Neil Culley, 49, and Kerrie Culley, 51, touched down in Tbilisi yesterday and pushed for an emotional reunion with the 18-year-old who is accused of carrying 30lbs of cannabis into the ex-Soviet republic.

Spain's national recovery and resilience plan (NRRP) is the second largest (in absolute figures) financed by the Next Generation EU (NGEU) recovery instrument and its main spending tool, the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF). Following the October 2023 amendment of the Spanish NRRP, adding a REPowerEU chapter, the plan's value reached €163 billion (or 13.1 % of national gross domestic product (GDP) in 2019), an increase of roughly 135 % compared with the original plan of 2021 (€69.5 billion in grants only). The amended plan comes with an increased grant allocation of €79.8 billion and a freshly requested loan allocation of €83.2 billion. The grant part includes the June 2022 upward revision of Spain's grant allocation of €7.7 billion and the country's REPowerEU grant allocation of €2.6 billion. In addition, Spain has requested a transfer of its share from the Brexit Adjustment Reserve of €58 million to its NRRP. So far, €48.3 billion of RRF resources (29.6 % of the amended NRRP) have been received. These have been disbursed by the European Commission in form of pre-financing and four grant instalments. The amended plan focuses on the green transition, devoting almost 40 % of the resources to it, and fosters the digital transformation by committing 25.9 % of the funds (excluding REPowerEU) to digital projects. In the context of the European Semester, the Commission assessed the plan's implementation as 'under way', yet warned about emerging delays hindering effective and swift implementation. The European Parliament participates in interinstitutional forums for cooperation and discussion on its implementation and scrutinises the European Commission's work. This briefing is one in a series covering all EU Member States. Sixth edition. The 'NGEU delivery' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the lifecycle of the plans. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The Congress is the legislative branch of the United States (US) system of government. It is divided into two chambers: the House of Representatives (the lower chamber) and the Senate (the upper chamber). The formal powers of Congress are set out in Article I of the US Constitution, and include making laws, collecting revenue, borrowing and spending money, declaring war, making treaties with foreign nations, and overseeing the executive branch. Elections to the US Congress occur every second November, with the Congress convening the following January. Additionally, every four years, these elections coincide with the presidential election. The current, 119th Congress was elected in November 2024, and convened in January 2025. The US has a long-standing two-party system, which means that nearly all members of Congress belong to either the Republican or Democratic parties. Independent members, if any, generally align or caucus with one of the two main parties. In the most recent US Presidential and Congressional elections, held in November 2024, the Republican party won the White House. They also retained control of the House with a five-seat margin – the smallest in modern history – and won back the Senate with a six-seat majority, taking account of two independents who caucus with the Democrats. This gave the Republicans a governing trifecta, with control of the presidency and both chambers of Congress. This EPRS briefing provides key facts and figures about the US Congress as an institution, including relevant comparisons with the European Parliament (EP). Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

[Agenzia Fides] Kanza -- «A solid roof over one's head, a good cassava field, learning to read... without ever being discouraged and with the help of God» is the Hope for the Bayaka pygmies of Central Africa.

[International Consortium of Investigative Journalists] Leaked documents reveal the government awarded a Portuguese construction giant with ties to the vice president $1 billion in contracts as it splurged on a Paris-inspired capital, an empty airport, and other long-forgotten infrastructure projects.

The Supreme Court is reviewing injunctions against Trump’s order to end birthright citizenship for those born to parents of undocumented immigrants or foreign visitors.

President Donald Trump stopped at al-Udeid Air Base — an important hub for the U.S. military in recent decades — before heading to Abu Dhabi.

President John Mahama has pledged to “lay a red carpet” for firms seeking to invest in Ghana’s energy sector Read Full Article at RT.com

Jonathan Powell is expected to make sure the Ukrainian leader does not do “anything that alienates Trump” Read Full Article at RT.com

Support for refugees has dropped significantly, with growing numbers reportedly being told to “go back to Ukraine” Read Full Article at RT.com

Moscow is in a “working mood” ahead of prospective talks with Kiev, top negotiator Vladimir Medinsky has said Read Full Article at RT.com

Finland has proposed raising the maximum age of reservists from 50 to 65 amid wider militarization in the EU Read Full Article at RT.com

Kyrgyz Security Council Secretary Marat Imankulov said that informal multilateral meetings of the secretaries of the Security Councils of the SCO and CIS member states will also take place on the sidelines of the event

The Russian foreign minister recalled that Zelensky made some statements demanding that Putin attend in person

Vladimir Medinsky will represent Russia’s interests at the Istanbul venue and carry out the directives issued by the president, Rodion Miroshnik said

Rodion Miroshnik that some of the Ukrainian delegates in Istanbul have a rather «questionable background»

According to Peter Szijjarto, «those who at the time hindered the success of peace talks, bear serious responsibility for it»

The extensive alterations house a gym, sauna and cinema room beneath the historic property, which was built in 1729 and is very close to Hyde Park.

Keir Starmer revealed this morning that he has authorised discussion with a string of Balkan states that would see the UK pay to send failed asylum seekers overseas.

Maria Zakharova drew attention to the fact that «a positive effect has already been seen in the form of stabilization of global financial markets»

According to the Russian top diplomat, this requires eliminating the root causes of the conflict

Vladimir Medinsky will make a statement at 5:30 p.m. Moscow time

According to Vitaly Kiselev, the Ukrainian army have been preparing defenses in Torskoye since 2015

«No matter how loud these NATO benchwarmers shout from the sidelines, in order to take a shot on goal, the Ukrainian national team needs to take the field,» Maria Zakharova said

At the meeting, the sides discussed prospects for cooperation in several sectors, including agriculture, transportation, and the halal industry

«The battlegroup commanders attended the meeting in order to report on the situation on various axes on the line of combat engagement,» Dmitry Peskov said

«As of the current moment, there is no understanding about time, everybody is waiting,» the source said

Úlfar Lúðvíksson, former chief of police in Suðurnes, has resigned from his position following a meeting with the Minister of Justice, Þorbjörg Sigríður Gunnlaugsdóttir, and the Secretary General of the Ministry of Justice on Tuesday.

Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton's relationship is back in the spotlight this week with the publication of a book detailing the apparent bridesmaid dress clash.

President Donald Trump's latest pitch for Gaza is to turn the war-torn Palestinian territory into a 'freedom zone.'

Residents of Haden Cross Drive, in Cradley Heath, West Midlands, were unable to park on their driveways after earth and rubble tumbled across the street just metres from their front doors.

Mogadishu (HOL) — Somalia’s cabinet has approved a new security agreement on Thursday with Saudi Arabia to boost military cooperation, enhance intelligence sharing, and jointly combat terrorism across the Horn of Africa and the Gulf region.

Trans-Saharan human trafficking syndicates are deceiving Somali refugees living in Kenyan camps. The Magafe – a Libyan-based criminal group – is reportedly leading a kidnapping and trafficking network that exploits Somali refugees, appealing to their aspirations with false promises of relocation to Europe. Mostly young refugees are drawn into dangerous journeys that often result in severe abuse, hardship and can even be fatal.

State-building is never easy, even in the best of times. It demands patience, compromise, and above all, a shared understanding among citizens of what government is, what it is not, and what it is meant to serve. In Somalia, however, pervasive lack of understanding of civics has made the task nearly impossible. After decades of conflict, fragmentation, and lawlessness, too many Somalis have been left without the basic civic foundations that any stable political order needs