Journal De Bruxelles - News from Brussels, Belgium, Europe and the world

Poland's conservative President Karol Nawrocki on Friday vetoed a bill proposed by Prime Minister Donald Tusk's centrist government legalising civil partnerships, he announced in a statement.

Britain's charities regulator is looking into concerns about an Amnesty International report that branded a women's centre for sexual violence victims founded by Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling as "anti-rights".

The United States and Iran traded attacks on Friday, with Tehran targeting American assets across the Middle East in the biggest escalation since the two foes returned to outright war.

Tokyo and Taipei stock markets led a fresh selloff for technology shares Friday, as concerns that the sector had been overbought in recent months intensified.

Low-cost horror movie "Obsession" from first-time director Curry Barker is on track to become one of the most profitable films of all time, with the cinema sensation piling up global revenues of more than $400 million.

Rugby's new Nations Championship has "logistical challenges" that can only be solved by having some teams play home games at neutral venues, a top official said Friday.

The European Union on Friday proposed easing its carbon trading scheme for companies, as it unveiled reforms to one of its flagship climate policies under pressure to shore up industry.

Australia's Lucas Herbert equalled a British Open record with a six-under par 28 on the front nine at Royal Birkdale on Friday to storm into the lead.

A Russian court fined anti-war politician Boris Nadezhdin $13 on Friday for displaying "extremist symbols", delivering the verdict moments after paramedics performed a cardiogram on him in court over extreme high blood pressure.

Members of Afghan settlements in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa border province hurriedly packed up belongings this week while others hid at home as police launched a "large-scale crackdown" on undocumented residents.

Authorities in the Georgian capital Tbilisi have approved the demolition of a half-finished futuristic cultural complex, rekindling a debate over one of the city's most divisive landmarks.

France captain Maxime Lucu warned Friday that the heat and humidity in steamy Tokyo will affect decision-making when his side face Japan in the Nations Championship.

Football's global governing body FIFA will assess match reports before deciding if they take any action over Argentina's players holding up a banner reading "Las Malvinas son Argentinas" (The Falklands are Argentine) following their 2-1 victory over England.

Australian former world champion cyclist Rohan Dennis admitted on Friday to driving while disqualified over a 2023 road incident in the lead-up to his wife's accidental death.

Tokyo and Taipei led heavy losses on a glum day for Asian markets Friday, with tech firms once again in the crosshairs as investors cash in following this year's breathtaking rally.

Swedish carmaker Volvo Cars on Friday reported a drop in sales in the second quarter, noting a "very challenging environment," but said it expected sales to pick up in the second half of the year.

Joe Root said his younger England team-mates were having to "learn on the job" in one-day international cricket because of a lack of experience of the 50-over games.

India launched its first hydrogen-powered train Friday, joining a small group of nations testing the technology as part of efforts to decarbonise rail transport and cut dependence on fossil fuels.

A model released Friday by Chinese startup Moonshot AI has fuelled buzz around the country's tech prowess, as experts said it could rival some of the more advanced offerings from US labs.

MEXC, a pioneer in 0-fee digital asset trading, today released its May–June bimonthly security report, reinforcing its role as a trusted global gateway where security and trust always come first. The audit indicates that MEXC's Futures Insurance Fund surpassed a landmark threshold of 750 million USDT as of June 29, marking a substantial 34% expansion over the preceding reporting period. Concurrently, reserve verification data confirm that the coverage ratios for BTC, ETH, USDT, and USDC all remained safely above 100%, with Bitcoin delivering a reserve ratio of 269.35%.

The European Union on Friday unveils reforms of its carbon market, after fierce wrangling between countries, industry and activists over the pace of the bloc's climate push.

Veteran British star Petula Clark hopes artificial intelligence will never be able to replace the warmth and emotion of a real singer.

Harry Wilson said he's determined to continue captaining Australia as they build towards next year's home World Cup, while paying tribute on Friday to outgoing coach Joe Schmidt for his "relentless support".

Japan enacted a law on Friday that criminalises damaging the national flag, as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi pushes forward with her conservative agenda despite worries over freedom of expression.

On a rocky Cape Verde beach, Maria and Vania fill their buckets with black sand the moment that waves recede, transporting it on their heads to a stockpile where it will be sold illegally.

From the top of a wind turbine nearly 100 metres above the ground, Grzegorz Witek, a coal miner, gazes at the horizon.

When Eric Lauer needs to hire at Giftory, the online gift-giving platform he runs, he's no longer looking for eager young coders fresh out of college.

The more Yoriko Kitagawa learns of a massive data centre to be built near her home in Hino on the outskirts of Tokyo, the more she worries.

Tokyo and Taipei led losses on a glum day for Asian markets Friday, with tech firms once again in the crosshairs as investors cash in following this year's breathtaking rally.

Japan's parliament tweaked the imperial succession law on Friday but maintained the bar on women emperors -- despite surveys suggesting wide public support for the idea.

The United States hit Iran on Friday, with Tehran accusing US forces of striking civilians sites and drawing Iranian threats of reprisals on regional infrastructure.

US President Donald Trump resurrected long-debunked claims about fraud and foreign interference in the 2020 election, alleging in an address Thursday that China stole millions of voter files and suggesting Venezuela could manipulate American voting machines.