up in government – or even as a strong oppositionThe rise of Nigel Farage has prompted political leaders across Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales to game the unthinkable: the breakup of the United Kingdom.Unionists who wish to save the union and nationalists who wish to end it are bracing for constitutional turmoil if Reform UK emerges triumphant – with Farage as prime minister or official leader of the opposition – after the next election. Continue reading...
The Guardian
1 week ago
Top stories from trusted global sources
Updated 2 minutes ago · Feeds: BBC Europe · The Guardian Europe · DW Europe · Euronews Europe