Europe

Europe is shaped by decisions made across borders, from the continent’s response to Russia’s war in Ukraine to debates over sanctions and military support. These choices affect security, diplomacy and the daily lives of people across the region.

The topic also covers European politics, business, culture and sport, alongside events that test public safety and trust. Together, these stories offer a view of the forces changing life in Europe and its place in the wider world.

Hungary expels 10 Russian diplomats as relations worsen

September 8, 2026

Hungary has expelled 10 Russian diplomats from Budapest, prompting Moscow to warn of a “harsh and painful” response and marking a decisive break with the pro-Kremlin stance the country held under former prime minister Viktor Orbán. Foreign Minister Anita Orbán said the move was needed to protect Hungary’s “security and sovereignty” against unspecified “unacceptable” activities,…
A word with a woman who’s trying to pull off a crossbody phone strap

September 8, 2026

This is a light-hearted, satirical first-person piece from The Verge in which the writer humorously defends their attempt to make the “crossbody phone strap” trend look stylish and effortless. Written in an exaggerated, self-deprecating tone, it pokes fun at fashion trend culture, tech-obsessed lifestyles and the practicalities (and absurdities) of wearing a phone slung across…
Climate extremist is arrested over German electricity sabotage – after fears it was Russian hybrid war attack

September 8, 2026

German authorities have arrested a 48-year-old man, identified only as Daniel V., on suspicion of carrying out a string of sabotage attacks on the country’s electricity grid, easing fears that Russia was behind a hybrid campaign against critical infrastructure. He was detained near Weisweiler in western Germany carrying explosive devices, ending a manhunt sparked by…
Trade war escalates, European jet plans collapse, US Navy clears Hormuz mines

September 8, 2026

Canada’s tariffs on US goods take effect amid Trump-Carney tensions, while France and Germany’s fighter jet pact lies in ruins; also: Russia-North Korea bridge opens, Robinson murder trial updates, and Callie Khouri brings Thelma and Louise to the stage.
Inside ‘DAU,’ the 20-Year Soviet Simulation That Became Cinema’s Strangest Ghost Story

September 8, 2026

Russian director Ilya Khrzhanovsky’s long-mythologised film project DAU is finally arriving at the Venice Film Festival, two decades after he began building a sealed, fully functioning recreation of a Soviet research institute in Kharkiv, Ukraine. What started in 2006 as a conventional biopic of Nobel Prize-winning physicist Lev Landau, nicknamed “Dau”, spiralled into an immersive,…
Mistral bags €3B to build Europe’s sovereign AI champion

September 8, 2026

Paris-based Mistral has closed a €3 billion Series D funding round, taking its post-money valuation to more than €21 billion in what the company calls the largest equity fundraise ever completed by a European technology firm. The deal cements Mistral’s position as Europe’s leading “sovereign AI” contender, with the company pitching itself to governments and…
Longstanding Franchises, Distinctive New IPs Help French Animation Industry Weather Market Slowdown

September 8, 2026

French animation companies are pushing new intellectual property and beloved franchises to help the sector navigate a broader industry slowdown marked by budget cuts and labour shortages, according to executives speaking at the Unifrance Rendez-Vous market in Le Havre. Firms such as Xilam Animation and Mediawan Kids & Family say the answer lies not purely…
Meta Failed to Catch Hundreds of AI Child Abuse Ads. Some Included Images of Real Kids

September 8, 2026

An investigation by the Tech Transparency Project (TTP), shared with WIRED, found that Meta’s platforms hosted hundreds of AI-generated child sexual abuse material (CSAM) adverts, despite the company’s claims that new AI moderation tools would catch such content. This follows an earlier WIRED report that prompted Meta to delete around 50 similar ads last month,…
French television programme sales drop to decade minimum

September 8, 2026

International sales of French television programmes dropped to €164.2 million in 2025, a ten-year low and a 21.6% fall from 2024’s €209.6 million, according to figures from Unifrance and the CNC presented at the Unifrance Rendez-Vous market in Le Havre. The decline stems from a difficult combination of factors: falling television advertising revenue has left…
France TV Exports Plummet Amid Ad Decline, Broadcaster Budget Cuts, ‘Deteriorating Economic Environment’

September 8, 2026

France’s TV content exports fell sharply in 2025, with the French National Film Board (CNC) and Unifrance reporting a 21.6% drop in international sales of French audiovisual programmes, to €164.3 million (£150.6 million) — the lowest level in a decade. The two organisations blamed “a deteriorating economic environment and numerous uncertainties,” a stark reversal from…