Author: staff

By 2050, European cities want a tourism that balances the sustainability, economic, and social dimensions. That was the message on the second day of the Global Tourism Forum, a key annual meeting of tourism stakeholders from around the world. “In some cities like Venice and Barcelona, we see a sort of monoculturalisation of economic activities in the city centre that tend to maybe serve more marketing interests for tourists or cater for food habits of tourists rather than residents,” said Eleonora Orso, policy officer at Eurocities, the Brussels-based network representing more than 200 major European cities. Europe welcomed nearly 340…

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico  The Slovak strongman has already signaled his intent to derail Thursday’s summit, announcing on X that he is “not interested in dealing with new sanctions packages” against Russia unless the EU comes up with a plan to help Slovakia’s struggling automotive sector. Leaders are expected to finally approve the 19th package, announced last month, at the summit. Fico is among the most Kremlin-friendly leaders in the EU, visiting Moscow last December and again in May, and has raised objections to sanctions before, though he has ultimately always backed down from his repeated threats to block each new package. It’s likely he will do so again, perhaps…

Politicians often seek to show off their physical strength, with the new Polish President Karol Nawrocki the latest to continue the trend. Following his election in August, the former right-wing historian’s social media has been awash with footage of him training in the gym. The videos show him hitting a punching bag, lifting weights and doing pull-ups. From the gym to the political arena The recently elected Polish president’s publicised workouts should come as no surprise, as many leaders have also been keen to present themselves in sporting contexts. Examples include Vladimir Putin, who has been known to show off…

No confidence: Badenoch said the four victims had “lost all confidence” and were “dismissed and contradicted” by ministers. “What’s the point in speaking up if we’re just going to be called liars,” the Tory leader asked on behalf of one victim. Starmer condemned it as one of the “worst scandals of our time” and said the door “will always be open” if they wanted to return. Bookmark this: The PM insisted the inquiry will “never be watered down, its scope will not change, and it will examine the ethnicity and religion of the offenders.” Starmer confirmed crossbench peer and government…

Published on 22/10/2025 – 13:59 GMT+2 Spanish police have arrested seven people suspected of stealing more than 1,110 chairs from restaurants and bars in Madrid and another nearby municipality in just two months. The criminal gang of six men and a woman worked at night to steal chairs that had been stacked in outdoor seating areas while the establishments were closed, according to Spain’s National Police. At least 18 different establishments were targeted in Madrid and Talavera de la Reina, a smaller city to the southwest of the capital, in August and September. The estimated cost of the stolen chairs…

It’s a surprise after the Parliament’s centrist political groups reached an agreement to support the deal two weeks ago. Out of 661 lawmakers who voted on Wednesday, 318 were against, 309 in favor and 34 abstained. Proposed last February, the omnibus bill aims to reduce reporting obligations for companies under the bloc’s sustainability disclosure and supply chain transparency rules. It’s the first of a series of proposals from the Commission aimed at cutting red tape for businesses under Ursula von der Leyen’s second term as Commission president. Earlier this month, the Parliament’s major centrist groups — the European People’s Party, Renew…

EU environment ministers have again delayed a decision over national emissions targets for 2035 and 2040, just weeks before the UN climate change summit in Belém, Brazil, where the bloc is expected to present its contribution to green goals. Pressure to set an ambitious 2035 target to present at COP30 comes as the EU is struggling to settle a 2040 climate goal at home. Both targets will affect European industries through major upfront investment and the reskilling of workers, ultimately sending a strong signal to businesses and investors. The European Commission has proposed a binding target of 90% emissions reduction…

Published on 22/10/2025 – 12:08 GMT+2 •Updated 13:04 Russian forces attacked Kharkiv on Wednesday, striking and setting ablaze a kindergarten with children inside, according to authorities. Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov and Kharkiv Regional State Administration Head Oleh Synyegubov said there have been at least three explosions in the area. “A private kindergarten in the Kholodnohirskyi district has been hit. There is a fire at the site of the strike,” Terekhov said, adding later that there is no information about injuries among children. At least one person was killed and six were wounded in the strike, which occurred at around 9…

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said seven people were injured in the nursery strike, which triggered a fresh wave of fury at Moscow. “They are receiving medical care. All children have been evacuated and are in shelters. According to preliminary information, many have an acute stress reaction,” Zelenskyy said on social media. “There is and cannot be any justification for a drone strike on a kindergarten. Russia is becoming more impudent. These strikes are Russia’s spit in the face of anyone who insists on a peaceful solution. Bandits and terrorists can only be put in their place by force,” Zelenskyy said.…

Ukrainian officials said the overnight bombardment targeted multiple cities, including Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, Odesa and Chernihiv, as part of what they described as a renewed effort by Moscow to cripple the country’s power system ahead of winter. In the Kyiv region, a mother and her two daughters — aged six months and 12 years — were killed when a strike set their home ablaze in the village of Pohreby. Elsewhere in the capital, two people died and several were injured after drone debris ignited fires in high-rise buildings, prompting extensive rescue operations. Emergency services reported that dozens of residents, including children,…