HowRu68

Canada is pushing for a collective G7 and Middle East approach to de-escalating the Iran war, including off ramps that could bring an end to the conflict, the Canadian foreign minister, Anita Anand, has said.

In London to meet the UK foreign secretary, Yvette Cooper, after talks with the her Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, Anand told the Guardian she hoped a G7 meeting chaired by France, this year’s president of the group, might start to build a broader collective approach to the crisis.

A small French town has won instant internet fame because its mayor – running for re-election in Sunday's municipal elections – goes by the name of Hittler.

Not just that. One of his two opponents is called Zielinski.

#note: reallife, but a bit eurotrash story.

BRUSSELS, March 17 (Reuters) - European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called on the United States and Israel ​on Tuesday to end their war with Iran and said the EU was consulting with governments in the Middle East about how ‌to bring the conflict to a conclusion(...)

"We have been consulting with regional countries like ‌the Gulf ⁠countries, Jordan, Egypt, (about) whether we could also bring forward proposals for Iran, Israel and the U.S. to get out of this situation so that everybody saves face."

MADRID, March 11 (Reuters) - More than 330 people have been arrested across 70 countries in a ​crackdown on organised crime networks accused ‌of trafficking illicit waste within Europe and exporting it to Africa, Asia and Latin America, Europol said ​on Wednesday.

Authorities seized 127,149 metric tons ​of waste, 602 tons of polluting agents ⁠along with 75 tons of plant ​protection chemicals, 2.3 tons of mercury and nearly ​10 million euros ($11.6 million) in cash and bank accounts.

Add: Europol link

TNO and High Tech Campus Eindhoven are starting construction of the world’s first industrial factory for producing indium phosphide photonic chips on a 6 inch wafer scale.

Context: Photonic chips have the benefit of being very fast and energy-saving. If the chips can be produced on a large scale, then they could improve the performance of data centers with, for example, AI applications.

In addition, they also provide possibilities regarding faster internet connections or smart devices, medical applications, and defense systems, TNO said.

A major online forum for stolen data has been dismantled following an international operation coordinated by Europol.

The forum, known as LeakBase, had established itself as a central hub in the cybercrime ecosystem, specialising in the trade of leaked databases and so-called “stealer logs” – archives of stolen credentials harvested through infostealer malware. Accessible on the open web and operating in English, the platform combined elements of a forum and discussion board, enabling cybercriminals to buy, sell and exchange compromised data.

BRUSSELS (AP) — The U.S.-Israeli war on Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory strikes across the Middle East are quickly dragging Europe in, forcing the continent into defensive action to protect military bases and evacuate citizens caught up in the conflict.

The SPARTA IV, registered as a merchant ship, entered Portuguese waters at the end of the day on Sunday and was sailing off the coast of Nazaré on Wednesday evening.

In the new era, European leaders are not only promising to take more responsibility for the conventional defense of their continent; they’re also beginning to talk about an expanded nuclear deterrent of their own. Practically, this would mean leveraging the capabilities of Britain and France, currently the only two European states with nuclear weapons.

For now, Kristersson said, “the American nuclear umbrella is absolutely dominant.” And he has seen no indication that Washington intends to curtail it, even as the Trump administration presses European countries to assume greater responsibility for their own defense. Still, the prime minister said, “it’s a good thing” that there are European countries with such capabilities

European Union leaders on Thursday agreed on an action plan to overhaul the bloc’s economy and boost competitiveness amid pressure from US President Donald Trump, China and Russia. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the March plan would upgrade energy grids, deepen financial integration and ease merger rules.

As of now, President Volodymyr Zelensky does not plan to announce presidential elections or a referendum on a possible peace deal with Russia on Feb. 24, a source in the President's Office familiar with the matter told the Kyiv Independent on Feb. 11.

The comment came after the Financial Times reported that Kyiv was preparing to hold both votes this spring and that Zelensky could unveil the plan on the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion.

"He wasn't planning to," the source said when asked whether the president would make such an announcement on Feb. 24. "When there's no security, there's nothing else."

As of now, President Volodymyr Zelensky does not plan to announce presidential elections or a referendum on a possible peace deal with Russia on Feb. 24, a source in the President's Office familiar with the matter told the Kyiv Independent on Feb. 11.

The comment came after the Financial Times reported that Kyiv was preparing to hold both votes this spring and that Zelensky could unveil the plan on the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion.

"He wasn't planning to," the source said when asked whether the president would make such an announcement on Feb. 24. "When there's no security, there's nothing else."