Author: staff
Berlin has stepped in, asking Croatia to constructively resolve the bilateral disputes that threaten to derail the accession of the EU’s most advanced candidate, four officials with direct knowledge of the matter told Euronews. Earlier this week, Zagreb circulated an eight-point list of grievances that it wants resolved before Podgorica can finalise its accession bid. Behind the scenes, Berlin has been manoeuvring to ensure that enlargement does not lose momentum. Berlin also recently offered to mediate, but the offer has not been put into practice. The government of Chancellor Friedrich Merz is positioning itself as an honest broker, fearing that…
A branch of the tourist office in Lyon was vandalised and set on fire during nationwide protests over the cost of living. Hooded individuals were seen tearing letters from the building’s sign and damaging the premises as flames spread along one side of the structure. Burning debris was later visible on Place Bellecour in front of the building. The demonstrations come amid growing pressure on President Emmanuel Macron’s government, following weeks of student protests that have at times turned violent.
Published on 17/10/2026 – 15:43 GMT+2 Several housing rights movements are joining trade unions affiliated with the CGTP union federation in demonstrations across Portugal on Saturday, as a series of cost-of-living protests sweeps Europe. The union confederation has called for protests under the slogan: “Higher wages, better pensions, and public services. Against the rising cost of living. A new course for Portugal!” Rallies are planned in Porto, Coimbra, and Lisbon. The deepening cost-of-living crisis is affecting much of Europe, driven by rising prices and fuel costs and shortages of affordable housing, and has prompted thousands of people to take to…
Ukraine is pushing ahead with plans to develop European alternatives to US-made air defence systems and Starlink satellite communications, with concrete discussions already under way and Kyiv expecting progress considerably sooner than sceptics anticipate, a senior Ukrainian presidential official has told Euronews. In an exclusive interview with the Europe Today programme ahead of Friday’s EU summit in Brussels, Ihor Zhovkva, deputy head of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office, said Ukraine was seeking to reduce its reliance on American capabilities as uncertainty over Washington’s support places growing pressure on Europe to strengthen its own defences. “We are, of course, relying on the…
The Ukrainian leader’s comments come after Russia carried out strikes on the war-torn country’s energy sector, including power generation and transmission facilities, with more than 320 jet-powered Shahed drones, loitering munitions, cruise and ballistic missiles. Power was reportedly cut for about 1 million people. They also come as U.S. President Donald Trump signed on Friday an executive order that waived key sanctions on Russia — a decision that Kirill Dmitriev, Putin’s special envoy for investment and economic cooperation, described as “an important and truly historic moment.” Trump’s move comes only a few days after he made a deal with Putin…
Thomas Byrne, Ireland’s Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence, said EU countries had moved “closer together” in their efforts to reach an agreement on the bloc’s long-term budget. Despite tensions at the latest European Council meeting, Byrne believes EU leaders will manage to reach an agreement on the long-term budget by Christmas, as they had originally committed to do. However, divisions remain between countries such as Germany, the Netherlands and the Nordic states, which are pushing for deeper cuts, and a group of southern and eastern European countries, including Spain and the Baltic states, which want to preserve…
By Ács Gábor Published on 17/10/2026 – 14:01 GMT+2 Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar said he did not expect Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to visit Budapest later this month, despite having extended an invitation to Kyiv. More than 100 politicians have been invited to state ceremonies on 23 October to mark the 70th anniversary of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. However, in an interview with 444.hu published on Saturday, Magyar said he thought Zelenskyy’s attendance was unlikely, even though Russian President Vladimir Putin had not been invited. It comes after Magyar and Zelenskyy said at the EU summit in Brussels on Friday…
Students, farmers and members of the Yellow Jacket movement, among others, are slated to take to the streets on Saturday in a “convergence of struggles” to protest raising living costs, sluggish wages and deep disagreements with the government. The government expects “a fairly large turnout,” Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said on Friday. Saturday’s demonstrations originated in the student protests that began last month with school blockades and calls for better studying conditions, more teachers and more funding. The movement has since spread nationwide — and become a political issue as the campaign for next year’s presidential election heats up. The…
EU leaders have called for a coordinated European response to the energy crisis, urging the European Commission to introduce targeted, temporary measures to ease the burden on households and businesses, including extending financial support to industries hardest hit by soaring energy prices. After European Council summit negotiations that went into the night on Thursday, the leaders also raised concerns about the security of energy supplies, asking the Commission to improve the capacity and efficiency of European oil refineries, which have been in decline since 2009. They also expressed interest in exploring voluntary joint energy purchasing, similar to the platform launched…
Calls to crack down on dependence on foreign providers and boost alternatives to Starlink also come at a time when legislators are negotiating a series of laws that could tame Musk’s ambitions in Europe. “Ukraine’s dependence on Starlink highlights the vulnerability of European defence systems that rely on U.S. technology, Another reminder that Europe must reduce its dangerous technological dependencies — ASAP,” center-right Finnish lawmaker Aura Salla said on social media. Policymakers across Europe have been joining forces to curb Starlink’s dominance in low-Earth orbit, where satellites fly close to Earth to deliver faster connections. “As legislators, we must ensure…