Travel News Which? finds budget airlines’ lowest cabin bag fees rarely available Major UK consumer watchdog Which? has slammed European budget airlines for almost never actually offering cabin bag fares as low as advertised. 13/12/2025
Europe News By locking in Russian assets for good, the EU finally plays hardball In an audacious move, the EU has decided to indefinitely immobilise the Russian sovereign assets, pushing back against external pressure to release the funds before Moscow agrees to pay war reparations to Ukraine. 13/12/2025
Europe News How the European Parliament could still derail the EU-Mercosur deal Three votes in the European Parliament could derail the largest free trade area ever struck by the European Union – or at least significantly change it. 13/12/2025
Poland Tunnel under Poland-Belarus border for immigrant smuggling discovered More than 180 foreigners have illegally entered Poland through a tunnel under the border with Belarus. Most of the migrants have already been detained, the search for the others is still ongoing. 13/12/2025
Culture news Rare Roman-style 'Good Shepherd' fresco discovered in Turkey The 3rd-century fresco uncovered by Turkish archaeologists is the best-preserved of its kind to date. 12/12/2025
Hungary Hungary Orbán slams Brussels over Russian assets freeze The Hungarian prime minister strongly condemned a move by the EU to indefinitely immobilise Russian Central Bank assets, widely seen as a way of circumventing a Hungarian veto. 12/12/2025
12 minutes with 'Let's prove them wrong': Spanish economy minister responds to US Spanish Economy Minister says Europeans must stay united and keep focused on integration after the Trump administration said the continent's economy is suffocating under excessive regulation and weak leadership. 12/12/2025
Ukraine Zelenskyy appears in Kupyansk after Russia claimed it was occupied The Ukrainian president published a video Friday from Kupyansk in Kharkiv region, visiting Ukrainian positions less than 2 kilometres away from Russian troops and well within the range of Moscow’s drones and artillery. 12/12/2025
Ukraine Why does Russia want Ukraine’s Donbas? Moscow continues to insist that it wants Kyiv to withdraw its forces from Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region, which Ukraine has been fiercely defending since 2014. What is there, and why is Moscow keen to take control of the entire area so much? 12/12/2025
No Comment Turkey find reveals rare Roman-style Jesus fresco A rare 3rd-century fresco of Jesus as the Good Shepherd was discovered near Iznik, Turkey. 12/12/2025
Europe News Three years on, former MEP Kaili remains in limbo still awaiting trial Former EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini was detained this month in a major fraud probe, as ex-European Parliament Vice-President Eva Kaili remains in legal limbo three years after her arrest in the 2022 corruption scandal. 12/12/2025
Europe News EU dismisses Russia's lawsuit against Euroclear as 'speculative' As the EU rushes to approve a reparations loan for Ukraine, the Russian Central Bank has launched a lawsuit against Euroclear, the institution that holds €185 billion of its assets. 12/12/2025
No Comment Hundreds join strike in Rome against 2026 budget plans Hundreds in Rome protested against Italy’s 2026 budget, demanding more investment in public services over defence, disrupting transport and healthcare. 12/12/2025
Netherlands Utrecht lifts forest warning after DNA confirms wolf shot was 'Bram' According to the European Commission, there are around 23,000 wild wolves in Europe and the population increased by 35% between 2016 and 2023. 12/12/2025
Europe News Trump's policies set to widen EU-US innovation gap in 2026 Companies say the EU’s deregulation efforts are insufficient against Trump's “carrot-and-stick” strategy of pairing generous US tax incentives with a punitive 15% tariff on imports from the EU. 12/12/2025
The Cube Fact check: How realistic is a bespoke EU-UK customs union? Brexit is back making headlines in the UK after the Liberal Democrats received support for creating a bespoke customs union. Where does the UK currently stand, and what benefits would such an agreement bring? 12/12/2025
Travel News Ryanair threatens to cut 20 more EU routes over ‘sky-high’ taxes Ryanair has slammed the increasing aviation tax in Belgium, pledging to drastically reduce its services. 12/12/2025
Germany Germany summons Russian ambassador over alleged election interference The foreign ministry said that Germany "would take a series of countermeasures to make Russia pay a price for its hybrid actions in close coordination with our European partners." 12/12/2025
Made in Europe Building Green: Rethinking construction for a low-energy Europe Did you know that the buildings around us, and the ones we live in, are responsible for 40% of Europe’s energy consumption? To achieve a climate-neutral Europe by 2050, we need to build differently. And in part, we already are — but how, and to what extent? 12/12/2025
Europe News EU approves temporary €3 fixed customs charge on low-value imports From 1 July 2026, the EU will levy a charge on small parcels entering the bloc, with ecommerce platforms such as Temu and Shein expected to be most affected. 12/12/2025
12 minutes with European Ombudswoman weighs in on von der Leyen’s vanishing texts The European Ombudswoman has defended the European Commission’s commitment to transparency amid criticism that President Ursula von der Leyen is running an increasingly opaque operation, but recognised "challenges" in upholding free access to documents. 12/12/2025
Europe News EU auditors question 'unclear' impact of LIFE environmental funds EU auditors found that the environmental funds under the LIFE programme are difficult to assess, according to their latest audit. They also urged the European Commission to increase oversight as 123 new projects were recently awarded €358 million in LIFE funding. 12/12/2025
Ukraine Russia cuts power and water in Odesa as infrastructure strikes persist Russia has continued its campaign against Ukraine’s critical infrastructure, causing long power outages across Ukraine. 12/12/2025
Finland Drone technology is critical to Ukraine's fight against Russia Recent incursions into NATO territory and manpower shortages faced by the Ukrainian armed forces have accelerated advances in drone technology. No longer just complementary to traditional warfare, they are a necessity on the frontline against Russia – and increasingly on Europe’s eastern flank. 12/12/2025
Italy Woman crashes stolen boat into Venice's historic Rialto Bridge An Italian woman stole a delivery boat in Venice and crashed it into the 16th-century Rialto Bridge on Thursday, damaging the stone balustrade and sending parcels into the Grand Canal. 12/12/2025
Croatia Croatia purchases German-made Leopards after donating tanks to Ukraine Croatia signed a €1.48 billion deal to purchase 44 Leopard 2A8 tanks from Germany, replacing eastern military equipment as part of a broader defence modernisation programme. 12/12/2025