Author: staff
Welcome back to Off the Record after another hectic week. I like to joke with our Deputy Head of EU News, Maia de la Baume, that things cannot get crazier with each passing week. Every time, I’m proved wrong. It’s bad news for my immune system, which has finally succumbed to a cold. This week, I spent some time in Warsaw before the European Council summit in Brussels, which wrapped up as I sat down to file this newsletter next to my Kleenex. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was in Brussels for the summit on Friday, looking to shore up support…
Central Lyon was left littered with debris, shattered shop windows and looted stores on Sunday morning after violence erupted during Saturday’s cost-of-living protests. The city’s tourist office was also left burnt out, while graffiti appeared on nearby streets. Cleaning crews worked to clear the wreckage along Rue de la République, and workers boarded up damaged shopfronts. The unrest came amid nationwide demonstrations over rising prices, with France’s presidential election scheduled for next year.
Between 550,000 and 800,000 people took to the streets of France on Saturday, mostly peacefully and often unaware of the unprecedented violence breaking out in some of the country’s major cities. Limoges city hall went up in flames, as did the iconic tourist office on Place Bellecour in Lyon. Vandals also forced their way into town halls in Marseille, Lille, and Angers, whilst in Bordeaux, the prefect’s residence was ransacked. Widespread destruction “Scenes of insurrection,” reads the front page of Le Parisien. In Paris, Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire said “entire streets” had been “systematically devastated” after the French capital saw violent…
Published on 18/10/2026 – 10:14 GMT+2 NATO fighter jets were scrambled on Sunday after an unidentified flying object, suspected to be a drone, entered Lithuanian airspace, Lithuanian authorities and the Latvian armed forces said. The Latvian military said it appeared the jets “did not shoot down the suspected unmanned aerial vehicle” and that it was possible it had “detonated on its own.” The incident took place close to the Latvian border and triggered multiple air alerts, it added. According to Lithuanian Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas, fighter jets carrying out a NATO air defence mission were tracking the object in the…
Published on 18/10/2026 – 9:01 GMT+2 An incident at a Canadian military base has resulted in a number of deaths and injuries, Canada’s defence minister announced late on Saturday. “I’m saddened to share that there have been both fatalities and injuries as a result of an incident on the base,” David McGuinty said in a statement, identifying the location as Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said a “serious incident creating a major fire” had occurred at the site. “Our thoughts are with all the brave women and men affected. We are working closely with…
Uber launched a driverless taxi service in Zagreb, Croatia, earlier this year and has now unveiled plans to roll out a fully autonomous vehicle service in a host of European cities with partners across the continent, starting with Manchester. The US tech company deployed driverless robotaxis on the streets of Zagreb in April in partnership with local service operator Verne and Chinese AI firm Pony.ai in a business model they want to scale up across the continent. It is an odd partnership given the divergent philosophies at play in Europe, the US and China, with Europe being particularly cautious compared…
Published on 18/10/2026 – 8:25 GMT+2•Updated 8:31 A 140-year-old town hall in France was largely destroyed as a fierce fire took hold on Saturday after masked protesters set the building alight, authorities said. Dramatic footage showed the spire of the Limoges town hall collapse as flames engulfed the roof overnight amid mass cost-of-living protests across the country. According to the Haute-Vienne prefecture, rioters broke into the town hall at around 6 pm on Saturday before setting it ablaze. “Firefighters from Haute-Vienne were immediately mobilised in large numbers to tackle the fire,” it said in a press release. “Limoges town hall,…
About 46 million people in the EU miss out on regular leisure activities because they cannot afford them, according to Eurostat. In Greece, more than one in four people face this barrier — the highest share in the bloc. The figures reveal wide differences across Europe, even between countries with similar income levels. Several studies link social and leisure participation to better mental well-being and fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety. Eurostat also highlights the role leisure and social interactions can play in improving quality of life. So, where are costs most likely to prevent people from taking part, and…
Catch up with the most important stories from around Europe and beyond in this Euronews news bulletin. In just a few minutes, our newsroom brings you the latest news and breaking news across world affairs, business, politics, culture, entertainment and travel, with the context you need to make sense of a fast-moving day. Reported with the independence and the European perspective that define Euronews, this regular round-up gives you a clear and reliable overview of the stories shaping our world right now, wherever you are watching from.
Golf has long been one of the biggest drivers of the sports travel sector and in Europe there are stunning options for golfing getaways right across the continent. Aside from picking which club to use, golfers face another tough choice: where to go in Europe for a golf holiday, especially when seeking somewhere under the radar and away from the traditional hotspots. According to Golfbreaks, UK Google search interest in “golf package holiday” increased 750% year on year, while interest in “quiet golf courses” rose almost 140% over three months. The Google Trends figures were current to September 2026. In…