EU ministers

The foreign ministers of Germany and Russia have held a rare face-to-face meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. Direct talks between senior European and Russian officials have been scarce since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, making the encounter notable. Observers are watching for any signal of diplomacy, though no substantive outcomes have been reported from the discussion so far.

The Business Secretary has warned that a renewed campaign to rejoin the European Union risks creating uncertainty for businesses. The intervention comes as debate over the UK's relationship with Brussels resurfaces, with the minister arguing that reopening the question of EU membership would leave companies facing unclear long-term conditions for trade, investment and regulation.

German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt is pushing for Frontex, the EU's border protection agency, to build a rapid intervention force capable of responding quickly to mass arrivals of migrants, citing the 2021 situation in Ceuta as an example. He also wants the agency's powers expanded, a proposal that is certain to fuel debate over migration policy and the militarisation of EU borders.

German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt has convened talks with European Union counterparts aimed at tightening the EU's migration pact. The discussions focus on strengthening border controls and speeding up asylum procedures across the bloc. Dobrindt, who leads Germany's interior ministry, has pushed for a firmer line on irregular migration, and the meeting signals Berlin is seeking to rally EU partners behind stricter enforcement of the common European asylum and migration framework.

EU interior ministers are gathering in Munich to discuss further tightening of the bloc's migration policy. The summit is being held in the city for the second year in a row and has drawn opposition from both ultra-left and ultra-right activists and politicians, who do not want the meeting to take place, with protests reported around the event.

Germany's interior minister has called for expedited deportation procedures to handle mass border crossings into the country. The proposal signals a tougher stance on migration as authorities struggle to process increasing arrivals. The statement is likely to fuel ongoing debate within the German government and across the EU over border controls, asylum rules, and the balance between humanitarian obligations and enforcement.

Tony Blair is advising Andy Burnham on the question of rejoining the European Union, according to a Guardian column by Tom Baldwin. The piece weighs whether Burnham, seen as a potential future Labour leader, should take the former prime minister's counsel, reopening debate about Britain's EU relationship within Labour circles.

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