Post-COP 29: Minister Emphasizes Significance of Agreement Amid Criticism from Environmental Groups

Brussels – In January 2025, there were 66,800 asylum applications submitted in the EU, a 25% decrease from January 2024, which saw 87,890 applications. However, this figure reflects an 8% increase compared to December 2024, when 62,075 applications were recorded, according to data released by Eurostat on Tuesday. Notably, Venezuelans have now overtaken Syrians as the largest group of asylum seeke

During recent discussions in Rome, Cardinal Pietro Parolin likely raised concerns about the Trump administration’s cuts to USAID, a decision perceived within Vatican circles as damaging to the Church’s global charitable efforts. Sources familiar with Vatican perspectives suggest Parolin also restated Pope Francis’s well-known opposition to the administration’s restrictive migration policies. Throu

A coalition of European Union member states is exploring options to circumvent Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s repeated veto threats over sanctions on Russia, diplomatic sources say. The emerging plan involves individual EU countries adopting the sanctions into their own national legislation, thereby diminishing Hungary’s ability to block future renewals at the EU level.
Under current EU

Roeselare Opens ‘Het Venster’ Garden Venue for Outdoor Civil Weddings
Roeselare, Belgium – Residents of Roeselare now have the option to celebrate their civil weddings outdoors, thanks to the city’s newly inaugurated garden venue. This unique setting, known as “Het Venster,” is a steel structure shaped like a house, nestled in the landscaped inner courtyard of the city’s new town hall.

LUXEMBOURG (ANP) – Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp has made it clear that the Netherlands is not in favor of speeding up Ukraine’s EU accession process, a stance that sets it apart from other nations.
Veldkamp acknowledged Ukraine’s efforts to gain EU membership, stating, “They are making tremendous efforts, but the Netherlands maintains a strict and critical approach to

Ukrainian Incursion into Kursk Nears End amid Russian Counteroffensive and Diplomatic Turmoil
Ukrainian forces launched a bold and controversial cross-border incursion into Russia’s Kursk region last year, catching many observers—and even some within Ukraine—by surprise. While President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has maintained that the operation was a calculated success and could strengthen Kyiv’s

Title: Myanmar Earthquake Aftermath: Thousands Still in Crisis Weeks Later
More than three weeks after powerful earthquakes struck central Myanmar on 28 March, the humanitarian situation remains dire. At least 3,700 people are confirmed dead, with 4,800 injured and 129 still missing. However, aid agencies caution that the actual death toll is likely much higher due to underreporting and persisten

Tielt-Winge (Eurotoday) – Freddy Konings is bidding farewell to decades of loyal burger fans after being forced to vacate his long-standing spot. Recent municipal changes compelled Freddy to relocate his hamburger stand from its familiar site in front of Gouden Kruispunt in Tielt-Winge, ending a 30-year tradition.
Freddy now has the chance to say a proper goodbye to the customers who frequented

Yerevan/Baku – This week, Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon traveled to Armenia and Azerbaijan to promote peace initiatives between the two nations, which recently concluded negotiations and reached agreements on the final aspects of a peace deal. This agreement is anticipated to officially resolve nearly 40 years of conflict.
Fajon kicked off her trip in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, where she met

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Saturday that Russia will observe an Easter ceasefire in the ongoing war in Ukraine, ordering a temporary halt to all combat operations over the holiday weekend.
According to a message posted on the Kremlin’s official Telegram channel, the truce is being offered “guided by humanitarian considerations.” The pause in hostilities is set to begin at 6 p.m.