Author: staff

Disclaimer POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENT This is sponsored content from AstraZeneca. The advertisement is linked to public policy debates on the future of cancer care in the EU. More information here. Europe has made huge strides in the fight against cancer.[1] Survival rates have climbed, detection has improved and the continent has become home to some of the world’s most respected research hubs.[2],[3] None of that progress came easy — it was built on years of political attention and cooperation across borders. However, as we look to 2026 and beyond, that progress stands at a crossroads. Budget pressures and tougher global competition…

Published on 17/12/2025 – 6:00 GMT+1 You might have spotted some of these practices on Instagram or Tiktok. Influencers unpacking and trying on clothing from platforms such as Shein or Temu to showcase how much can be purchased with little money, others showing cheap imitations of clothing or accessories from fast-fashion brands. These marketing practices are respectively known as “hauls” or “try-on hauls” and “dupe” videos. Influencer marketing also promotes unhealthy food advertising. In Portugal, McDonald’s collaborated with a popular streamer exploring a Minecraft world. In other instances, influencers offer discount codes for fast-food brands, post taste tests and flavour…

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In contrast to this rigidity, India’s concessions in its deal with the U.K. emerged from the flexibility it was granted in the agriculture sector, which was largely insulated from British products, the official said. “For all its faults, [the U.K.] understands India and Indians better.” Nearly half of Indians depend on agriculture for their livelihood, and farmers make up a strong voting bloc that holds strong political clout. Back in 2021, farmer protests even forced Prime Minister Narendra Modi to withdraw agricultural reforms and apologize. In fact, I have been told by former Indian officials and experts that the U.S.…

Published on 16/12/2025 – 11:02 GMT+1 Turkey shot down an “out of control” drone that approached its airspace from the Black Sea, according to the defence ministry. F-16 fighter planes were scrambled after the drone was detected, the Turkish defence ministry said in a statement late on Monday. “To avoid any potential harm, it was shot down in a safe area outside of populated area,” it said. The statement gave no further details of the location or time of the incident. The incident followed Ukrainian attacks on Russian “shadow fleet” in the Black Sea and warnings from Turkish lawmakers about…

The EU executive is also altering the 2030 emissions-reduction target for light-commercial vehicles, such as delivery vans, lowering it from a 50 percent reduction to 40 percent of 2021 levels. Creating demand The measure for greening corporate fleets — vehicles owned or leased by companies for business purposes — sets targets for what proportion of each EU country’s fleet should be zero- or low-emission, based on their GDP. It is hoped the regulation will create a second-hand market for EVs to foster a “swifter transition away from older combustion engine” cars, and act as a demand mechanism to complement the…

Updated: 16/12/2025 – 12:00 GMT+1 Catch up with the most important stories from around Europe and beyond this December 16th, 2025 – latest news, breaking news, World, Business, Entertainment, Politics, Culture, Travel. … More

The two so-called flagship projects, dubbed the Eastern Flank Watch and European Drone Defence Initiative, were first floated by the European Commission in October as part of its “roadmap” to make the EU ready for war with Russia by the end of the decade. Referencing the projects and the bloc’s broader defense plans, Orpo said he was “confident that we will continue this discussion at the upcoming European Council later this week.” But an official from the French Elysée told reporters Tuesday that “discussions on flagship defense projects are not planned” at Thursday’s meeting. Instead, the official added, countries are…

Published on 16/12/2025 – 13:08 GMT+1 •Updated 13:14 French First Lady Brigitte Macron has half-apologised after she was filmed calling feminist protesters “dirty b****s”, an incident that sparked backlash. Macron used the slur earlier this month while attending a show in Paris by comedian Ary Abittan, who was previously accused of rape. In an interview with the media outlet Brut, the 72-year-old said: “I am sorry if I hurt women victims (of sexual assault).” However, she insisted that the comments were “private” and said she “can’t regret them”. “True, I’m the president’s wife, but I’m also myself. And so, when…

Lithuanian authorities said GPS tracking had allowed the balloons to be monitored “and the exact coordinates of their landing in Lithuania were transmitted to the executors.” The country declared a nationwide state of emergency last week over the balloons after closing its border with Belarus in October. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys told POLITICO at the time that the car-sized balloons carrying smuggled cigarettes into the country’s airspace constituted “hybrid activities,” even if they were not direct security threats. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also condemned the balloon incursions from Belarus, saying on Dec. 1 that “Such hybrid…