Europe

Bulgaria to hold snap election in April as Radev enters race

Bulgaria will hold a snap general election on 19 April, in what could mark a turning point after years of political instability. President Iliana Yotova announced on Wednesday that she…

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Denmark’s king visits Greenland, showing unity in the face of Trump threats

Denmark’s King Frederik X arrived in Greenland on Wednesday for a three-day visit widely viewed as a symbolic show of support for the autonomous Danish territory, according to Agence France-Presse.…

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Germany plans to give spies vast new powers in rollback of postwar restraints

Germany is preparing to significantly strengthen its foreign intelligence service amid growing concern that the United States could scale back intelligence sharing with Europe, according to a report by Politico.…

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‘Difficult’ Ukraine peace talks end after Zelenskiy says Russia stalling

The second day of peace talks between Ukrainian and Russian officials in Geneva ended abruptly on Wednesday morning after just two hours of discussions, according to Time. The shortened session…

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High-flying Meloni bets big on a referendum

Italy’s right-wing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is taking a calculated political risk by putting judicial reform to a referendum on 22–23 March, a move that could either strengthen her dominance…

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Vatican says no to Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’

The Vatican has confirmed that Pope Leo XIV will not join Donald Trump’s proposed “Board of Peace”, dealing a blow to the US president’s efforts to assemble a new global…

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EU, UK close on agreement on Gibraltar

The European Commission has adopted proposals for the signing, provisional application and conclusion of a new EU-UK agreement on Gibraltar, completing the legal framework governing relations over the territory. Gibraltar…

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NATO will become more European-led, NATO Chief Rutte says

The NATO alliance will become more European-led, with a continuing strong presence of the United States, as European allies significantly increase military spending, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said on…

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The Netherlands is in the grip of a winter flu epidemic

The Netherlands is officially in the grip of a flu epidemic, as the number of people who visited their family doctor with flu-like symptoms rises for two weeks in a…

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Storm Fronts Lash Italy, Spain and Portugal With Snow, Floods and High Winds

Severe weather conditions are continuing to affect several parts of southern Europe, triggering transport disruption, infrastructure damage and safety warnings as authorities brace for further deterioration in conditions. In Italy,…

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UK Finance Minister Urges EU to Admit Britain to ‘Made in Europe’ Framework

Britain should be part of any “Made in Europe” club giving preference to European goods, the U.K.’s finance chief has said. Rachel Reeves said she was in favor of the…

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Sweden to send fighter jets to patrol around Greenland as part of NATO’s Arctic Sentry

Sweden will patrol around Iceland and Greenland with Gripen fighter jets as part of NATO's Arctic Sentry mission, it said on Thursday. NATO said on Wednesday it had launched the…

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Train and airport strikes in Italy to disrupt thousands of travellers this month

Travellers to Italy should prepare for disruption to flights and rail services this month. Nationwide strikes will hit air transport on 16 February, while trains across the country will be…

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German government pushes Syrians to return to their homeland

Last year, 5,976 Syrians applied for voluntary repatriation to Syria, which was funded by the German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), submitting all the necessary documents. Of these,…

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Europol Operation Blocks €1.2 Billion in Fake Banknotes, With China-Linked Shipments Under Scrutiny

Law enforcement authorities from 18 countries have stopped an estimated EUR 1.2 billion in counterfeit banknotes and coins from entering circulation during Operation DECOY III, a Europol-coordinated action led by…

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UK Labour veteran tells MPs removing Starmer would be a bad idea

Veteran Labour minister Jacqui Smith backed Keir Starmer on Monday, warning MPs and Cabinet colleagues against plotting to remove him as prime minister. Smith, who served under Tony Blair and…

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Prince Andrew’s Epstein Fallout: Latest Revelations Explained

The 65-year-old second son of the late Queen Elizabeth, Prince Andrew, is once again under the spotlight following new revelations from the recently released Epstein files. Despite consistently denying any…

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William and Catherine say they are ‘deeply concerned’ in first statement on Epstein revelations

The Prince and Princess of Wales have said they are “deeply concerned” by the latest revelations surrounding Jeffrey Epstein, marking their first public statement on the ongoing scandal. A Kensington…

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Seguro Clinches Portuguese Presidency with Landslide Victory

António José Seguro, representing Portugal’s centre-left Socialist Party, has decisively won the presidential election, securing 66.7% of the vote compared to André Ventura of the far-right Chega party, who garnered…

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Starmer’s Chief of Staff Resigns Amid Mandelson Controversy

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government is facing turmoil after the resignation of Downing Street chief of staff Morgan McSweeney over the appointment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to Washington.…

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Portugal’s Pivotal Presidential Election: Socialist vs. Far-Right

Portugal is voting in a decisive second round of its presidential election, as centre-left Socialist candidate António José Seguro faces off against far-right populist André Ventura. The election, overshadowed by…

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Italian police to get new arrest powers

Italian police will be able to detain suspected troublemakers temporarily before street rallies to prevent them from spreading unrest under a new law-and-order decree adopted on Thursday by Prime Minister…

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Spain’s youth minister floats countrywide ban on X

Spain’s youth minister has intensified Madrid's clash with Big Tech after suggesting the country may need to curb — or even ban — access to Elon Musk’s social media platform…

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55,000 Ukrainians killed in war against Russia, Zelensky says

Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky told French broadcaster France 2 last night that the number of Ukrainian soldiers killed on the battlefield as a result of the country’s war with Russia…

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Rules of War Under Severe Strain, New Study Warns

An authoritative survey of 23 armed conflicts over the last 18 months has concluded that international law seeking to limit the effects of war is at breaking point, with more…

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Police Inquiry into Lord Mandelson: Details on Confidential Information

The Metropolitan Police has begun a criminal investigation into Peter Mandelson. He is a former Labour minister and ex-UK ambassador to the US. This follows allegations of misconduct in public…

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Italy Set to Approve Tougher Security Measures After Violent Turin Protests

The Italian government, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, is preparing to introduce a new package of security measures following violent clashes during a protest in Turin last Saturday. The…

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Russia Launches Record Missile Barrage on Ukraine’s Energy Sector Amid Deep Freeze

KYIV, Ukraine – Ukraine’s energy infrastructure has suffered its most devastating assault of the year, as Russia unleashed a record number of ballistic missiles and drones in a coordinated overnight attack.…

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Iberian Peninsula braces for more bad weather one week after Storm Kristin

Portugal and Spain are bracing for a new storm that authorities warn could trigger floods and further devastation, as the Iberian Peninsula still struggles with the aftermath of Storm Kristin.…

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US Flags Cyprus Airspace Risks Amid Escalating Iran Standoff

The United States has issued a “notice to airmen” (Notam) for the Nicosia designated flight information region (FIR) covering Cyprus, defence minister Vassilis Palmas confirmed. He described the move as…

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Spain to ban social media access for children under 16

Spain will ban access to social media for minors under 16 and platforms will be required to implement age verification systems, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Tuesday as he…

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Keir Starmer Chairs Meeting Amid Mandelson Controversy

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is set to chair a cabinet meeting today. Meanwhile, police are investigating claims that former US ambassador Lord Mandelson leaked sensitive government information to disgraced…

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Sarah’s Trust to Shutdown following Epstein Leaks

Sarah Ferguson’s charity, Sarah’s Trust, will close “for the foreseeable future.” This decision follows renewed scrutiny over the former Duchess of York’s connections to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.…

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Italian Government Responds to Violent Turin Protests

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni convened senior cabinet members and police chiefs on Monday to address security concerns after violent protests in Turin over the weekend. During these protests, around 100…

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Drone incidents at UK military bases doubled last year

Britain's military bases experienced a doubling of drone incidents last year, highlighting the changing nature of warfare and prompting the government to hand more powers to its forces to protect…

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Rome introduces Trevi Fountain access fee to curb coin-tossing crowds

Tourists keen to follow tradition by tossing a coin into Rome's Trevi Fountain will need to dig a little deeper from Monday, as the city introduces a new 2-euro ($2.40)…

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Turkey’s Textile Sector Faces Job Losses and Economic Struggles

Turkey's textile industry faces a major crisis, with exports declining amid China and Bangladesh's dominance of EU markets. Once central to Turkey’s economy, the sector now struggles, with wages below…

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Filip Turek Controversy: Czechs Rally Behind President Pavel

Tens of thousands of Czechs gathered on Sunday to show their backing for President Peter Pavel, following his decision to block the appointment of a minister to the new eurosceptic…

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15 Ukrainian miners Killed after bus targeted by Russians attacks

The attacks hitting a miners' bus in Pavlohrad in the Dnipropetrovsk region, and a maternity hospital in Zaporizhzhia, come as Ukraine's president announced trilateral peace talks in the United Arab…

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Lord Mandelson Resigns from Labour Party Amid Epstein Controversy

Lord Mandelson has announced his decision to resign as a member of the Labour Party, stating that he wishes to avoid "causing further embarrassment" due to his associations with the…

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Keir Starmer’s Plan for U.K.-EU Market Engagement

Keir Starmer is seeking deeper engagement between the U.K. and the EU single market, aiming to align more closely where it benefits the country. Last year, Starmer agreed to follow…

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Fico’s Adviser Resigns: Fallout from Epstein Documents

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico’s national security adviser, Miroslav Lajčák, resigned after being linked to documents released by the U.S. Justice Department regarding Jeffrey Epstein. The files included exchanges between…

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Vatican plans to open bistro at top of St Peter’s

According to Il Messaggero, the Vatican is proceeding discreetly with plans to establish a bistro on the upper terrace of Saint Peter’s Basilica. The Rome-based newspaper reports that the venue…

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Złoty to Remain Poland’s Currency, Finance Minister Insists

Polish finance minister Andrzej Domanski was quoted as saying that that keeping the złoty as the national currency gives the economy greater flexibility at a time of global uncertainty, despite…

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Croatia Rules Out Joining Trump’s “Board of Peace” Framework

Croatia will not join US President Donald Trump's "Board of Peace," the Balkan country's Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Wednesday without giving specific reasons for the decision. "After thorough…

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Spain to grant around half a million undocumented migrants legal status

Spain's Socialist-led government presented a draft decree to expedite legal status to hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants, in its latest move to integrate migrant workers even as other European…

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Human trafficker who tortured migrants in Libya jailed for 20 years in Netherlands

An Eritrean people trafficker who tortured African refugees and migrants in camps in Libya was jailed for 20 years on by a Dutch court, with a judge saying he had…

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Sweden aims to lower age of criminal responsibility to 13

Sweden is moving forward with plans to lower the age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 13 in serious cases as it grapples with a growing number of children recruited…

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Dutch parties agree on rare minority government

Leaders of political parties in the Netherlands have agreed to form a rare minority government. The centrist pro-EU D66 party, which won the election last October, will team up with…

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Zelenskyy eyes 2027 for Ukraine’s accession to European Union

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he wanted to target 2027 for Ukraine’s accession to the European Union. In a brief update after his phone call with Austrian chancellor Christian…

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Planned U.S. ICE Security Presence at Winter Olympics Draws Scrutiny in Italy

A political controversy is emerging in Italy ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina following reports that agents from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) may be…

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Azerbaijan arrests three men for planning embassy attack at behest of Islamic State offshoot

Authorities in Azerbaijan said on Tuesday they had arrested three individuals planning an attack on a foreign embassy in the capital Baku at the instructions of Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K),…

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France’s lawmakers vote to ban social media for under-15s

Lawmakers in France's National Assembly on Monday passed a bill that would ban children under 15 years old from usingsocial media. They voted 116 to ⁠23 in favor the bill.…

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Hundreds feared missing or dead trying to cross the Mediterranean

Hundreds of people are feared dead or missing after attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea, with reports of multiple shipwrecks in the last ten days following bad weather, the U.N.…

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Italy declares state of emergency after storms in southern regions

Italy's government on Monday declared a state of emergency for southern regions battered by a violent storm last week, pledging swift financial aid to rebuild roads and businesses hit by…

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Suella Braverman joins Nigel Farage’s populist Reform UK

British lawmaker Suella Braverman, an ex-interior minister, became the latest prominent Conservative to join Nigel Farage's populist Reform UK on Monday, using her unveiling at a rally to accuse her…

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France probes link between two baby deaths and milk formula

French investigators are examining the deaths of two infants who had consumed baby formula products that were subject to a precautionary recall earlier this month, the French health ministry said.…

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