The day Russia invaded Ukraine was a special day for Elmira: her 5th birthday Children in Kharkiv have suffered more than most from the war Now even school is underground “We won’t hear the bangs,” she told us @fpleitgenCNN @TarasovaMarkina

UK defence secretary resigns over lack of funding for the British military Incredibly, the government was only going to increase funding to 2.68% of GDP by 2030, when the current budget plans would have got it to 2.6% anyway NATO wants 3.5% by 2035

BREAKING: France and Germany cancel the FCAS SCAF fighter jet Industry couldn’t decide how to divide up the workload/leadership As minds sharpen around what Europe really needs to win a war vs Russia, this exquisite project fell by the wayside

Sweden inks a 40B-euro deal for 4 🇫🇷 frigates - largest investment since the 1980s Beating off 🇬🇧🇪🇸 competition, comes after 🇫🇷 bought 🇸🇪 aerial radar Germany will before long be the military muscle in Europe. France (and UK) are up there but Sweden is becoming another key pole

The clearest sign of the current balance of power and real military weight in Europe France sends a carrier group to the Red Sea UK sends a single warship (And it’s a joint 🇫🇷 🇬🇧 venture)

I have had more difficulty getting 🇫🇷 people to understand me saying burger in French than any other word

“Taiwan is China” The assorted French Left is still a major player today and @JLMelenchon is the presidential candidate for the largest bloc on the Left It says a lot about where politics has gone that he considers this an acceptable opinion for a presidential campaign

I did not have Iran setting the cultural tone for the use of AI on my news bingo card

Always nice when a colleague digs your lede Thanks @kaitlancollins

"There’s no escape from the tax collector. At least that’s what Benjamin Brière must have felt after his return from three and half years as a hostage in Iran when he got that message that we all dread: he hadn’t filed his taxes." cnn.com/2026/04/13/europe/fr…

Polish PM Donald Tusk to new Hungary PM: “I’m so happy. I think I’m happier than you” EU glee at finally freeing themselves of thorn-in-the-side Orban on full display (he chose to tweet this!)

On two occasions today, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers rammed UNIFIL vehicles with a Merkava tank, in one case causing significant damage. The soldiers had blocked a road in Bayada that is used to access UNIFIL positions.

"We're waiting to find the deceased's foot so his family can put it with the rest of his body and bury him." Cannot get these words from a civil defense worker yesterday out of my head

My all-time favourite correction Thank you @nytimes

A woman trapped in a damaged building waits to be rescued following an Israeli strike, in Beirut, Lebanon, April 8, 2026. REUTERS/Emilie Madi

RT @dalalmawad: This is the largest number of Israeli airstrikes at once on Beirut since the beginning of the war. #Lebanon t.co/20…

Two French hostages released by Iran after 3.5 years French ship also transited the Strait of Hormuz last week Likely signs of back-channel diplomacy between Iran and Western powers (not USA). In Tehran’s interest to see US and EU divided on the war

I was freelance for four years and i think things have only deteriorated since. People who don't work in this field are often shocked when you tell them how low the wages are. How long you wait to get paid and how much you have to beat down accounting departments' doors to get money you are owed for work you did months ago. How little support there is from media outlets who themselves are all stretched. How some editors (not all) can just change their minds half way through an assignment and decide that they don't want your work anymore (ie, you don't get paid, or get paid a fraction of the original agreed sum), or decide that they are going to get a staffer to do the job instead.