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- Trump announces deployment of 5,000 troops to Poland amid NATO tensions
- Cyprus votes today in pivotal elections for House of Representatives seats
- Details emerge on potential peace deal between the U.S. and Iran
- Russia’s threats against Baltic states raise concerns about regional escalation
- Democratic Rally wins Cyprus parliamentary election with 27.2% vote
- Iran agrees in principle to dispose of highly enriched uranium, says US official
- Russia uses hypersonic Oreshnik missile in attack on Kyiv, killing two
- Global Sumud Flotilla activists clash with police at Bilbao airport
LIVE German 2025 Election Results as they come in and analysi on who will be the next German Chancellor.
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Global Reaction to DE Elections
Trump announces deployment of 5,000 troops to Poland amid NATO tensions
5:00 am
Get you up to speed: Donald Trump performs U-turn and decides to send 5,000 troops near Nato border with Russia | News World
Donald Trump announced the deployment of an additional 5,000 US troops to Poland following the election of President Karol Nawrocki. This decision was revealed on Truth Social, amidst ongoing discussions related to NATO and troop movements in Europe.
The US will increase its military presence in Poland to 15,000 troops, bolstering the region’s security amid rising tensions with Russia. Poland currently plays a vital role in NATO, actively responding to airspace violations, while Germany continues to host approximately 36,000 US troops.
Donald Trump announced plans to send an additional 5,000 troops to Poland following the election victory of conservative president Karol Nawrocki, stating it reflects the strong relationship between the two leaders. In response, Nawrocki emphasised the importance of alliances based on cooperation and mutual respect for shared security.
What remains unclear — It is uncertain how NATO allies will respond to Trump’s announcement of additional troops in Poland after previous tensions.
Trump announces deployment of 5,000 troops to Poland amid NATO tensions
Trump’s administration is planning to send extra soldiers to Poland despite the US president’s fraught relationship with NATO (Picture: Getty Images)
Donald Trump announced the dispatch of thousands of extra soldiers to Poland weeks after his sudden decision to pull troops from Germany.
In an apparent U-turn, the US president has caused further confusion among his NATO allies after he announced the plan on Truth Social.
He said in a Truth Social post last night that Poland would now receive 5,000 extra troops after the election victory of the conservative president, Karol Nawrocki.
Trump said: ‘Based on the successful Election of the now President of Poland, Karol Nawrocki, who I was proud to Endorse, and our relationship with him, I am pleased to announce that the United States will be sending an additional 5,000 Troops to Poland.’
Donald Trump has previously threatened to pull the US from NATO and cutting troops in Germany, but he appears to have had a change of heart (Picture: EPA)
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Currently, Poland hosts around 10,000 US armed forces, with a focus on the country’s eastern areas bordering Ukraine and Belarus, a key Russian ally.
Poland is also a key NATO player, with fighter jets regularly alerted to Russian airspace incursions in the region.
Nawrocki responded to Trump’s plan on X: ‘Good alliances are those based on cooperation, mutual respect, and a commitment to our shared security.’
Trump revealed in early May that 5,000 US troops would leave Germany following Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s refusal to support the Iran war.
Merz claimed that the US had been humiliated in the Iran war negotiations, sparking a ranting reaction from Trump.
The POTUS told Merz to ‘fix his broken country’ and accused him of tolerating a nuclear-armed Iran.
He wrote on Truth Social: ‘The Chancellor of Germany should spend more time on ending the war with Russia/Ukraine (Where he has been totally ineffective!)’
Before the heated exchange, European countries had faced months of criticism from the US, accusing them of relying too much on the Americans for security.
The US and Germany share a long history of military cooperation since the Cold War, which saw the peak of American troops in West Germany.
At the moment, Germany hosts around 36,000 American troops according to the latest government figures, with the biggest bases located near Ramstein and Stuttgart.
In comparison, the UK hosts 10,156 US troops across three bases.
Trump’s increasing hostility towards NATO, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the Iran war have led to soul-searching within the military alliance.
But Trump’s anger is also said to have brought the nations closer together, with leaders discussing in private what to do if the US president followed through with his threats to leave the alliance.
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Cyprus votes today in pivotal elections for House of Representatives seats
4:00 am
Cyprus votes today in pivotal elections for House of Representatives seats
Election Day
Today, over 568,000 citizens in Cyprus are voting at 1,217 polling stations to elect 56 MPs for the next five years.
Today, over 568,000 citizens in Cyprus are voting at 1,217 polling stations to elect 56 MPs for the next five years.
Electoral Scale
With over 568,000 citizens participating in the election across 1,217 polling stations, this vote significantly shapes the political landscape for the next five years.
With over 568,000 citizens participating in the election across 1,217 polling stations, this vote significantly shapes the political landscape for the next five years.
Party Responses
“Solutions do not come through slogans and wishful thinking,” stated Marios Karoyan from the Democratic Front, addressing the need for pragmatic approaches in today’s elections.
“Solutions do not come through slogans and wishful thinking,” stated Marios Karoyan from the Democratic Front, addressing the need for pragmatic approaches in today’s elections.
Cypriots head to the polls after hotly contested election campaign
Published on
Cyprus goes to the polls today in one of the most closely contested and politically charged elections of recent decades, with the political landscape looking more fluid than ever and parties fighting for every last vote to determine the new make-up of the House of Representatives.
From 7 am, more than 568,000 citizens are heading to the ballot boxes at 1,217 polling stations in Cyprus and abroad to elect the 56 MPs who will serve for the next five years.
Today’s vote is not simply a parliamentary contest; it is seen as a crucial political test for the parties, their leaderships and the relationship between citizens and the political system.
The backdrop to the election was marked by uncertainty, low levels of party loyalty and protests, while the campaign has been dominated by debates over the cost of living, migration, corruption and the “Cyprus problem.”
A total of 753 candidates are vying for a seat in parliament at this election, with 744 of them standing for parties and nine as independents.
Voter turnout appears to be at a satisfactory level after the first few hours, despite rain and strong winds affecting several parts of the island.
Party leaders and senior party figures who went to vote sought to set the tone of the day with strong political statements.
AKEL Secretary-General Stefanos Stefanou called on citizens to turn out in large numbers “with their eyes on the occupied areas,” placing the emphasis on the national issue and the need for political stability.
Marios Karoyan from the Democratic Front stressed that “solutions do not come through slogans and wishful thinking,” sending a message against populism.
Popular Struggle Freedom party leader Apostolos Apostolou said that “the liberation of Cyprus is the primary goal of his party,” bringing a hard line on the Cyprus issue back to centre stage.
For his part, independent candidate Andreas Efstratiou appeared optimistic about the outcome, while at the same time voicing his dissatisfaction with independents being labelled as “individual” on the official ballot papers.
Christos Clerides, the head of Democratic Change, made a symbolic gesture as he cast his vote, saying he went to the same polling station where the former Cypriot president Glafcos Clerides used to vote.
Attention now turns to this evening, when the new political map of Cyprus will start to take shape.
The first party results are expected shortly after the polls close, but the full picture of how seats will be allocated is not expected until late tonight.
Details emerge on potential peace deal between the U.S. and Iran
2:00 am
Get you up to speed: Details emerging on potential U.S.-Iran peace deal
U.S. and Iranian negotiators have agreed to broad principles of a deal that addresses key contentious issues. President Trump stated the White House will not rush into signing any agreement.
U.S. and Iranian negotiators have reached a preliminary consensus on key issues, but further discussions are necessary before finalising any agreement. President Trump has indicated that the White House will take a measured approach, suggesting that a signing date is not imminent.
President Trump has emphasised that the White House will not hasten to sign any agreement despite U.S. and Iranian negotiators reaching consensus on key principles. Moving forward, negotiations will continue, with both sides weighing the implications of their discussions.
What remains unclear — It is unknown what specific terms or conditions might still be under negotiation before an agreement is finalised.
Details emerge on potential peace deal between the U.S. and Iran
Russia’s threats against Baltic states raise concerns about regional escalation
1:00 am
Get you up to speed: World War III fears mount after Russia threatens attacks | News World
Moscow has accused Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania of facilitating drone strikes on its oil ports, prompting denial from the Nordic-Baltic countries. Meanwhile, in Novorossiysk, a major oil terminal was ablaze following attacks, with smoke also reported from another loading terminal on the coast.
NATO troops are currently training in Estonia as part of Exercise Spring Storm 2026, which runs from May 4 to June 1. The foreign ministers of the Nordic-Baltic countries have united to dismiss Russia’s allegations regarding the use of their territory for attacks, asserting that such claims are part of a disinformation campaign.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed concerns about potential escalation in the Baltic region, emphasising that Washington is closely monitoring the situation due to Russia’s threatening behaviour towards Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. In response, the foreign ministers of the Nordic-Baltic states condemned Russia’s allegations, asserting that such claims are attempts to distract from its ongoing military actions and demanded an immediate cessation of the disinformation campaign.
What remains unclear — The extent of the damage to the Grushovaya oil terminal and its impact on Russia’s oil supply remains unconfirmed.
Russia’s threats against Baltic states raise concerns about regional escalation
Moscow has continued to wrongly accuse Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania of striking oil ports (Picture: EPA)
Russia’s repeated threatening of the Baltic states could see a new front open in Europe, US officials have warned.
Moscow has regularly and falsely accused Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania of facilitating drone strikes on Russia’s key oil ports.
There are fears Moscow is seeking to open a new front against the West, a move that some fear could potentially trigger World War III.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said: ‘We understand these countries feel threatened by it, obviously, for obvious reasons.
‘So, it’s a concerning thing, because you always worry that something like that can spark into something bigger, and that’s always a possibility.’
He warned of a ‘fear of escalation’, saying Washington was closely monitoring the mounting tension.
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NATO troops currently train in Estonia, along the Russian border (Picture: Getty)
Nordic and Baltic states united to reject Russia’s ‘blatant disinformation campaign and false claims’ after Moscow alleged the countries were allowing Ukraine to use their territory or airspace for attacks on Kremlin territory.
‘The Nordic-Baltic countries have never allowed their territory or airspace to be used for these attacks against targets in Russia,’ said the foreign ministers of the NB8 states, which include Sweden, Finland, Norway, Iceland, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
They accused Putin of seeking ‘to divert attention’ from Russia’s ‘illegal war’.
‘This will not succeed and must stop immediately,’ they added.
This weekend, Ukraine staged major attacks against military-linked sites in Russia, including oil refineries used to fund Putin’s war.
An oil terminal in Novorossiysk was on fire this weekend (Picture: east2west)
In Black Sea naval port of Novorossiysk, the Grushovaya oil terminal, a subsidiary of Transneft, the largest oil storage facility in the Caucasus, was ablaze.
It has a total capacity of about 1.2million tons of petroleum products.
Smoke was also seen rising from the Shesharis oil loading terminal on the Novorossiysk coast.
In a long-distance strike, Ukraine also hit Perm in the Urals, a distance of 1,000-plus miles.
The Metafrax chemical plant, supplying hexamine and pentaerythritol, used for explosives and weapons production, was on fire.
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Democratic Rally wins Cyprus parliamentary election with 27.2% vote
11:00 pm
Democratic Rally wins Cyprus parliamentary election with 27.2% vote
Election Results
The centre-right Democratic Rally won 27.2% of the vote, securing 17 seats in Cyprus’s parliamentary election.
The centre-right Democratic Rally won 27.2% of the vote, securing 17 seats in Cyprus’s parliamentary election.
Electoral shift
With 752 candidates from over 18 parties, this election marks a significant decline in support for traditional parties, indicating a potential transformation in Cyprus’s political landscape.
With 752 candidates from over 18 parties, this election marks a significant decline in support for traditional parties, indicating a potential transformation in Cyprus’s political landscape.
Election Reaction
“This result shows a clear mandate from the public for change,” said DISY leader Christodoulides, emphasising the responsibility to address the electorate’s concerns.
“This result shows a clear mandate from the public for change,” said DISY leader Christodoulides, emphasising the responsibility to address the electorate’s concerns.
Democratic Rally wins Cyprus election as far right and newcomers make gains
The centre-right Democratic Rally has secured first place in Cyprus’s parliamentary election, winning 27.2% of the vote and capturing seventeen seats in the legislature.
Final results confirm that the left-wing AKEL finished in second place, taking 23.9% of the ballots to secure 16 seats.
Beyond the traditional duopoly, the far-right ELAM achieved a historic breakthrough by moving up to third place overall, winning 10.9% of the vote and claiming eight seats.
The centrist Democratic Party finished in fourth place with exactly 10%, earning them also 8 seats.
The election also confirmed a significant wave of anti-establishment sentiment across the island as two newly established political formations officially crossed the threshold to enter parliament.
The anti-corruption ALMA party secured 5.8% of the vote, while MEP Fidias Panayiotou’s Direct Democracy captured 5.4%, each holding four seats in the House of Representatives.
Parties and candidates
A total of 752 candidates have stood in this year’s election, 743 of them from more than 18 party formations and 9 as independents. The process elected 56 of the 80 members of the House of Representatives.
Since 1963, the 24 seats allocated to Turkish Cypriots have been vacant, as they withdrew from the institutions of the Republic of Cyprus, and the House of Representatives has de facto consisted of 56 seats.
Alongside the traditional parties DISY, AKEL, DIKO, EDEK and DIPA, new political formations also contested in the election and sought to channel discontent with the current political system.
Particular interest centred on the presence of ALMA – Citizens for Cyprus, led by former Auditor General Odysseas Michaelides, Volt Cyprus, as well as MEP Fidias Panayiotou’s ‘Direct Democracy’.
Why the parliamentary elections matter
Although Cyprus has a presidential system and the government does not depend directly on a parliamentary majority, the new House will play a crucial role in approving legislation, reforms and state budgets.
The outcome of the parliamentary elections is also expected to shape political alliances, the strength of President Christodoulides’s government and its ability to advance key policies on the economy, migration, social policy and energy.
The vote is likewise seen as a dress rehearsal for the 2028 presidential elections.
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Iran agrees in principle to dispose of highly enriched uranium, says US official
9:00 pm
Get you up to speed: Iran agrees in principle to dispose of highly-enriched uranium, White House official says
Iran has agreed in principle to dispose of highly-enriched uranium in negotiations with the U.S., although a final agreement is not anticipated this weekend. Vice President JD Vance, Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner are involved in the talks.
Officials are finalising the mechanism for Iran’s disposal of highly-enriched uranium, with authority granted by the supreme leader for negotiations. No decisions have been made regarding the unfreezing of Iranian assets, and any potential sanctions relief would align with Iran’s compliance on nuclear issues.
Iran has “agreed in principle” to dispose of highly-enriched uranium, with a senior official indicating that a final agreement is yet to be reached. President Trump has advised his representatives “not to rush into a deal,” stating that they should take the necessary time to achieve desired outcomes.
What remains unclear — It is still uncertain how the mechanism for the disposal of highly-enriched uranium will be structured and implemented.
Iran agrees in principle to dispose of highly enriched uranium, says US official
Iran has agreed in principle to dispose of highly-enriched uranium in negotiations with the U.S., although a deal likely won’t be signed this weekend, a senior Trump administration official said Sunday morning.
The official said the U.S. believes Iran’s supreme leader has approved the template for a deal, but a final agreement still needs to be made before anything is signed. They said it is still an open question as to whether that will come to fruition.
Even before Operation Epic Fury, the Iranian system was “frustratingly slow and opaque,” the official said, and it has only become more so since.
The official added that any final agreement that is reached would take several days to work its way through the system, and that even if they had formalized the agreement, nothing would be signed today.
The deal agreed to in principle will be a two-step process, with the immediate opening of the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for lifting the U.S. blockade, followed by negotiations on a mechanism for Iran to give up various parts of its nuclear program, the official said.
The U.S. wants Iran to commit to disposing of highly enriched uranium and to resolving other nuclear issues, the official said. The official said the administration believes this is a better deal than the one agreed upon in 2015 under former President Barack Obama, which allowed nuclear enrichment up to a certain level.
Officials were still working through details of the mechanism for how the uranium would be disposed of with the people who have been empowered by the supreme leader to negotiate.
No decisions have been made yet on unfreezing Iranian assets, according to the senior official, but any sanctions relief would be commensurate with the actual delivery of what the U.S. asks for in terms of meeting the president’s national security objectives.
The official also said “I think we’re actually in a very good place” for a deal, and that they believe they can get the Strait of Hormuz opened and meet the president’s objectives related to nuclear material.
Vice President JD Vance, Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner have been involved in the negotiations. The U.S. is trying to involve every Middle Eastern ally, the official said.
Mr. Trump said Saturday that the peace deal is “largely negotiated,” but he posted on social media one day later that he told his representatives “not to rush into a deal” and “time is on our side.”
The difference between now and before the first six-week military campaign took place is that the Iranians are now making some “serious accommodations” on points that they were not willing to negotiate on before, according to the senior official.
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