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Norway weighs joining France's forward nuclear deterrence shield
1 hour ago•Source: The Kyiv Independent
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3.48 min•2 days ago
Belgian level crossing tragedy: train strikes school bus, four dead
Four people were killed and several others injured when a train collided with a school minibus at a level crossing in Buggenhout, Belgium. The bus carried seven children, a supervisor, and a driver; some children were hospitalized in critical condition but later stabilized. Investigators are examining why the crossing barrier and red signal were not functioning at the time. Deputy PM Maxime Prevot confirmed the toll, and EU leaders expressed condolences.
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Maldives cave dive tragedy: Italian divers may have been trapped inside
Euronews.com•5 days ago
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Merz pitches 'associate membership' to keep Ukraine, Moldova and the Western Balkans in EU orbit
The Kyiv Independent•6 days ago
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Merz proposes staged EU link for Ukraine, drawing cautious Brussels reaction
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz floated an 'associate EU membership' for Ukraine—granting limited participation in EU decision-making and access to funds on a step-by-step path to full membership. The idea drew mixed reactions in Brussels: the European Commission welcomed the ambition but stressed any path must be merit-based and legally feasible, while several diplomats questioned the legality and timing amid Hungary's veto and upcoming June negotiations.
Paris Court of Appeal convicts Air France and Airbus over AF447 crash
A Paris Court of Appeal has convicted Air France and Airbus of involuntary manslaughter in the 2009 Rio‑Paris AF447 crash that killed 228 people, issuing €225,000 fines to each company and signaling accountability despite prior acquittals; both firms said they will appeal as families welcomed the ruling but noted no executives were charged.
Portugal Arrests Mother Over Abandoned French Boys
Portuguese police arrested the boys’ mother and a 55-year-old man on suspicion of abuse, endangerment and abandonment after two French children, aged four and five and reported missing from Colmar, were found abandoned beside a main road near Comporta. The children have been taken to hospital for observation as a judicial inquiry and police investigation continue.
Ukraine tests cheap interceptors to counter Shahed drones as drone war escalates
Ukraine is developing low-cost interceptor missiles to counter Russian Shahed-type drones, with prototypes in testing and plans to increase production tenfold and stockpile for fall and winter after Russia’s strikes on energy infrastructure. The push aims for a high interception rate (about 95%), supported by more private air-defense units and ongoing reforms to recruitment, procurement, and ensuring a basic drone supply to brigades.
Russia Moves Nuclear Munitions to Belarus Amid Tense NATO Drills
Russia says it has delivered nuclear munitions to field storage in Belarus as part of a three-day, large-scale joint drill across Russia and Belarus involving about 64,000 personnel and hundreds of launchers and vehicles, amid heightened tensions with NATO after Baltic drone incidents. The drills feature Iskander-M launchers and are accompanied by video claims of munitions loading; Kyiv is tightening security near its northern border, and Belarus opposition critics warn of increased risk to Belarusians.
Lithuanian leaders shelter as drone alert halts Vilnius activities
Lithuania’s president and prime minister were rushed to emergency shelters in Vilnius as a drone air alert halted flights and ground transport; the alert has since been lifted and the drone’s origin is not yet confirmed. NATO jets were deployed in an attempt to locate or down the drone. The incident comes amid a string of Baltic drone incursions, with Estonia later reporting that a NATO fighter jet shot down a suspected Ukrainian drone nearby, amid broader tensions over who is directing such drones and possible Russian interference.
Baltic skies on edge as third drone breach triggers NATO scramble
An unidentified drone breached Latvia's airspace on May 21 for the third consecutive day, triggering air alerts across several regions. NATO fighter jets were dispatched to bolster Baltic air defenses amid concerns that Russia is jamming Ukrainian drones and redirecting them toward NATO territory. Residents were urged to shelter indoors and follow civil-defense guidance as tensions rise in the Baltic region, which has also seen drone incursions in Estonia and Lithuania in recent days.
Pirate radio slip triggers monarch alarm: Radio Caroline apologizes for false Charles death report
Radio Caroline, the historic UK pirate radio station, apologised after a computer error led to an incorrect report of King Charles III’s death, triggering the monarch’s death protocol, with the station briefly going off-air to issue an apology to the king and its listeners.
EU vows unified response as drone incidents intensify near Russia
EU leaders, led by Ursula von der Leyen, pledge a united response to a string of drone incursions blamed on Russia, as Vilnius shuts its airport and top Lithuanian leaders are evacuated. The month has seen six drone incursions in Baltic and Finnish airspace, with some drones possibly Ukrainian in origin but diverted by Russia; Baltic MEPs urged condemnation, Poland’s PM called the events a provocation, and NATO praised allied jet responses while EU officials push for higher defense spending and stronger support for the Eastern Flank and Ukraine.
Ukraine’s EU bid stalls as bloc blockers resurface after Hungary’s exit
Even with Hungary’s leadership change, EU leaders face political blockers to opening enlargement cluster 1 for Ukraine: Budapest’s minority-language rights demands persist, Poland’s concerns over farm subsidies and road transport complicate progress, and France’s agricultural sensitivities add to the hesitation. The European Commission Says Ukraine is ready to open all six clusters, but a Common Position and an Intergovernmental Conference are required, making June’s target uncertain and suggesting limited progress beyond cluster 1 for now.