Author: staff
Europe’s railways are about to get an upgrade on paper. The European Commission has launched its “One Journey, One Ticket, Full Rights” proposal. It targets one of rail travel’s most persistent headaches: fragmented cross-border booking. Under the current system, a journey from Brussels to Vienna means juggling tickets from multiple operators on separate websites. Each has different rules and offers no protection if a delay causes a missed connection. The Commission’s package would let passengers search, compare, and buy a single ticket covering every leg of a cross-border journey. It includes full rights to rerouting and compensation if something goes…
Published on 27/05/2026 – 10:32 GMT+2 French luxury department store Galeries Lafayette closed its first flagship shop in China on Wednesday 27 May, thirteen years after it opened. The group said the decision was due to a decline in sales in recent years. While the luxury market experienced strong growth in the mid-2010s, boosted in particular by the rise of the middle class, Covid-19 and the severe property crisis marked a decisive turning point, abruptly curbing Chinese domestic consumption and forcing the sector to adapt to new economic realities. “We have seen a decade of growth in the luxury sector…
In 2021, Frances Haugen, a former employee of Meta Platforms (then known as Facebook), leaked internal documents showing that the company was aware of the harm it was causing to users. For instance, the documents revealed that Facebook knew Instagram was worsening body image issues among teenagers, but downplayed the problem in public. “The company’s leadership knows ways to make Facebook and Instagram safer, but they won’t make the necessary changes because they have put their immense profits before people,” Haugen told the European Parliament during a hearing on 8 November 2021. Haugen’s story made international headlines and sparked discussion…
The El Confidencial news site reported the UCO’s deployment was authorized by the National Court and is linked to an unrelated investigation overseen by Spain’s Anti-Corruption Prosecutor. Spanish judicial authorities did not immediately respond to POLITICO’s request for comment. Sánchez’s fragile minority government has been under heavy pressure since news of Zapatero’s indictment. The regionalist parties that allowed his left-wing coalition to form a government in 2023, and which have been essential for getting legislation through parliament since then, have grown wary of being associated with the prime minister and his party, which has been battered by a steady stream…
In 2025, just under half of internet users across 20 EU countries encountered online messages they considered hostile and degrading towards specific groups or individuals, according to the latest figures from Eurostat. The highest shares were recorded in Ireland, Hungary, Finland and Slovakia, while the lowest shares were in Latvia, Greece, Germany and Lithuania. The messages targeted a wide range of groups and individuals. Most people saw hostile content aimed at others for their political or social views, racial and ethnic origin, sexual orientation, or religion and beliefs. Hostile messages also targeted people based on sex, disability, age, or other…
Ferrari chairman John Elkann and senior company executives met the pontiff before unveiling the vehicle under a red cover. The Pope inspected the car closely, sat in the driver’s seat and listened as Ferrari test driver Raffaele De Simone explained the vehicle’s controls and driving modes. Images from the Vatican meeting showed the Pope holding a Ferrari steering wheel and posing with engineers and technical staff from the Italian manufacturer. Ferrari said the Luce uses four electric motors, one on each wheel, and delivers up to 1,040 horsepower. The company estimates a driving range of 530 kilometres, while acceleration from…
By Laura Fleischmann Published on 27/05/2026 – 9:01 GMT+2 Global private financial wealth grew by 7.4 per cent in 2025 – significantly outpacing inflation, which remained below 3 per cent in each of the major economic areas. In Germany it stood at 2.2 per cent. That is according to the ‘Global Wealth Report 2026’ published today by the management consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). Growth driven above all by strong equity markets The main driver of the increase in wealth was last year’s performance on the stock markets. In Germany, total wealth as of the reporting date of 31 December 2025…
With a heatwave hitting Europe this week, we’re sure many of you are fantasising about heading to the beach right now. Great timing then for European Best Destinations to unveil its ranking of the top sandy stretches on the continent for 2026. Released annually, the editorial team longlists 10 beaches per country which are evaluated based on factors like natural beauty, accessibility, beach services and overall atmosphere. Whittled down to a shortlist of just 30 beaches, these are then submitted to an international panel of travellers who determine the final ranking. This year, the top spot went to Praia de…
In a photograph, five schoolchildren stand before a blue wall. Their starched white shirts throw them into sharp relief. From behind the tinted lenses of their bright yellow sunglasses, they look directly at the viewer. Just as the viewer looks at them. When French photographer Stephan Gladieu’s request to travel to North Korea was approved, he knew he wanted to focus on capturing the country’s people. “I made it clear from the beginning that I will not do architecture photography or photograph empty places—that had no interest for me,” Gladieu tells Euronews Culture. “I wanted to give a representation of…
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