Mary Lou McDonald pulled two political stunts this week that impressed - in a bad way - this seasoned critic of Sinn Féin's ruthless amorality. One should be accustomed to the party's revolting retelling of IRA history and the cynical game-playing over Ukraine that is conveniently Putin-friendly.
Germany's coalition government has finalised the 2026 federal budget after a marathon meeting on Thursday night. The more than €500 billion package promises targeted relief for individuals and selected industries but also record new borrowing. A draft of Germany's federal budget for 2026 was agreed on in the early hours of Thursday by the government's budget committee. The total planned expenditure stands at €524.5 billion, which is €4 billion more than initially anticipated.
The Foreign Office said there had been "a summer of Russian delay tactics at peace talks" aimed at ending the conflict in the region, as well as increased attacks on Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure. Cooper added support for Kyiv was "unwavering and stronger than ever" and that fresh funding would support Ukraine through the winter and into 2026. She continued: "Putin's bombardment of Ukrainian civilians, his stalling and delaying in internationally-backed peace talks, and his blatant disregard for human life must end."
After a week of high-stakes diplomacy aimed at halting the war in Ukraine, United States President Donald Trump says he is set on arranging a summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Following separate meetings with both leaders, Trump has ruled out sending US troops to Ukraine, but pledged security guarantees to Kyiv and indicated that Washington could provide air support to reinforce a potential deal.
