The Dispatch

Germany’s ex-spy chief arrested for espionage

Police have arrested the former head of Germany's BND foreign intelligence agency, August Hanning, on suspicion of espionage, the federal prosecutor's office announced Tuesday. Hanning served as the agency's chief from…

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Jeffrey Archer, bestselling UK novelist and scandal-plagued politician, dies aged 86

Jeffrey Archer, the bestselling British novelist and former politician who was jailed for lying in a high-profile libel case, has died aged ‌86, his publisher HarperCollins said. Archer sold over…

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Warning that Germany at risk of violent conflict with Russia

Germany is at risk of entering ‌a violent conflict as Moscow steps up an increasingly aggressive "shadow war" against European democracies, its head of foreign intelligence warned on Monday. "The…

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US removes B-1 bombers from UK base amid security concerns

The United States removed its B-1 bombers from a UK air base one week after several men were arrested there on ‌suspicion of preparing terrorist acts, a Pentagon official said…

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Burnham considering going ‘all the way’ in closer relationship with EU

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has suggested rejoining the EU is among options the government could examine to reshape the UK's long-term relationship with Europe. The prime minister told the…

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Most UK voters want Britain to move closer to the EU, poll shows

Seven out of ten voters want the government to build a closer relationship with the European Union, according to a new POLITICO Poll that shows the extent of support for…

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Swiss voters reject tighter neutrality rules that would have curbed NATO cooperation

Swiss voters ‌on Sunday firmly rejected a proposal to adopt a more restrictive form of neutrality that would have blocked their country from imposing economic sanctions or cooperating with NATO.…

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Trump says men arrested at UK air base used by US were looking to do ‘big damage’

British police arrested five men on suspicion of explosives and terrorism offences on Sunday near an air base that has been used by the US to strike Iran, after a…

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Switzerland votes on proposal to enshrine stricter neutrality in constitution

Switzerland is set to vote on Sunday on a proposal to strengthen the country’s traditional policy of military neutrality by enshrining a stricter definition in its constitution. The initiative, launched…

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Is NATO ready to fight? The Ukraine war is raising doubts among military analysts

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has killed hundreds of thousands of people. It has also served as a proving ground for new weapons systems and raised an uncomfortable question for…

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Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland’s leaders join forces for independence push

A joint pact signed by the heads of the SNP, Plaid Cymru and Sinn Féin decleraction that "Westminster’s time is coming to an end", mounting fresh pressure on Downing Street…

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Next 9/11 shock might be being planned where we’re not looking, UK’s MI5 chief says

Intelligence services must not dwell too much on past threats but accept that a new strategic shock along the lines of the 9/11 attacks could already be in preparation where…

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Thousands of horses caught up in Europe-wide trafficking scheme

Europol has supported a major operation against a criminal network suspected of trafficking horses across Europe using falsified documents and manipulated microchips to conceal the animals’ true identities. Between 8…

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Merz says disaster narrowly averted in Russia-prepared drone attack at airport

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Wednesday that an attempted drone attack at Leipzig/Halle ‌airport had been prepared in Russia over an extended period and that a disaster was only…

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UK flights delayed after hundreds cancelled by air traffic control glitch

Flight delays will continue on Wednesday after an air traffic control problem in the UK cancelled hundreds of journeys. Tens of thousands of passengers were affected by the disruption and…

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Germany’s far-right AfD scores its biggest win with Saxony-Anhalt landslide

Germany’s far right claimed its biggest electoral success since World War II in Sunday’s regional vote in Saxony-Anhalt, with the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party advancing to the cusp of…

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Netherlands moves gold reserves to UK amid rising geopolitical uncertainty

The Dutch central bank (DNB) said on Wednesday it had moved 86 tonnes of its gold stock out of the United States and Canada to London, citing "increasing geopolitical unrest."…

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UN says global warming likely to exceed 1.5C within a few years

Global temperatures are likely to exceed the key 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) warming threshold within a few years, the United Nations Environment Programme said Wednesday, warning of more…

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Berlin Links Drone Strike to Russian Hybrid Ops, Closes Consulate and Cultural Centre

The German government said on Tuesday that it had concluded that Russia was responsible for an attempted drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport last month and ordered a series of measures…

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Switzerland intends to build military drone battalion by 2028

Switzerland announced its intention to build a military drone battalion on Thursday, amid a rearmament trend across Europe. "From 2028, the army will deploy its own drone battalion for reconnaissance,…

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Swiss to vote on whether to tighten neutrality, end peacetime cooperation with NATO

Swiss voters will decide in a referendum next month whether to approve a more restrictive form of neutrality that would block their country from imposing economic sanctions or cooperating with…

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Brussels mayor demands more police as gun violence grips Saint-Gilles

Brussels’ Saint-Gilles municipality is facing a renewed wave of gun violence linked to suspected drug trafficking, prompting Mayor Jean Spinette to demand 80 additional police officers and warn that residents…

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Belgian physician enters race to lead WHO

Belgian doctor Hans Kluge, head of the World Health Organization's Europe region, is running for director-general of the agency. In an email to WHO staff, which was seen by POLITICO,…

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German authorities uncover gun stash and see link to Russian intelligence operations

German security authorities discovered handguns stashed in a forest near Berlin last year and believe the weapons were to ‌be used to carry out assassinations on behalf of Russian intelligence,…

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Warning of potentially the strongest El Niño in living memory

Britain’s Met Office said Friday that the developing El Niño weather pattern was likely to be the strongest in living memory and potentially the largest such event since the 19th…

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Swiss opposition to tighter neutrality grows ahead of vote

Swiss voters look likely to reject a more restrictive form of neutrality, which would block the country ‌from cooperating with NATO or imposing economic sanctions, a second poll on the…

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German spy agency opens helpline for those exiled from Russia, China

People exiled in Germany under threat or attack from agents of their repressive home countries now have a support line to call, courtesy of the country's domestic intelligence service. Germany's…

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Bundeswehr troop numbers reach 13-year high

Germany's Bundeswehr military employed roughly 186,700 soldiers as of July 31 this year, the Defense Ministry said . The increase is a relatively rare positive headline as Germany and its…

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Liechtenstein changes rules to allow women to inherit principality’s throne

Liechtenstein’s royal house has said that the tiny country's rules of succession will be changed so that a woman could in the future inherit the principality's throne. Hereditary Prince Alois…

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Irish police say deadly motorway stunts being staged for ‘social media likes’

Ireland's police chief has warned that some young people are driving the wrong way on the motorway "for social media likes" following two head-on ‌crashes near Dublin in recent weeks.…

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Temperatures to fall across Europe as substantial rain heading for parts of UK

Relief from the unrelenting heat is finally arriving this week across western Europe, with more unsettled conditions bringing the chance of rain. Temperatures are expected to fall back towards the…

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Europe facing strain on resources and services due to heatwaves

Large parts of western Europe, especially Britain and France, will be sweltering under another heatwave this Thursday as countries feel the strain on resources, the economy and services. Forecasters are…

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UPDATED: Nigel Farage returns as MP, winning Clacton by-election

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage regained his parliamentary seat on Friday in an election he triggered to bolster his position against allegations of financial impropriety, a strategy that was undermined…

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Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and Count Binface go head-to-head in snap UK poll

Voters in eastern England are casting their ballots this Thursday for a by-election triggered triggered by Nigel Farage, leader of the right-wing Reform UK party, amid a boycott by mainstream…

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Swiss government urges parliament to reject initiative opposing EU deal

The Swiss government on Thursday recommended that parliament reject an initiative aimed at blocking a new agreement between Switzerland and the European Union that would mark ‌the biggest overhaul in…

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Swiss government rejects rigid interpretation of neutrality ahead of referendum

The Swiss government on Tuesday rejected a rigid interpretation of the country's neutrality which campaigners want to enshrine in the constitution if they win a referendum next month. Campaigners say…

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Britain moves to curb rogue businesses and expand police powers under new high street strategy

Britain’s new Prime Minister Andy Burnham is set to unveil plans on Tuesday to tighten controls on vape shops, betting outlets and other rogue businesses as part of a broader…

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England set to eliminate hepatitis C

England is on track to become one of the first countries in the world to eliminate hepatitis C, a dangerous virus that attacks the liver, figures show. The target of…

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Western Europe records hottest June and July on record

Western Europe experienced its hottest June and July on record, according to data released Monday by the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service. The average temperature across the region for the…

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Germany warns of escalating hybrid threats after Leipzig airport drone scare

Germany faces daily hybrid warfare attacks from abroad, Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt was quoted by a local newspaper as saying on Sunday, ‌following a suspected attack attempt involving an explosive-laden…

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German anti-terror police investigate explosive drone found at Leipzig airport

German counterterrorism authorities are leading an investigation into an explosive-laden drone that was found overnight at Leipzig airport, an important base for the NATO alliance. An airport worker discovered the…

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Edinburgh Fringe listing for Amanda Knox show draws renewed scrutiny over Kercher case

Amanda Knox is set to perform a one-woman comedy show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe that draws on her experience of being accused and later acquitted in the 2007 murder…

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Liechtenstein says hackers access information on 31,000 legal entities

Hackers have illegally accessed and copied data from Liechtenstein's register of beneficial owners, compromising information relating to ‌about 31,000 companies, foundations and trusts, the principality's government said late on Sunday.…

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UK’s Burnham pledges full support to Ukraine in first meeting with Zelensky

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met newly appointed UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham aboard the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth in Portsmouth on Monday, marking the first visit by a foreign…

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France and Germany Seek ‘Made in Europe’ Deal to Boost Industry

France and Germany are working on a major industrial agreement aimed at strengthening European manufacturing and reviving the bloc’s struggling automotive sector. The proposed deal would see Berlin support stricter…

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Burnham Rules Out Early UK Election

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has ruled out calling an early general election, insisting his priority is delivering the programme voters backed at the last election rather than returning to…

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Berlin Pride Attack Suspect Shot Dead by Police

The man suspected of carrying out what German authorities have described as a likely Islamist terrorist attack at Berlin's Pride celebrations has been shot dead by police, bringing a nationwide…

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Car rams crowd at Berlin Pride event, killing one and injuring 16

A manhunt is underway in Berlin after a car drove into a crowd attending the city’s Christopher Street Day Pride celebrations on Saturday night, killing one person and injuring at…

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UK’s Burnham opens ‘No10 North’ to shift economic power from London

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham will on Friday officially open a new government hub in Manchester, branded "No10 North", in a symbolic extension of his Downing Street office as he…

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Germany Delays Combat Drone Plans Amid Defence Industry Debate

Germany’s plans to introduce a fleet of advanced combat drones by 2029 are facing delays as officials remain divided over whether to buy an Australian-developed system or wait for European…

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Ireland clamps down on e-scooters after rise in serious injuries

Ireland will raise the minimum age for the use of electric scooters to 18 from 16, and require riders to be licensed and wear helmets, the government said, although ‌it…

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Andy Burnham to be made UK Labour leader on way to becoming prime minister

Andy Burnham, nicknamed the 'King of the North', will become leader of Britain's governing Labour Party ‌on Friday, the final step before becoming its seventh prime minister in a decade…

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Britain and EU formally sign Gibraltar treaty, easing border crossings

Britain and the European Union formally signed a treaty on the status of Gibraltar on Tuesday, following an agreement struck last year aimed at easing border crossings and ending years…

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UPDATED: UK counter-terrorism police now probing former minister Widdecombe’s suspected murder

British counter-terrorism police officers are now leading the investigation into the suspected ‌murder of former British government minister Ann Widdecombe, interior minister Shabana Mahmood said on Monday. Widdecombe, 78, was…

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King Charles becomes first British monarch to reveal tax bill

King Charles has become the first British monarch to publicly disclose his personal tax payments, revealing he paid £12.9 million in income and capital gains tax during the 2024-25 financial…

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Netherlands records first euthanasia case involving a child under 12

A child under the age of 12 has died through euthanasia for the first time since the law was changed two years ago. Health minister Sophie Hermans said the case…

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Scars mark Britain’s economy 10 years after Brexit vote

Britain's vote to leave the European Union in 2016 has acted as a persistent drag on its economy, compounding some of the deep-seated structural problems behind the push for Brexit.…

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