Britain’s government has been temporarily blocked from concluding its deal to transfer the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, PA Media reported, after an 11th-hour injunction by a High Court judge. Prime Minister Keir Starmer intends to return the islands to the African country, while maintaining control of the US-UK Diego Garcia military base, and it had been expected that the deal would be signed off on Thursday.
A member of Irish hip hop trio Kneecap has been charged with a terrorism offense following an investigation by London’s Metropolitan Police. Liam O’Hanna, 27, of Belfast has been charged with allegedly displaying a flag “in support of Hezbollah, a proscribed organisation,” London’s Metropolitan Police said on Wednesday. The charge relates to a flag that was allegedly displayed by O’Hanna – whose stage name is Mo Chara – on November 21, 2024, at the O2 Forum Kentish Town, a music venue in London, “in such a way or in such circumstances as to arouse reasonable suspicion that he is a supporter of a proscribed organisation, namely Hezbollah,” the police said in a statement. “Officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command were made aware on Tuesday, April 22, of an online video from the event. An investigation was carried out, which led to the Crown Prosecution Service authorizing the above charge,” the statement said. The police added that O’Hanna is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on June 18. Kneecap have been vocal critics of Israel’s war in Gaza. Earlier this month, UK counter-terrorism police said they were investigating the group after videos emerged allegedly showing the band calling for British politicians to be killed and shouting “up Hamas, up Hezbollah.” Kneecap has previously said it has never supported Hamas or Hezbollah and that the footage circulating online has been “deliberately taken out of all context” as part of a “smear campaign” following their criticism of Israel and the United States in regards to the war in Gaza. Separately, video from November 2023 appeared to show one member of the group, who are from Northern Ireland, saying: “The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.” Tory is another word for Conservative, and MP is an abbreviation of Member of Parliament. In the past decade, two British MPs – Jo Cox and David Amess – have been murdered. Kneecap later apologized to the families of Cox and Amess. Both videos have been widely circulated online in wake of the band’s Coachella set, where they led the crowd to chant “Free Free Palestine,” criticized Israel’s campaign in Gaza, and also criticized US support for the war. Kneecap’s manager, Daniel Lambert, recently told Irish broadcaster RTÉ that the controversy “has nothing to do with Kneecap… it’s about telling the next young band… that you cannot speak about Palestine.”
The leaders of four major European powers traveled to Kyiv on Saturday and demanded an unconditional 30-day ceasefire starting Monday. KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian authorities said Russian attacks against Ukraine continued on Monday, including an overnight assault using more than 100 drones, despite a ceasefire proposed by Europe and Ukraine that Russia did not agree to abide by. The leaders of four major European powers traveled to Kyiv on Saturday and demanded an unconditional 30-day ceasefire starting Monday. Russian President Vladimir Putin, implicitly rejecting the offer, instead proposed direct Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul that he said could potentially lead to a ceasefire. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said late Sunday that the ceasefire offer remained on the table and that he was still waiting for a response from Moscow, but that Ukrainian forces would respond in kind if Russia flouted it. The air force said in its morning readout that Ukraine came under attack overnight from 108 long-range combat drones starting at 11 p.m. (4 p.m. ET), an hour before the ceasefire was due to kick in. Attacks of this kind unfold over the course of hours, as drones fly much slower than missiles. “As of 08:30 (1:30 a.m. ET), it was confirmed that 55 Shahed attack (drones)... were shot down in the east, north, south and center of the country,” it said, adding that 30 others had been lost on radars and caused no damage. A woman was injured by a strike drone in the small port city of Bilhorod-Dnistrovsk in the Black Sea region of Odesa overnight, the regional governor said. Russia also launched guided bombs at targets in the northeastern Kharkiv region and the northern Sumy region, the air force said. The Ukrainian railway company said a Russian drone attacked a civilian freight train in the east. “The truce proposals are being ignored, hostile attacks on railway infrastructure and rolling stock continue,” it wrote in a statement on Telegram. The train’s driver received a shrapnel wound in his leg after the train was struck by a drone, it said. “His life is currently no longer in danger,” it added. The state of play on the sprawling front line was not immediately clear. The military has not yet given a readout that specifically addresses the period from midnight. Russia and Ukraine are both trying to show U.S. President Donald Trump that they are working toward his objective of reaching a rapid peace in Ukraine, while trying to make the other look like the spoiler to his efforts. Kyiv is desperate to unlock more of the U.S. military backing it received from Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden. Moscow senses an opportunity to get relief from a barrage of economic sanctions and engage with the world’s biggest economy. Europe, meanwhile, is doing its best to preserve good relations with Trump despite him imposing tariffs, hoping it can persuade him to swing more forcefully behind Ukraine’s cause, which they see as central to the continent’s security. A group of European foreign ministers and E.U. foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas were set to hold talks in London on Monday. The leaders of Britain, France, Germany and Poland on Saturday threatened Russia with new sanctions if the truce was violated, though it is unclear what firepower they are able to muster on that front in the near term. Putin dismissed what he said was an attempt to lay down “ultimatums.” His foreign ministry spelled out that talks about the root causes of the conflict must precede discussions of a ceasefire. With Russian forces grinding forward, the Kremlin chief has offered few, if any, concessions so far. Russia says a ceasefire would allow Ukraine to catch its breath and rebuild its military. Zelenskyy initially responded guardedly on Sunday after Putin, in a nighttime televised statement that coincided with prime time in the U.S., proposed direct talks in Istanbul this Thursday. But after Trump told Zelenskyy to agree to Putin’s offer “immediately,” the Ukrainian leader challenged the Kremlin chief to meet him in person in Istanbul on Thursday. It was far from clear, however, if Putin meant he would attend in person. Putin and Zelenskyy have not met since December 2019 and make no secret of their contempt for each other.
Luxury carmakers are contending with the disruptive impact of Trump’s back-and-forth trade tariff policy. Luxury carmaker Ferrari on Tuesday reported a significant upswing in first-quarter profit, citing robust demand for personalized vehicles — but warned U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade policy could hit earnings this year. The Maranello, Italy-based sports car manufacturer posted net profit of 412 million euros ($466.3 million) for the first three months of the year, reflecting a 17% increase from the same period last year. Analysts had expected first-quarter net profit to come in at 410 million euros, according to Reuters poll. “Another year is off to a great start,” Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna said in a statement. “In the first quarter of 2025, with very few incremental shipments year on year, all key metrics recorded double-digit growth, underscoring a strong profitability driven by our product mix and continued demand for personalizations,” Vigna said. Looking ahead, Ferrari warned that the introduction of U.S. tariffs on EU cars imported into the U.S. could negatively impact the firm’s profitability this year. “The [2025] guidance is subject to a potential risk of 50 basis points reduction on profitability percentage margins (EBIT and EBITDA margins), in relation to the update of the commercial policy following the introduction of import tariffs on EU cars into the USA,” the automaker said in its earnings report. Ferrari’s 2025 guidance includes net revenue of more than 7 billion euros ($7.93 billion), earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization of at least 2.68 billion euros ($3.04 billion) and adjusted earnings per share of 8.60 euros ($9.74). Luxury carmakers are contending with the disruptive impact of Trump’s back-and-forth trade tariff policy. Several European auto giants reported a sharp downturn in quarterly profit this earnings season, with many suspending or cutting financial guidance as Trump’s tariffs take their toll. “At a time when many Automotive and other companies are suspending guidance due to uncertainties over the impact from US tariffs and the second order impacts on the US and global economy, Ferrari stands out,” Bernstein analyst Stephen Reitman said Tuesday in an investor note. The president imposed a 25% tariff on automotive imports into the U.S. in early April. Trump sought to water down these levies last week, however, signing an executive order designed to prevent a range of other separate duties — such as an additional 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum — from “stacking” on top of one another. Ferrari said in late March that it would raise prices by 10% on certain models in response to the tariffs. The move would add up to $50,000 to the price of a typical Ferrari. “We look ahead with confidence, being vigilant of the situation that surrounds us,” Vigna told investors Tuesday during the company’s quarterly earnings call. Shares of the Milan-listed stock traded around 0.8% lower at 12:44 p.m. London time. Shares of the U.S.-listed shares were about the same. The automaker’s global shipments were up less than 1% during the first quarter to 3,593 vehicles. Despite the flat shipments, Ferrari’s net revenue increased roughly 13% to 1.79 billion euros ($2.03 billion) and its net profit was up 17% to 412 million euros ($466.7 million). Regarding the debut of Ferrari’s first all-electric vehicle, a car called the Elettrica, Vigna said the company will not reveal it until spring 2026, followed by deliveries in October 2026. Initial expectations were that the Elettrica would be revealed at Ferrari’s upcoming capital markets day in October. Instead, the company will discuss the “technological hub” of the vehicle, Vigna said. “This is a massive piece of technology, design and unique features. It will be an exciting journey of discovery,” Vigna said regarding the staggered EV rollout. “It is the first of its kind, yet rich in every aspect that makes it true Ferrari.”
About 1,300 members of the British armed forces were joined by troops from the United Kingdom’s NATO allies and Ukraine. Thousands of people lined the roads around London's Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace on Monday as British and allied troops paraded past at the start of four days of pageantry to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. After Big Ben tolled at the stroke of noon, actor Timothy Spall recited the victory speech that Winston Churchill delivered to a roaring crowd in central London on May 8, 1945. Britain started its commemorations of V-E Day three days early, because Monday is a public holiday in the U.K. The Cenotaph, the nation’s war memorial, was covered with Union Jack flags. It was the first time that the memorial had been draped in the flags since it was unveiled by King George V in 1920, two years after the end of World War I. About 1,300 members of the British armed forces were joined by troops from the United Kingdom’s NATO allies and Ukraine — a nod to the present war in Europe. The procession started in Parliament Square and swept past Buckingham Palace, where King Charles III took the salute. Maria Crook, 69, who wore a hat with red, white and blue ribbons, traveled from Devon to London to watch the procession. “I think it’s extremely important to pay our respects and honor those who have died for us,” she said. Elsewhere, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk made an impassioned plea for European and transatlantic unity Monday in a speech marking the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands from German occupation. “The experience gained 80 years ago tells us that only when (we) stand together can we overcome,” Tusk said. He added that “in the face of the threat posed by (President Vladimir) Putin’s Russia we need to deepen our European and transatlantic life, and we need genuine solidarity.” Tusk spoke at a Dutch Liberation Day ceremony where WWII veterans were given a standing ovation by crowds who lined streets to watch a military parade as modern and wartime aircraft flew overhead. Polish troops were among Allied forces who helped liberate the Netherlands. Festivities in Wageningen centered on a square outside the Hotel de Wereld, where German top brass signed papers on May 5, 1945, that formally ended the brutal five-year occupation as the war drew to a close across Europe. A small group of veterans, their chests decorated with medals and legs covered in blankets, sat on the front row watching the ceremony. More veterans took part in the parade, some saluting, others blowing kisses to the crowds. Some held tulips and other flowers. Germany finally surrendered on May 8, now known as Victory in Europe Day. Liberation Day in the Netherlands is celebrated on May 5, a day after the country observes two minutes of silence to honor its war dead. Like Tusk, Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans used the occasion to call for renewed efforts to nurture peace. “War and aggression are back in Europe and it is up to us to protect peace,” he said. Events across Europe marking the end of the 1939-45 war come as the traditional friendly links with the United States, whose forces helped liberate the Netherlands and much of the continent, are fraying. The European Union and the administration of President Donald Trump are now embroiled in a trade war. Tusk appealed for unity at a time of global insecurity. “Genuine solidarity between people and nations that will prevent the evil from shaping our present and future,” he said. “The time of Europe’s carefree comfort, joyous unconcern is over. Today is the time of European mobilization around our fundamental values and our security.”
At the “Choose Europe for Science” event in Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron offered researchers grants and new policy plans if they move to Europe. The European Union launched a drive on Monday to attract scientists and researchers to Europe with offers of grants and new policy plans, after the Trump administration froze U.S. government funding linked to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. “A few years ago, no one would have imagined that one of the biggest democracies in the world would cancel research programs under the pretext that the word diversity was in this program,” French President Emmanuel Macron said at the “Choose Europe for Science” event in Paris. “No one would have thought that one of the biggest democracies in the world would delete with a stroke the ability of one researcher or another to obtain visas,” Macron said. “But here we are.” Taking the same stage at the Sorbonne University, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the EU’s executive branch would set up a “super grant” program aimed at offering “a longer-term perspective to the very best” in the field. She said that 500 million euros ($566 million) will be put forward in 2025-2027 “to make Europe a magnet for researchers.” It would be injected into the European Research Council, which already has a budget of more than 16 billion euros ($18 billion) for 2021-2027. Von der Leyen said that the 27-nation EU intends “to enshrine freedom of scientific research into law” with a new legal act. As “the threats rise across the world, Europe will not compromise on its principles,” she said. Macron said that the French government would also soon make new proposals to beef up investment in science and research. Last month, hundreds of university researchers in the United States had National Science Foundation funding canceled to comply with U.S. President Donald Trump’s order to end support to research on diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as the study of misinformation. More than 380 grant projects have been cut so far, including work to combat internet censorship in China and Iran and a project consulting with Indigenous communities to understand environmental changes in Alaska’s Arctic region. Some terminated grants that sought to broaden the diversity of people studying science, technology and engineering. Scientists, researchers and doctors have taken to the streets in protest. While not mentioning the Trump administration by name, von der Leyen said that it was “a gigantic miscalculation” to undermine free and open research. “We can all agree that science has no passport, no gender, no ethnicity, no political party,” she said. “We believe that diversity is an asset of humanity and the lifeblood of science. It is one of the most valuable global assets and it must be protected.” Von der Leyen’s drive to promote opportunities in Europe in the field of science and take advantage of U.S. policy shifts dovetails with the way that she has played up the potential for trade deals with other countries since Trump took office in January and sparked a tariff war last month. The former German defense minister, and trained doctor, vowed that the EU would also address some of the roadblocks that scientists and researchers face, notably excessive red tape and access to businesses. Macron said that science and research must not “be based on the diktats of the few.” Macron said that Europe “must become a refuge” for scientists and researchers, and he said to those who feel under threat elsewhere: “The message is simple. If you like freedom, come and help us to remain free, to do research here, to help us become better, to invest in our future.”
“We see the Russian threat against Europe is increasing, including after a possible end to the war against Ukraine,” the director of the Dutch military intelligence agency said. THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Russia is increasing its hybrid attacks aimed at undermining society in the Netherlands and its European allies, and Russian hackers have already targeted the Dutch public service, Dutch military intelligence agency MIVD said Tuesday. “We see the Russian threat against Europe is increasing, including after a possible end to the war against Ukraine,” MIVD director Peter Reesink said in the agency’s annual report. “The conflict in the gray zone between war and peace has become a reality. More and more, state actors try to undermine our society with hybrid attacks. Russia especially ... is increasingly prepared to take risks,” he said. The MIVD said it had for the first time detected an attack by Russian hackers against the digital operating system of an unspecified Dutch public service last year. It said it had also found a Russian cyberoperation against critical infrastructure in the Netherlands, possibly as preparation for sabotage. Hybrid threats span everything from physical sabotage of critical infrastructure to disinformation campaigns. The MIVD described such attacks as combining traditional acts of espionage with cyberattacks and other attempts at influencing and undermining society. The agency repeated its warnings of Russian entities mapping infrastructure in the North Sea for espionage, and acts of sabotage aimed at internet cables, water and energy supplies. Britain’s foreign spy chief accused Russia in November of waging a “staggeringly reckless campaign” of sabotage in Europe, ranging from repeated cyberattacks to Moscow-linked arson. Moscow has denied responsibility for all such incidents, saying accusations against it are baseless and unproven.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is set to meet U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday amid a tense trade standoff with the European Union over tariffs. Meloni’s visit to Washington makes her the first European leader to meet the president since he announced tariffs on European imports earlier this month. Trump is a fan of Meloni, the leader of the right-wing populist Brothers of Italy party — one that has risen in prominence along with a tide of other similar populist parties in Europe. He described her as a “fantastic woman” who was “really taking Europe by storm” when they met in Mar-a-Lago in January. But that rapport — and Meloni’s diplomatic skills — will be put to the test on Thursday, as the leaders meet amid wider concerns of full-blown trade war between the U.S. and the bloc. In early April, Trump announced a 20% “reciprocal” tariff on all imported goods from the EU as part of his wide-reaching global trade tariffs policy. He has since reduced the duty to 10% for 90 days, allowing for negotiations to take place to try to find a trade deal. The EU in turn paused its retaliatory 25% tariffs targeting 21 billion euros’ ($23.8 billion) worth of U.S. exports. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen commented last week that the EU wants “to give negotiations a chance” but should talks not prove satisfactory, EU countermeasures will kick in. The EU will be watching Meloni’s meeting with Trump carefully, hopeful that she could aid talks to find a compromise to resolve what Trump sees as an unfair and unbalanced trading relationship due to the EU’s persistent trade surplus with the U.S. Meloni has been described as something of a “Trump whisperer” who could placate the U.S. leader’s position when it comes to trade with the EU. She earned the moniker after Trump visibly enjoyed a five-hour meeting with her at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida in January. She’s also due to host Vice President J.D. Vance in Rome on April 18. Thursday’s meeting “represents a key opportunity for her to demonstrate both her closeness to President Donald Trump and her potential role as a credible interlocutor capable of revitalizing transatlantic dialogue,” Wolfango Piccoli, co-president at risk consultancy Teneo, said in emailed analysis last week. “However, despite having pursued this visit even before the “Liberation Day” period [the name U.S. officials gave to the day global tariffs were announced on April 2], concerns are growing that it could backfire, especially considering Trump’s recent treatment of various foreign leaders,” the analyst added. “One of the major challenges of this visit will be demonstrating that Meloni is acting as a mediator on behalf of the entire EU, not just in defense of Italian interests.” Export-oriented Italy, the euro zone’s third-largest economy, could stand to benefit greatly from an EU-U.S. trade deal as it won’t want to lose a lucrative market for its top exports to the States. Those include machinery and medical products as well as cars, clothes and food and drink. Problematically for the Trump administration, however, Rome recorded a trade surplus of $43.9 billion with the U.S. in 2024, U.S. data shows. When Trump’s tariffs of 20% were announced on EU imports, Meloni was among the leaders lamenting the decision, saying it was “wrong” but urging her European counterparts to try to avert a trade war. “The tariffs are wrong and not in the interest of either party,” Meloni said, noting that Italy would “do everything we can to work on an agreement with the U.S., with the aim of averting a trade war that would inevitably weaken the West in favor of other global players.” Meloni had also warned that Italian food and drink exports could be hit hard by tariffs, noting that “Italian agri-food products are in demand all over the world, starting of course with Europe.” “It must be remembered that the United States is the second-largest destination market, with exports rising by 17% in 2024. The U.S. market is fundamental for us.” Teneo’s Piccoli said Meloni’s cautious response to U.S. tariffs was also driven by her belief that the biggest risks to Italy’s economy do not lie in the tariffs themselves, particularly as they are currently being applied in a reduced form, “but in the potential consequences of a full-blown trade war involving retaliatory tariffs or a U.S. disengagement from European defense.” “Such scenarios could impact Italy’s public finances significantly. Current estimates suggest the tariffs could reduce Italian exports by 0.3% to 0.5% of GDP, though the actual effect is likely smaller due to the limited pass-through effect; many Italian exports are premium or niche products, making them hard to replace in the short term,” he noted.
U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff met in St. Petersburg with his Russian counterpart, while Ukraine's NATO allies pledged an additional $23 billion to Kyiv's war effort. A visit from Prince Harry to Ukraine this week brought a soft power sheen to Europe's latest pledge of military aid to Kyiv, even as U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff prepared to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. At a meeting in Brussels, Ukraine's NATO allies pledged an additional $23 billion in financial assistance to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who late Thursday accused Russia of systemically recruiting Chinese citizens to fight on the front lines of the war it has been waging against Ukraine for three years. The war has claimed the lives of at least 46,000 Ukrainian troops and wounded or maimed almost 400,000 more, Zelenskyy told NBC News in February. After visiting London from his home in California to appear at his security-related court case against the British government, the Duke of Sussex met Thursday with some of the war's living victims in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv. A spokesperson for Harry told NBC News that the duke, a non-working royal on an unofficial visit, wanted to see the support and rehabilitation services being provided to Ukrainians. On his tour of the Superhumans Center, he was joined by veterans from the Invictus Games Foundation, a wounded veterans charity that he founded having himself served in the British armed forces. Zelenskyy and his military leaders have warned in recent days that Putin's forces are massing on Ukraine's eastern border as they ready a massive spring offensive. The Ukrainian president said Thursday in a post on X that in addition to his earlier claim that more than 150 Chinese nationals are currently fighting for Russia in Ukraine, “it is crystal clear that these are not isolated cases, but rather systematic Russian efforts... within the jurisdiction of China, to recruit citizens of that country.” The Kremlin dismissed the allegations Thursday, Reuters reported, while China has in recent days rejected any suggestion that it supports its citizens taking part in foreign wars. Before Friday's aid announcement, Europe had already pledged $91 billion in military assistance to Kyiv, overtaking Washington’s $64 billion in February, according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy. U.S. aid has come into question since the change in administrations earlier this year, with President Donald Trump and his administration repeatedly criticizing Europe's leaders for not doing enough to help Kyiv fight a war on their doorstep. “We are already doing more — and we can go even further,” the E.U.’s high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, Kaja Kallas, said in a post on X on Friday. Europe's military support to Ukraine was at the center of discussions in Brussels on Friday as the United Kingdom and Germany hosted a meeting with 50 other countries, before which Zelenskyy said he planned to raise Ukraine's shortage of air defense systems. In recent months, the U.S. and Ukraine have discussed developing the latter's critical mineral deposits together a makeweight for military aid. Anthony Blinken, the former secretary of state under then-President Joe Biden, told CNBC this week that Zelenskyy had initially been the one to propose such an arrangement. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova responded Friday, referring to Ukraine’s allied nations as “Zelenskyy’s handlers” Friday, and saying that they had “bought him lock, stock and barrel, used him, and now they are wiping their dirty and bloody hands on him.” Ukraine's mineral wealth has formed one part of the Trump administration's interests in the region as it attempts to broker an end to the war. Another has been an effort to reset relations with Moscow. A steady flow of diplomatic activity has continued since U.S. envoys met separately in Saudi Arabia with Russian and Ukrainian counterparts and Putin sent one of his close allies, Kirill Dmitriev, to Washington earlier this month for talks. Dmitriev is the most senior Kremlin official to visit the U.S. since Russia invaded Ukraine. Similarly, Witkoff arrived in St. Petersburg on Friday to meet with Dmitriev, who is also the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, in an effort to break the deadlock in ceasefire talks. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed the meeting Friday morning before later telling state media that Witkoff would once again meet with Putin after doing so previously. He added that the meeting would make for a good opportunity to convey Russia's position to Trump.
