Author: staff

Published on 27/02/2026 – 12:13 GMT+1•Updated 02/03/2026 – 8:01 GMT+1 Card payments are gaining ground among Europeans: they accounted for 57% of non-cash payments in 2025. Yet the EU’s level of dependency on foreign-owned payment schemes has never been higher. The non-interoperability of national payment schemes leaves 13 out of 21 eurozone countries highly dependent on US giants, most notably Visa and Mastercard, which processed 47% of the eurozone’s card payment value in 2025. The lack of a pan-European payment system contributes to the single market’s fragmentation, heavily affecting Europe’s competitiveness and impacting citizens’ day-to-day transactions. As EU-US relations have…

01/03/2026 – 21:56 GMT+1 EU Foreign Ministers call for protections of civilians, respect for international law The Foreign Ministers of the European Union said they are taking all necessary steps to ensure the safety of EU citizens in the Middle East and warned that further escalation could threaten the region.The ministers participated in a video call with High Representative Kaja Kallas and released a joint statement after the three-hour-long conversation.An unknown number of European nationals are struck in Iran and in the wider region. Thousands of flights have been cancelled in major hubs, like Dubai or Abu Dhabi.”The EU and…

Climate change is endangering the health of Europe’s oceans, and it’s not just marine life that is affected. A new study warns that precious underwater cultural heritage is being threatened by ocean acidification. The research found that materials that make up many archaeological treasures are at risk of deterioration when water pH levels drop. ‘Ocean acidification poses a severe challenge to protecting underwater cultural heritage’ The research, coordinated by the University of Padua in Italy, examined how ocean acidification, a direct consequence of climate change, can accelerate the decay of submerged archaeological sites. The scientists studied how quickly historical materials…

They are calling instead for a global pause “until the scientific consensus settles on the benefits and harms that age-assurance technologies can bring, and on the technical feasibility.” The signatories include Ronald Rivest, winner of the prestigious Turing Award in computing, and Bart Preneel, president of the International Association for Cryptologic Research. France is planning to ban kids under 15 from social media as soon as September, while Germany, Denmark and Spain are also accelerating efforts. Australia became the first country in the world to introduce a ban in December 2025. Many leaders have expressed support on the basis it…

Published on 02/03/2026 – 6:51 GMT+1•Updated 7:02 -Live reactions from Euronews correspondents in the Middle East: Aadel Haleem from Doha and Jane Witherspoon from Dubai -Our EU Editor Maria Tadeo and the Head of Euronews’ Persian Service, Babak Kamiar, break down the latest developments and reactions to the US-Israeli war on Iran, which has sparked violence across the region. -Our Jakub Janas breaks down the timeline of the conflict, what comes next after the death of Ayatollah Khamenei, and who is next in line to lead Iran. -Live reactions from our Euronews correspondents across Europe: Sophia Khatsenkova from Paris, Laura…

After a weekend of U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran — and the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei — Brussels is moving to coordinate its diplomatic response. EU ambassadors convened, foreign ministers met online and Ursula von der Leyen called the Defense College. But as tensions escalate across the region, is Europe shaping events — or reacting to them? Zoya Sheftalovich and Nick Vinocur unpack the EU’s balancing act: condemning Iran’s retaliation, avoiding direct criticism of Washington and trying to remain strategically relevant in a crisis unfolding beyond its borders. Plus: Emmanuel Macron unveils his vision for Europe’s nuclear…

The shift came after escalating threats to British troops and citizens from missile and drone attacks. Just hours after the release of Starmer’s Sunday statement, the Ministry of Defence told the Daily Mail that it was responding to a suspected drone attack on a key British airbase in Limassol, Cyprus, at midnight local time. There were no casualties. The government is also scrambling to help tens of thousands of Britons stranded in Gulf states amid airspace closures across the Middle East. Commercial interests are also at risk: A Gibraltar-flagged oil tanker was struck Sunday by “an unknown projectile” in the…

On Saturday night, Netanyahu urged Iranians to “unshackle themselves from tyranny,” seizing a “once in a generation chance” to overthrow the dictatorship. “Take to the streets en masse” and “get the job done,” he added. Cleaving to the same strategy, U.S. President Donald Trump is insisting the Iranians have their “single greatest chance” to “take back” their country. Netanyahu thinks he comes out on top, even if the popular uprising he is calling for plunges the nation into violent disorder. In an ideal world, a friendly regime appears in Tehran. But Israel often makes the Realpolitik judgment that turmoil can…

In short, fragmentation slows progress, weakens trust and importantly prevents comparability. In practice, the absence of a harmonied standard allows 27 different interpretations of sustainability to coexist is incompatible with a functioning ingle arket. Fortunately, PAS2090:2025 offers what the EU has been missing: a single, science-based methodology that allows regulators, procurers, and industry to finally speak the same language. Developed with stakeholders across the healthcare and life sciences sector, PAS2090:2025 specifies the appropriate methodology for medicines under ISO standards, aligning the playing field for everyone involved. Published by the British Standards Institution in November 2025, it reflects broad technical consensus…

PARIS — France will bolster its military presence in the Middle East after an Iranian counterattack hit a French naval base in the region. French President Emmanuel Macron, speaking ahead of an emergency security and defense council Sunday evening, said France will “strengthen its [military] position and defensive support to stand alongside those with whom we have defense treaties and be able to adapt our stance to the developments of the last few hours.” Paris said Saturday it was not informed about or involved in the American and Israeli strikes on Iran. Macron initially called for diplomacy to resume — but…