News Dispatch
Europe
Far-right AfD overtakes German conservatives in new poll
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has edged ahead of the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) for a second time...
Italy urged by IEA chief to rethink nuclear power
Italy should reconsider its rejection of nuclear energy as it seeks greater energy security and economic stability, the head of t...
Netherlands migration bills face backlash over “illegal stay” offence clause
A proposal in the Netherlands to make it a criminal offence to remain in the country without valid residence documents has trigger...
Diplomatic strain between Washington and Rome deepens amid Iran and NATO row
United States President Donald Trump has sharply criticised Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, saying their relationship has d...
Leading Balkan Cartel member arrested in Montenegro
On 15 April 2026, Europol supported law enforcement authorities in Montenegro in conducting a large-scale operation targeting a si...
Orbán era swept away by Péter Magyar’s Hungary election landslide
Viktor Orbán’s 16-year grip on power has come to an end, with a system often labelled an “electoral autocracy” collapsing after a ...
US Ambassador Denies Trump and Vance Interfered in Hungary Election
Returning to Hungary, Donald Trump’s EU ambassador told AFP that neither the former president nor his vice-president were “meddlin...
From Vietnam to the EU by air: 8 arrested in a migrant smuggling sting across Europe
On 30 March 2026, a coordinated international French-led operation, which was supported by Europol and involved law enforcement an...
World
Canada’s Carney secures stronger mandate for pushing back against Trump
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has strengthened his grip on power, securing a stronger mandate to confront US President Donal...
Trump orders Strait of Hormuz blockade after US-Iran talks fail in Islamabad
US President Donald Trump ordered a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz after talks with Iran in Islamabad ended without agreem...
Artemis II astronauts safely back on Earth after historic trip around moon
The Artemis II capsule and its four-member crew streaked through Earth's atmosphere and safely splashed down in the Pacific Ocean ...
Trump complains NATO ‘wasn’t there when we needed them’ after talks with alliance leader Rutte
President Donald Trump repeated his complaint about NATO after a closed-door meeting with the alliance’s Secretary-General Mark Ru...
Pope Leo, attacked again by Trump, flies to Cameroon on Africa tour
Pope Leo set off for Cameroon on Wednesday, where he is expected to appeal for peace in the simmering conflict in the country's E...
In a first, Libya’s rival forces take part in joint US-led military exercises
Forces from Libya's east- and west-based administrations participated in U.S. special forces exercises in the central city of Sir...
Iran executed at least 1,639 people in 2025 in 68% increase on year before, NGOs say
Rights groups, including Amnesty International, say Iran carries out more executions per capita than any other country, and more i...
US launches blockade on Iran as Trump bets economic pressure will force surrender
The United States has begun a naval blockade targeting Iranian ports, marking a sharp escalation in tensions following failed week...
UN watchdog says North Korea is boosting nuclear weapons capacity
North Korea has made "very serious" advances in its abilities to turn out nuclear weapons, with the probable addition of a new u...
Israel needs to stop encouraging settler violence, Palestinian FM says
The Palestinian foreign ministersaid that Israel has a responsibility to protect Palestinians in the West Bank, but instead suppor...
Lebanon will only take part in talks with Israel if ceasefire already in place, official tells BBC
Lebanon will only participate in planned talks with Israel next week if a ceasefire is firmly in place beforehand, according to a ...
As US and Iran talk truce, Israel digs in for a ‘forever war’
Even as the U.S. and Iran seek to cement a ceasefire, Israel is seizing more territory from its neighbours in preparation for a lo...
Int fl-Ewropa
EU to restore Syria relations, strengthen trade and security ties
The European Union plans to deepen its engagement with Syria by relaunching formal political contacts and paving the way for clos...
EU needs energy union to compete with US and China, Eurogroup chief says
A European energy union is a prerequisite to other reforms that the European Union is planning to stay competitive against the U.S...
Cyprus maritime push aligns with Maltese MEPs’ ongoing ETS island clause initiative
Cyprus has reaffirmed its commitment to shaping a fair and resilient European transport framework, with a particular focus on mari...
Metsola defends Pope Leo, calls for him to address European Parliament
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola has become the first senior EU figure to publicly back Pope Leo XIV following critic...
Corporate Dispatch
The Corporate Times
Insights
Why Easter is called Easter, and other little‑known facts about the holiday
The date of Easter, when the resurrection of Jesus is said to have taken place, changes from year to year.
The reason for this ...
Why parts of Good Friday worship have been controversial
By Joanne M. Pierce, Professor Emerita of Religious Studies, College of the Holy Cross
Churches around the world were and are h...
Takeaways from Trump’s speech on Iran
President Donald Trump staunchly defended his handling of the month-old U.S.-Israeli war on Iran in a prime-time address on Wednes...
Biggest global oil supply disruptions in history
The International Energy Agency said the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has triggered the largest disruption to global oil market...
Other News
Tom Cruise confirmed to return as Maverick in Top Gun 3
Tom Cruise will return to his role as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in a third Top Gun movie, Paramount confirmed at CinemaCon this wee...
FIFA president insists on allowing Iran to play in World Cup
FIFA President Gianni Infantino reaffirmed his commitment Wednesday to facilitating Iran’s participation in the World Cup in the U...
Deadly Russian strikes across Ukraine mark worst escalation of the year
Russia unleashed its deadliest attack so far this year on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and other cities overnight, killing 16 peopl...
“Deaf” wins the 2026 LUX Audience Award
The European Parliament, together with EU citizens and MEPs, has awarded the 2026 LUX Audience Award to Spanish director Eva Liber...
