EU needs to play smarter against China, not harder
When it comes to trade with China, how can Europe navigate the rising storms of geopolitical polarisation? The task is anything but simple.
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It’s not true: €250M fraud accusation against Brussels Region falls flat
An investigation has accused the debt-ridden Capital Region of Brussels of unlawful using €250 million of EU funds meant for the metro expansion into debt servicing.
Spanish Socialists drop in polls, while Vox surges
Support for the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) has fallen, weighed down by numerous alleged scandals, if the most recent polls are to be believed.
EC suspected own translator to be alleged Russian spy, report states
A translator who was present at closed-door top meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in late 2024 was suspected by the European Commission of being…
Belgian pensioners take on more flexi-jobs amid EU labour shortages
In Belgium, pensioners in side jobs now worked twice as many hours as younger so-called flexi-jobbers such as students.
French appeals court clears two over first lady gender rumours
A French appeals court Thursday overturned convictions against two women accused of libel against French First Lady Brigitte Macron, after they spread false claims…
French police raid Nestlé over alleged bottled water fraud
French police raided the offices of Nestlé Waters as part of a widening judicial investigation into the food giant’s alleged use of illegal filtration systems…
Macron claims Brexit at heart of small boat crisis, says British ‘sold a lie’
French President Emmanuel Macron has blamed Brexit for the Channel-crossing migrant crisis, claiming the British people had been "sold a lie".
Berlin renames major road after 300 years for political correctness
The city government of Berlin has been given the go-ahead to put in place a long-held plan to rename the major central Mohrenstraße road.
Polish maverick right-wing MEP Braun says gas chambers were ‘fake’
Grzegorz Braun MEP has claimed in a radio interview that Jews engaged in ritual murders and that the gas chambers in Auschwitz were a “fake”.
South German public pools ban ‘burkinis’ in crackdown on ‘unhygienic’ swimwear
Several public swimming pools in southern Germany have tightened the rules on admissible swimwear.
OECD warns of ‘unprecedented’ drop in economic growth as birth rates fall
The Western world was increasingly facing a shortage of workers, which would lead to declining growth rates and potentially a loss in standard of living in many…
Iran reveals arrest of teenage French-German cyclist missing since June
Iran has arrested and detained a teenage French-German national on a Europe-to-Asia cycle trip who disappeared in the country on June 16, Iran's foreign minister…
Polish President suggests hanging for judges with ‘political bias’
Andrzej Duda, the outgoing President of Poland, has said that a large-scale clear-out of the judiciary may be required in Poland if judges persisted with their political…
German State of Rhineland bans AfD members from entering civil service
The German State of Rhineland Palatinate said it would cease to allow members of the right-wing Alternative for Germany party (AfD) into the civil service.
EU smears US with ‘isolationism’ but it forces Europe to do more
Ever since Donald Trump arrived on the world stage, liberal internationalists have thrown one particular insult his way: “Isolationist!
‘Sad victory’ says man behind motion as Von der Leyen secures European parliament backing
A much-anticipated vote of no-confidence against European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen triggered by the controversial deal she made with Pfizer has…
‘System gone mad’: France’s National Rally decries police raids
France’s right-wing National Rally (RN) has denounced what it called a co-ordinated “harassment campaign” after police raided its headquarters in Paris.
EU wants tobacco tax to fund own budget, Sweden says ‘Nej’
Swedish finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson has come out aggressively against Brussels' new Tobacco Tax Directive, calling it “completely unacceptable”.
European banks aim to challenge Mastercard and Visa with homegrown Wero
Sixteen Western European banks have rolled out Wero — a new payment system aimed at reducing Europe’s dependence on Visa, Mastercard, and other US fiscal networks.
Will Portuguese Socialists listen to voters, or double-down on open borders?
The results of Portugal's May 2025 snap election sent a shockwave through the nation's political establishment.
German court slaps down library ‘warning labels’ on ‘controversial books’
Germany’s Higher Administrative Court in Münster has ruled that the city library must remove politically charged warning labels from two controversial books.
EU carbon tax ‘to cost Belgian families €250 to €400 a year extra’
The European Union's new carbon tax, the Emissions Tradings System 2 (ETS2) set to be enforced from 2027, was likely to cost Belgian families €250 to €400 a…
NGO ship’s former master Rackete quits as MEP
Carola Rackete, a German MEP known for her activism regarding NGO migrant vessels, has announced her resignation from the European Parliament.
Embattled Spanish PM Sánchez refuses to throw in towel
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez told the parliament during a heated extraordinary plenary session he was not planning to resign over the corruption scandals…
Europe’s make-believe defence ‘pledges’
Last month’s NATO summit in The Hague gave off the disturbing impression of an alliance finally crossing the fine line between serious defence policy into the…
No confidence? Large abstention vote set to weaken EC chief von der Leyen
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will be left reeling as up to half of the European Parliament fail to back her in an upcoming no-confidence vote,…
Suspected arson attack shuts major German high-speed rail links
A fire under a railway line in Hirschaid, Bavaria, caused the shut-down of the high-speed rail connection between the German capital Berlin and the South German…
European Parliament official: ‘EU in the dark’ on US trade requirements
The European Union still did not understand what the US wants on trade, European Parliament trade committee chair Bernd Lange told journalists.
Polish minister ponders X ban after expletive-ridden posts by Musk’s Grok chatbot
Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot Grok has caused offence with a series of vulgar messages about Polish politicians on the US billionaire's X platform.