Author: staff
In Europe, flights to and from the region remain unaffected, with planes from Congo capital Kinshasa landing daily in Brussels. Meanwhile the bloc has so far accepted two U.S. citizens from the region: a doctor with confirmed Ebola is receiving treatment in a Berlin hospital, while a contact of an Ebola case is being taken to a clinic in Czech capital Prague. Rubio and the U.S. embassy in Czechia expressed their thanks. There have been almost 600 suspected cases and 139 suspected deaths in the outbreak so far, Tedros said. “We know the scale of the epidemic in the DRC…
Published on 20/05/2026 – 16:47 GMT+2•Updated 16:53 The European Commission has backed Spain following allegations that Madrid used EU funds to pay pensions, saying there is no evidence that any rules were broken. In a letter sent to the European Parliament, the Commission said it had found no evidence of misuse of EU public funds by the Spanish government, despite a report by the national auditor suggesting that budget credits linked to a post-pandemic recovery fund were used to finance pension payments in November 2024. Madrid has categorically denied the claims. “Every payment request submitted by Spain has been thoroughly…
The world’s media watched on intently on Wednesday as Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing’s imposing Great Hall of the People to put pen to paper on a new “cooperation” pact with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. The Kremlin has denied there is any link between the Russian leader’s visit and that of US President Donald Trump just days before. But the timing has undoubtedly raised eyebrows, especially across Europe, where fears of being sidelined in global affairs have been mounting. Here are the key takeaways for Europe from Putin’s trip to China. “Unyielding” ties If Europe and the…
Magyar defeated Orbán in April’s election and notably chose Warsaw as the destination for his first international trip as prime minister, which aims to rebuild regional alliances. “The Visegrad Group may regain its vitality and its influence within the European Union,” Magyar said during a joint press conference in the Polish capital. “I am personally ready for us to expand this Visegrad cooperation to include other countries.” Hungary’s prime minister added the expanded format could include “the Nordic countries, perhaps Austria, Croatia, Slovenia, Romania,” or Western Balkan countries that are not part of the EU. Magyar also said Hungary, as…
The Visegrád group may be staging a comeback. With new Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar seeking to reset ties with its neighbours, the main political alliance of Central European nations that once punched well above its weight in European politics could be poised for a second act. The Visegrád Four (V4), which brought together Poland, Slovakia, Czechia, and Hungary, was established in the aftermath of the collapse of communism. The group wielded considerable influence within the European Union after all four members joined the bloc in 2004, and surged to the forefront of European politics during the 2015 migration crisis.…
Published on 20/05/2026 – 15:00 GMT+2•Updated 15:03 The Open Society Foundations (OSF), founded by billionaire philanthropist George Soros, have pledged $300 million (€259 million) over the next five years to defend democratic institutions and advance economic security in the United States. The commitment comes amid escalating political pressure on non-profit organisations and charitable funders from the US administration. Under President Donald Trump’s administration, conservative allies and lawmakers have intensified scrutiny of progressive non-profits. Allies in Congress have requested that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) investigate organisations they accuse of supporting illegal immigration, climate programmes…
Twenty years after lifting the World Cup trophy as Italy’s captain, superstar Fabio Cannavaro is now back at the world’s most important tournament, guiding Uzbekistan towards its first appearance on football’s biggest stage. “It’s the first time we are going to the World Cup, it’s the first time I am coaching in this kind of tournament,” Cannavaro told Euronews in an exclusive interview. “I saw many players with great ambition. They want to learn, improve, work hard and of course we have nothing to lose.” For the Central Asian country of some 36 million, qualifying for the tournament marked a…
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said Wednesday: “There is still no reliable confirmation. The only thing we are hearing is that this is embedded in a decision to reduce the number of American brigades in Europe by one.” He added that it was still “completely unclear” when this would happen and if this would “remain limited to the decision concerning Poland, in full or in part, and to what extent troops stationed in Germany will be affected.” Rutte said the withdrawals were “not having an impact on NATO’s defense plans,” echoing a similar claim by the alliance’s top commander, U.S.…
The UK’s Minister of State for Trade, Chris Bryant, has suggested his government is closing in on a deal on steel with the EU that would see both sides avoid punitive trade restrictions introduced to shield domestic industries from oversupply. It comes as the Labour-led UK government pushes on with its economic “reset” with the European bloc, despite an impending leadership challenge that has left Prime Minister Keir Starmer grappling with his biggest political crisis since his landslide victory in 2024. Speaking to Euronews’ Europe Today from Strasbourg on Tuesday, Bryant said the UK was in “very productive conversations” with…
Thousands of fans filled Alexander I Battenberg Square in Sofia on Tuesday to celebrate Dara following Bulgaria’s first-ever victory at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026. Images showed the singer performing her winning song “Bangaranga” as crowds waved Bulgarian flags and cheered. The city organised a large-scale celebration featuring multiple stages, a red carpet and live television coverage. Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev presented Dara with the symbolic key to the city during the event. Dara won Eurovision in Vienna with 516 points and later said she hoped the victory would help unite people through music.