Top News Stories Today Latest news bulletin | February 20th, 2026 – Midday Catch up with the most important stories from around Europe and beyond this February 20th, 2026 - latest news, breaking news, World, Business, Entertainment, Politics, Culture, Travel. 20/02/2026
Culture news Chart-topping French rapper Naps sentenced to seven years for rape The Paris court ruled there was an "absence of consent", accepting the complainant’s account that she was asleep and woke to the pain of penetration. 20/02/2026
The Cube Fact check: Did the EU charge the UK billions to join SAFE? Canada paid a one-off €10 million to join the EU’s SAFE defence scheme, whilst the UK was reportedly asked for a much higher fee. These numbers stem from reports of real negotiations, but the full picture is more complex. 20/02/2026
Economy Eurozone manufacturing at a turning point? PMI hits 44-month high Eurozone manufacturing returned to growth in February, hitting a 44-month high as Germany led a factory rebound. 20/02/2026
Health news What is ALS? These are the symptoms, causes and treatments Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is a neurodegenerative disease that affects the nervous system; around 400,000 people live with it worldwide. 20/02/2026
France Macron tells Meloni to 'stay at home' after comments on activist death Emmanuel Macron rebuked Giorgia Meloni over her comments on the killing of far-right activist Quentin Deranque in Lyon, sparking tensions between Rome and Paris. 20/02/2026
Economy EU countries prepare for ECB race as Lagarde eyes early exit Following reports on Wednesday that Christine Lagarde could step down as ECB President before her mandate ends, some EU countries have begun sounding out potential successors. 20/02/2026
Poland Poland prepares to mine Russian border after exit from Ottawa treaty Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has unveiled the Bluszcz weapons system, saying Warsaw could lay mines along its eastern border with Russia within 48 hours. 20/02/2026
Europe in Motion Europeans lack knowledge about the ECHR, but do they want to stay in? As some European governments push for a tougher migration framework under the European Convention on Human Rights, public opinion appears firmly on their side. Yet strikingly few Europeans say they know much about the convention itself. 20/02/2026
Europe News Between FCAS and F-35: European dream meets US reality Germany is rearming with a renewed focus on buying European. But with the German-French-Spanish fighter jet project, FCAS, at a standstill, does Berlin have any real options beyond the American F-35? 20/02/2026
Europe Today UN Palestine Rapporteur says she won't resign despite French backlash Francesca Albanese insists she has "the trust of the [UN] Human Rights Council" in an interview on Euronews' Europe Today show. 20/02/2026
Tech News US builds website to let Europeans access banned content The site displays the motto “Information is power. Reclaim your human right to free expression. Get ready,” with a graphic of a galloping white horse above the Earth. 20/02/2026
Venezuela Venezuela approves amnesty for likely release of political detainees Although the new law was not a prerequisite for the government to free prisoners, the approval marks a reversal for authorities in the South American nation, who for decades have denied holding any political prisoners. 20/02/2026
No Comment France on edge as Loire floods and storm Pedro threatens more chaos France is watching the Loire spill across streets and car parks in Les Ponts-de-Cé, near Angers. 20/02/2026
France Death of French activist sparks spectre of isolation around LFI party The death of 23-year-old far-right activist Quentin Deranque has weakened the left-wing France Unbowed, divided the left and given new momentum to the National Rally before crucial elections. 20/02/2026
No Comment China celebrates Spring Festival with lion dances at Great Wall of China China marked the Spring Festival with lion and dragon dances at the Badaling Great Wall on 19 February 2026. The shows formed part of New Year celebrations linked to the Year of the Fire Horse. 20/02/2026
Brussels, My Love? Podcast: Can the EU ever become a superpower? Will the EU ever become real power? Is the EU really facing an existential threat? What did EU leaders discuss in a medieval castle in Belgium’s Limburg province last week? 20/02/2026
No Comment Western France floods deepen after 35 days of rain After 35 days of rain, France battles major floods, evacuations and power cuts while forecasters say rivers will keep rising despite drier weather ahead. 20/02/2026
Europe Today Newsletter: France denounces Commission over Board of Peace meeting Also in this newsletter: The EU mediates amid Hungary and Slovakia’s energy standoff with Ukraine, and the French far right asks the European Parliament to mark death of activist Quentin Deranque. 20/02/2026
No Comment Humanoid robots dance into Beijing’s Lunar New Year celebrations Robots dance at a Beijing mall’s Lunar New Year show, dazzling visitors with smoother, human-like moves that highlight China’s tech-driven celebrations. 20/02/2026
Moments For a gourmet trip, follow these foodie trails around Europe From a newly developed blackcurrant trail in France to a historic route used by fishermen in Spain. 20/02/2026
Europe Today Europe Today: Albanese joins as France calls for her resignation Tune in to Euronews' new flagship morning programme at 8 am Brussels time. In just 20 minutes, we bring you up to speed on the biggest news of the day. 20/02/2026
Culture news Centenary celebrations for legendary Hungarian composer György Kurtág György Kurtág, one of the most important artist of contemporary classical music is being celebrated all around the world to mark his 100th birthday. 20/02/2026
World News HRW: US under Trump 'turning against entire ecosystem of human rights' Trump's return to the White House presents an "unprecedented threat" towards human rights, the new Human Rights Watch chief told Euronews. 20/02/2026
Culture news The Madrid Codices: Leonardo da Vinci's little known treasure in Spain On 13 February 1967, the Spanish National Library announced the discovery of the Madrid I and II codices, two manuscripts by Leonardo da Vinci that had remained poorly catalogued for more than a century. But they are being digitised to make them accessible to the public. 20/02/2026
Culture news Eric Dane, ‘Grey’s Anatomy and Euphoria’ actor dies aged 53 Dane died from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, known also as Lou Gehrig’s disease, less than a year after he announced his diagnosis. 20/02/2026
Climate Wildfires increasingly likely in several countries at once The risk of synchronous wildfires is rising - and help won't be as likely to come from neighbouring countries busy with their own flames. 20/02/2026
Health news Winter Olympics injuries: The most common and least well-known Winter Olympic athletes face high injury rates, yet some of the most common injuries go unnoticed. 20/02/2026
Top News Stories Today Latest news bulletin | February 20th, 2026 – Morning Catch up with the most important stories from around Europe and beyond this February 20th, 2026 - latest news, breaking news, World, Business, Entertainment, Politics, Culture, Travel. 20/02/2026
Tech News China’s AI chatbots censor politically sensitive questions, study Chinese AI models were more likely to refuse or inaccurately reply to politically-charged questions than non-Chinese models, a study has found. 20/02/2026