Author: Press Room

Former Estonian president Toomas Hendrik Ilves, an influential voice in the European security debate, told Euronews he is sceptical that the US dispatched CIA Director John Ratcliffe to warn Russia against escalation, arguing that Washington remains more concerned about Iran. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT In an exclusive interview with Euronews, Ilves said he had “severe doubts” that concerns over the Baltic states were the reason for Ratcliffe’s visit, despite a flurry of reports suggesting Washington wanted to send Moscow a message against any form of aggression. “What is the real problem for the United States right now? The real problem is Iran,…

Spain has received the European Union’s green light to temporarily cut taxes on petrol and diesel below the bloc’s normal minimum levels to lower fuel prices for households and businesses hit by the Middle East energy crisis, an official European Commission document reveals. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The EU normally sets minimum excise-duty rates for petrol and diesel. Countries can tax fuel above those floors, but going below the EU minimum requires specific flexibilities under the EU’s Energy Taxation law, which Spain secured from July to September because of the exceptional energy crisis triggered by the US and Israel’s war on Iran…

One of the new Hungarian government’s key pledges was to recover state assets and financial instruments that have been unlawfully managed or have gone missing and to prevent further abuses. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT To this end, a special authority is being set up; its head was elected on Friday by secret ballot, with 145 votes for Anna Unger. At the same time, the institution’s deputy head, Katalin Tasnádi, was appointed as deputy president in charge of investigations. The institution will be run by a five-member leadership, three of whom will be responsible for specific areas of expertise, making it possible to…

If CIA Director John Ratcliffe’s secret trip to Moscow was intended to calm fears of a confrontation between Russia and NATO, it appears to have achieved almost the opposite. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT His sudden arrival in the Russian capital this week triggered days of speculation over what intelligence could have prompted Washington to dispatch its spy chief to deliver a message to Moscow and whether the Baltic states should be worried. US media reported that Ratcliffe warned Russia against attacking NATO members, particularly Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, amid intelligence assessments that Moscow could seek to test the alliance as its war…

Published on 28/08/2026 – 15:30 GMT+2 The Beznau nuclear power plant in Switzerland, which was shut down multiple times over the last two months due to summer heatwaves, is fully operational again, Swiss energy company Axpo said on Friday. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Axpo said the second reactor at the Beznau plant in northern Switzerland, Europe’s oldest nuclear power plant still in operation, went back online on Thursday. The heatwaves that hit Europe sent temperatures soaring in the Aare River, which the site uses for cooling. Reactor 1 has been back in operation since 21 August and Axpo said it had now…

“Should Iceland resume accession negotiations with the European Union?” ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT This is the question being put to 270,000 Icelanders on Saturday 29 August. From 9am local time, eligible voters will head to the polls to chart their nation’s course closer to the European Union — or further away. The results from the referendum will determine whether the island of 400,000 people should restart negotiations to join the 27-member bloc, or place the revived idea on the backburner for the foreseeable future. Early polling shows that the results will most likely be down to the wire. An August survey by…

Published on 28/08/2026 – 17:27 GMT+2 Four men admitted on Friday being behind an arson attack on London ambulances owned by a Jewish charity at a UK court hearing. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT British nationals Hamza Iqbal, 20, Rehan Khan, 19, Judex Atshatshi, 18, and British-Pakistani Saif Ali, 18, all pleaded guilty to criminal damage linked to the 23 March attack. Four ambulances run by the Hatzola charity were destroyed in the London neighbourhood of Golders Green that is home to a significant Jewish population, one of a spate of attacks in the British capital targeting Jewish or Israel-linked locations. Three of…

European monarchs and world leaders paid tribute to Norway’s King Harald on Friday, after the royal palace announced his death at the age of 89. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Harald was the continent’s oldest reigning monarch. His son Haakon automatically succeeded him to the throne. Here are some of the main tributes from across the continent and further afield. Danish and Swedish monarchs The kings of Denmark and Sweden called Harald an “extraordinary” leader and good friend who unified his country. “Both as head of state and a successful athlete, he was an outstanding representative of his country. He gave ‘All for…

Spain has asked the European Commission (EC) for the support from Frontex and Europol to assist with the screening of migrants who are staying irregularly in Ceuta, according to several Spanish media outlets. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Spain’s Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska has asked the EC for Frontex, Europol and the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) to “reinforce the device set up to address the management of the triage and subsequent processing of the personal files of the immigrants who still remain in Ceuta irregularly.” The Interior Ministry also demanded the extension of Operation Minerva, a joint initiative of the Spanish…

Published on 28/08/2026 – 18:17 GMT+2 A Dutch drug addiction and mental health institute warned users on Friday about potentially lethal ecstasy pills shaped to look like the head of US President Donald Trump. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The Trimbos Institute said that several of the pills have been handed in recently at a network of centres that test drugs for users before they take them. “Absolutely do not use these pills,” the institute warned. It released a photo of the pills that have a depiction of Trump’s head on one side and on the other side “NL” and “Trump” stamped into…