Venezuelans protest as observers say presidential vote undemocratic
Est. 6minProtesters took to the streets across Venezuela on Tuesday (30 July), demanding that President Nicolás Maduro acknowledge he lost Sunday's election to the opposition, as a major international observer concluded the vote was undemocratic.
The Future of Spirits: A Toast to Balancing Growth and Responsibility
Est. 4minFrom the aqua vitae of mediaeval Europe to the baijiu of ancient China, distilled alcohol has an incredible global heritage, and today each sip of spirit tells the tale of its birthplace.
Kyiv hails dialogue with Beijing, hints at potential Zelenskyy-Xi meeting
Est. 2minUkraine has invited China's foreign minister to visit amid growing dialogue that could eventually lead to a meeting between the two countries' leaders, Kyiv's foreign ministry said on Tuesday (30 July).
Violent anti-Muslim crowd clashes with UK police after young girls killed
Est. 4minA large crowd of anti-Muslim protesters clashed with police on Tuesday (30 July) in a northern English town where three girls were stabbed to death and five other children critically wounded during an attack on a Taylor Swift-themed event on Monday.
Russian dissidents disappear from prison in sign a prisoner swap may be close
Est. 5minA number of Russian dissidents and people convicted for their opposition to Moscow's war in Ukraine have disappeared from Russian prisons in recent days, in what rights activists say is a possible sign that a prisoner swap with the West may be close.
Hungary visa move stokes EU fears of Russian espionage
Est. 3minThe European People's Party (EPP) has raised security concerns over a decision by Hungary to ease visa restrictions for Russian and Belarusian citizens, fearing it could fuel espionage in the EU, according to a letter seen by Reuters on Tuesday (30 July).
Slovak National Cancer Institute introduces CAR T-cell therapy
Est. 4minSlovakia's National Cancer Institute (NOÚ) is offering new hope to patients with otherwise incurable diagnoses, with the launch of innovative CAR T-cell therapy for lymphoma and leukaemia treatment.
Polish government consults industry on 80 amendments to drug reimbursement act
Est. 5minA revamp of Poland's drug reimbursement law is underway. Government officials and industry representatives have advanced discussions, and a final draft of the amendment is expected by the end of the summer.
Czech MEP advocates EU budget support for high-cost gene and cell therapies
Est. 4minThe rising cost of transformative therapies, which can run into millions of euros for each treatment, has prompted calls for innovative funding solutions, including support from the EU budget.
Slovak health insurance companies predict yearly losses in tens of millions
Est. 5minRising healthcare costs are straining Slovak health insurance companies. The state-owned General Health Insurance Company (VšZP) took the worst hit with a predicted €169 million year-end loss.
Germany to downsize bloated parliament after Constitutional Court ruling
Est. 3minGermany’s Constitutional Court approved on Tuesday (30 July) the government’s plans to downsize the Bundestag by roughly 100 lawmakers but threw out some parts of the proposed reform to protect smaller political parties.
Greek prosecutor drops case against spy service over malware use
Est. 2minGreece’s Supreme Court prosecutor has shelved a case against the intelligence service, EYP, as a preliminary probe by the court showed no evidence that the agency used illegal phone malware to spy on targets.
Spain watchdog fines Booking.com €413 million euros
Est. 2minSpain's competition watchdog fined Booking.com with a record €413 million fine for "abusing its dominant position" during the past five years.
EU Commission opens stakeholder participation in drafting general-purpose AI code of practice
Est. 3minThe European Commission has issued a call to stakeholders to participate in drafting a code of practice for general-purpose artificial intelligence (GPAI), a key part of compliance with the AI Act for deployers of technology like ChatGPT, according to a press release on Tuesday (30 July).
Cultivated foie gras could pave way for more lab-grown meats, EU farmers warn
Est. 5minAs a French company seeks approval to sell a cell-based duck product mimicking the famous foie gras, the EU livestock sector denounced the move as “a perfect door opener” for other lab-grown products, questioning their safety and sustainability.
Social welfare will be key to Europe’s competitiveness, says Parliament’s new employment committee chief
Est. 5minThe Left Group prioritised securing the chairmanship of the European Parliament’s labour affairs committee to prevent any rollback of environmental and workers’ protections over the next five-year mandate, the new committee’s leftist chief told Euractiv in an interview.
International flights to be exempted from mandatory contrails reporting
Est. 4minEU law will require airlines to report their non-CO2 emissions, such as sulfur dioxide, water, and soot from January 2025. But a public consultation by the European Commission that closed on Monday (29 July) signalled that flights to and from non-EU destinations will be exempted.
Teenage girls face ‘alarming’ rates of intimate partner violence, WHO warns
Est. 3minAn alarming number of teenage girls will experience physical and/or sexual violence in their intimate relationships, the World Health Organisation (WHO) warned in a new study published on Tuesday (30 July).
Foreign actors seek to influence US presidential race, says intelligence officer
Est. 3minUS foes targeting November's election with influence operations are expected to adapt to presidential contest developments, a US intelligence official said on Monday (29 July), in an apparent reference to Joe Biden dropping his reelection bid.
EDF CEO: New nuclear reactors in less than six years each
Est. 3minThe head of French energy utility EDF used his presentation of the latest financial results last Friday (July 26) to update the company's nuclear ambitions: a target of 70 months to build a reactor - or half the current construction time.
Don’t bomb Beirut: US leads push to rein in Israel’s response
Est. 5minThe United States is leading a diplomatic dash to deter Israel from striking Lebanon's capital Beirut or major civil infrastructure in response to a deadly rocket attack on the Golan Heights, five people with knowledge of the drive said.
Venezuela opposition says its victory is irreversible, protests turn violent
Est. 5minVenezuela opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said on Monday (29 July) the country's opposition has 73.2% of the voting tallies from Sunday's election, allowing it to prove election results it says give it a victory.
Wildfires: The prevention tactics the EU must focus on
Wildfires are once again raging in the south of Europe. With rising temperatures and global warming, wildfires have become a prominent issue for Europe, particularly in the summer, showing that the need for effective prevention and management is critical.
Slovakia will halt diesel supplies to Ukraine unless oil transit restored, PM says
Est. 2minSlovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Monday (29 July) his country would halt diesel supplies to Ukraine if Kyiv fails to restore oil flows from Russian group Lukoil through its territory.