Kaltu pripažinto parlamentaro Andriaus Bagdono „čekiukų“ bylą Lietuvos apeliacinis teismas toliau nagrinės rugsėjo pabaigoje.

Tailande ketvirtadienį vienuolikos metų berniukui tėvų pikapu įsirėžus į budistų procesiją, žuvo devyni vienuoliai ir dar apie dešimt buvo sunkiai sužeisti, pranešė policija ir vietos pareigūnai.

The young migrants heading to Europe say they were stripped and had their hands tied in freezing temperatures.

Kyiv's mayor declares a day of mourning after the major drone and missile attack on the Ukrainian capital.

Holidaymakers face long waits under the EU's new Entry-Exit System, the head of Berlin's airport says.

Millions could be entitled to compensation as a result of commission arrangements between lenders and dealers.

BERLIN — German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Thursday announced a coalition agreement to cut taxes for low- and middle-income earners and advance a broader package of economic reforms aimed at reviving his country’s stagnant economy. The announcement comes as the chancellor is under intensifying pressure to demonstrate that his ideologically divided coalition can enact the far-reaching reforms — from taxes to pensions — that it has long promised in an effort to stem voters drifting toward the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. “I expect that as soon as it becomes clear that we are staying on the right track with these measures, public approval of the federal government will rise, as will approval of individual members of the federal government,” said Merz. “That is why we are doing this now — so that we can do what is right for the country, and so that citizens can see that the government is on the right track.” The chancellor’s approval ratings have fallen to new lows recently, mirroring the declining popularity of his governing coalition. Only 12 percent of Germans said they were satisfied with the government’s performance in last month’s benchmark ARD Deutschlandtrend survey. At the same time, the AfD is leading national opinion surveys and maintaining an even bigger lead in the polls in two eastern German states that will hold elections in September — something that would put the far-right party in a position to potentially assume real governing power for the first time since its founding in 2013. Merz framed the blueprint tax reform deal between his conservatives and their center-left coalition partners in the Social Democratic Party (SPD) as providing much-needed tax relief for families, though it’s unclear whether the level of relief provided will satisfy disgruntled voters. A household of two adults and two children with a taxable income of €60,000 is expected to save around €600 a year, according to a coalition document detailing the plan. The reform is to be financed primarily by increasing taxes on high earners: raising the tax rate to 45 percent on incomes of €250,000 and above, and to 47 percent on incomes of €280,000 and above. The coalition leaders also agreed on other measures announced Thursday to boost Germany’s export-oriented economy, including a new trade strategy intended to protect the bloc’s biggest economy against unfair competition from China by committing to EU preferential rules in strategic areas with public funding programs. “In strategically important areas such as infrastructure or defense, we will focus on European production — that is, local content,” said SPD Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil. “Our position is clear: We want open trade. But we will not accept others who do not play by the rules and use unfair means to destroy jobs and business models here.” The leaders also set out to boost domestic competitiveness by incentivizing work on Sundays and making it harder for German workers to take sick leave. Merz had repeatedly criticized German workers for taking too many sick days and hampering economic growth. The announcement comes after the coalition’s agreement in June to reform the country’s pension system — and follows another reform agreement intended to bring the cost of health insurance premiums under control. Merz had announced his intention to strike these sweeping coalition deals before the parliamentary summer recess, which begins at the end of next week, in order to prove the political mainstream can deliver ahead of the eastern German elections in September. “We all agree that the political center must step up here and now,” said Merz. “Never before have we all had to get used to new things so quickly and so often. That’s also why I understand the longing for the old ways, for what’s gone, for the past. But we can’t hide in the past. In these new times, we must now take bold action and drive things forward.”   The agreed reforms still require approval by the full cabinet and passage through parliament.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday announced Ukraine-style autonomous trade measures for Armenia aimed at helping the country withstand growing economic pressure from Russia. Von der Leyen unveiled the package during a visit to Yerevan alongside Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos, where the pair met Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. The trip marks the first visit by a foreign leader since Pashinyan’s pro-European government secured another parliamentary majority last month, cementing Armenia’s shift away from Moscow. “The recent elections have shown the strength of Armenia’s democracy,” von der Leyen said, according to a press release. “The Armenian people have chosen reform and a closer partnership with our Union. No country should be pressured for a sovereign choice.” She added the EU was “stepping up” with the proposed trade rules alongside a €52 million support package previously announced in June. The autonomous measures — the same mechanism the EU previously deployed to support Ukraine’s economy — would liberalize around 80 percent of Armenian exports to the bloc once approved by the European Parliament and EU member states. Brussels argues the package is designed to help Armenian producers diversify away from the Russian market, particularly in sectors targeted by recent Russian trade restrictions. Earlier this year, Moscow temporarily blocked imports of Armenian flowers, prompting the EU to help exporters find alternative buyers inside the bloc. The trade package forms part of a broader €288 million EU support program for Armenia. A high-level EU-Armenia dialogue will take place in Yerevan later this year to review progress on economic reforms and deepen cooperation.

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The pilot who flew a small plane into Beijing's tallest building wrote in his diary about “ending his life”, Chinese authorities said Thursday, aiming to end speculation swirling around an incident that raised concerns about aviation security in China's capital.

A couple of Russian daredevils scaled the spire of the Empire State Building on Wednesday where one of them got down on one knee to propose. The couple had earlier unfurled a banner with a message of peace atop the tower. They were later arrested by police.

Widespread flooding has killed at least 59 people in Ivory Coast since the "particularly heavy" rainy season began in mid-May, a government spokesperson said Wednesday

Across the continent, rising temperatures are driving a surge in demand for cooling and water, pushing already fragile electricity grids to the breaking point. African countries must modernize aging grids while aggressively scaling off-grid solutions