Author: staff

The wider budget fight The debate on new revenue is tied to a broader dispute over the size of the budget. When Cyprus held the presidency of the Council of the EU in the first six months of 2026, it already cut €32 billion from the Commission’s original proposal. Ireland is expected to revise the figure again, with Germany and other governments pressing for reductions of hundreds of billions of euros. However, Costa cautioned that cuts to EU priorities might ignite resistance from governments. “Who wants to cut on defense? No one,” he said. “Who wants to cut on competitiveness?…

At first glance, a woman speaking in a widely shared video online appears to be a German political commentator analysing the election in Saxony-Anhalt. Another presenter discusses the war in Iran and China’s role in the conflict, while a supposed expert on a different channel explains changes to the global order. However, these presenters are not real, but generated using artificial intelligence. They appear across a collection of German-language YouTube channels investigated by the non-profit Centre for Monitoring, Analysis and Strategy (CeMAS). The organisation identified 47 channels using AI-generated presenters to discuss political and geopolitical issues. Researchers were able to…

Oktoberfest opened in Munich, Germany, on Saturday as the mayor tapped the first keg. Video shows the crowd counting down, then mugs passed down from the stage. The mayor needed only two strokes and gave the traditional cry of O’zapft is, meaning ‘It’s been tapped’. It was the 191st edition of the world’s largest folk festival. Thousands of visitors in dirndls and lederhosen filled the beer tents on the Theresienwiese fairground. They sang, danced and swayed to brass music. About 6 million people are expected over 16 days, until 4 October. Security is tighter after last year’s festival closed temporarily…

Published on 21/09/2026 – 9:53 GMT+2 The Swedish car manufacturer Volvo has found its long-term leader. Klaus Zellmer will take up the role no later than 1 October 2027, with current CEO Håkan Samuelsson staying on until then to oversee the handover, the company said on Sunday. The German executive brings more than three decades of experience in the car industry. Zellmer has run Škoda since 2022, turning it into one of Europe’s best-selling brands with record results last year and record electric vehicle deliveries in the first half of 2026. Before that, he sat on Volkswagen’s passenger car management…

Comedy, drama, artistic masterpieces — this week’s lineup has it all (with some dream pop thrown in). Highlights include the release of Primetime, starring Robert Pattinson as American TV host Chris Hansen, and the 10th album release from French band M83. Elsewhere, new exhibitions in London and France explore obsolete tech and ancient fragments, while Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson bring us some comic relief with new Apple TV+ show Brothers. Keep scrolling to find out more. Exhibitions and events Jenkin Van Zyl: ‘Enclosure’ When: 24 september – 29 november 2026 Where: Somerset House (London, UK) British artist Jenkin Van…

Can the Liberal Democrats withstand the political turbulence around them? As delegates gather in Brighton for their party conference, Sam Coates gauges the pressure on Sir Ed Davey’s party as it faces a squeeze from the Greens and the Andy Burnham bounce. Elsewhere, the prime minister prepares to go to New York for the UN General Assembly, the duo look ahead to his first meeting with Donald Trump – can they find any common ground? Plus, Anne McElvoy – who’s in Germany – reports on a disastrous set of regional elections for Friedrich Merz – but is he in a…

The EU is done relying on tech companies to police themselves. Children online are very vulnerable to predatory algorithms, cyberbullying, and privacy exploitation. Nearly 60% of European youth are suffering emotional and psychosocial issues due to digital platforms. The new EU regulations will shift the legal burden onto platforms to actively block, filter, and modify their interfaces based on a child’s age. The proposed EU Kids Act plans to establish an age limit of 15, preventing younger children from opening social media accounts. Children under 3 will be banned entirely from these platforms, while those aged 3 to 12 may…

Puzzle enthusiasts raced to finish a jigsaw none of them had seen before in the final of the World Jigsaw Puzzle Championship in Valladolid, Spain, on Sunday. A Dutch biology student came first. The event drew around 1,700 people from 70 countries, all working against the clock. The organiser said the final puzzle is kept secret and goes on sale on the day it is used. The winner described ‘pure adrenaline and chaos’, her hands shaking as she waited for the applause. A volunteer said rivals compete hard but also cheer each other on. The organiser added that this is…

For children and adults, enthusiasts or simply the curious. At Europe’s largest exhibition of LEGO models, there’s room for everyone. The only limits are those set by the imagination. The numbers speak for themselves: two thousand square metres packed with models built from the famous colourful bricks. More than 15 million bricks have been used to build over 120 models, including four “super-models”. According to Lukas Siwiec, who is in charge of the exhibition, these are structures “made from more than half a million LEGO bricks” and are therefore far more imposing than the rest. One of them is a…

Costa told POLITICO that the EU wants to develop “the closest possible” relationship with Ottawa. When asked to define “associate membership,” Costa said: “This concept means basically that we want to do more and act as much as possible with Canada,” adding that “there is just this small problem that geographically they [Canada] are not a European country” and cannot apply for EU membership. The EU and Canada signed a landmark trade agreement in 2016. CETA, as it was known, took effect the following year but wasn’t ratified by 10 EU countries, including France, Italy and Belgium. Costa said the…