Author: Prima News

Chancellor Friedrich Merz backed growing calls in Germany for controls on access to social media platforms by children, saying he had become increasingly persuaded of the need for compulsory limits by evidence of the harm done by the deliberate spreading of fake news and other forms of online manipulation. “Do we want to allow artificially generated false news, fake news, artificially generated films and misrepresentations to be spread via social media?” he said in a speech ahead of his conservative Christian Union’s annual party conference. “Do we want to allow our society to be undermined in this way, both internally…

Bosnia and Herzegovina marked the arrival of Ramadan on Wednesday in the capital with a traditional cannon shot fired from the historic Yellow Fortress, upholding a centuries-old custom dating to the Ottoman era. Hundreds of children and families gathered in the Old Town area of Bascarsija ahead of the evening call to prayer and walked toward the fortress carrying colorful balloons. Joyful voices echoed through the Ottoman-era stone streets, adding a festive spirit to Sarajevo’s spiritual atmosphere. The procession created visually striking scenes as children expressed excitement and families shared in the celebration. With the firing of the cannon, children…

Hashim Thaci, former president of Kosovo, standing trial in The Hague, told judges he is “completely innocent” as proceedings near conclusion at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers. “You have listened to the prosecution’s accusations in this courtroom for nearly three years. You have also heard the truth. There is only one truth. I am completely innocent,” Thaci said in his closing statement before the court on Wednesday. The trial, held at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in the Netherlands, involves Thaci and former senior figures of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), including Jakup Krasniqi, Kadri Veseli, and Rexhep Selimi. The initial indictment…

Russia on Wednesday urged the US to refrain from a naval blockade of Cuba, expressing support for the island nation’s sovereignty and security. “Together with the majority of members of the world community, we call on the US to show common sense and a responsible approach and to refrain from a naval blockade of the Island of Freedom,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a joint press conference in Moscow following a meeting with his Cuban counterpart, Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla. Lavrov also rejected accusations that Russian-Cuban cooperation posed a threat to the US or any other country. “We categorically…

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Wednesday that Canada’s path toward escalating tensions with Moscow could lead to “irreversible consequences.” Answering a question from Anadolu at a press briefing in Moscow, Zakharova said Moscow would respond if Canada takes steps affecting Russian diplomatic property in the North American country. “We are aware of calls from certain radical or radically minded political and public figures in Canada. They are proposing various measures to pressure us, including interfering with diplomatic property or Russian foreign institutions, even going so far as to completely close them,” she said. She added that there are…

The Turkish Armed Forces showcased their operational skills and their ability to conduct coordinated missions with allied countries in Germany as part of NATO’s largest and most comprehensive live exercise this year, Steadfast Dart 2026. The Steadfast Dart 2026 exercise, organized by NATO’s Joint Force Command Brunssum in the Netherlands and hosted by Germany, is ongoing on Wednesday. A press and distinguished observers day for the maritime phase of the exercise, which aims to enhance allies’ joint operational capabilities, test the rapid deployment and sustainment of high-readiness forces, validate command-and-control mechanisms, and improve interoperability among naval, air, and land elements,…

Russia claimed Wednesday that its forces have captured two more settlements in Ukraine. In a statement, the Russian Defense Ministry said its forces have taken control of the village of Kharkivka in the Sumy region of northeastern Ukraine, which is located near the border with Russia. Russian forces also claimed to have captured Krynychne in the Zaporizhzhia region, approximately 10 kilometers northwest of the frontline town of Huliaipole. Ukrainian officials have not commented on the claims. Independent verification remains difficult due to ongoing fighting, as the war is set to mark its fourth year next week.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and US President Donald Trump on Tuesday discussed the war in Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as the ongoing talks between the US and Iran. During a phone call, Starmer reiterated his condemnation of Russian attacks on civilians in Ukraine, the premier’s office said in a statement, adding that the leaders discussed the ongoing negotiations to secure a just and lasting peace. Turning to the situation in the Gaza Strip, the prime minister reflected on the current situation in the region and the importance of securing further access for humanitarian aid. On Oct.…

 Nordic government ministers will meet in Denmark on Wednesday to discuss elevating Greenland and two other autonomous territories to equal status in a regional forum, boosting cooperation after U.S. President Donald Trump’s push to control the Arctic island. Denmark and its European allies have rejected Trump’s insistence that the Nordic country must hand Greenland to the United States, launching talks last month between Copenhagen, Nuuk and Washington to resolve the diplomatic standoff. Wednesday’s meeting will focus on upgrading the Helsinki Treaty, adopted in 1962 by Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland and Norway, to give full rights to the Danish-ruled territories of Greenland and…

European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde plans to leave her job early, ahead of next year’s French presidential election, to give outgoing French leader Emmanuel Macron an input into picking her successor, the Financial Times said on Wednesday. Lagarde’s term is due to end in October 2027, but some fear that the far right may win the French presidential race in the spring of 2027, complicating the selection for the new leader of Europe’s most important financial institution. Citing a person familiar with the matter, the FT said Lagarde has not yet decided on the exact timing of her departure…