Author: Press Room

Published on 14/09/2026 – 21:35 GMT+2 Former Moroccan intelligence officer Mehdi Hijaouy contacted people close to ex-Venezuelan spy chief Hugo Carvajal in the summer of 2024, offering information to Spanish authorities in exchange for protection from a potential extradition to Morocco, The Objective reported. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT At the time, Hijaouy, who was reportedly forced into exile following a conflict with some of his intelligence colleagues, was in France, but he would move to Spain over fears for his safety and that of his family. Hijaouy turned to a lawyer who had taken part in efforts to persuade Carvajal to cooperate…

Published on 14/09/2026 – 14:47 GMT+2•Updated 19:59 The European Parliament is pushing for tougher EU-wide deadlines and automatic approvals to speed up energy infrastructure, setting the stage for a clash with EU countries seeking more flexibility over how their national permitting systems work, according to an internal document seen by Euronews. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The divide is emerging as EU lawmakers negotiate new permitting rules designed to cut years of delays — sometimes up to ten years — that have held back renewable energy, electricity grids, storage and other infrastructure needed for the bloc’s energy transition. The Parliament’s position is more…

A French police officer is under investigation after a video emerged showing him violently throwing a man to the ground in Carcassonne in southern France, days after a separate scandal involving recordings of officers in the city making racist, misogynistic and conspiracy-related remarks. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT A judicial investigation was opened on Sunday for “intentional violence by a person vested with public authority.” The footage, shared on social media by MP Thomas Portes, shows several police officers standing around before one walks up behind a young man and hurls him to the ground. Once down, the man can be seen holding…

The deadlock on the renewal of EU sanctions on Russia deepened on Monday after France and Slovakia, in a rare joint effort that has baffled Brussels, continued to demand the removal of Russian-Uzbek businessman Alisher Usmanov from the blacklist. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Faced with an expiration date that loomed dangerously close, ambassadors agreed, as a last resort, to extend the sanctions for just one week until 22 September to give themselves more time to find a solution that has so far proven stubbornly elusive. “Consultations will continue, and further discussions are expected to be held in due course,” a spokesperson for…

Brussels is finally starting to wake up to the security threat Russia poses to the European Union, Latvia’s Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs told Euronews. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT His comments come days after a Russian drone struck a passenger train just two kilometres from the Polish border on Sunday and weeks after Germany attributed an attempted drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport to Moscow, prompting swift responses from EU officials, who warned Europe must prepare for a “new era of European security”. To vulnerable countries on the northeastern frontline, these attacks come as no surprise; they have long been cautioning that an escalation…

Published on 14/09/2026 – 16:42 GMT+2 EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič will visit Manila next week to finalise a trade agreement with the Philippines, the European Commission confirmed to Euronews on Monday. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The agreement is nearing conclusion as Brussels has increasingly looked to the Asia-Pacific over the past year to diversify its trade ties. Since the return to power of US President Donald Trump, the global trade order has been shifting, with the EU seeking new markets for its exports. The latest round of EU-Philippines trade talks took place in May, with access to public procurement emerging as…

Published on 14/09/2026 – 15:23 GMT+2•Updated 15:26 12 European nations have urged the European Union to scale up its presence in the Arctic amid threats from Moscow and US President Donald Trump. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT “We call for the European Union to take on a more strategic and proactive role in the European Arctic,” the countries wrote in a joint statement following the European Arctic Summit in Rovaniemi in northern Finland. The summit was attended by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, among others. Speaking to reporters on Monday morning, Kaja Kallas,…

Published on 14/09/2026 – 13:49 GMT+2•Updated 13:50 Greek authorities say one person is dead and 25 are missing after a boat carrying migrants sank off the coast of Gavdos island near Crete on Sunday. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The Greek coast guard said they rescued 51 people from the water. A search and rescue operation was launched under the coordination of the Joint Search and Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC), in the sea area 38 nautical miles south of the island of Gavdos, after the alarm was raised about a boat carrying migrants. The search mission involved patrol boats, a helicopter and a…

Published on 14/09/2026 – 13:40 GMT+2 The number of small parcels valued below €150 arriving in Europe has fallen by nearly 50% since 1 July following the EU’s introduction of a €3 flat tax on such shipments, according to data from Dutch and Belgian customs. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT In Belgium, the number of small parcels have decreased by 53% compared to the previous year, according to data from the Belgian authorities. Dutch customs present similar data, finding that e-commerce parcels, particularly from China, decreased by 46%. Together, the two countries make up almost 50% of the total low value parcels arriving…

Paris and Berlin have never agreed on how far the EU should go in building up its own defence industry versus keeping the market open to outside partners. Now, as Europe’s defence needs to grow more, that disagreement is coming to a head. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT With Washington gradually pulling back from Europe, Russian pressure mounting on the eastern flank and China’s geopolitical ambitions growing, the EU has rarely faced a more urgent moment to build up its own defence capabilities. But France and Germany cannot agree on how to do it. Ever since Donald Trump returned to the Oval Office…