Author: staff
Congested motorways, gaping potholes, and dangerous roads. These may very well make Poland the final boss for beginner drivers. According to a new study by Czechvignette.cz, its roads are the hardest to take on in Europe, scoring 99.43 out of 100. The report ranked motorways on factors such as congestion levels, road quality and car density: the higher the score, the more stressful the roads are. Poland combines some of the highest traffic congestion levels (54.77) with poor road quality (4.3 out of seven) and — more seriously — one of the highest road death rates per million residents (52).…
The EU’s 27 countries are racing to finalize a budget agreement between themselves by December, in case French elections slated for April 2027 usher in a far-right president who might want to scupper any deal. The budget, known as the multiannual financial framework, governs the bloc’s central spending, from agricultural subsidies to road-building to cultural projects. “These are the first figures put on the table, we have been very pragmatic and very realistic as to what that means, but it is a basis for negotiations,” said Marilena Raouna, Cyprus’ deputy minister for European affairs. Cyprus’ amendments sparked an opposition campaign…
Updated: 11/06/2026 – 22:12 GMT+2 Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum joined thousands of supporters at a fan zone in Mexico City’s Zocalo Square as Mexico took on South Africa in the opening match of the 2026 World Cup. Fans packed the square to cheer on the host nation. … More
“Human dignity has no passport and does not lose its value when crossing a border,” said the pontiff while visiting the island of Gran Canaria. Listen AI generated Text-to-speech
Published on 11/06/2026 – 10:31 GMT+2 The European Parliament is set to test new rules in its upcoming June plenary session to avoid empty seats during debates and improve engagement between lawmakers and EU Commissioners. The decision was taken on Wednesday by the chairs of the Parliament’s political groups. President Roberta Metsola asked them last year to come up with proposals to make Parliament’s debates shorter and more meaningful. The next session will see a clear start and end time for each debate. Under the current rules, debates often drag on beyond schedule, sometimes delaying an entire day’s programme. The…
Excitement was building across Mexico City on Thursday as fans gathered ahead of the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Supporters dressed in Mexico’s green jerseys lined up outside Mexico City Stadium, formerly known as the Azteca Stadium, while thousands headed to fan zones in the capital to watch the tournament kick off. Many fans were confident Mexico would begin its campaign with a win against South Africa. Some arrived carrying flags, banners and lucky charms, while others celebrated the return of the World Cup atmosphere to the country. Not everyone, however, was able to secure a seat…
By moving first, the ECB has positioned itself as the most hawkish of the world’s major central banks. But whether that is remembered as leadership or as a replay of the ECB’s ill-fated 2011 rate hikes will depend less on events in Frankfurt than on developments in the Middle East. The decision drew praise from economists including Ifo President Clemens Fuest, who said raising rates was “the right step at this point” given high inflation and little hope of a de-escalation in the conflict with Iran. ZEW economist Friedrich Heinemann also applauded the ECB’s move. “Faced with the trade-off between…
Published on 11/06/2026 – 16:15 GMT+2 The French, German and British ambassadors to Russia held talks in the foreign ministry in Moscow on Thursday, several days after a London summit with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The UK hosted Zelenskyy and the leaders of France and Germany earlier this week, supporting Kyiv’s call for direct talks with Russia to end more than four years of war. The envoys met with Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Mikhail Galuzin. “We just had a good discussion and we will release a statement later today,” France’s envoy Nicolas de Riviere told reporters outside the ministry. But…
In Rio de Janeiro’s Tijuca and Saude neighbourhoods, residents have transformed entire streets into open-air murals in support of Brazil’s national team. Walls, kerbs and street corners are painted green and yellow as fans rally behind the dream of a sixth World Cup title. The tradition is both a celebration and a ritual. In Rio, decorating streets ahead of major tournaments has long brought neighbours together, and this year’s murals continue that custom. The aim is simple: to prepare the city for the football and keep hopes alive as Brazil chases another World Cup crown.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off on Thursday evening with co-hosts Mexico taking on South Africa in the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, launching a sprawling tournament of 48 teams that will last nearly six weeks. The extravaganza hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada is the biggest World Cup in history, stretching until the final in New Jersey on 19 July. It is projected to generate a record-breaking $13 billion (€11 billion) in total revenue. The official opening ceremony lit up the Estadio Azteca stadium before the kickoff with Colombian superstar Shakira and Nigerian singer Burna Boy…