President Trump defended special envoy Steve Witkoff after a leaked recording purportedly showed him advising a senior Russian aide on how to appeal to the US president over a proposed Ukraine peace plan.Trump told reporters he had not listened to the tape but characterized Witkoff’s approach as typical dealmaking — trying to pitch the plan to both Moscow and Kyiv.The leak surfaced shortly...

Seven people have gone on trial in Dresden accused of belonging to Antifa Ost, a militant left-wing group sometimes referred to as the "hammer gang." German prosecutors say the defendants are charged with a string of violent attacks against people they identified as part of the right-wing scene.The accused — named only by initials under German privacy rules as Henry A, Tobias E, Johann G,...

Belgium is preparing for widespread disruption this week as unions launch a three-day national strike aimed at protest­ing government austerity plans.Key public services and transport links are expected to be hit, with airports among the worst affected.The industrial action responds to a package of reforms from Prime Minister Bart De Wever’s centre-right coalition that aim to cut the budget...

The European Court of Justice has ruled that EU countries must recognise same-sex marriages legally performed in another member state — a decision with direct implications for a Polish couple who married in Germany.The case concerned two Polish citizens married in Berlin in 2018.When they returned to Poland, local authorities refused to register their marriage because national law does not...

Survivors who fled northern Mali say Russian-linked mercenaries carried out summary killings, brutal interrogations and other abuses as part of counter-insurgency operations, forcing thousands to escape across the border.One man, who is now in a refugee camp in Mauritania, described being seized in the town of Nampala last August and subjected to repeated water torture and threats after fighters...

A municipal parking inspector and his wife have been detained after investigators say more than €1 million was taken from parking meters in the Bavarian town of Kempten.Authorities allege the inspector repeatedly emptied coins from meters and funneled the cash into bank accounts accessible to his spouse.A bank alerted police after spotting a pattern of unusual deposits, prompting a...

Italy’s parliament has approved a new law that treats the gender-motivated killing of women as a separate offence punishable by life imprisonment.The vote, held on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, passed unanimously with all 237 deputies backing the measure.The bill was proposed by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and received support from both the government...

Dan Driscoll, the 39-year-old army secretary often nicknamed President Trump’s “drone guy,” has emerged unexpectedly as a key player in recent U.S.efforts to shape a peace process for the Russia-Ukraine war.A relative newcomer to diplomacy, Driscoll is the youngest person to hold the army secretary post. He has built a reputation inside the administration for pushing new battlefield...

Chancellor Rachel Reeves will set out her Budget in the House of Commons around 12:30 GMT, facing pressure to find extra revenue while promising investment to cut NHS waiting lists and tackle the cost of living.She has flagged that tough but fair decisions are needed to reduce national debt and drive growth, with an immediate response from opposition leader Kemi Badenoch expected after the...

The government has announced a rise in the national minimum pay that will take effect from April, with adults aged over 21 set to receive an extra 50p an hour, lifting the rate to £12.71.Chancellor Rachel Reeves said around 2.7 million workers will benefit from the increases.Younger workers will also see larger percentage gains. Pay for 18 to 20-year-olds will increase by 85p to £10.85 an...