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EU chief backs plan for Canada to become 'associate member'

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Former Kosovo president Thaçi sentenced to 25 years in prison by international court in The Hague – Europe live
Thaçi held criminally responsible for war crimes during the violent break from Serbia in the 1990s Von der Leyen says “kickstarting Europe’s economy is our number one priority,” as Europe needs to tap into its huge market, world class industries and services. She says its single market remains too fragmented and needs to reform further, with the aim of completing it by the end of next year. “ Do we want to rally around our European idea that together we can decide our own destiny? Or do we let our democracies be undermined by the proxies and puppets of authoritarians? Whether it is the ultra nationalist or the anti-European, whether it’s Russian interference or disinformation, the names may be different, but their goal is the same. Continue reading...

Eight children among 21 killed after war-damaged Gaza building collapses, rescuers say
Dozens of people are missing beneath the rubble of a building hit by an Israeli strike last year, where some 10 families had been living.
In Sweden, many breathe sigh of relief as far right suffers election losses
The election is tight, but one result is clear: the Sweden Democrats' bid to turn hate into votes failed.
Taiz camps overflow with Yemenis fleeing fighting after Houthi offensive
The recent flare-up in the Yemen conflict has seen tens of thousands of people displaced in Taiz governorate.
US set to approve 60,000 heavy bombs for Israel: What that means
The package of 2,000-pound bombs comes amid Israel's genocidal war on Gaza and its occupation of southern Lebanon.

Microplastics in soil pose global threat by acting like ‘Trojan horse’ to deliver toxins
Exclusive: Plastic surfaces form hotspots with an increase of antibiotic-resistant genes, study finds Microplastics act like a “Trojan horse” delivering pollutants, pesticides and bacteria through the soil, a five-year multinational research project has found. The EU-funded project, which has so far resulted in 22 peer-reviewed studies , found microplastics in the soil of all 227 agricultural fields it tested across 11 European countries. The researchers said this poses a global threat , with healthy soils essential for life on Earth. Continue reading...