Author: Press Room

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…

Leaders across Europe have condemned the shooting that took place at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on 25 April, which US President Donald Trump attended. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, and Vice-President JD Vance were among those evacuated at the Washington Hilton hotel after gunshots were fired near the main security screening area for the annual event. Suspect Cole Tomas Allen has since been charged with attempting to assassinate the president. He has not yet entered a plea, and the US Department of Justice says it has yet to establish a clear motive. European Commission President Ursula…

Published on 29/04/2026 – 19:25 GMT+2•Updated 19:33 Prime Minister-elect Péter Magyar said EU funds could soon be released to Hungary following a series of high-level meetings in Brussels on Wednesday. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Magyar met European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in their first direct talks since his election victory on 12 April. The pair discussed steps to unlock billions of euros in EU funding currently frozen over concerns about corruption and rule of law. Hungary risks losing around €10 billion in post-pandemic funds intended to support its economy unless Magyar secures a deal before an August deadline. Magyar will…

Published on 29/04/2026 – 19:36 GMT+2 Italy’s government said on Wednesday that it had filed to be a civil party in the criminal proceedings surrounding a devastating fire at a bar in Switzerland which killed 41 people, including six Italians. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The civil claim was prompted by “the substantial resources” used for “medical, psychological and logistical assistance to the Italian nationals involved,” the government said in a statement. The blaze at Le Constellation, a bar in the upmarket Alpine resort, broke out in the early hours of 1 January as people celebrated the New Year. Prosecutors believe the New…

Published on 29/04/2026 – 18:54 GMT+2 An international taskforce formed to crack down on “violence for hire” has led to 280 arrests in its first year, the European Union’s police agency Europol said on Wednesday. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The arrests underscore a trend across the continent of criminals hiring people, many of them youngsters, via social media and messaging apps to carry out acts of violence ranging from assaults to murders in a chilling form of a gig economy. “Violence is no longer confined to isolated acts or local dynamics. It is increasingly offered as a service: accessible, scalable and driven…

Published on 29/04/2026 – 17:47 GMT+2 Women MEPs will be allowed to delegate their vote to a colleague before and after childbirth, thanks to a new measure aimed at strengthening work-life balance – despite claims that it runs against the European Parliament’s gender equality policy. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The changes, adopted by MEPs in Strasbourg on Wednesday, introduce a temporary waiver to the rule requiring in-person voting for the Parliament’s plenary sessions. The rules will let female MEPs delegate their vote to a trusted fellow lawmaker for up to three months before their due date and for six months after giving…

Published on 29/04/2026 – 16:57 GMT+2 The European Union will ease its strict state aid rules to help fuel-dependent sectors cope with surging energy prices and other economic effects of the crisis in the Middle East, the European Commission announced on Wednesday. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The emergency, short-term measures will allow national governments to subsidise up to 70% of the extra cost of fuel and fertilisers for farmers, fishing firms and road transport carriers. The measures are “a targeted, temporary and proportionate response that will help to shield European businesses from the immediately felt effects of the Middle East conflict,” EU…