Articles about Europe

The result in Slovenia will relieve EU diplomats and means the incumbent will lead exploratory talks to form the next governmentMeanwhile, Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni has urged Italians to take part in the referendum on the government’s proposals to shake up the organisation of the justice system.On her social media accounts, she posted a picture posing with a ballot paper, and said:“Ready to vote. Remember: you have until 3 PM today to get to the polls. Participation is important.” Continue reading...

US president’s backing comes as Hungary’s PM faces toughest election campaign of 16 years in officeDonald Trump has endorsed Hungary’s prime minister, Viktor Orbán, who faces his toughest electoral challenge next month since taking power 16 years ago, as Europe’s far-right leaders gather for a “grand assembly” in Budapest.In a video message, the US president told the national-conservative Cpac Hungary conference in the capital on Saturday that Orbàn, who has been trailing in the polls behind a centre-right rival for more than a year, was a “fantastic guy”. Continue reading...

Mediahuis suspends Peter Vandermeersch, who says he ‘fell into trap of hallucinations’, after investigation by newspaper where he was once editor-in-chiefThe publisher of the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf and the Irish Independent has suspended one of its senior journalists after he admitted using AI to “wrongly put words into people’s mouths”.Peter Vandermeersch, the former head of the Irish operations at Mediahuis, said he “fell into the trap of hallucinations” – the term for AI-generated errors – when using the technology. Continue reading...

VAT tax on fuels will reportedly drop from 21% to 10%, as Ursula von der Leyen suggests EU may move to help states with rising energy costsSpain is set to put forward a number of emergency tax cuts this morning to counter the economic impact of the Iran war.The measures – set to be presented at a press conference 11am local time – are expected to include lowering VAT tax on fuels to 10% from 21%, according to early media reports, alongside other changes, including to the hydrocarbon and electricity duties, intended to help with growing energy prices. Continue reading...

Carriers warn they cannot hold off passing on costs for long and some airlines plan to increase flights via AsiaBusiness live – latest updatesEurope’s biggest airlines have said that that the spike in fuel prices caused by the war in the Middle East will drive up fares and are advising passengers to book early.While carriers have partly hedged the price of jet fuel, bosses said they could not avoid passing on additional costs to passengers for long. Continue reading...

Hungarian PM, who is facing an upcoming election, appears in no mood to compromise as EU leaders meet in Brussels this morningThe new Dutch prime minister, Rob Jetten, is making his European Council debut this morning.Asked about Viktor Orbán’s position, Jetten insisted that “it is obvious that Ukraine needs out full support to win this war against the Russian aggression,” as he stressed the EU loan “is crucial to make sure Ukraine can prepare for the next winter.” Continue reading...

Ireland’s former taoiseach warns of conservative Russian influence and says US is now ‘off the pitch’ under TrumpLGBTQ+ rights in Europe are caught in a “chill wind” from east and west as Vladimir Putin’s Russia exports its conservative agenda and the “Americans are off the pitch” under Donald Trump, Ireland’s former taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said.Varadkar, who in 2017 became Ireland’s first out gay prime minister, said Europe needed to “step up” to avoid the continent becoming further squeezed by global forces seeking to chip away at recent progress. Continue reading...

Ukraine’s president says mass attacks on civilians are no longer the preserve of a ‘madman like Putin’European nations should prepare for attacks by non-state actors including criminal networks, terror groups and lone attackers as drone technology advances, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned.The Ukrainian president said it was no longer just “a wealthy madman like Putin” who could afford mass attacks as he demonstrated the latest technology to British MPs and peers. Continue reading...

Leaders seek a diplomatic solution despite US president’s threat of ‘a very bad future’ for Nato unless it provides warshipsMiddle East crisis – live updatesEuropean countries have ruled out sending warships to the strait of Hormuz, despite threats from Donald Trump that Nato faces “a very bad future” if members fail to help reopen the vital waterway.Germany ruled out participation in any military activity, including efforts to reopen the strait. “This is not our war, we have not started it,” said the country’s defence minister, Boris Pistorius. Continue reading...

US president says it is ‘only appropriate’ for Europe to help, and warns failure to do so would be ‘very bad’ for Nato. Plus, meet the Americans withholding their federal income taxGood morning.Donald Trump has ratcheted up the pressure on European allies to help protect the strait of Hormuz, warning that Nato faces a “very bad” future if its members fail to come to Washington’s aid.What did Trump say? The US president told the Financial Times in an interview: “It’s only appropriate that people who are the beneficiaries of the strait will help to make sure that nothing bad happens there. If there’s no response or if it’s a negative response, I think it will be very bad for the future of Nato.”Who else won? Here’s all the winners at the 98th Academy Awards.Who was remembered this year? This year’s Academy Awards featured an extended in memoriam section to honour the considerable number of Hollywood legends who have died over the past year. Diane Keaton, Robert Redford and Rob Reiner were remembered in standalone speeches, while Claudia Cardinale and Catherine O’Hara also had extended moments. James Van Der Beek and Brigitte Bardot were among stars who were snubbed from the tribute. Continue reading...

Milan-based bank plans to up its near-30% stake in German lender to trigger formal talks despite strong opposition from BerlinTwo European banking powerhouses have become embroiled in a €35bn (£30bn) takeover battle after Italy’s UniCredit stepped up its long-running pursuit of German lender Commerzbank, despite strong opposition from the German government.UniCredit first took a stake of 9% in Commerzbank in September 2024 and has since built up its holding to just under 30%. It said on Monday it was pushing to increase that holding further and push the rival lender into formal merger talks. Continue reading...

US president says it is ‘only appropriate’ for Europe to help, and warns failure to do so would be ‘very bad’ for NatoMiddle East crisis – live updatesDonald Trump has ratcheted up the pressure on European allies to help protect the strait of Hormuz, warning that Nato faces a “very bad” future if its members fail to come to Washington’s aid.The effective closure of the vital waterway by Tehran in retaliation for airstrikes by the US and Israel has proved catastrophic for global energy and trade flows, causing the largest oil supply disruption in history and soaring global oil prices. Continue reading...

British negotiators ‘blindsided’ by Brussels’ demand for a reduction that could cost universities £140m a yearBritain is in a standoff with Brussels over a demand to cut university tuition fees for European students, in a row that threatens to scupper Keir Starmer’s planned EU reset.EU officials say European students should pay “home” fees of about £9,500 a year as part of the negotiations over a youth mobility scheme, rather than the higher international rate, which can rise above £60,000. Continue reading...

Summer holidaymakers opting for ‘more familiar, easy-to-reach locations’ as travel industry counts cost of Middle East conflictHolidaymakers who had planned to visit the eastern Mediterranean this summer are moving their trips to the west and the Caribbean because of the US-Israel war on Iran, travel companies have said.Travellers from the UK and mainland Europe are increasingly swapping their holiday destinations away from Cyprus, Turkey and Greece towards Italy, Spain, Malta and Croatia, as the region around the Middle East grapples with flight cancellations and airspace closures. Continue reading...

A single femur found in Bulgaria appears to represent an ape or early hominin that walked on two legs before any known African hominin, but the evidence is far from conclusive

Major European companies warned EU leaders on March 13, 2026, that efforts to reduce dependence on US tech like Microsoft and Google cloud services could damage profitability and competitiveness. The EU's new sovereignty package targets AI and software reliance amid geopolitical risks. Firms across banking and manufacturing highlighted the high costs of shifting from entrenched US platforms. Discussions echoed concerns raised at the January Davos World Economic Forum.