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

England Test captain Ben Stokes has suffered a severe facial injury after being struck by a cricket ball.

Captain Michele Lamaro and backs Juan Ignacio Brex and Paolo Garbisi will earn their 50th caps for Italy against Scotland in the Azzurri's Six Nations opener after being named in coach Gonzalo Quesada's starting XV on Thursday.

Just a month before the Formula One season gets rolling again in Australia, McLaren's Oscar Piastri said he got a "fair shot" at the 2025 title and there were no hard feelings about his titanic tussle with teammate Lando Norris.

The European Central Bank held interest rates steady for its fifth straight meeting Thursday, saying the eurozone economy remained "resilient" despite mounting worries about the impact of a stronger euro.

Spanish rescuers on Thursday desperately searched for a woman missing after a new storm hit the Iberian peninsula while Portugal warned of a heightened flood risk after several months' worth of rain fell in a few hours.

The European Union is close to concluding a long-sought trade agreement with Australia, as US President Donald Trump's tariffs accelerate Europe's push to seal deals with other global partners.

The German Cup final is to remain at Berlin's Olympic Stadium until at least 2030 after an extension was agreed with state authorities, the German FA (DFB) announced on Thursday.

Iran and the United States are holding talks on Friday in Oman, with Tehran pushing to focus squarely on its nuclear programme, while Washington's demands go beyond that.

The Stelvio course in Bormio that will stage the men's alpine skiing events at the 2026 Winter Olympics has a reputation for being tough, unrelenting and dangerous.

Denmark's Vestas, Europe’s leading wind turbine manufacturer, on Thursday posted an all-time high revenue, but noted that regulatory changes in the United states had made wind power investments less attractive.

Italy's Mattia Casse topped the second men's training for the Olympic downhill in Bormio on Thursday.

The head of the World Anti-Doping Agency said on Thursday he was "uncomfortable" with the presence at the 2026 Winter Olympics of the coach of the doped Russian skater Kamila Valieva.

Bitcoin, the world's biggest cryptocurrency, extended its price slump Thursday to trade under $70,000 for the first time since Donald Trump's presidential election victory in November 2024.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, battling for his political future, apologised Thursday to victims of Jeffrey Epstein for appointing disgraced Peter Mandelson as US ambassador.

England captain Harry Brook said on Thursday that he believes it could be a record-breaking T20 World Cup, with fans treated to a batting blitz and 300-plus scores.

Ukraine and Russia swapped over 300 prisoners following "productive" talks in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, as a US mediator conceded that "significant" work lay ahead in the quest for a broader deal to end the war.

Wales star Louis Rees-Zammit has been moved to full-back from the wing for his Six Nations return against England at Twickenham on Saturday.

A morose horse, rice cakes, and a Harry Potter villain have become surprise hits in China ahead of the country's Lunar New Year holiday.

A pro-democracy student organisation in Hong Kong said Thursday its members had decided to dissolve, citing "increasingly severe pressures".

Germany's competition watchdog ordered Amazon on Thursday to stop implementing price controls for retailers on its marketplace and told the US tech giant to return 59 million euros ($70 million) in what it deemed unfair gains.

Germany's competition watchdog ordered Amazon on Thursday to stop implementing price controls for retailers on its marketplace and told the US tech giant to return 59 million euros ($70 million) in what it deemed unfair gains.

Europe's largest carmakers Volkswagen and Stellantis have called for subsidies to keep carmaking in the EU as they struggle with challenges from US tariffs to Chinese competition, in an article published Thursday.

Major European and Asian stock markets mostly fell Thursday after more losses on Wall Street's Nasdaq, where technology firms are under pressure over concerns about vast AI investments.

Spanish banking giant BBVA on Thursday reported a record annual profit, shrugging off the rollercoaster ride of its failed hostile takeover bid for its biggest national rival Sabadell.

The UN human rights chief said Thursday his agency was "in survival mode" due to funding shortfalls, as he launched a $400 million appeal to tackle global rights crises in 2026.

Greenpeace activists staged a protest in Milan on Thursday against the sponsorship of the Milan-Cortina Olympics by energy giant Eni, warning that fossil fuel emissions were threatening the viability of winter sports.

Greenpeace activists staged a protest in Milan on Thursday against the sponsorship of the Milan-Cortina Olympics by energy giant Eni, warning that fossil fuel emissions were threatening the viability of winter sports.

Scotland's top two try-scorers of all time -- Duhan van der Merwe and Darcy Graham -- plus British and Irish Lions full-back Blair Kinghorn have all been left out by Gregor Townsend for his side's Six Nations opener away to Italy on Saturday.

Russian investigators have prevented a giant meteorite fragment being smuggled to Britain disguised as a garden ornament, the Federal Customs Service reported Thursday.

As a winter cold snap grips Germany, Berliners have been slip-sliding on ice-covered footpaths, driving a heated debate on whether the capital should use environmentally damaging salt to melt away the hazard.

Liverpool's recruitment of rising stars will put the club on a sure footing for years to come, according to manager Arne Slot despite a difficult season for the Premier League champions.

London Heathrow remained the busiest aviation hub in Europe last year but Istanbul Airport was nearly neck-and-neck and is likely to overtake it soon, an industry group said Thursday.