LONDON (AA) – The number of people in England and Wales identifying as Christians has dropped below half for the first time, according to data released by the Office for National Statistics from the 2021 census. The census showed 46.2% of people saying they were Christian, a decrease from 53.9% in 2011. Those saying they […]
BERLIN (AA) – German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday reaffirmed his election campaign pledge to reform the country’s citizenship and immigration laws. Speaking at a gathering in Berlin, Scholz said the Social Democrat-led coalition government is planning to modernize laws to build a more inclusive and democratic society. “Today 9 millio...
ANKARA (AA) – NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Monday underlined the importance of the Black Sea for the security alliance. Speaking at a press briefing following his meeting with Romanian President Klaus Iohannis in the capital Bucharest, Stoltenberg said that the alliance has been consolidating its presence from the Baltic to...
BELGRADE, Serbia (AA) – The European Union’s door is open for Bosnia and Herzegovina as candidate status is on the table, the bloc’s commissioner for enlargement said Monday. ”We want candidate status granted to Bosnia and Herzegovina now. But this is also a recommendation that comes from our side with high expectations,” Oli...
SOCHI, Russia (AA) – European Union sanctions on Russia will not pose a problem for the financing of Türkiye’s first nuclear plant at Akkuyu, according to the first deputy director-general of the Russian Nuclear Energy Corporation (Rosatom). Kirill Komarov stated at the international nuclear energy conference Atomexpo 2022 in Russi...
BRUSSELS/AMSTERDAM (AA) – Riots erupted in Belgium’s capital and several Dutch cities on Sunday after Morocco beat Belgium in a World Cup match. Following their team’s upset win, Moroccan fans in Brussels drove around the city in a peaceful celebration, honking their horns. But some people who were covering their faces gathered around Br...
ANKARA (AA) – The second meeting of the permanent joint mechanism between Türkiye, Finland and Sweden was held on Friday in Stockholm. The trio signed a trilateral memorandum on June 28 at the NATO summit in Madrid to address Türkiye’s security concerns about Finland’s and Sweden’s NATO membership. The aim of the meeting was to [&h...
OVIEDO, Spain (AA) – Spain’s political parties, with the exception of the ruling Socialist Party, have demanded more explanation about the Melilla migrant tragedy after watching police videos. The videos were screened behind closed doors, but a select group of politicians could see what occurred the day when at least 23 migrants died while try...
ISTANBUL (AA) – Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry summoned Pauline Eizema, the Dutch ambassador in Baku, over Azerbaijan’s displeasure regarding a letter accusing the country of war crimes. Wopke Hoekstra, the deputy prime minister and foreign minister of the Netherlands, sent the letter to the Dutch parliament on Wednesday regarding alleged war c...
ANKARA (AA) – French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin has criticized Mathilde Paris, a lawmaker from the far-right political party National Rally, for “lashing out at the government rather than the Italians” over migrants row. Asked about the Ocean Viking row with Italy, in a National Assembly session, Darmanin said: “I am v...
