Portugal has banned face coverings in public spaces after President Antonio Jose Seguro signed a law originally proposed by the right-wing Chega party. Seguro approved the measure Tuesday, saying it addressed an issue of “great social and cultural sensitivity,” according to a note by the Belem Palace, the presidential seat in Lisbon. He said amendments […]
Continue ReadingThe UK's weather agency issued yellow thunderstorm warnings Wednesday for parts of the country, with flash flooding expected. The Met Office said warnings will come into force across northern England, Northern Ireland and eastern Scotland later Wednesday, while the warning for northern England will remain in place until early Thursday. It added the disruption could […]
Continue ReadingGreece’s newly announced renewable energy spatial framework covering the Aegean Sea will have no legal consequences for Türkiye regarding the interconnected disputes between the two countries, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said Wednesday. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oncu Keceli said the framework, like similar Greek initiatives, would have no legal effect on Türkiye, including with regard to […]
Continue ReadingLebanese President Joseph Aoun arrived in Italy on Wednesday to hold meetings with Pope Leo XIV, Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Aoun arrived at Ciampino military airport near Rome, where he was received by Bruno Pasquino, the head of diplomatic protocol in Italy, and Monsignor Javier Fernandez Gonzalez, the chief of […]
Continue ReadingUK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said Wednesday that Britain summoned Israel’s Chargé d’Affaires after the Israeli government launched a tender for a major settlement project in the E1 area of the occupied West Bank, calling the move “unacceptable and destructive." "E1 would cut across the heart of Palestine and risks separating the West Bank from […]
Continue ReadingNearly four in five Germans name the economy as one of the country’s biggest problems, according to a new poll by the Forsa institute. Fifteen months into Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government, 79% of respondents listed the economic situation as their top concern — well ahead of migration, climate change, or security risks tied to wars […]
Continue ReadingThat is the idea behind the European Commission's proposed overhaul of the Tobacco Taxation Directive (TTD), which aims to raise minimum excise duties on cigarettes by 139 percent. It will also introduce EU-wide minimum taxes on vapes, heated tobacco products, and nicotine pouches. The proposal is still under negotiation because it requires unanimous approval from […]
Continue ReadingFrench President Emmanuel Macron has promulgated a law establishing a right to assisted dying for certain patients following years of public and parliamentary debate, local media reported Wednesday. The legislation was published in the Official Journal after the Constitutional Council approved it last week, subject to several reservations, according to French broadcaster BFMTV. Under the […]
Continue ReadingFrance's President Emmanuel Macron signed assisted dying legislation into law on Wednesday, after it was upheld by the Constitutional Council last week. Macron's office hailed the council's decision on Friday which was seen as one of the major social reforms of his second term. The ruling "completes an exemplary democratic debate," the Élysée Palace said, […]
Continue ReadingBelgium’s Prince Laurent has formally recognized Clement Vandenkerckhove as his son, making the 26-year-old a prince of Belgium and a legal heir, local media reported Wednesday. The acknowledgment of paternity was formally registered before a civil registrar, according to Belgian magazine Soir Mag. Laurent, the younger brother of King Philippe, publicly revealed in September 2025 […]
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