Category Archives: Europe

Soldier, spy: more details of Vladimir Putin’s past revealed

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Russian president, on a visit to a fortress, says he commanded a howitzer artillery battalion

Vladimir Putin has revealed that he commanded an artillery battalion during the Soviet period, a detail of his shadowy biography that was previously unknown.

Putin made the comment during a visit on Monday to St Petersburg’s Peter and Paul Fortress, where he pulled the lever on a cannon that fires a daily salute at noon over the Neva River.

“I received the rank of lieutenant as an artilleryman, as the commander of a howitzer artillery battalion… 122mm [calibre],” Putin said, according to video footage posted by the Kremlin. He gave no further details.

An official at the fortress congratulated the Russian president on a “wonderful” cannon shot.

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Trafficking convictions fall 25% despite rising number of victims in Europe

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UN report shows drop in conviction rates over five years, as slavery expert condemns failure to recognise victims of abuse

The number of convictions for trafficking in Europe has fallen by a quarter, despite an increase in the number of victims and a global drive to tackle the abuse.

A report by the UN found that 742 people in Europe were convicted for trafficking offences in 2016, the latest year for which there is available data, compared with 988 in 2011. The number of identified victims increased from 4,248 to 4,429 over the same period.

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May hopes for EU assurance before Brexit meaningful vote

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Brussels says PM likely to be offered ‘exchange of letters’ confirming EU’s intention to quickly conclude trade talks

Theresa May hopes to secure last-minute assurances from the European Union before next Tuesday’s meaningful vote over Brexit, although there are significant differences between the sides and scepticism that rebel Tories can be won over.

Brussels sources said at lunchtime on Monday that the prime minister was likely to be offered an “exchange of letters” confirming the EU’s intention to quickly conclude trade talks with the UK.

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Archbishop of Lyon goes on trial accused of helping cover up abuse

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Philippe Barbarin could face up to three years in jail if convicted of failing to report priest who abused Scouts

The highest-profile Catholic cleric to be caught up in a paedophile scandal in France is going on trial charged with failing to report a priest who abused Scouts in the 1980s and 90s.

Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, the archbishop of Lyon, is accused along with five others from his diocese of helping cover up abuse in one of the parishes in the area.

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The death of Venice? City’s battles with tourism and flooding reach crisis level

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A tax on daytrippers has hit the headlines, but La Serenissima’s mounting problems also include rising waters, angry locals and a potential black mark from Unesco

Why Italy regrets its Faustian pact with tourist cash

Venice’s Santa Lucia railway station is packed as visitors scuttle across the concourse towards the water-bus stops. Taking a selfie against the backdrop of the Grand Canal, Ciro Esposito and his girlfriend have just arrived and are unimpressed with what may greet them in future if the Venetian authorities get their way: a minimum city entry fee of €2.50 throughout the year, rising to between €5 and €10 during peak periods.

It is the price of a cappuccino, but for them “it’s going too far”. “They are using people like a bank machine,” says Esposito. “We are in Europe and can travel freely across borders, yet we have to pay to enter one of our own cities.”

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Thousands in Budapest march against ‘slave law’ forcing overtime on workers

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Anger at Viktor Orbán’s rule in Hungary also directed at courts system and state media

Thousands of protesters in Hungary braved snow and freezing temperatures on a march against Viktor Orbán’s rightwing government, denouncing harsh new legislation that has been dubbed the “slave law”.

Passed in December, it allows companies to demand that staff work up to 400 hours overtime a year – or the equivalent of an extra day a week.

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Gilets jaunes protesters turn out in French cities for eighth week

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Police estimate 25,000 people protested in Paris, Toulouse, Lyon and other cities

France’s gilets jaunes movement has continued its national action for an eighth successive weekend with demonstrations across the country.

In Paris, there were violent clashes between police and protesters attempting to reach the Assemblée Nationale, the lower house of parliament on Saturday. Riot police forced demonstrators back using teargas after coming under a hail of projectiles.

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Russia denies former US marine is being held as a bargaining chip

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It was suggested Moscow could use Paul Whelan to barter for release of Russian jailed in US

Moscow has denied that a former US marine is being held as a bargaining chip for a jailed Russian spy, after Jeremy Hunt warned against using Britons as pawns.

Paul Whelan, 48, who has UK citizenship, was arrested in the Russian capital last week, apparently on espionage charges.

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Ukraine: new Orthodox church gains independence from Moscow

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Newly elected head receives decree of autocephaly in elaborate ceremony in Istanbul

The biggest rift in Christianity in centuries is expected to open up after a new Orthodox church in Ukraine gained formal independence from Moscow in a move set to heighten geopolitical tensions in the region.

The newly elected head of the Ukrainian Orthodox church travelled to Istanbul to receive the “tomos”, or decree of autocephaly (independence), from the Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I, in an elaborate ceremony in St George’s Cathedral on the eve of the Orthodox Christmas.

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Spain: fire kills three in apartment building north of Barcelona

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Baby in critical condition and two adults in serious condition after blaze in Badalona

Firefighters in Spain say three people have been killed and several have been injured after a fire broke out in an apartment building in a town near Barcelona.

Firefighters for the Catalonia region say the blaze on Saturday also left one baby in critical condition and two adults in serious condition. Another 13 people needed medical treatment.

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No-deal Brexit: plan to use airfield as lorry park to get live test

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Up to 150 lorries to be used in Kent test of government plans to cope with border disruption

Preparations for the possibility of a no-deal Brexit will include up to 150 lorries queuing up near Dover during rush hour to test plans to deal with any disruption caused by new border customs checks, the government has confirmed.

Hauliers in the area will be asked to take part in Monday’s live test of a mass “HGV holding facility” that is designed to deal with any backlog after the UK leaves the EU in March.

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Five teenagers dead after fire in ‘escape room’ in Poland

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Girls, 15, had been celebrating a birthday at the venue in northern city of Koszalin

Five teenage girls have died and one man was seriously injured after a fire broke out at an “escape room” interactive game location, in the northern Polish city of Koszalin, officials said.

“The victims of this tragedy are 15-year-old children, girls celebrating a birthday,” interior minister Joachim Brudziński told broadcaster TVN24.

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Suspected Ebola sufferer does not have disease, say Swedes

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Tests negative for patient who had returned from Burundi and was treated in isolation

A young man being treated in isolation at Uppsala University hospital in Sweden after suspicion of Ebola contamination does not have the disease, the regional authority has said.

Region Uppsala, which oversees several hospitals and medical clinics north of Stockholm, said a test had been carried out on the patient, who was not identified.

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France steps up efforts to prevent Channel crossings

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French authorities to improve cooperation with UK and increase coastal surveillance

The French authorities have set out plans to prevent people in small boats risking the dangerous Channel crossing to England.

Measures being taken include improved cooperation between law enforcement agencies and more surveillance and security on beaches along the northern French coastline.

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May and Juncker speak as she struggles to break Brexit impasse

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No 10 refuses to provide details of call, with PM battling to obtain assurances on backstop

Theresa May has spoken to Jean-Claude Juncker as part of her effort to obtain further written reassurances that the Irish border backstop in her Brexit deal would never come into force.

The phone call between the prime minister and the European commission president on Friday was described by Brussels as “friendly” but Downing Street refused to provide any further details, as May struggles to break the Brexit impasse.

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Activists protest against Ireland’s new abortion services

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Pro-choice groups condemn picket of clinic as health service warns of fake websites

Anti-abortion activists have struck back against Ireland’s introduction of abortion services by picketing a clinic and by launching potentially misleading websites that mimic the state’s support service for unplanned pregnancies.

A group holding placards protested outside a doctor’s office in Galway on Thursday in an effort to deter women from seeking abortion pills just three days after abortion services became legal.

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German politicians’ personal data leaked online

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Huge cache of documents published daily in December but came to light only on Thursday

Sensitive data belonging to hundreds of German politicians, celebrities and public figures has been published online via a Twitter account in what is thought to be one of the largest leaks in the country’s history.

The huge cache of documents includes personal phone numbers and addresses, internal party documents, credit card details and private chats.

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Ex-US marine accused of spying in Russia is British citizen

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Paul Whelan revealed to be dual national after being arrested in Moscow for ‘act of espionage’

The former US marine who is being held in Moscow on charges of spying is a British citizen, it has emerged.

Paul Whelan, who is thought to be facing 20 years in a Russian prison if convicted, was initially thought to be American, but was revealed to be a dual national on Thursday evening. The UK Foreign Office said: “Our staff have requested consular access to a British man detained in Russia after receiving a request for assistance from him.”

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