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The article reports that Tuareg rebels in Mali killed dozens of Russian mercenaries in one of the deadliest attacks on Russian personnel in Africa since the Wagner Group's deployment in 2017. Topics include the scale of casualties, the strategic implications for Russian interests, and the ongoing conflict between Malian forces and Tuareg separatists.

The article details how revelations about the Nord Stream pipeline sabotage have led to a dispute between U.S. allies Germany and Poland. Topics include the German investigation revealing Ukrainian involvement in the sabotage, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk's criticism of Germany, and the logistical role Poland played in the operation.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz played a central role in negotiating the release of 16 Russian, American, and German prisoners from Russian gulags. The negotiations involved the controversial release of Vadim Krasikov, a convicted assassin, in exchange for the freedom of Western prisoners. Despite opposition from Germany's security establishment, Scholz made the decision to prioritize the freedom of innocent political prisoners in Russia. The prisoner swap has received mixed reactions in Germany, with concerns about setting a dangerous precedent for hostage diplomacy. [Extracted from the article]

Germany's far-right party, the AfD, is facing a series of scandals that are impacting its popularity and threatening its national and European ambitions. The party has been accused of extremism, corruption, and infiltration by Chinese spies and Russian propagandists. Recent events include a court ruling allowing Germany's intelligence agency to investigate the party as a suspected extremist organization, a fine for a popular AfD leader for using a banned Nazi slogan, and corruption investigations involving Russia. Despite these challenges, the AfD remains the second or third most popular party in Germany, but its ratings have dropped from 24% to 16%. [Extracted from the article]

European investigators are increasingly finding evidence of Russian involvement in recent acts of suspected sabotage on strategic infrastructure, but they are struggling to respond due to a lack of conclusive evidence. Potential culprits include commercial shipping or fishing vessels that have been engaged in apparently legitimate activities near sensitive installations. European governments have charged some Russians and Russian proxies in smaller incidents but are hesitant to accuse Russia of specific attacks. Detecting potential attacks is difficult because Russia has turned to civilians and commercial vessels to survey and possibly attack critical infrastructure. Some governments are refraining from blaming Moscow for fear of escalating tensions, while others are going public with warnings. European governments have increased security measures to protect critical infrastructure. [Extracted from the article]

European security services are increasingly concerned about a growing array of terror threats from extremists. Recent investigations have uncovered terror plots involving suspects posing as refugees, with some individuals found to have pictures of Jewish and Israeli targets in Europe on their mobile phones, suggesting motivation linked to Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza. The threat is not only coming from Islamic State and its successor organizations, but also from Iran and its proxies in the Middle East, including Hezbollah and Hamas. European countries are grappling with how to address these growing terror threats. [Extracted from the article]

French President Emmanuel Macron has sparked controversy by suggesting the possibility of deploying troops to Ukraine, a move that has divided European allies. Macron's remarks came during a summit aimed at showing Russian President Vladimir Putin that European capitals are committed to supporting Ukraine. While some European countries, such as Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic, have stated that they have no plans to send troops, Macron's comments have been seen as a departure from the reticence shown by Western allies. The discussion of sending troops to Ukraine has been viewed as a significant development by the Kremlin. Macron's attempt to fill the leadership vacuum left by the United States has been criticized for potentially dividing NATO and undermining European unity. However, Macron clarified that no one at the summit discussed sending troops to fight on the front lines, and instead, the focus was on providing support through minesweeping and equipment maintenance. The summit also resulted in the formation of a coalition to supply long-range missiles to Ukraine and the Czech Republic's plan to send ammunition. European allies are concerned about the lack of support from the United States and the possibility of a shift towards isolationism if Donald Trump wins the presidential election. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the debate in Germany about whether the country needs its own nuclear weapons. The discussion has been prompted by concerns about Russian expansionism and fears of American disengagement from Europe. Some German officials have called on France and the UK to develop a fallback plan for nuclear deterrence for NATO, should the US no longer fulfill that role. While some politicians and academics are advocating for Germany to have its own atomic arsenal, senior government officials remain skeptical and believe that relying on NATO's present nuclear-deterrence strategy is the best response for now. The article also highlights the legal, practical, and political obstacles to Germany becoming a nuclear power. [Extracted from the article]

"The Showman" by Simon Shuster is a biography and fly-on-the-wall account of Volodymyr Zelensky's journey from a comedian performing for Russian elites to becoming Ukraine's president. The book provides unprecedented access to Zelensky, his wife, top aides, and even his foes and associates of Vladimir Putin. It offers insights into Ukraine's fight against Russian imperialism, including the first account of how Ukraine was run from a nuclear bunker during the invasion. The author portrays Zelensky's transformation from a conciliatory politician to an uncompromising wartime leader, while also highlighting his use of martial law to suppress opposition and control the media. Despite its length, "The Showman" is considered the standard work on Zelensky and Ukraine's wartime politics. [Extracted from the article]

"Putin's Exiles" by Paul Starobin explores the stories of Russian refugees and dissidents who have fled their country since Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The author suggests that these exiles, who come from diverse backgrounds and professions, could potentially be agents of change in Russia. The book highlights the historic parallels with the Bolshevik Revolution and emphasizes that Russia has not fully confronted its imperialist and oppressive past. While the exiles face challenges and divisions among themselves, the author remains hopeful that they may contribute to a better Russia once Putin's rule ends. [Extracted from the article]

Polish officials have been resistant to cooperating with an international investigation into the sabotage of the Nord Stream natural-gas pipelines, according to European investigators. They have been slow to provide information and have withheld key evidence about the alleged saboteurs' movements on Polish soil. The new government in Warsaw is now being relied upon to shed light on the attack. Investigators believe the attack was launched from Ukraine via Poland, but the lack of cooperation from Polish officials has made it difficult to determine whether the attack happened with or without the knowledge of the former Polish government. [Extracted from the article]

Wolfgang Schäuble, a prominent German politician, has passed away at the age of 81. Schäuble dedicated his life to politics and held various key executive positions, including serving as Germany's finance minister. He was known for his commitment to fiscal restraint and enforcing austerity measures on the European Union's struggling economies. While some praised his efforts, others criticized the lasting damage caused by these policies. Despite surviving an assassination attempt in 1990 that left him paralyzed, Schäuble continued his political career and made significant contributions to German reunification. [Extracted from the article]

Jan Marsalek, the former COO of Wirecard, is suspected of being a Russian spy by Western intelligence and security officials. Marsalek is accused of using Wirecard to help Russian spy agencies move money for covert operations around the world. He is also believed to have provided assistance to a Russian mercenary organization and is currently involved in reconfiguring a business empire in Africa on behalf of Russian officials. Marsalek is wanted for securities-law violations and fraud and is believed to be residing in Dubai. [Extracted from the article]

Germany has frozen public spending for the rest of the year after a court declared the government's spending plans unconstitutional. This decision will complicate Europe's recovery efforts and its plans to strengthen its defenses and reduce carbon emissions. Germany's economy, the largest in Europe, is contracting due to surging energy prices and trade tensions. The court ruling raises questions about the use of off-budget special funds to finance public investments, including a plan to revamp Germany's military. The ruling imposes fiscal discipline but may hinder efforts to retool the economy and maintain competitiveness. Germany must now prioritize policy areas and review debt-financed expenditures to comply with the ruling. [Extracted from the article]

European governments are increasing their assistance to Ukraine as concerns grow over the US's failure to approve new aid. Europe and the US believe that Ukraine will struggle to gain significant territory in the near term and are focusing on enabling Kyiv's forces to hold the line against Russia. Germany plans to double military aid next year, EU officials are working on new economic and military assistance, and other governments in the region are pledging continued military support. Russia is preparing for a long conflict and is expanding its military production. European officials are committed to supporting Ukraine even if US funding dwindles, and they want to ensure Ukraine is not weakened before the US elections next November. Ukraine's military leadership acknowledges the challenges and says a big technological leap, backed by Western arms, is needed to break the stalemate. Western officials say that no weapons system delivered to Ukraine so far has made a strategic difference on the battlefield, and fresh troops and ammunition are critical. The US has about $5 billion in funding to continue providing Ukraine with weaponry, but another pot of money to replenish the US military's own stocks is running low. Military aid packages have been shrinking, and a new funding proposal might have to wait until the new year. European officials have said that US support for Ukraine is essential, and while they are trying to narrow the funding gap, they cannot fully replace US funding and military hardware. Germany plans to double its military aid for Ukraine next year, and the EU is planning $54 billion in economic aid to Ukraine [Extracted from the article]

Germany is considering a plan to send some asylum seekers to African countries while their cases are being decided, in an effort to reduce the strain on the country's resources caused by a surge in arrivals. The proposal may involve permanently resettling those who fail to win refugee status in these countries, as well as incentivizing those with some right to protection in Germany to settle in third countries. This shift in Germany's approach to migration reflects a broader trend among industrialized nations, such as the US and the UK, to tighten their migration rules. [Extracted from the article]

THE BRITISH bishop who questions the Holocaust yesterday defied the Pope's demand for him to recant his views. Richard Williamson was told that he must renounce 'in an absolutely unequivocal [...]

WHEN MOHAMMED Becirovic returned to his village he found his home a charred ruin and his wife and two daughters gone, abducted by Serbian militiamen. As war and ethnic cleansing [...]

THE Allied bombing of Dresden in the Second World War resulted in far fewer deaths than previously thought, according to new research by a German government commission. Some historians have [...]

KOSOVO saw a historic transfer of power yesterday when its Albanian majority took control of the government for the first time. The United Nations, which has run the former Serb [...]

THE president of the Czech Republic, Vaclav Klaus, has admitted having an affair with a 28-year-old flight attendant. Mr Klaus, 66, who is married with adult children, made the comments [...]

A SERIES of explosions at an army base in Albania killed or injured more than 200 people, government officials said last night. Survivors, including women and children hurt by flying [...]

A FLAMBOYANT aristocrat has been given a two-year suspended sentence in Germany after an epic spending spree that led to the ruin of a company. Rhodri Colwyn Philipps, 41, the [...]

SERBIA'S pro-Western president is expected to call a general election, perhaps as early as today, amid concerns that a hard-line nationalist coalition could come to power and turn the country [...]

THE Government may pay another six-figure sum for information on Britons avoiding tax, after it emerged that German authorities have secured another cache of data on holders of secret Liechtenstein [...]

THE German government was forced yesterday to scrap plans to re-introduce the Iron Cross, after opponents said the military medal still carried the 'burden'' of association with Nazi atrocities. The [...]

ANGELA Merkel, the German chancellor, was facing strikes and political paralysis yesterday after more than 100,000 public sector workers walked out of their jobs. The workers have threatened an 'open-ended [...]

SANDWICHED BETWEEN blasts of jubilant pop music, the announcements on Kosovo's radio stations were doing their best to keep the lid on things. 'Please keep calm,'' said a cheerful voice [...]

THE CHALLENGER in today's Serbian elections has added to international tensions by offering to let Russia build military bases in his country to help counter the American missile shield. 'If [...]

A CONTROVERSIAL new teachers' manual will instruct Russian teachers to present President Vladimir Putin to students as a 'young man full of energy'' who has shown the world 'how strong [...]

FOR PROPERTY buyers in the market for a stately pad and with a few million pounds to spare, a Swiss canton has just announced plans to put a string of [...]

AN ELDERLY German artist-turned-counterfeiter paid the price of perfectionism after being caught through his pursuit of the flawless forged dollar bill, writes Bojan Pancevski. The 66-year-old Cologne man, who can [...]

IT IS a row where every side has its own particular slant on the matter. After nine centuries of undisputed fame as the world's most lopsided building, the Leaning Tower [...]

GERMANY IS embroiled in new row over its communist past after the government announced plans to shut down the authority in charge of the classified files of the Stasi, the [...]

WITH THEIR economy thriving and rising hopes of closer ties with the rest of Europe, citizens of the isolated Russian outpost of Kaliningrad could have been forgiven a collective shudder [...]

SLEEPING ON the job may be frowned upon in some businesses, but not in the German civil service. The country's bureaucrats are being encouraged to take an afternoon nap in [...]

THE EXECUTION of the last European witch to be sentenced to death by a court of law has plunged Switzerland into an unlikely political debate over whether she should now [...]

THE FORMER Serbian province of Kosovo, saved from 'ethnic cleansing'' by Nato's intervention, has been thrown into crisis after the G8 summit failed to agree a formula to rescue it [...]