Belarus Belarus’ parliament passes bill to crack down on LGBTQ+ rights Belarus decriminalised homosexuality in 1994 after the collapse of the Soviet Union, but it doesn’t recognise same-sex marriages and lacks protection for LGBTQ+ rights. 02/04/2026
No Comment From the Chrism Mass to the washing of the feet: Pope Leo’s first Easter season begins Pope Leo XIV begins his first Easter as pontiff by washing priests’ feet, following a tradition previously used by Pope Francis, while warning against domination in a troubled world. 02/04/2026
No Comment Videos show explosions in central Iran as conflict with Israel intensifies Iran was hit by a powerful new wave of strikes on Wednesday when massive explosions and thick plumes of smoke rose over Baharestan, in the Esfahan region of central Iran. 02/04/2026
France French MEP Rima Hassan in custody over alleged apology for terrorism Hassan, who was born stateless in a refugee camp for Palestinians in Syria, is one of France's most vocal pro-Palestine activists and has already had brushes with the law for perceived glorification of terrorism. 02/04/2026
Culture news Priceless golden helmet from Romania stolen from Dutch museum found The helmet was on display at the small Drents Museum in January 2025, the last weekend of a six-month-long exhibition, when thieves broke in and grabbed it, along with three golden wristbands. 02/04/2026
USA Trump sacks attorney general and replaces with ex-personal lawyer Bondi has reportedly drawn Trump's ire by falling short with efforts to prosecute perceived opponents such as former FBI director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. 02/04/2026
Cuba Russia plans to send second oil tanker to Cuba, energy minister says Cuba produces barely 40% of its required fuel and relies on imports to sustain its crumbling energy grid. 02/04/2026
Culture news German artist given jail by Russian court for display mocking Putin Jacques Tilly has been designing and building floats for Düsseldorf’s Carnival parade, one of Germany’s best-known, since 1984. 02/04/2026
Top News Stories Today Latest news bulletin | April 2nd, 2026 – Evening Catch up with the most important stories from around Europe and beyond this April 2nd, 2026 - latest news, breaking news, World, Business, Entertainment, Politics, Culture, Travel. 02/04/2026
Design Brussels festival unveils rare Art Deco and Art Nouveau gems Around sixty historic buildings in Belgium opened their doors to visitors throughout March as part of the Brussels Art Nouveau & Art Deco (BANAD) festival. 02/04/2026
Europe News Over 40 countries launch coalition to secure Strait of Hormuz The multinational coalition will pursue "the collective mobilisation of our full range of diplomatic and economic tools" to enable a "safe and sustained opening" of the Strait of Hormuz, said the British foreign secretary. 02/04/2026
Israel Stretched to the brink: Israel faces multi-front manpower crisis Amid reports of troop deployment to the West Bank to contain settler violence and warnings of manpower shortage by Israel's top general, Euronews spoke to two Israeli experts to gauge the pressure on the country's security and internal stability. 02/04/2026
Ukraine Over 1.6 million Ukrainians went home to frontline areas, report shows Feeling homesick outweighs the risk of living in frontline areas for over 1.6 million Ukrainians who have returned home despite constant Russian attacks. ‘Save the Children’ researchers stated that “going back to a warzone is never a choice anyone makes lightly.” 02/04/2026
The Cube French municipal elections hit with foreign interference allegations Following his defeat in the Toulouse municipal election, left-wing candidate François Piquemal has called for the vote to be voided, alongside a criminal complaint alleging foreign digital interference. The Cube takes a look at the claims. 02/04/2026
Iran Iran vows 'crushing' attacks on US and Israel after Trump threats The comments come after a prime-time address at the White House in which US President Donald Trump threatened to bomb Iran "back to the Stone Ages, where they belong." 02/04/2026
No Comment Italy : snowstorms and heavy rain leave people trapped in their homes Heavy rain and snowstorms in central and southern Italy brought down bridges and left people trapped in their homes on Thursday. Firefighters used special snowcat trucks to plow through huge banks of snow in small towns in the Italian region of Molise. 02/04/2026
Cinema Actor John Travolta's directorial debut set to premiere at Cannes Hollywood icon John Travolta will premiere his first feature film Propeller One-Way Night Coach at the Cannes International Film Festival in May 02/04/2026
Health news Stopping smoking: What really works to quit? From cytisine to psychological paths, via drugs and alternative techniques: what really works to quit smoking and why it is easier to do so today 02/04/2026
Azerbaijan Euroviews. Azerbaijan-European Union Relations: Current State and Prospects Whether in politics, the economy or energy security, relations between Azerbaijan and the EU have been developing dynamically, writes Dr. Matin Mammadli in an opinion piece for Euronews. Increased investment, technology transfer and visa facilitation would further strengthen these ties. 02/04/2026
Europe News Austria refuses US overfly requests, citing its neutrality policy US President Donald Trump has criticised European allies for refusing US military aircraft permission to use their airspace for operations connected to the war in Iran. 02/04/2026
Business FIFA raises top ticket price for World Cup final to $10,990 FIFA raised its top ticket price for the World Cup final to $10,990 (€9,533) during the glitch-hampered reopening of sales Wednesday after the 48-team field for this year's tournament was finalised. 02/04/2026
Destinations The best destinations for solo female travellers From the wildlife wonders of Costa Rica to the charming old towns of Estonia, here’s where you should be headed. 02/04/2026
Business TAP sale: Air France-KLM submits non-binding bid as deadline looms The deadline for submitting bids for the privatisation of the national airline TAP Air Portugal is this Thursday. The Portuguese government expects to receive three bids. 02/04/2026
Moments The ultimate cheese tour in France for fromage fans This 11-day tour allows fromage fans to experience the best of France’s cheese and wine regions like Bordeaux, Loire Valley and Burgundy. 02/04/2026
Albania Albania on alert after US warning as Bulgaria confirms Iran note Albania is on alert after the United States Embassy in Tirana warned of possible threats linked to the Tehran regime. Meanwhile, Bulgaria confirmed it received a warning from Iran over US military use of its airports. 02/04/2026
Earth News World's oldest tortoise is 'very much alive' despite death rumours A viral post claiming a 193-year-old tortoise had passed away has been linked to a cryptocurrency scam. Here's all you need to know. 02/04/2026
Iran Videos show explosions after a series of strikes hits Isfahan in central Iran Massive explosions and thick plumes of smoke rose in Isfahan after a powerful wave of strikes hit central Iran on Wednesday. The attacks follow earlier US strikes in the same region that triggered a large fireball. Tehran retaliates with strikes on Gulf facilities and missile launches toward Israel. 02/04/2026
France Trump undermining NATO by casting doubt on US commitment, Macron says The US president has repeatedly railed against Western partners for not responding to his call to assemble a naval force to help reopen the crucial Strait of Hormuz, which has effectively been closed by Tehran. 02/04/2026
Ukraine Russia fired record number of drones at Ukraine in March, data show Ukraine has sought to scale up its air defences in response, deploying cheap interceptor drones to destroy their Russian counterparts. 02/04/2026
Travel News Pilgrims may soon fly directly to Mecca as airport plans take off Plans for a new airport and metro system aim to improve access for the many pilgrims that visit Mecca annually, and ease travel within the holy city. 02/04/2026