Free Republic

People in many European nations see the European Union more favorably than they did in 2016, when United Kingdom citizens voted to withdraw from the EU. For several years, Pew Research Center has consistently surveyed the U.K. and seven EU member nations: France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden. In these countries, a median of 49% of adults viewed the EU favorably in 2016. Positive ratings ranged from 27% in Greece to 58% in Italy. A year after the Brexit vote, opinions of the EU improved sharply in most countries. Overall, a median of 60% expressed a positive...

It was the kind of sweeping, last-minute demand that would have torpedoed most diplomatic talks: President Donald Trump insisting this week that in exchange for him ending the war with Iran, several Arab and Muslim countries should sign on to his Abraham Accords to normalize their diplomatic relations with Israel. But there’s been almost no response from any of the countries that Trump mentioned by name — more than half of whom already have diplomatic relations with Israel — and no statement of support from an Israeli government that would reap enormous benefits from such a deal. Analysts said Trump’s...

With less than 100 days until Iceland votes on whether to restart EU membership talks, the island remains deeply divided, with both camps only now beginning to mobilise their campaigns ahead of the summer ballot. The national referendum on joining the EU takes place on 29 August and the two intractable opposing political sides have yet to fully make their case. On the “yes” side: a government coalition that sees a geopolitical imperative for EU membership and on the other side, the “no” campaign sees a loss of sovereignty, and worse, loss of control over Iceland’s agriculture and fishing industries....

The European Union (EU) may be gearing up to hit Google with a massive multimillion-euro fine for antitrust violations. The tech giant could be facing a penalty in the high hundreds of millions of euros, according to sources speaking to the German newspaper Handelsblatt. The final decision will reportedly rest with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and is expected to be announced before the European Commission's summer recess. The Commission typically goes on break in late July through to August, operating with a skeleton staff during this period. Google's parent company, Alphabet, is accused of violating the Digital...

Volodymyr Zelensky has demanded that Ukraine be granted full membership of the European Union. Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor, had called for the country to be given a special half-in, half-out relationship, which would mean it could participate in European summits and ministerial meetings – but not cast a vote. Mr Zelensky criticised the “associate membership” concept, branding it an “unfair” move that would leave Ukraine “voiceless”. The Ukrainian president urged the EU to commit to his country’s full entry in a letter addressed to Antonio Costa, the president of the European Council, Ursula von der Leyen, the president of...

The best hope for ending a poorly planned war, which started with scant consultation with Congress or the American people, may be an unsatisfactory peace that leaves critical issues to be resolved later and deepens Washington strife. President Donald Trump has repeatedly said a deal to halt the conflict he chose against Iran is imminent and very close. Each time, his predictions turned out to be wishful thinking or a misreading of Iran’s true intentions. So it’s no surprise his latest claims that a framework agreement with Tehran is near have been met with skepticism and confusion — nor that...

Britain would be forced to accept the European Union's refugee quota if Labour rejoins the bloc. Before Brexit, the UK was allowed to opt out of the EU's asylum policy. But now, sources have indicated rejoining the union would require the acceptance of all EU "acquis communautaire" - the complete body of common rights, obligations and legal framework by which which member states abide. Post-Brexit rules enforce quotas of relocated refugees, and governments which refuse to accept them are penalised by as much as £17,500 per person. Fresh fears were raised over rejoining the EU when Labour leadership hopeful Wes...

Reason number 999,999,999 why migration is a bad idea. You can’t expect everybody to understand or cater to your religion or your customs. And what happened on a deportation flight from Ireland to Pakistan is a perfect example of that kind of cultural miscommunication. Several Muslim migrants, described as “high risk,” were being removed from the country after previous offenses and bad behavior. During the flight, they were served a full Irish breakfast, which included pork sausage. Irish Times: Catering on deportation flights was changed after pork sausages were included as part of an Irish breakfast served on a forced...

European negotiators agreed late on Tuesday to implement the controversial trade agreement concluded last summer with the US. However, the deal — signed in the Scottish city of Turnberry — remains fragile as long as US President Donald Trump continues to use tariffs as a tool of political pressure. Diplomats and MEPs reached an agreement late on Tuesday to implement the contentious EU-US agreement, which eliminates duties on most US industrial goods imported into Europe. The negotiations concluded two weeks after US President Donald Trump threatened to impose 25% tariffs on EU cars if Europeans did not implement the agreement...

The biggest issue for the Irish community in the United States is a current “sense of vulnerability”, Minister of State for Diaspora Neale Richmond has said. Speaking to RTÉ News during a visit to the US, he said that both those who live legally in the US and those who are undocumented are worried about their own immigration status and that of their neighbors. When asked about increased efforts to arrest and detain migrants, he said people are scared. “They’re not necessarily seeing ICE in their neighborhoods. They’re not necessarily feeling under immediate threat. But between media reports, between the...

Muslim passengers being deported from Ireland to Pakistan were insensitively served pork sausages as part of a breakfast during their chartered flight. A Government-appointed human rights monitor branded the meal choice "inappropriate" aboard the journey from Dublin to Islamabad transporting 24 men to the Muslim-majority nation. The monitor's assessment noted "the quality of food was a low standard" and criticised the decision to include pork products for individuals travelling to an Islamic country – naturally defying the dietary practices of the religion. Before the flight – which cost Irish taxpayers €473,000 – the men were detained overnight across three separate...

Sweden, together with the European Commission, will hold talks with the Taliban. The goal is to enable deportations to Afghanistan - but the announcement is being criticized. "A deal with extremists," says Annika Hirvonen (MP). Migration Minister Johan Forssell (M) tells TT that the Swedish government has been "very proactive" in the EU on securing deportations to Afghanistan. The issue of being able to carry out more criminal deportations, i.e. of people who have been convicted of crimes in Sweden or who pose a threat to Sweden's security, is one of my most important priorities, he says. According to Forssell,...

The Government has reiterated its condemnation of the detention by Israel of an aid flotilla with at least ten Irish citizens onboard. The Coalition is calling on the Israeli authorities to uphold their obligations under international law. Dr. Margaret Connolly, the sister of President Catherine Connolly, is among those on board. […] The Global Sumud Flotilla said earlier it had lost contact with the intercepted boats. “We condemn the interception of vessels in international waters and call on the Israeli authorities to uphold their obligations under international law to ensure the safety and welfare of all those on board the...

Two shooters have been shot dead after an active shooter situation at a San Diego mosque drew a massive police presence, three police sources told NBC on Monday. Helicopter footage shows one person in a tactical vest who appears to have been shot dead outside the at the Islamic Center of San Diego. Several people are believed to have been shot, Officer Anthony Carrasco told the Associated Press. Hundreds of cops and scores of emergency vehicles lined up outside the center only minutes after the call came in for an active shooter.

In a disturbing snapshot of today’s Britain, the Henry Jackson Society published figures after this month’s local elections suggesting that more than 570 of new councillors were what it classed as “sectarian-style” candidates. The criteria used to define this were the emphases those candidates had, in their campaigns, put on issues of “Muslim communal grievance” and “transnational Muslim causes”. The Green Party, illustrating how it has stopped focusing on the environment or ecology, accounted for 350 of those councillors. What this has to do with local government is unclear; what it has to do with a complete failure of certain...

Wes Streeting has called for a “proper contest” to replace Sir Keir Starmer and confirmed he would stand if the race is triggered, as he and other senior Labour figures make their pitch to replace the Prime Minister. In his first public appearance since resigning as health secretary, Mr Streeting set out a fledgling policy platform for a run at the Labour leadership. He said Britain must pursue a “new special relationship” with the European Union and signalled he wanted to see the country rejoin the trade bloc in the future. Mr Streeting is among the senior Labour figures to...

The United States of America is in active talks with Greenland and Denmark to expand its military presence in Greenland. US officials are seeking to open three new bases in the south of the territory, a semi-autonomous part of Denmark, as they work to resolve a diplomatic crisis sparked by President Donald Trump when he threatened to seize Greenland by force. Greenland’s prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, mentioned on Tuesday that increasing the U.S. military presence in the Arctic territory was ‌part of ongoing negotiations with Washington, as the United States’ desire to own or control the territory remains alive The...

The House will have to take up a major security package for war-torn Ukraine after enough Republicans joined Democrats to give the needed 218 signatures to force a vote. A vote is likely to come in the next few weeks on the package that would marshal $1.3 billion in security aid to Ukraine and allow the war-torn country to get up to $8 billion in additional loan support. Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY), the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, introduced the bill in the House last year, where it sat for months. It would also slap tighter sanctions...

An anti-corruption association accused the RN of using European funds to train its members, including Bardella, to address the media during the 2022 French presidential election campaign. The complaint, filed in Paris last December by anti-graft association AC!!Anti-Corruption, was forwarded by the National Financial Prosecutor's Office (PNF) to the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) for assessment. "Following a preliminary review, an investigation has been opened on suspicion of fraud," said the source. Bardella's mentor, Marine Le Pen, is seeking to overturn a court ruling that convicted her of embezzlement in 2025 and could derail her presidential bid next year. If...

The European Union is moving to tighten migration controls after years of struggling to deport most migrants ordered to leave, with a top official saying the bloc is now working to "get control back" ahead of sweeping new asylum rules set to take effect in June. European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner said deportations have increased and new border screening systems are identifying potential security threats, part of a broader effort to address gaps in enforcement that have drawn criticism from the United States and fueled political pressure across Europe. "Ten years ago, we didn't have a...