2025-02-05

Europeans' Stories

Are Syrian refugees’ rights at stake in Europe after Assad’s fall?

Several European countries have suspended processing asylum requests from Syrian nationals following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria.

05/02/2025

Qatar 365

Sports, Nature & Wellness: Qatar’s Tourism Hotspots

In partnership with Media City

Whether you’re a sports fan, nature lover, or wellness enthusiast, Qatar offers something for all visitors. The Qatar 365 team sits down with seven-time Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton, explores the waters of Qatar’s Mangroves, and visits the Korean Medical Center for a glowing complexion.

05/02/2025

Europe News

Poland to refit F-35 jets with better-camouflaged insignia

A proposed change to the checkerboard insignia on Polish warplanes could make them harder for enemies to detect in battle.

05/02/2025

Culture news

Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath announce huge final show

Ozzy Osbourne is set to reunite with his Black Sabbath bandmates for what will be his final performance - "the greatest heavy metal show ever".

05/02/2025

Europe News

European Commission opens Shein probe and targets Chinese e-commerce giants

The Commission calls for stricter enforcement of consumer protection and environmental standards in online commerce in a new communication focusing on Chinese marketplaces; separately announcing an investigation into clothes giant Shein.

05/02/2025

EuroVerify

Do most refugees in Sweden holiday back home, as Elon Musk claims?

The South Africa-born billionaire's claim that refugees in Sweden are playing the system has gone viral, but the catchy 79% figure has been taken out of context.

05/02/2025

Iraq

Iraq’s top court freezes laws on women, detainees, and land rights

The move follows a complaint by lawmakers who argued that the voting process was unlawful.

05/02/2025

Europe News

EU court upholds €320 million fine against Poland over judicial reform

Poland will not be reimbursed the €320 million in EU funds that it lost during its protracted dispute with Brussels over judicial independence.

05/02/2025

Art

Badger admiring Banksy wins Wildlife Photographer People's Choice

This year's winner shows a badger looking at a graffiti version of itself. It was praised as "flawlessly timed" and will be displayed online and at London's Natural History Museum until the end of June.

05/02/2025

Business

Santander announces buyback plan while CA also sees earnings rise

Spain's Santander has reported a record profit of €12.57bn and revealed plans for more share buybacks. France's Crédit Agricole, meanwhile, has recorded a rise in net income.

05/02/2025

Europe News

Greenland seeks more EU investment amid US and Chinese interest

Greenland's national debate about independence will consider negotiating better terms in its relationship with Denmark and securing more significant investment from the EU.

05/02/2025

Culture news

Finalists named for longest-running women+'s playwrighting prize

Nine finalists have been announced for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, the most prestigious English-language theatre prize for women and non-binary writers.

05/02/2025

Europe News

Brussels metro disrupted as police hunt for gunmen in tunnels

Two men wearing balaclavas exchanged fire outside the Clémenceau metro station in the Belgian capital early on Wednesday.

05/02/2025

Markets

Record-breaking bullion rally: Is this the start of a new gold rush?

Gold's record-breaking rally has soared past $2,870 per ounce, fuelled by central bank purchases, inflation concerns, and deglobalisation fears. Trade tariffs imposed by the Trump administration are further amplifying demand for safe-haven assets.

05/02/2025

Europe News

UK foreign secretary visits Ukraine to announce new support package

Lammy's trip comes two weeks after UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer signed a 100-year partnership agreement between the two countries.

05/02/2025

USA

Trump moves to bar transgender athletes from women’s sports

The move is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to eliminate the recognition of transgender identity from federal regulations.

05/02/2025

Work

French AI start-up Mistral partners with government job search agency

The Paris-based start-up was founded in 2023 and has been widely cited as a European rival to the US AI giant Open AI.

05/02/2025

Tech News

Meta top official warns against penalising US companies

The Big Tech giant is also sceptical about the EU’s plans to help companies comply with the EU’s AI Act.

05/02/2025

Ireland

Irish police seize €14 million worth of drugs in small town bust

Police announced three men have being arrested over the drug seizure, which they say is a major blow to an organised crime group.

05/02/2025

Greenland

Greenland bans foreign political donations amid Trump threat

Donald Trump wants to make the Arctic territory part of the US, something that Greenland's prime minister has said is out of the question.

05/02/2025

Culture news

Russia to relaunch Soviet-era Eurovision rival under Putin's orders

The revived contest, planned to take place in Moscow later this year, is Russia's way of directly challenging Eurovision while promoting "traditional values."

05/02/2025

Top News Stories Today

Latest news bulletin | February 5th – Midday

Catch up with the most important stories from around Europe and beyond - latest news, breaking news, World, Business, Entertainment, Politics, Culture, Travel.

05/02/2025

Travel News

Flights grounded in Italy due to nationwide strike and a fire

Flights have been cancelled in Italy’s major airports due to nationwide strikes and a fire on Wednesday morning.

05/02/2025

Tech News

Apple lashes out at EU and iPhone porn app maker

Apple says it is 'deeply concerned' about EU regulations that allow a rival app store to promote the download of an adult content app for the iPhone.

05/02/2025

Lifestyle

Henna art recognised as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage

Henna, a symbol of joy and tradition across the Arab world, has been recognised by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, with Morocco at the heart of its rich history.

05/02/2025

Business

Novo Nordisk shares surge as weight loss treatments boost profits

Demand for weight-loss drugs surged throughout 2024, outpacing supply for most of the year. In December, Novo Holdings, an investment foundation of Novo Nordisk, acquired three manufacturing sites in Catalent to expand its production capacity.

05/02/2025

Haiti

US deported Haitian migrants under Trump's new executive orders

In the first week of the US president's second term, officials reported the deportation of some 7,300 people of different nationalities.

05/02/2025

World News

Trump's offer to 'take ownership' of Gaza draws international outrage

The suggestion that the US could 'take over' and 'own' the devastated Gaza Strip was met with rebukes from the Middle East and beyond.

05/02/2025

No Comment

Northern Sicily covered in mud after floods

The village of Zafferia is at the centre of the clean-up efforts, with firefighters and rescue workers clearing mud and securing the area.

05/02/2025

Ukraine

Ukraine's Zelenskyy says he is ready to hold direct talks with Putin

In an interview published on Tuesday, the Ukrainian president said that he would be willing to sit at the negotiating table with his Russian counterpart, if that was the only to "bring peace to the citizens of Ukraine and not lose people."

05/02/2025