EU council president Charles Michel has said the virus exposed “the gaps in our national preparedness.” In a speech at the world health summit, he said, “just last week we had our latest European Council meeting. I have now chaired over 16 meetings where the 27 EU Leaders have addressed COVID-19. And I can tell you…
The internationally acclaimed soprano, Sonya Yoncheva, is set for a rare appearance in Belgium as part of her new European tour. Along with the Cappella Mediterranea (under Leonardo Garcia Alarcon), she will appear in concert in Brussels at Bozar on 15 December. It is an opportunity to present her latest creation, “Rebirth”, to the Belgian…
Tibetan and Hongkong students protesting in Athens against the handover of the Olympic Torch to the Beijing 2022 Committee have been arrested. They waved the Tibetan flag and Hongkong’s revolution flag at the iconic historical landmark of the Acropolis, chanting “Boycott Beijing 2022” and “Free Tibet” as Greek authorities promptly confiscated their flag. Displaying the…
MEPs have awarded Russian opposition politician and anti-corruption activist Alexei Navalny the European Parliament’s 2021 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. Parliament Vice-President Heidi Hautala announced the 2021 laureate in the Strasbourg plenary chamber on Wednesday afternoon, following an earlier decision by the Conference of Presidents (President and political group leaders). Parliament President David Sassoli said: “The European Parliament…
Romania is suffering a multitude of crises as energy prices soar, Covid-19 infection rates are rising to worrying levels, a potential new prime minister is struggling to form a government and the country’s justice system has faced strong criticism in the UK’s High Court of Justice as the judge refused to allow Gabriel Popoviciu to…
In 2020 the Prime Minister of Sudan, Abdullah Hamdok, survived an assassination attempt that had targeted his convoy as he headed to work in Khartoum. Film footage posted online showed two damaged white vehicles used by Sudan’s top officials parked on a street. Another vehicle was badly damaged in the blast of the explosion, but…
David Frost (Lord Frost), UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Minister for Brexit, delivered a speech in Portugal today outlining his proposals for Northern Ireland. We publish here without comment the text of his speech in full. Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen A year and a half ago, in the days immediately after the UK finally left…
Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has expressed “concern” at the latest situation in Poland. On Friday, she issued a statement which read, “I am deeply concerned by yesterday’s ruling of the Polish Constitutional Tribunal. I have instructed the Commission’s services to analyse it thoroughly and swiftly. On this basis, we will decide on next steps. …
Aux Armes de Bruxelles has come up with a particularly innovative way to celebrate its 100th birthday. This iconic Brussels restaurant is offering an amazing 50 per cent discount off the cost of a meal. Not only that but the restaurant owners will invite all centenarians of the Brussels Region to dine free of charge….
Last week the European Court of Justice issued a decision on legal actions for annulment brought by the separatist terrorist organisation Polisario against two Council decisions concerning the conclusion of agreements between the European Union and Morocco. The agreements concern EU imports of agricultural products originating in Morocco and sustainable fisheries. Polisario lodged the applications…
