Europe
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French Diesel Prices Are Soaring Above the European Average
US President Donald Trump has threatened to quickly ban diesel exports to lower fuel bills for American drivers. That worries Europe, because American diesel made up 50% of the fuel…
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Basque Country and Suez Charged Over Illegal Wastewater Discharges into the Atlantic Ocean
The Basque Country agglomeration community and Suez Eau France, responsible for its wastewater treatment, were charged on July 6 and April 22, 2026, for illegal wastewater discharges into the ocean…
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Germany Wants a European Tax on Oil Companies’ Windfall Profits to Offset Rising Energy Prices
Several countries led by Germany called on Friday for a European tax on oil companies’ windfall profits. The push came during a ministerial meeting in Dublin. German Finance Minister Lars…
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Denmark Inaugurates One of Europe’s First Large-Scale CO2 Storage Sites
The Greensand project has begun storing carbon dioxide under a former oil platform in the North Sea. Energy group Ineos announced the launch on Friday. Its CEO called Greensand the…
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Liechtenstein lawmakers vote to legalize abortion despite royal veto threat
A controversial Liechtenstein abortion bill has passed a crucial parliamentary vote. Lawmakers in Vaduz narrowly backed a citizen-led initiative on Wednesday. Specifically, the reform legalizes termination during the first 12…
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McKinsey Case: Financial Prosecutor Announces Seizure of 65 Million Euros in Tax Fraud Investigation
French prosecutors seized about €65 million from McKinsey through Belgian authorities. The sum represents 96 percent of the tax loss the consulting giant allegedly evaded. The seizure happened on August…
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Five European Countries Agree to Set Up “Return Hubs” for Rejected Asylum Seekers
Denmark, Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, and Greece are moving forward with plans for return centers outside the EU. They hope to reach an agreement with a third country by early…
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Volkswagen Approves Historic Restructuring Plan, 100,000 Jobs to Be Cut by 2030
Volkswagen’s supervisory board approved a historic restructuring on Thursday, cutting 100,000 jobs over five years. That includes 50,000 already decided in Germany since 2024. Total cuts reach about 15 percent…
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In Germany, Low Gas Storage Levels Fuel Fear of a New Crisis
Germany’s gas reservoirs are only 53 percent full. That is far below previous years’ levels. The low storage revives bad memories of winter 2022, when Russian deliveries stopped. Summer storage,…
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Climate change: ‘Future threats reinforce the fear of social downgrading and individual social mobility strategies’
More than 115,000 hectares have burned in France this year. It is the worst fire season in recent history. Many hope this shock will finally spark action. But a 2024…
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European Power Grid Faces Sabotage and Cyberattack Threats
Europe is taking the risk of a major blackout seriously. Tensions with Russia are rising. France plans a crisis simulation in 2027. In Lithuania, a key substation near the Polish…
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France’s First Battery-Powered Regional Train
France’s first battery-powered regional train entered service on Monday, August 31, running between Nîmes and Vauvert in the Gard department. The Occitanie region, SNCF, and Alstom will test the train…
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UK and Belgium Record Hottest Summer Ever in 2026
The summer of 2026 was the hottest ever recorded in the United Kingdom and Belgium, according to their meteorological agencies. The UK’s average temperature reached 16.5°C, while Belgium recorded 20.3°C.…
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Gas Bills Jump in Europe as Middle East Tensions Drive Price Surge
Gas prices go up 5.6 percent on September 1. The reason: ongoing Middle East conflict. For 6 million households, the bill rises from €162.89 to €172.05 per megawatt-hour. Since April,…
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El Niño Threatens to Push Up Food Prices in Europe
The return of El Niño in 2026 threatens global agricultural production and could drive up food prices. Inflation, expected to ease with hopes of opening the Strait of Hormuz, has…
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The Future of Ukraine’s Drone Democracy
Ukraine confirmed Yevhenii Khmara as defense minister on August 19. The appointment followed weeks of uncertainty after mass protests over President Zelensky’s firing of Mykhailo Fedorov. Khmara is a special…
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A Great Rebalancing Is Coming
En: Think TanksGlobal trade imbalances are growing. China, Germany, and a few others run large surpluses. The US runs the world’s biggest deficit. For America, this means either more unemployment or more…
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Iceland Rejects EU Membership Talks
Icelanders have rejected a government proposal to resume EU accession talks. Official results show 52.8 percent voted “no” and 47.2 percent voted “yes.” The vote took place on Saturday, August…
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Ukrainian Nuclear Plant Loses External Power for Over a Week
The Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in southeastern Ukraine has been without external power for more than a week. The UN’s nuclear watchdog issued the warning. The plant is occupied by Russia.…
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Greenland Seeks Truth Commission on Forced Contraception
Greenland has requested a truth and reconciliation commission following two expert reports on forced contraception that reached different conclusions on whether Denmark committed genocide between the 1960s and 1990s. The…
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French Business Leaders Hear Von der Leyen Defend EU Agenda
French business leaders aired grievances at the Medef conference on August 26. Medef president Patrick Martin criticized the EU’s response to US tariffs and called China “even more threatening.” He…
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Haakon VIII Becomes New King of Norway After Death of His Father Harald V
Norway has entered a new era following the death of King Harald V. His son, Haakon, visited the Royal Palace on Friday, August 28, with his 22-year-old daughter Ingrid Alexandra,…
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French Left Unites Around Climate Action
The main French left-wing parties have placed the fight against climate change at the heart of their political platforms. La France Insoumise (LFI) led by Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the Greens, and…
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New satellite images show Europe’s disappearing rivers due to drought
Recent satellite analysis reveals a dramatic worsening of drought conditions across Central and Western Europe. This with nearly half of the continent’s land area affected and approximately 9 percent reaching…
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Afghan refugees face an uncertain future as Europe shifts to the right
Five years after the fall of Kabul, thousands of Afghan evacuees who resettled across Europe face mounting legal precarity and the prospect of deportation.
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An update on Europe’s Russia sanctions
The New European Sanctions The European Union officially announced its 21st package of Russia sanctions on July 23. These new energy-related measures include freezing the crude oil price cap at…
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Europe Faces a Triple Crisis of War, Wildfires and Migration
Multiple Crises Are Reshaping Europe’s Security Landscape According to The New York Times, Europe is confronting an unprecedented convergence of challenges as the continent simultaneously struggles with the war in…
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Travel restrictions – from Israel and Europe – trap students in Gaza
Palestinian students in Gaza who have secured admission and scholarships to European universities are facing severe hurdles that prevent them from leaving the territory to pursue higher education.
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Can Europe survive China Shock 2.0?
An intense wave of Chinese industrial overcapacity and export expansion, often termed “China Shock 2.0”, presents a severe existential threat to European manufacturing and economic stability.
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‘Explosive demand’ for cooling continues as Europe swelters, China’s Midea says
As prolonged heatwaves record historic temperatures across Southern and Western Europe, appliance giant China Midea cooling demand is experiencing explosive export growth across overseas consumer markets. According to a report by the…