Author: staff

Romanian far-right leader George Simion announced Tuesday he will contest his defeat in last Sunday’s presidential election. Centrist Bucharest Mayor Nicușor Dan won the second round of the vote, which was rerun after a first election last November was annulled over concerns about Russian interference. “We will contest the election at the Constitutional Court for the same reasons they annulled the elections in December,” Simion said. This story is being updated. Carmen Paun contributed reporting.

European leaders have been quick to congratulate centrist Nicusor Dan on Sunday’s dramatic victory in Romania’s presidential election over his hard-right rival George Simion.Dan won 53.6% of the vote, ahead of Simion, who during the campaign portrayed his movement as championing nationalist values and conservative policies similar to those of US President Donald Trump.By contrast, Dan — the pro-EU and pro-NATO mayor of Bucharest — had vowed to keep the nation in the European mainstream and maintain support for neighbouring Ukraine. His win is a huge relief for the EU and Ukraine at a time of crucial challenges for Europe. European Commission…

Published on 20/05/2025 – 17:31 GMT+2Kyiv is interested in a direct face-to-face meeting between Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Vladimir Putin, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said in Brussels on Tuesday, confirming that the Vatican proposed to host the talks.“I can confirm to you that proposals to organise possible contacts, including at the level of leaders, were made by the Vatican”, he said to Euronews’ question, adding that Ukraine is ready to “consider potential venues for such a meeting.”The Ukrainian president also discussed a possible meeting with his US counterpart Donald Trump, Sybiha said.After the phone calls with Putin and Zelenskyy on Monday,…

Published on 20/05/2025 – 17:10 GMT+2The EU needs to spend more on public goods to strengthen productivity and growth, said the International Monetary Fund on Tuesday.Speaking at the annual EU budget conference, Alfred Kammer, the IMF’s European department director, noted that “the scale and nature of the challenges ahead require a fundamental rethink”.Kammer suggested that the EU should raise its spending on public goods from 0.4% of GNI (gross national income) to at least 0.9%.Without cuts to existing programs, that would increase the bloc’s MFF spending to 1.7% of GNI in the period from 2028 to 2034. That’s up from…

“As the prime minister and fellow leaders said yesterday, we cannot stand by in the face of this new deterioration,” Lammy said. “It is incompatible with the principles that underpin our bilateral relationship. Rejected by Members across this House and frankly it’s an affront to the values of the British people. “Therefore today, I am announcing that we have suspended negotiations with this Israeli government on a new free trade agreement. We will be reviewing cooperation with them under the 2030 Bilateral Roadmap.” Lammy added that Israel’s ambassador to the U.K. had been summoned to the Foreign Office. The U.K.…

The European Commission this month pledged a new package of €500 million for the period 2025-2027, part of which will be specifically earmarked for research projects with industrial applications.President Ursula von der Leyen said the bloc needs to “stand for science” in a speech at the Sorbonne University in Paris, adding that it’s “the fuel for growth and progress” but “is being questioned in today’s world”.US government budget cuts are seen as an opportunity to attract such talent to Europe, as Ekaterina Zaharieva, European Commissioner for start-ups, research and innovation, acknowledged.”In Europe, we do things differently. We don’t tell researchers how…

Published on 20/05/2025 – 16:20 GMT+2An Egyptian man based in the UK who smuggled thousands of migrants from north Africa to Italy as part of a £12 million (€14mn) operation has been jailed for 25 years.Ahmed Ebid, a former fisherman, was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court in London on Tuesday, having pleaded guilty to conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration. He is thought to be the first person in the UK convicted of organising illegal boat crossings in the Mediterranean Sea.The 42-year-old, who described himself on social media as “Captain Ahmed,” was involved in smuggling nearly 3,800 people — including women…

If you are looking for a city break on a budget this summer, consider some of Eastern Europe’s culture-rich capitals. A new report by the UK’s Post Office has ranked the top 10 cities in Europe where you could save money on a holiday. The City Costs Barometer found that prices have fallen in half the cities surveyed. Seven out of 10 destinations are in Eastern Europe, including the top spot. Europe’s lowest-cost cities for food, transport and attractionsThe analysis calculated the costs of 12 common tourist items in 38 cities in Europe. These included consumables like a cup of…

Aside from the shadow fleet, the EU also put restrictions on a Russian oil company and a shipping business. EU entrepreneurs are also forbidden to do business with more than 45 entities and individuals in the military industry. A Chinese state-owned company was added to the same list, a long with two others from that country. Several dozen Russian and third-country companies will face stricter export controls when they want to buy European goods. As the push for a ceasefire becomes stronger, the EU is already exploring the next round of sanctions, including banning dealings with the companies behind the…

A new report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) quantifies the worldwide value of counterfeit goods at over €416 billion, roughly 2.3% of global imports.The EU is a primary target: nearly €99 billion worth of its imports, or 4.7%, are fake.Remarkably, 20 of the world’s top 25 destinations for counterfeit products are EU member states.When it comes to seized goods, Germany is only second to the United States in volume – but leads the world in value: Berlin seizes more than a quarter of the total value of counterfeit goods.France and Belgium are also prime targets, with…