Author: Press Room
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a “new European heatwave plan” during her inaugural State of the Union speech on Wednesday, after a dramatic summer that saw thousands of hectares burnt and tonnes of crops lost to raging wildfires. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT “We need better early warning systems and better health preparedness. We need urban adaptation and cooling. And we need to support the most vulnerable,” von der Leyen told EU lawmakers in Strasbourg. She described the summer as a “summer of truth”, pointing to hundreds of thousands of hectares burned, crop losses and more than 35,000 excess deaths.…
Published on 16/09/2026 – 9:41 GMT+2 The EU will support industry efforts to slow the development of more disruptive AI technologies and will collaborate with partners such as Canada and the UK on AI safety, the Commission chief said on Wednesday. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT In her annual State of the Union address to the European Parliament, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hailed AI’s potential to benefit humanity, provided its risks and opportunities are properly balanced. She singled out the growing risks posed by so-called frontier AI models, those pushing the boundaries of the technology. “As the frontier models become…
There is a saying in Brussels: in a legislative term, you spend the first year thinking about what you want to do, the second year announcing it, and the third to fifth years actually doing it. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT By that logic, this is von der Leyen’s last real window to unveil big initiatives she might still see through before she leaves office. So, what made the cut, and what won’t? Let’s dive in. Three tipping points are shaping von der Leyen’s speech: climate change turning from forecast to lived reality after devastating wildfires and heatwaves, AI technology moving faster than…
Published on 16/09/2026 – 8:01 GMT+2 On today’s special edition of Europe Today: Méabh Mc Mahon from Brussels and Maria Tadeo from Strasbourg set the stage for the day’s key announcements and themes from today’s State of the Union. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Interviews with: Charles Michel, former European Council President Nicolas Herbst, MEP from the European People’s Party Bernd Lange, MEP from the Socialist & Democrats Sergei Lagodinski, MEP from the Greens/EFA Charlie Weimers, MEP from the European Conservatives & Reformists Reporting from the ground and our studio: Jorge Liboreiro with an analysis of what’s at stake for Ursula von der…
Published on 16/09/2026 – 6:36 GMT+2 Belarus has begun four-day military exercises near its borders with Poland and Lithuania, the Belarusian service of Radio Free Europe reported, citing the defence ministry in Minsk. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The drills involve mechanised and tank battalions, with troops training in border protection, counter-sabotage operations and defence against drone and light aircraft attacks. The location is significant. Some exercises are taking place near the Suwałki Gap, a narrow corridor between Poland and Lithuania considered strategically critical by NATO. Of particular note are the Hoża training ground, situated on the Lithuanian border, and the Brzeski and…
Published on 15/09/2026 – 10:24 GMT+2 Is the EU demanding that Ukraine mobilise women to bolster its forces against Russia’s invasion? ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT It’s a question that many social media users are debating after the allegations emerged on X and through Russian-language Telegram channels in recent weeks. The answer, however, is no. Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation, a working body of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine, said that the claim originated from Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Agency (SVR), which claimed, without evidence, that Brussels is pressuring Kyiv to forcibly conscript women. Russia also wrongly said that the EU’s…
Most European Union capitals want to cut the money allocated to the bloc’s civil service, as part of a deal on the EU’s next long-term budget, a document seen by Euronews reveals. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Member states are currently weighing how to cut costs as part of a wider agreement, under which the European Commission, European Parliament and Council of the EU could all see their budgets shrink. EU countries are locked in intense negotiations on the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), the budget for 2028-2034. On Wednesday, ambassadors will discuss potential landing zones for the total volume, originally set at…
By Her Excellency Mona Ghanem Al Marri m A, Vice Chairperson and Managing Director, Dubai Media Council; President, Dubai Press Club Published on 15/09/2026 – 11:48 GMT+2•Updated 13:46 The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent in any way the editorial position of Euronews. Twenty-five years ago, Dubai made a deliberate bet. It set aside land, built a regulatory framework, and invited the world’s media to make the city their regional home. At the time, it was a statement of confidence in the role an open and connected media environment could play in the…
Published on 15/09/2026 – 12:08 GMT+2 Rail travel across large parts of the Netherlands ground to a halt on Tuesday after authorities discovered tubes tied to tracks at roughly 20 locations, in what officials are treating as coordinated sabotage. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Rail infrastructure operator ProRail said deliberately placed objects had triggered widespread track-circuit failures. “Materials were found at multiple locations on the track that were deliberately placed there,” said ProRail in a statement. “This causes section malfunctions. Sabotage appears to be involved,” added the operator. The devices caused signalling systems to read affected sections as occupied, halting all trains through…
“Ceuta and Melilla are not just Spanish, they are quintessentially Spanish and untouchable”, said Spain’s Defence Minister Margarita Robles, speaking days after the surge of irregular migrants from Morocco who stormed the Spanish border last July. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The sovereignty of Ceuta and Melilla regularly returns to public debate, fuelled by Rabat’s claims and by renewed migratory tensions on the North African border. After the migration crisis that unfolded in Ceuta, several Moroccan politicians seized the moment to call for both Spanish autonomous cities to become part of Morocco. The narrative that both cities are “colonial remnants” is often deployed…