Lifestyle Apr 8, 2023

French and German tourists avoid UK due to post-Brexit travel restrictions

The Pentagon is investigating the authenticity of leaked classified US and NATO military information about Ukraine that has been circulating on social media. The documents, which include maps and slides, could be useful to Russia, according to The New York Times. Ukrainian officials have called the documents fake and blamed the Russians for their dissemination. The emergence of the documents raises questions about the timing of the planned Ukrainian counteroffensive and what either side knows about the other’s preparations for it. Tourism leaders fear that French and German tourists are avoiding the UK due to post-Brexit travel restrictions on ID cards. Since October 2021, EU citizens have needed a passport to enter the UK, causing a significant drop in bookings from France and Germany. School groups are particularly affected, as one or two children without passports in a class of 30 can lead teachers to choose alternative destinations. The decline is also damaging the UK's standing in the perception of French and German people, with Visit Britain reporting a significant drop in rankings.

Metro Mar 10, 2023

Seven Killed in Shooting at Jehovah’s Witness Meeting in Hamburg

Seven people were killed and several others injured in a shooting at a Jehovah's Witness meeting hall in Hamburg, Germany. The gunman, believed to be a former member of the religious community, acted alone and is presumed dead. The motive for the attack is still unknown. The investigation is ongoing.

Politics Mar 3, 2023

Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Ales Bialiatski Sentenced to 10 Years in Belarusian Penal Colony

A Belarusian Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Ales Bialiatski, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison on smuggling charges. The sentencing has been criticized by the German Foreign Minister and exiled Belarusian opposition leader, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who has called for their immediate release. The Nobel laureate was arrested in 2020 amid protests against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko's regime.