Author: Press Room

Authorities in the Netherlands say recrutiment of army reservists has seen a significant boost, particularly after the recent enlistment by the country’s queen and her eldest daughter, with authorities now scrambling to arm and train new recruits. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT In February, photos of Queen Maxima in training and aiming a pistol on a shooting range were published around the world. That royal seal of approval, together with recruitment campaigns running across the media, has proven so successful that the military is now working overtime to arm, train and accommodate the influx of newcomers. At the Defence Ministry, it’s known as…

Belgium plans to take control of all nuclear power plants in the country from French energy group Engie, in an effort to secure control of its own energy supplies. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Negotiations between the Belgian government and the energy giant have now begun, with Belgium seeking to take over all nuclear activities currently owned and managed by Engie and its Electrabel subsidiary, according to a press statement. “An agreement has been reached with ENGIE to define the conditions and initiate the necessary studies for a full takeover of the Belgian nuclear park,” Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Wever wrote in…

Ukraine is demanding a long-term ceasefire in Russia’s all-out war instead of the short parade-day truce the Kremlin floated to US President Donald Trump, as Kyiv accused Moscow of seeking a few hours of quiet to protect a military parade rather than pursuing genuine peace. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Thursday that Kyiv would first see “what exactly is this about,” in response to the proposal that came on Wednesday evening after Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested a temporary truce in a phone call with Trump. “We will clarify what exactly this is about — a few…

Published on 30/04/2026 – 12:06 GMT+2 Israeli import company Zenziper has halted the unloading of a cargo vessel allegedly carrying grain stolen by Russia from temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories, Israeli media have reported. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Ukraine’s foreign ministry welcomed the development, saying it shows that Kyiv’s legal and diplomatic efforts are having an effect. “This is also a clear signal to all vessels, captains, operators, insurers and governments: do not buy stolen Ukrainian grain. Do not become part of this crime,” Andrii Sybiha said on X. According to reports, the company said that “in light of the circumstances” it had…

Published on 30/04/2026 – 11:24 GMT+2 It was a fantastic match that electrified the Parc des Princes and will go down in Champions League history! French defending champion Paris Saint-Germain secured a one-goal lead, having been up 5-2 but having also feared the worst. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT But the German 35-times champions showed their tenacity and talent to reduce the deficit to one. The second leg in Munich next week promises a huge one. To talk about what happened on that memorable Tuesday and what else is moving European football these days, host Stefan Grobe was joined by two other big…

European leaders seem to be acting upon their promises to spend more on defence. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Following US pressure, which saw President Donald Trump lambast NATO allies for not reaching defence spending targets, the continent’s investments in 2025 grew by 14% — more than all other continents — to reach €739 billion. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), it’s the steepest climb since the 1950s and twice the amount as 10 years ago, as many NATO members move to meet the new 5% of GDP spending target set for 2035. Last year, Berlin invested around €97 billion…

With just 10.5 million residents and an economy much smaller than those of France or Germany, the Czech Republic seems an unlikely leader in Europe’s nuclear revival. Yet, in Brussels and the Visegrád region, Prague is influential, quietly assembling an ambitious nuclear expansion program. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Nuclear energy already supplies around 40 percent of the country’s electricity, generated by six reactors at two plants: Dukovany and Temelín. The government wants to go much further. Under its updated National Energy and Climate Plan, Czechia has set a target of 68 percent nuclear electricity by 2040, a share that would rival France…

The Greek authorities have put in place new Civil Protection measures for Santorini, following the recommendations of scientific committees monitoring the seismic and volcanic risk, following the recent extraordinary meeting of the Standing Scientific Committee for Seismic Risk Assessment and Seismic Risk Reduction. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The measures mainly concern the control of access and stay in specific areas due to possible geological phenomena and will be in force until 31 March 2027. The main provisions have to do with the control of traffic in the main port of Santorini in order to avoid overcrowding and to reduce the time vehicles…

Published on 29/04/2026 – 11:47 GMT+2 Ukraine is tracking multiple vessels carrying grain it says Russia stole from the occupied territories and shipped to at least four countries, as the diplomatic row over Ukraine and Israel over another stolen grain purchase rumbles on. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The Ukrainian foreign ministry confirmed on Tuesday that Moscow’s sales of stolen grain are not limited to Israel, and that the total number of countries that have bought its shipments is likely bigger. “Such shipments arrived in Turkey, Egypt, Algeria and some other countries. These are only the cases I can recall from memory that…

Young Europeans seem to be more politically active than their older counterparts. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT In 2025, nearly one in four Europeans aged 16 to 29 said they engaged in civic or political issues online, according to the latest Eurostat figures. This includes expressing their opinions on civic or political issues, participating in online consultations, or voting. In comparison, slightly more than one-fifth of the overall population said they did the same sort of thing. One of the main things that draws young Europeans to the web to express their political views appears to be its flexibility and ability to give…