Author: Press Room

Published on 10/07/2026 – 21:46 GMT+2•Updated 21:47 Belgium’s three regions announced on Friday that they would introduce a road tax next year that foreign drivers transiting the country would also have to pay. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The country does not currently charge drivers to use its highways and the issue of introducing some form of payment has been debated for years. “Everyone who uses our roads must contribute fairly to their maintenance,” said the transport minister for the southern Wallonia region, François Desquesnes. Starting on 1 May 2027 drivers will need to register their vehicle and pay the road tax, with…

The head of the International Energy Agency (IEA) has issued a stark warning that while international fuel supplies remain secure for now, the latest attacks on tankers near the Strait of Hormuz show that Europe’s dependence on imported fossil fuels continues to threaten its economy. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT “The entire world should be prepared for the worst case, which we hope will not materialise, but we really need to be prepared for the worst case scenario,” IEA chief Fatih Birol told Euronews, referring to a complete blockade of the strait, through which flows 20 percent of the world’s oil and gas…

As millions of EU citizens plan their summer holidays, the European Parliament this week gave the green light to an overhaul of air passenger rights, which have been in force since 2004 and will now be updated for the first time in 22 years. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The rules seek to ensure passengers are sufficiently protected against travel disruption, such as denied boarding and delayed or cancelled flights. An overwhelming majority of 646 members of the European Parliament voted in favour of the new rules during Tuesday’s plenary session, meaning the bloc now has a new rulebook. “It’s the biggest improvement…

Published on 10/07/2026 – 18:54 GMT+2 Ukrainian drone strikes hit southern Russian oil refineries and the port of Taganrog on the Azov Sea on Friday, where authorities declared an emergency and evacuated some residents, officials said. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Kyiv has beefed up its efforts in recent months to hinder Moscow’s financial capabilities in its war against Ukraine, targeting energy infrastructure in retaliatory strikes and causing a nationwide fuel shortage. Russia’s defence ministry said its forces downed over 370 Ukrainian drones, including over the Moscow region. In the port of Taganrog, near occupied Ukraine, social media videos showed plumes of smoke…

Published on 10/07/2026 – 18:08 GMT+2 A murder investigation was launched on Friday into the death of Ann Widdecombe, a former member of Parliament who was found dead in her home in southwest England, police said. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The 78-year-old former Conservative lawmaker and prisons minister had “sustained serious injuries” when she was found on Thursday in Haytor, on the edge of Dartmoor National Park, according to a statement from Devon and Cornwall Police. Police said they were seeking a white male as the suspect. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the circumstances of her death “are extremely distressing.” Widdecombe found…

Published on 10/07/2026 – 17:15 GMT+2 A High Court judge ruled on Friday that the UK government took an “unlawful” decision that restricts the legal rights of migrants facing removal to France under the countries’ one-in one-out deal. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The ruling was a victory for a group of five asylum seekers and other people returned to France under the controversial deal who brought the legal challenge against Britain’s interior ministry. The ministry vowed to appeal the judgement, insisting the removal of migrants could continue. Under the treaty, which came into force in August last year, the UK can forcibly…

Published on 10/07/2026 – 16:06 GMT+2 The commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s armed forces has warned that a turning point in the war against Russia is “still a long way off”. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT In a post on Telegram, Oleksandr Syrskyi, who took command of Ukraine’s military in February 2024, said that while his troops had slowed Russia’s advance and had been inflicting increasing casualties on Vladimir Putin’s invading forces, it was critical not to “underestimate the enemy”. “The aggressor has not abandoned its plans for the complete occupation of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions,” he wrote. “They are seeking to expand their…

Published on 10/07/2026 – 15:00 GMT+2 The walls of Venetian paper mill Favini, in northern Italy, are steeped in history, but its production has long been focused on the future. This family-owned company, which is celebrating its 120th anniversary this year, was among the first in the world to industrialise the production of eco-friendly paper using alternative fibres and waste materials. This helps reduce pressure on forests and gives a second life to things that would otherwise have been thrown away – like agricultural and textile by-products. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT And the search for new materials never stops. “Right now, we…

Updated: 10/07/2026 – 12:24 GMT+2 French Economy Minister Roland Lescure reacts to Spain’s proposal for a new joint EU debt instrument worth up to €850 billion, while warning of potential risks. “If one country transfers its debt to the whole community, that might be an incentive for that country to take on more debt,” Lescure says. … More

Published on 10/07/2026 – 13:06 GMT+2 The European Commission has approved Hungary’s request to join the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), the EU’s investigative body for tackling fraud and corruption involving European funds. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar, who campaigned on a promise to fight corruption, won a landslide victory in April’s parliamentary elections, ending Viktor Orbán’s 16 years in power. EPPO will have the right to investigate alleged EU fund-related crimes dating back to 1 June 2021, when the body was established. “Today brings good news for Hungary,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in…