Belgium

ZURICH - The Serbia men's national football team has retained the 32nd position in the latest FIFA world rankings, released on Thursday.

Serbia have 1,514.28 points.

Argentina remain in the top spot with 1,867.25 points and are followed by France (1,859.78 points) and Spain (1,853.27 points).

The European Commission has placed Greece in the same group of countries as Sweden, Germany and the Netherlands, but that is not good news. It is the group of nine eurozone countries in which the Commission's "Alert Mechanism" identified macroeconomic imbalances. In-depth assessments will follow on whether these imbalances have worsened or are being corrected.

The amount of 1,000,000 cubic meters per year is estimated to be the water saved for Athenians if Hadrian’s Aqueduct is utilized along its entire length.

The issue of external convergence of payments in the Common Agricultural Policy 2024-2034 is gradually returning to the forefront of the discussions of the agriculture ministers.

Among the Member States of the European Union there are differences in the level of payments, especially between the “old” and the “new” members of the “27”.

Authorities have reported a sharp increase in arrests of migrant smugglers, with over 200 individuals apprehended since the start of 2024.

According to Hellenic Coast Guard data, 228 smugglers have been detained in 11 months, a 53% increase compared to 2023.

The European qualification draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted by the USA, Mexico, and Canada, took place today at FIFA headquarters in Zurich. Bulgaria's national football team was drawn into Group E, alongside either Spain or the Netherlands, Turkey, and Georgia.

Some European Union countries have doubled down on their decision to rapidly halt asylum procedures for Syrian migrants in Europe, but said that it was too early to consider sending any of the hundreds of thousands of people who have fled since 2011 back home.

Decisions on the examination of asylum applications of Syrian refugees fall within the competence of member states, Stefan de Kersmacher, the Commission spokesman responsible for migration issues, said today.

Syrians living in France gather on Republique square after the Syrian government fell early today in a stunning end to the 50-year rule of the Assad family

Britain, Germany, France, Italy and several other European countries have said they would freeze all pending asylum requests from Syrians after the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad.

Sixteen EU countries have asked the European Commission to propose a new law in the coming months on taxing tobacco in the bloc to include new products such as electronic cigarettes - vapes - which are not covered under existing legislation.