Author: Press Room

Europe continues to grapple with major wildfires as the threat of further heatwaves continues to hang over the continent. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT In Greece, a new fire broke out on Monday in the village of Kouvaras, 60 kilometers southeast of Athens, prompting the mobilisaiton of almost 200 firefighters. Greek fire services announced that the blaze has since been brought under control. Large parts of central and southern Greece, including the greater Athens area and most of the Aegean Islands, face a high risk of wildfires on Tuesday, according to civil protection forecasts. Five people, four firefighters and the pilot of a…

Nearly 70% of France is subject to water-use restrictions as drought conditions worsen amid successive heatwaves, the government said on Monday. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT A series of heatwaves over the past three months, compounded by drought, have broken temperature records, caused thousands of excess deaths, and fuelled massive wildfires. “As France is experiencing a particularly severe drought, the effects of climate change continue to increase pressure on water resources,” the ministry for ecological transition said, adding that “nearly 70% of French territory is subject to restrictions on water use.” As of 9 August, the vast majority of mainland France, including Paris,…

Firefighters struggled on Monday to control three large wildfires in southern Spain that has forced the evacuation of around 800 people due to shifting winds and difficult terrain, officials said. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT More than 600 firefighters backed by 26 water-dropping aircraft were battling the blaze which broke out last week in the Andalusian province of Huelva, said the region’s minister for emergencies, Antonio Sanz. “We are facing an extremely difficult, complex and dangerous wildfire, with the weather conditions continuing to offer us no respite. It is a long-distance race full of obstacles,” he said. “We have to be realistic: there…

Published on 10/08/2026 – 16:52 GMT+2 The Swedish Security Service (Säpo) said on Monday it had thwarted a Russian intelligence operation aimed at discrediting Sweden and which involved an “agent” working in a foreign diplomatic mission in Sweden. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The counter-espionage agency said in a statement it had “gathered information on, and taken measures against, a Russian intelligence operation aiming at influencing Swedish decision-making and discrediting Sweden, NATO and the EU.” According to Säpo, the “intelligence operation has been planned and directed by the Russian foreign intelligence service SVR for some time.” It did not identify the diplomatic mission…

The European Union has condemned Belarus’ decision to designate Euronews as an “extremist” media organisation, saying it forms part of a “broader pattern of repression targeting independent media.” ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT “It is an ongoing effort to restrict freedom of the press,” said Anitta Hipper, the EU’s spokesperson for foreign affairs and security. “The EU shares its solidarity with Euronews.” The comments follow a wave of support for Euronews following last week’s listing from Minsk, including from Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya who described the move as a “shameful” attempt to curb press freedom. European Parliament President Roberta Metsola posted on…

Water levels on rivers across the Balkans have fallen to record lows, disrupting navigation and exposing large areas of riverbed in Croatia. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT On the Danube near Batina, in northeastern Croatia close to the Serbian border, large sandbanks have emerged as water levels have dropped. Some can now be crossed on foot. At a nearby measuring station, the Danube was at -158 centimetres on Sunday. The low water levels are also affecting river traffic. Near Šarengrad, several cargo ships have been unable to navigate the Danube. On the Drava River near Osijek, the receding water has exposed parts of…

Regions home to around 900 million people experienced their hottest July on record in 2026, including in the Sahel, Central America, France and Spain, according to AFP analysis of Copernicus data. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Some 33 countries recorded their hottest July since records began, according to a detailed analysis of billions of data points from Copernicus’s ERA5 climate model. Western Europe experienced its hottest June-July on record as climate change fuels an historic summer of heat, drought and wildfires across the region, the EU’s global warming monitor said Monday. 120 million Europeans hit Nearly 120 million Europeans live in regions where…

Published on 10/08/2026 – 9:45 GMT+2 A Ukrainian drone strike on the central Russian region of Tatarstan killed at least 12 people in one of Kyiv’s most deadly single attacks of the more than four year war. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT “According to the latest information, 12 people have been killed and 39 wounded as a result of the drone attack,” on the city of Nizhnekamsk, the regional press service said in a statement on Monday. More than 1,000 kilometres from the Ukrainian border, with a population of 240,000, the city is an important oil refining hub, home to two refineries and…

Published on 10/08/2026 – 9:00 GMT+2 Summer is halfway through, but water restrictions are still in place across the bloc. This summer’s record-breaking temperatures are speeding up water evaporation from rivers and lakes, worsening drought conditions. But heat only accelerates a shortage that the EU has built up for decades. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Europe relies heavily on water. Electricity cooling uses 33 percent of Europe’s water, agriculture 31 percent, public supply 21 percent, and industry 14 percent, the European Environmental Agency (EEA) reports. To meet these needs, the EU extracts about 200,000 billion cubic metres of water annually, exceeding natural replenishment…

Published on 10/08/2026 – 8:00 GMT+2 Every summer shows the same warning signs: dropping water levels, parched soil, and emergency water restrictions. Each year, these problems grow more severe. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT 67 French departments are currently in crisis mode and subject to water restrictions. 20 are on high alert. The Danube River is at its lowest level since 1996, affecting agriculture, transportation and energy production in Central and Eastern Europe, including Hungary and Romania. The Netherlands announced a water shortage as early as July, with houseboats stranded on dried-up rivers, while seven Greek islands in the Aegean Sea declared drought…