Brussels desk

Filed from the Brussels desk — including multi-city pieces that also ran elsewhere.

World · 1 day ago

Tusk Defends Court Overhaul as EU Urges President to Recognise New Judges Amid Protests

Inès Vogel, Brussels desk

Poland’s prime minister Donald Tusk insists the constitutional‑court overhaul is essential, the European Commission has pressed President Karol Nawrocki to recognise the newly appointed judges, and street protests…

Business · 2 days ago

When ghosts go viral: digital parenting tips turn into a corporate costume parade

Etienne Marlow, Brussels desk

Digital parenting coach Dr Milovidov offers tongue‑in‑cheek advice as tech firms race to dress up their safety tools for Halloween, promising kids both thrills and zero‑day scares.

World · 3 days ago

Canada’s PM Mark Carney Proposes ‘Associate Membership’ in the EU – Because Full Membership Was Too Much Work

Pieter Lang, Brussels desk

Prime Minister Mark Carney told Deutsche Welle that Canada is eye‑ing an “associate membership” of the EU to diversify away from the United States, a move that has sparked both curiosity and a request for clari…

Business · 3 days ago

Binance $6.3bn Heist: North Korea’s TraderTraitor Unit Strikes

Iris Quay, London desk

Blockchain intelligence firm TRM attributes a $6.3 billion theft from Binance to North Korea’s TraderTraitor hacking unit, the largest crypto heist on record, sending major cryptocurrencies – Bitcoin down 2.35% –…

Business · 3 days ago

German chancellor arrives in Seoul with a suitcase of traffic cones, warns trade wars are the new artillery

Etienne Marlow, Brussels desk

Chancellor Merz finished a three‑country Asian tour by warning against weaponising trade, while a German snack brand quietly rolled out a new product in South Korea. The diplomatic drama is seasoned with a dash of absu…

Finance · 4 days ago

Volkswagen’s €5.86bn Q3 loss after Porsche writedown sparks unexpected share rally

Etienne Marlow, Brussels desk

Volkswagen posted a €5.86 billion operating loss in Q3 after a massive Porsche writedown, but its shares oddly rose, turning misery into market theatre.

Business · 4 days ago

EU gas tops €100/MWh, storage at 72% as Commission warns of 'difficult' winter

Etienne Marlow, Brussels desk

European natural gas prices have exceeded €100 per megawatt hour for the first time since 2022. Despite storage levels at 72%, the EU Commission states it is not worried about supplies but warns households of a difficu…

Finance · 4 days ago

Lagarde’s early exit gives the euro a haircut and the ECB a new barber

Etienne Marlow, Brussels desk

Christine Lagarde announces she will leave the ECB nine months ahead of schedule, sparking jokes about the euro’s new look and a frantic hunt for a successor, with whispers of a World Economic Forum cameo.

World · 27 October 2026

Students Turn Campus Protests into Parliamentary Power Shift, Vucic Out

Pieter Lang, Brussels desk

A student‑led list won a convincing majority in Serbia’s parliamentary election, ending Aleksandar Vucic’s 14‑year rule. While mass celebrations erupted, the still‑unnamed leadership now faces a long list of po…