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European leaders to focus on future of European economy as Donald Tusk says if words were bullets, Europe would have the world’s strongest powerCharles Michel, the European Council president, opened today’s session.He welcomed Enrico Letta, who prepared a report on the future of Europe’s single market for the leaders’ consideration. Continue reading...

Military powers agree to step up purchase of ammunition for Kyiv in effort to dampen mutual tensions over Russia stanceIn an ostentatious show of unity designed to ease the tensions between France and Germany over the threat posed by a resurgent Russia, leaders of Europe’s three leading military powers agreed to step up the worldwide purchase of ammunition for Ukraine and improve their offer...

Coalition government to slim down school curriculum after cramming of subjects under previous nationalist administrationPoland’s new government is seeking to slim down the material taught in schools by about 20%, saying a cramming of the curriculum under the previous rightwing populist administration has left teachers and students exhausted.Speaking during a school visit in the Silesian town of Mysłowice over the weekend, the education minister,...

Activist Bart Staszewski hails ‘meaningful and necessary’ apology as opening new chapter for state broadcasterA television presenter with Poland’s state broadcaster has apologised for the years of “shameful words” directed at LGBTQ+ people, in a moment hailed by a prominent rights campaigner as the closing of a chapter in Polish society.Bart Staszewski, an activist and film-maker, said the apology made to him live on...

Donald Tusk says Reagan, ‘who helped millions of us to freedom, would be turning in his grave’ as bill on US-Mexico border and Ukraine aid blockedHere’s the background to Donald Tusk’s blunt post this morning.Joan Greve, senior US political reporter for the Guardian, writes:Dear Republican Senators of America. Ronald Reagan, who helped millions of us to win back our freedom and independence, must be...

Arrest at president’s residence of Mariusz Kamiński and Maciej Wąsik, of Law and Justice party, had sparked bitter political rowPoland’s president, Andrzej Duda, said he had pardoned two jailed politicians from the opposition populist Law and Justice (PiS) party, which lost its majority in October elections, and called for their immediate release.The former interior minister Mariusz Kamiński and his ex-deputy, Maciej Wąsik, were imprisoned...

Move by Andrzej Duda, who is aligned with the populist PiS party ousted in last year’s elections, would defy supreme court rulingPoland’s president has said he plans to pardon two imprisoned opposition politicians for a second time, adding that he hoped the move would ease mounting tensions between the country’s new government and its populist predecessor.The former interior minister Mariusz Kamiński and his ex-deputy...

Andrzej Duda’s remarks escalate battle for rule of law with new government and come as politicians convicted of abuse of power begin hunger strikePoland’s president has said he will not rest until two politicians from the opposition nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party – both on hunger strike – are freed from prison, in a further dramatic escalation in the new government’s battle to...