Kapil Komireddi Moldova is not so much a product of history as its by-product, an epiphenomenon among nations that owes its inception to the deeds and doings of others. Its survival, however, is a measure of the character of its own peoples.  Moldova has no tradition of statehood. Its nationhood is not premised on a distinctive identity. Its language, a source of dispute and a subject of contention, is essentially Romanian. Its landmass is fractured. A sliver of territory beyond the Dniester broke away in 1992 to form the unrecognised Pridnestrovian Moldovan Republic. There is a Turkic autonomous region near the foot

Thierry Breton resigns after accusing Commission president of ‘questionable governance’ and horse trading with French president By: James Crisp France’s EU commissioner has accused Ursula von der Leyen and Emmanuel Macron of forcing him out of Brussels in a backroom deal that culminated in his resignation on Monday. Thierry Breton attacked the EU Commission president’s “questionable governance” in a letter he posted on social media on Monday. He claimed Mrs von der Leyen offered France a more influential role in her new executive in exchange for getting rid of him “for personal reasons”. It comes amid horse trading over jobs in the

US president said: ‘One thing I want to make clear is: the Service needs more help. And I think Congress should respond to their need’ Joe Biden has said the US Secret Service “needs more help” in the wake of a second assassination attempt on Donald Trump. The US president called on Congress, which is responsible for approving funds for the agency to provide protection for current and former presidents, to “respond to their need”. Speaking to reporters outside the White House, Mr Biden said: “One thing I want to make clear is: the Service needs more help. And I think Congress

By : Rozina Sabur Donald Trump was the target of a suspected second assassination attempt by a gunman armed with an assault-style rifle, the FBI have said. The former president was rushed to safety while golfing after a Secret Service agent spotted a rifle barrel sticking out of a fence at his golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sunday. The agent opened fire on the male suspect, who was equipped with an AK-47 rifle with a scope, two backpacks and a GoPro camera, said Ric Bradshaw, the Palm Beach County Sheriff. Trump was as few as 300 yard of him at the time,

By SETH J. FRANTZMAN Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been one of the most outspoken anti-Israel voices in the world since the October 7 massacre. Not only did Ankara not condemn the terrorist attack, it has been openly hosting and backing Hamas. This is not new for Turkey, which has long backed Hamas. But now, however, Erdogan is moving forward with a number of initiatives designed to rally Muslim countries against Israel. The Islamic offensive that Ankara is undertaking is part of a broader goal to be seen as a world leader for Islamic issues. For instance, Turkey has sought to embrace other

Launched as the original crossover 17 years ago and still the segment leader in Europe, the Nissan Qashqai has again gone where others fear to tread by breaking the world record for the highest bungee jump with a car. The feat, undertaken as part of the current TV campaign for new Qashqai, was intended to invoke the spirit of previous TV commercials featuring the car – and will debut on screens soon. Placed on a 65-metre-high basket, the Qashqai took the plunge with a professional stuntman on board, the challenge epitomizes Nissan’s brand motto: Defy Ordinary! Jérôme Biguet, Marketing Director

Nick Timothy In London, they are closing primary schools, and more and more it will happen around the country. From Devon to Darlington we have more school places than children in need of an education, and the gap is growing. The total fertility rate in Britain has fallen to 1.49 births per woman – the lowest ever recorded. No sudden moment prompted this trend. Just like in lots of other countries, we simply started having fewer babies, and the consequences will be profound. Without great productivity leaps made possible by technology, a population in numerical decline will struggle to fund pensions,

Real Madrid defender Dani Carvajal has responded to Vinicius Junior’s controversial suggestion that Spain should be stripped of its hosting rights for the 2030 World Cup due to ongoing racism issues. Vinicius, who has been vocal about the racial abuse he has faced in recent times, argued that unless Spain takes decisive action to combat racism, it may not deserve the honour of hosting football’s biggest tournament. However, the Brazilian winger was quick to clarify that he does not believe Spain, as a whole, is a racist country, per Football Espana.

By: Adeel Khursheed Ireland secured a dramatic coup against England in the third one-day international at Stormont, overcoming the loss of three wickets in Mady Villiers’ final over as Alana Dalzell struck her first ball for four to pull off a three-wicket win. Hollie Armitage had successfully run out Una Raymond-Hoey earlier in the over but fumbled the final ball at long-on, allowing it to trickle over the boundary and seal Ireland’s victory. The win was only Ireland’s second ever victory against England in any form of cricket – the first was in 2001 – and came two days after England pulled off

By: Tom Darling Are you a forty- or fiftysomething who recently spent your whole Saturday in a queue for Oasis tickets, only to discover that, as you finally approached your purchase, you were unwillingly subjected to the whims of “dynamic pricing” – a sudden surge in the ticket cost the moment before you buy? If so, you experienced something like what most renters experience every time we try to find a new rented home. Often in London (and increasingly elsewhere), trying to secure a new tenancy – as I have done five times in the last eight years – involves