Feed aggregator

Lebanese leaders could face EU visa-bans and asset-freezes for obstructing the formation of a new government and implementing reforms, EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell said in Beirut Saturday. "We stand ready to assist, but if there is further obstruction to solutions to the current multi-dimensional crisis in the country, we will have to consider other courses of action ... including targeted sanctions," Borrell said after meeting president Michel Aoun.

Elsőfokú riasztást adott ki hétfőre a Szlovák Hidrometeorológiai Intézet (SHMÚ) a nagy mennyiségű esővel (20-40 mm) és erős széllel (65-85 km/ó), s elvétve esetleg jégesővel járó viharok fenyegetése miatt. Közép-Szlovákiában (a déli járásokat kivéve) 13:00-tól 21:00-ig, nyugaton 16:00-tól 22:00-ig lesz érvényben a figyelmeztetés.

Germany has banned public displays of the green-and-white flag of Hamas, a Palestinian militant group on the EU's terrorism blacklist, after its use in antisemitic protests during Israel's recent bombardment of Gaza. The left-wing SPD party had initially objected on constitutional grounds, but gave in to the centre-right CDU party, German media said. The ban was a "clear signal [of support] to our Jewish citizens," a senior CDU MP said.

French centre-right party Les Republicans did better than the liberal La République En Marche! party of president Emmanuel Macron or the far-right Rassemblement National of Marine Le Pen in local elections Sunday, exit polls indicated. Le Pen's candidate did come top in Marseille, but will need a run-off to secure office. "Our voters didn't turn out," Le Pen said, after just 34 percent of French people overall bothered to vote.

European Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas has said that “the time has come” for the Erasmus generation to help Europe defend itself from the enemies who would have us believe that the European Union has no future. “The Erasmus generation has...

Thousands of people marched in a pride parade in Warsaw on Saturday, amid booming dance music from a sound system in the heart of the city, in what is central Europe's largest annual pro-LGBTI rally. The march was banned last year due to coronavirus.The even was held amid heightened homophobic rhetoric by the Polish government and a new anti-LGBTI law in Hungary, with some Polish protesters also waving Hungarian flags.

Polish intelligence services and those of allied states have "unanimously" agreed that a cyberattacks against the emails of top Polish officials and politicians "originated on the territory of the Russian Federation", Polish deputy prime minister Jarosław Kaczyński said in a statement Friday. The attack was meant to harm, Polish society" and to "destabilise" the country, he added. Russia has recently been accused of similar attacks against Germany and the US.

The colourful former speaker of Britain's House of Commons John Bercow said he has left the Conservatives to join the opposition Labour Party, saying the country is "sick of lies" under Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Spain is set to lift the mandatory use of face masks in outdoor spaces in Spain on 26 June, with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez telling an economics forum in Barcelona that his government will formalise the rule change in a cabinet meeting. EURACTIV’s partner EFE reported.

The EU should not relax sanctions against Burundi until the regime there has stopped persecuting journalists and human rights activists, leading NGOs have said.

The European Parliament’s recently agreed position on reforming Europe's airspace backs a number of items rejected by EU countries, setting up a showdown between MEPs and member states over the Single European Sky initiative 2+ (SES).

EU foreign relations chief Josep Borrell will announce sweeping economic sanctions on Belarus at Monday's foreign affairs meeting after Austria caved to pressure.

EU home affairs commissioner Ylva Johansson has taken a firm stand against outsourcing asylum to other parts of the world. Her comments follow a recent Danish law that aims to stop asylum seekers from filing claims in Denmark.

Many European citizens are still exposed to illegal and dangerous levels of pollution, especially badly in Italy and Poland, new data from the European Environment Agency revealed.

EU foreign affairs ministers will try to sort out a new round of sanctions on Belarus, and EU affairs ministers will hold intergovernmental conferences with two candidate countries, Serbia and Montenegro.

The report's findings are particularly worrying as member states are preparing to roll-out billions of euros for a post-pandemic recovery. The European Commission is approving national plans for the spending of around €800bn by member states from now until 2026.

Der Amerikaner Rian Kanouff will zu Ehren eines Freundes einen neuen Rekord aufstellen. Dafür springt er Dutzende Male nackt aus einem Flugzeug.

Luxembourg's European Court of Justice versus Karlsruhe's German Constitutional Court - the question of the 'war of the judges' may determine the future course, even existence, of the EU.

Abiy Ahmed is hoping to secure a popular mandate, but polls are not being held in war-torn Tigray.

Americas

Lockheed Martin won a $9.4 million contract modification for HELLFIRE and Joint-Air-to-Ground Missile engineering services. The AGM-114 Hellfire II is an air-to-ground missile developed primarily for the anti-armor role.  It is a combat-proven tactical missile system using multiple launch platforms based on air, sea and ground. Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM) is an Army led program managed by PEO Missiles and Space, Joint Attack Munitions Systems (JAMS) Project Office. JAGM is a multi-sensor air-to-ground missile that is the successor to the combat proven HELLFIRE Romeo and HELLFIRE Longbow missiles. Work will take place in Florida. Estimated completion date is June 16, 2023.

Insitu won a $12.5 million modification, which increases the ceiling to provide additional air vehicles, support equipment and spares in support of the RQ-21A Blackjack Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UASs) and ScanEagle UAS for the Navy and Foreign Military Sales customers. The Blackjack can be deployed in persistent maritime and land-based tactical intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, data collection, target acquisition and dissemination missions. ScanEagle has a range of 1,500km and an endurance of more than 28 hours. The air vehicle can operate at speeds between 80km/h and 126km/h and the cruise speed is 90km/h in level flight.

Middle East & Africa

Turkey’s tactical fixed-wing loitering munition, ‘Alpagu’ hit a target with pinpoint accuracy in a test fire by the military. Weighing less than two kilograms, Alpagu can be operated by a single soldier. Its small size makes it nearly immune to radar and the target’s defensive systems are unaware of the killer drone’s presence until the last moment.

Europe

The UK Royal Navy’s newest Offshore Patrol Vessel HMS Spey has been commissioned into the Royal Navy during a ceremony alongside the Ross-shire town of Invergordon. HMS Spey has been undergoing a programme of operational sea training to ready her for action.

Asia-Pacific

Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, said the MiG-21 will be phased out of service within three years. Bhadauria was speaking at the combined graduation parade at the Air Force Academy in Dundigal. He said once the Rafale is fully operational, the service can turn its attention to inducting the LCA. The indigenous jet will replace the MiG-21. Separately, Times of India also reported that the Indian Air Force has stand up 101 Squadron as the second Rafale Squadron. The unit is now at Ambala and will officially induct at Hasimara air base within a month.

Sea trials of India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant has been delayed due to travel and quarantine issues caused by COVID-19. As per news report, Indian navy personnel and equipment suppliers are unable to travel or are being quarantined. New Indian Express says the trials are rescheduled for September after the monsoon period is over.

Today’s Video

Watch: America’s AGM-114 Hellfire Missile Destroyed Armored Vehicle in ONE Seconds