Germany

In a sobering assessment of the current geopolitical landscape, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has sounded the alarm, cautioning that Europe is entering a "pre-war era" marked by heightened tensions and the specter of conflict. Tusk's remarks come in the wake of Russia's ongoing aggression against Ukraine, which he contends has fundamentally altered the security calculus in the region.

Israeli airstrikes have resulted in the deaths of thirty-eight individuals in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, with casualties including fighters affiliated with the Lebanese Shiite Hezbollah movement. The strikes, which targeted multiple areas around Aleppo, have raised tensions in the region and sparked condemnation from Syrian authorities.

BELGRADE - The head of the Serbian Directorate for Cooperation with the Diaspora and Serbs in the Region Arnaud Gouillon met with Bundestag member Zaklin Nastic in Belgrade on Thursday to discuss the situation in Kosovo-Metohija and present the latest developments in Serbia's southern province and Belgrade's views on the issue.

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has attributed PKK's recent attacks on Turkish communities in Europe to what he described as Türkiye's efforts to corner the organization.

"At this point, thank God, we do not leave room for terrorist groups, we do not let them breathe, we do not let them open their eyes," Fidan said during a gathering in Istanbul late on March 27.

The German economy is expected to barely grow this year, leading economic institutes said Wednesday, as weak demand at home and abroad slows the path to recovery.

Europe's largest economy will expand by just 0.1 percent in 2024, five think-tanks said in a joint statement, a sharp downgrade from their earlier forecast of 1.3 percent growth.

German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall has secured a substantial financial boost from the European Union, receiving over 130 million euros to enhance its ammunition production capabilities. The funding is earmarked for the production of 155 mm ammunition and gunpowder, with projects set to take place in Germany, Hungary, Romania, and Spain.

Istanbul has attracted a total of 2.46 million foreign tourists in the first two months of 2024, the Culture and Tourism Ministry has said.

Foreign tourist arrivals in the city, which is also Türkiye's financial and commercial center, increased by 8.1 percent compared to the January-February period of last year.

Greece has missed out on the Euro 2024 finals, as its poor game in the so-called "match of the decade" at Georgia ended in a shootout defeat to the hosts on Tuesday.

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic will meet with the ambassadors of Quint states - the US, the UK, France, Italy and Germany - in Belgrade on Wednesday.

The meeting will also be attended by the head of the EU Delegation to Serbia, the Presidency of Serbia announced in a statement.

As the arrival of warmer weather beckons, hotels lining the Bulgarian Black Sea coasts are gearing up to welcome the first wave of sea tourists, with an expected surge in visitors around the Easter holidays, coinciding this year with St. George's Day on May 6.