Author: Press Room

Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of the hard left France Unbowed party took to X on Thursday to declare the Bastille had been “retaken”, after students staged demonstrations across the country — including a major rally at Paris’ infamous Place de la Bastille. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Thursday’s major protests were part of the student-led movement which began on 17 September in the suburbs of Paris, before gradually developing into a broader campaign addressing issues including long school days, overcrowded schools, teacher absences. The mass gathering which took place at the place de la Bastille started off peacefully, but clashes with the police later…

Published on 08/10/2026 – 10:37 GMT+2 Investment in counter-drone technology across the EU surged sixfold between 2024 and 2025, but only a third of the programmes are expected to deliver by 2030, according to a confidential EU report obtained by Euronews. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The 2026 annual defence readiness report, a European Defence Agency (EDA) assessment of national military capabilities, exposes persistent gaps in Europe’s defences against drones and urges member states to step up investment in drone and counter-drone technology. “Investment in counter-drone and very short-range air defence capabilities grew sixfold between 2024 and 2025 in response to the growing…

The EU’s diplomatic service is facing criticism from lawmakers and civil society after withdrawing its backing for a disinformation conference at the last minute, following pressure from Washington. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The European External Action Service (EEAS) pulled out of the conference, one of the few European-level gatherings devoted to the issue, saying its programme did not align with EU positions. Critics say the move contradicts the bloc’s own approach to protecting civil society. “We have decided to have the EEAS logo removed from the material associated with the conference in view of the content of the program,” said Christian Wigand,…

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Portugal on Thursday for the final stop of his tour of three NATO allies. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The visit comes a day after he urged European countries to preserve Western civilisation by upholding the values and traditions of ancient Greece during a speech in Athens. “Portugal is a great ally, very cooperative ally of the United States and a country with which we already have a solid and growing relationship. And we visit these countries in order to reinforce those ties,” Rubio said before departing Athens. “That’s the purpose of the trip.” Rubio…

Italy’s Chamber of Deputies approved a new electoral law on Thursday, clearing the way for its use in the next general election, due in 2027. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The legislation, backed by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government and formally known as the Stabilicum, – dubbed the Melonellum by opposition parties, – passed by 227 votes to 164 in a secret ballot. The vote effectively marks the unofficial start of the election campaign. While the current legislature runs until September 2027, speculation about an early election is already circulating in the corridors of parliament, though as we explain below, a vote before…

Published on 08/10/2026 – 15:36 GMT+2•Updated 15:38 The European Commission has stepped up pressure on Russia to provide full details of a suspected plague case in Siberia, echoing calls for transparency from the United States and the World Health Organisation (WHO). ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Moscow has pushed back,insisting there is no risk of an epidemic. “Let me say, for the third time this week in the press room: Russia should make information about the plague available as soon as possible,” Eva Hrncirova, the Commission’s health spokesperson, said on Thursday. “We don’t have enough information to assess the epidemiological situation, to assess…

France is braced for another day of protests as high school students across the country continue to demonstrate against teacher shortages, poor facilities, and overcrowded classrooms. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Students and unions are taking to the streets once more on Thursday as they say the government is failing to listen to their demands, with a major rally planned in Paris. Students have blocked access to high schools since late September, setting fire to bins and erecting blockades as part of the movement. A Euronews journalist on the ground in Paris’ 5th arrondissement on Thursday morning reported that the streets were already…

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent in any way the editorial position of Euronews. Ukraine is preparing for a fifth difficult winter under hostile fire. But for the cities and communities closest to the front, the greatest danger is not simply losing electricity or heat. It is the continued loss of people, businesses and economic life — the foundations without which there can be no meaningful recovery. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT As chair of Ukraine’s Association of Frontline Cities and Communities of Ukraine, representing more than 300 communities in the direct midst of…

Published on 08/10/2026 – 10:22 GMT+2 British Prime Minister Andy Burnham is set to meet with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin on Thursday, with the pair expected to discuss the growing threats from cyber-attacks and sabotage across Europe. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT According to Downing Street, the UK and Germany are to commit to deepening cooperation on cybersecurity and countering sabotage and other hybrid threats. “The hybrid threat from our adversaries – especially Russia – extends across Europe and beyond, threatening our collective security,” a government press release said. “The UK and Germany will jointly act on identifying and disrupting hybrid…

The Left MEP Marc Botenga said his group’s proposal to halve MEPs’ salaries would bring them “down to earth” and make it easier for them to “realise what a normal European is going through”. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Botenga believes many MEPs are only “stressed about their own privilege”. He argues that the way people live “influences the way you vote and the kind of proposals you make”. MEPs currently receive a monthly salary of €8,800, while The Left’s proposal would reduce it to €4,400. Faced with allegations of populism, Botenga argues that the European Parliament is used to discussing “anything”. However,…