The European Court of Justice has ruled that EU countries must recognise same-sex marriages legally performed in another member state — a decision with direct implications for a Polish couple who married in Germany.The case concerned two Polish citizens married in Berlin in 2018.When they returned to Poland, local authorities refused to register their marriage because national law does not...

Motability has removed high-end brands such as BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Alfa Romeo and Lexus from its vehicle list with immediate effect as it refocuses the scheme on British-built models.The move comes as the charity sets a target for UK-manufactured cars to make up 25% of its fleet by 2030 and half by 2035, up from around 7% today.Motability says the change will prioritise vehicles that are safe,...

Serbia's president has firmly denied claims that he took part in so-called "sniper tourism" during the siege of Sarajevo, calling the accusations false and defamatory.Aleksandar Vučić addressed the matter at a UK–Western Balkans business conference in Belgrade, saying he never harmed anyone and has never used a sniper rifle.He added that a photograph cited by critics actually shows him...

Senior US officials are pressing the European Union to rethink its rules for major tech firms as part of talks over steel and aluminium tariffs in Brussels.Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Europe should make its digital regulations more welcoming to American tech companies if it wants lower US duties on metals.The comments come during negotiations to follow up on a trade framework agreed in...

Overnight drone attacks between Russia and Ukraine left at least five people dead and sparked fires and blackouts as diplomats weigh revisions to a US-backed peace proposal.Kyiv officials said a large Russian drone strike hit the capital in the early hours, striking at least two high-rise residential buildings and causing multiple fires.Emergency teams evacuated residents, rescued 18 people...

The chair of the Commons culture committee has raised serious doubts about the BBC board’s ability to manage the broadcaster’s current crisis after its chair, Samir Shah, gave evidence to MPs.Dame Caroline Dinenage said Shah’s responses fell short of the clear, decisive plan the committee wanted to hear and warned there appeared to be weak oversight at the top of the organisation.Shah told...

Belgium is preparing for widespread disruption this week as unions launch a three-day national strike that will culminate in a full general stoppage on Wednesday.The action is aimed at government plans to cut public spending by overhauling labour rules and reshaping unemployment and pension systems.The industrial action begins with transport on Monday, when national rail operator SNCB expected to...

Diplomacy in Geneva wrapped up with US and Ukrainian officials saying talks had moved forward, but the biggest obstacle remains unresolved: Moscow's insistence on formal recognition of territory it now controls. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the steps taken in the meetings but warned that accepting Russian claims to occupied areas would violate Ukraine's territorial integrity...

The United States has publicly claimed authorship of a controversial 28-point blueprint intended to end the war in Ukraine, after reports that the document was being characterised by some as favouring Russia. Senator Marco Rubio, who has been involved in discussions over the plan, insisted the proposal was produced by the US and incorporated feedback from both Russian and Ukrainian sources. His...

Albania's prime minister has accused the UK Home Secretary of ethnic stereotyping after she highlighted Albanian families while unveiling major changes to Britain's asylum system. Shabana Mahmood told MPs that roughly 700 Albanian families were living in taxpayer-funded accommodation despite having had their asylum claims refused, and argued the government must remove people who have no right...