Europe

    We have proof that chemical weapons were used last week, at least chlorine, and that they were used by the regime of Bashar al-Assad, Macron said during an interview on France's TF1 television. Macron added that he was in daily contact with US President Donald Trump and that they would decide on their response at a time of our choosing, when we judge it to be the most useful and the most effective. The French leader, who had made the use of chemical weapons in Syria a red line, said one of his aims in Syria was to remove the regime's chemical attack capabilities. But he repeated that he wanted to also avoid an escalation. France will in no way allow an escalation or anything that would harm regional stability, but we cannot allow regimes that believe they can act ...

    The Kremlin is sensing a crack in European unity as France and Germany seek to maintain ties, even after the West’s unprecedented expulsion of Russian diplomats over the nerve agent attack in the U.K. French President Emmanuel Macron still plans to visit a showcase economic forum in Russia in late May, Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Thursday, two days after Germany gave final approval for construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline that bypasses other European states to deliver Russian gas. Confirmation of Macron’s visit demonstrates France’s “constructive position” in seeking dialogue despite “sometimes quite serious” differences, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters on a conference call Thursday. Approval of the pipe...

    Millions of Britons could lose their rights to urgent medical treatment while travelling in the EU after Brexit, a parliamentary committee has warned. The Lords EU Committee said there was no guarantee British nationals would be able to continue to access the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) scheme once Britain has left the EU. Ministers have said they want to continue existing reciprocal healthcare arrangements including the EHIC which provides for free or reduced cost treatment in the EU, the three European Economic Area nations and Switzerland. However the committee said the current arrangements were based on the free movement of people which ministers are pledged to end when Britain leaves the EU in March 2019. In the absence of an agreement on future rel...

    The expulsion of scores of Russian diplomats from the United States, countries across Europe and beyond has raised, yet again, the question of whether the world is veering back where it was during the Cold War. The alarming answer from some in Russia is: No, but the situation is in some ways even more unpredictable. For all the tension, proxy conflicts and risk of nuclear war that punctuated relations between Moscow and the West for decades, each side knew, particularly toward the end of the Cold War and collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, roughly what to expect. Each had a modicum of trust that the other would act in a reasonably predictable way. If you look for similarities with what is happening, it is not the Cold War that can explain events but Russia’s firs...

    Dust from a sandstorm in the Sahara desert is causing snow in eastern Europe to turn orange, transforming mountainous regions of Ukraine, Russia, Bulgaria and Romania into Mars-like landscapes. The unusual scenes are believed to be created by a mix of sand, dust and pollen particles stirred up and swept across from storms in northern Africa. According the meteorologists, the phenomenon occurs roughly every five years. A post shared by Маргарита Альшина (@margarita_alshina) on Mar 23, 2018 at 4:49am PDT Steven Keates, a weather forecaster at the UK’s Met Office, told The Independent: “As the sand gets lifted to the upper levels of the atmosphere, it gets distributed elsewhere. “Looking at satellite imagery from Nasa, it shows a lot of sand and dust in the atmosphe...

    There were nearly one million asylum applicants from sub Saharan Africa in Europe between 2010 and 2017, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of data from Eurostat. While Pew Research Center isn’t able to speculate whether the inflow of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa will rise at the same pace in the coming years, a separate 2017 Pew Research Center survey conducted in six sub-Saharan countries found that many respondents said they would migrate to another country if they had the chance. The origins and destinations of migrants in 30 different countries Over the same period, the total population of Eritreans living in Europe increased by about 40,000. Nearly three-quarters of Europe’s sub-Saharan migrant population lived in just four countries: the UK (1.2...

    Theresa May has told EU leaders it is their duty to create a new dynamic and show energy and ambition in negotiating a post-Brexit trade relationship which will be good for both Britain and Europe. The Prime Minister made her appeal on the eve of a crunch meeting of leaders of the remaining 27 member states on Friday, when they are expected to approve a draft deal on Britain's transition to Brexit, opening the door for talks on trade. Donald Tusk, the European Council president, raised doubts earlier this week over whether a deal reached by Brexit Secretary David Davis and chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier would be acceptable to all 27 with Spain holding out to improve its hand over Gibraltar. But a senior UK official said on Thursday evening that all the indicati...

    Theresa May is pressing for a united statement from the European Union condemning Russia for the nerve agent attack in Salisbury. Foreign ministers of the 28-nation bloc issued a statement on Monday voicing unqualified solidarity with the UK, but stopping short of pointing the finger of blame at Moscow for the March 4 attack on ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia. Arriving in Brussels for a summit of the European Council, Mrs May said she would brief fellow leaders on the brazen and reckless use of chemical weapons on European soil and leave no doubt that she sees it as part of a pattern of Russian aggression which requires a united response. Theresa May said she would be discussing Russia’s aggression at the European Council summit (European Broadcasting ...

    The hard fought agreement between the UK and EU over a 21 month transition period after Brexit has been thrown into doubt after Spain refused to endorse the deal without further concessions over Gibraltar. With days to go before the 27 EU leaders are expected to welcome the two sides coming together over a 129-page withdrawal agreement, including the terms of the transition, Madrid said it was withholding its support. It is understood that Spain, which lays claim to the Rock, wants the legal text to be clearer that it has a veto on Gibraltar continuing to enjoy the benefits of the single market and the customs union. While EU officials are confident they can persuade Spain to back the withdrawal agreement before a sign-off by leaders in Brussels on Friday, it would...

    Nearly two dozen Russian diplomats expelled by the British Government have left the UK as Theresa May promised stricter border checks on those whose activities threaten the security of the Britain and its allies. Former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, remain in a critical condition after being poisoned in Salisbury on March 4. On March 14, the Prime Minister gave the 23 diplomats whom she said were undeclared intelligence agents a week to leave Britain. Russia responded by expelling the same number of British diplomats, who are expected to leave in the coming days. Diplomats and their families emerged from the Russian Embassy in west London with suitcases, bags and pet carriers. Some hugged before boarding vehicles to Stansted Airport...