Zelensky approves ‘balanced’ law enforcement bill
Kyiv — President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday he had approved a draft bill strengthening Ukraine’s law enforcement system and the independence of anti-corruption agencies and it would be submitted to parliament later in the day.
Zelensky said on X that the bill was well-balanced and “upholds the independence of anti-corruption agencies”, which had been curbed by legislation passed earlier this week, drawing strong criticism from Ukraine’s Western allies. Reuters
EU solar growth faces first decline in decade
Brussels — The EU’s expansion of solar energy is on track for its first downturn in more than a decade, industry data showed on Thursday, as some governments reduce subsidies for rooftop solar panels.
The trend reflects shifting political priorities in Europe as some member countries have scaled back green measures or support for clean energy from budgets stretched by spending on defence and local industries.
The EU is on track to install 64.2 gigawatts of new solar energy capacity in 2025, a 1.4% decrease compared with the 65.1GW installed last year, industry association SolarPower Europe said. Reuters
British manufacturing sector stable but fragile
London — Britain’s manufacturing sector seems to have stabilised after a downturn but the outlook remains fragile with factories holding back on investment and cutting jobs again, according to a survey published by the Confederation of British Industry.
As well as weaker demand, manufacturers were facing tough price pressures, the survey published on Thursday showed.
“Conditions in UK manufacturing remain challenging, with many firms reporting subdued and unpredictable demand,” said Ben Jones, lead economist at the CBI.
“High input costs, labour shortages and global supply chain disruptions are continuing to put pressure on margins and capacity,” Jones said. Reuters
England, Wales record 20% increase in shoplifting
London — Shoplifting offences in England and Wales increased by 20% in the year ending March 2025 to hit a two-decade high, official data showed on Thursday.
Retailers say the true picture is much worse as millions of shoplifting incidents are not reported to the police because owners do not think the force will either respond or prosecute offenders.
Theft costs the industry billions of pounds and inflates prices for consumers as the expense of lost goods and increasing security is passed on.
The Office for National Statistics said it had recorded 530,643 offences, the highest figure since current police recording practices began in 2003. In the previous year to March 2024 there were 444,022 offences, an annual rise of 30%. Reuters
Saudi Arabia unveils $6.4bn deal to support Syria
Damascus — Saudi Arabia announced $6.4bn worth of investments in Syria on Thursday, reflecting the kingdom’s deepening ties with interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s government as it seeks to rebuild Syria after a 14-year civil war.
The deals, unveiled by Saudi investment minister Khalid Al-Falih at a Damascus forum, are a major financial boost for Sharaa as he struggles to establish control over Syria, which was rocked this month by sectarian violence in the southwest.
Al-Falih said his visit to Syria had been ordered by Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince and de facto ruler Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, calling the trip “confirmation of the kingdom’s firm and supportive stance towards sisterly Syria”.
The investment deals included $2.93bn for real estate and infrastructure projects and about $1.07bn for the telecommunications and information technology sector, Al-Falih said. Reuters
Australia, Britain talk defence ties amid war games
Sydney — Australia and Britain’s defence and foreign ministers will hold talks in Sydney on Friday on boosting co-operation, coinciding with Australia’s largest war games and the first visit by a British carrier strike group in three decades, Australia said.
After the Australia-UK ministerial consultations, Britain’s foreign minister David Lammy and defence secretary John Healey are scheduled to travel to the northern garrison city of Darwin, where the British aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales has arrived for the Talisman Sabre war games.
Australia sees Britain as a critical partner and the two countries are working closely amid “shared strategic challenges in an increasingly complex and uncertain world”, defence minister Richard Marles said in a statement. Reuters
Two dead, homes burn in huge wildfire in Cyprus
Nicosia — Two people were killed and hundreds evacuated as a huge wildfire tore through southern Cyprus, destroying homes and threatening communities amid an intense heatwave.
At least 100km² was razed in a wine producing region north of Limassol after the blaze broke out at about midday on Wednesday, with several fronts still active on Thursday morning.
Two people were found dead in a burnt-out vehicle, trapped by the fire. At least 10 people were injured, two of them seriously, police said. As dawn broke, a red hue hung over Limassol, a sprawling coastal city where development in recent years has spilt over to its surrounding mountains.
A new amber warning was in place on Thursday, with highs forecast to hit 44ºC — the hottest of the year so far. Reuters
Soviet-era passenger plane crashes in Russia
Moscow — An Antonov An-24 passenger plane carrying 48 people crashed in Russia’s Far East on Thursday as it was preparing to land, killing everyone on board in an incident that spotlighted the continued use of old, Soviet-era aircraft.
Investigators said they had opened a criminal case into the suspected violation of air traffic and air transport rules. The plane had recently passed a technical safety inspection, Russian news agencies reported. But the crash is likely to raise new questions about the viability of continuing to fly such old planes in far-flung corners of Russia at a time when Western sanctions have crimped Moscow’s ability to access investment and spare parts. Reuters
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