2026-05-19

Travel News

Thailand to slash visa-free stays for tourists

Holidaymakers from more than 90 countries could soon face shorter visa-free stays in Thailand, as officials move to curb crimes involving foreign nationals despite tourism remaining vital to the country’s economy.

19/05/2026

Business

PlayStation Plus price hikes spark backlash from gamers

Sony is increasing the price of PlayStation Plus memberships in several markets. The decision has prompted criticism from players who argue that subscription gaming is becoming increasingly expensive.

19/05/2026

Iran

Iranian TV teaches viewers to shoot as IRGC ramps up child recruitment

Iranian state TV has broadcast live weapons training, including simulated shooting at Trump, Netanyahu and the UAE flag, as the IRGC formally recruits children as young as 12 for checkpoints.

19/05/2026

Europe Today

'A perfect storm,' foresees MEP if EU-US trade deal not completed

European People Party MEP Željana Zovko warned that US “ideological fights” and EU “complex process procedures” could inhibit an EU-US deal from being reached at tonight’s high stakes talks in Strasbourg. Zovko also admitted she is “not so confident this morning”.

19/05/2026

Culture news

Filmmaker Jafar Panahi to face trial in Iran on ‘propaganda’ charges

Iranian director Jafar Panahi is set to face trial in Iran once more, on charges of “propaganda against the regime.” He was sentenced by Iran’s Revolutionary Court to one year in prison and a two-year travel ban in absentia last year.

19/05/2026

Europe News

German serial killer 'Man in Black' on trial for murder of French boy

Martin Ney, who wore masks and balaclavas during his attacks, was jailed for life in 2012 after he confessed to killing three boys aged 13, eight and nine between 1992 and 2001.

19/05/2026

Travel News

Dutch travel groups launch air tax campaign over flight cost fears

Netherlands-based travel firms are urging the Dutch government to rethink steep aviation tax rises they say could price ordinary families out of holidays and push travellers to airports across the border.

19/05/2026

No Comment

Tehran mass wedding turns military vehicles into bridal cars

Tehran stages a mass wedding where brides and grooms ride in decorated military vehicles, mixing celebration, symbolism and state messaging.

19/05/2026

Europe News

Risks, pitfalls, snubs: EU envoy for Russia talks faces job from hell

Whoever is appointed the European envoy for direct talks with Russia might come to regret it, as the task is laden with dangers that risk backfiring.

19/05/2026

Cinema

James Bond casting starts with new favourites (and Trump) auditioning

Official casting for the new James Bond has been announced, with Nina Gold at the helm. Who are the new favourites and why is the White House throwing Donald Trump's MAGA hat in the ring?

19/05/2026

Europe News

Denmark's Queen Margrethe out of hospital after heart procedure

Hugely popular among Danes for subtly modernising the monarchy, Margrethe has faced multiple health problems in recent years.

19/05/2026

Top News Stories Today

Latest news bulletin | May 19th, 2026 – Midday

Catch up with the most important stories from around Europe and beyond this May 19th, 2026 - latest news, breaking news, World, Business, Entertainment, Politics, Culture, Travel.

19/05/2026

Europe News

Malaysia seeks €216m from Norwegian firm over scrapped missile deal

Delivery of the Naval Strike Missile system as well as launcher components was revoked that had been destined for Malaysia's littoral combat ship programme under the terms of a 2018 deal.

19/05/2026

Europe News

Hungary's Magyar seeks EU funds deal 'next week' in Brussels

Péter Magyar said he hopes to reach an agreement with the European Commission next week to unlock €10.4bn in recovery funds that were frozen under the previous government of Viktor Orbán, as an August deadline nears.

19/05/2026

Business

One million a year salary? Here's top AI talent firms are bidding for

As Big Tech and a whole cohort of new-generation AI start-ups race towards artificial general intelligence (AGI), elite researchers and engineering leaders have become the equivalent of franchise athletes.

19/05/2026

Europe News

Finnish divers recover bodies of two Italians from cave in Maldives

Maldives government spokesman Ahmed Shaam had earlier said that the three Finnish divers would retrieve the bodies, which were lying at a depth of around 60 metres.

19/05/2026

Europe News

Spanish ex-PM Zapatero under investigation for influence peddling

This is the first time that a former Spanish prime minister has been placed under formal investigation since the country returned to democracy following the death of longtime dictator Francisco Franco in 1975.

19/05/2026

Health news

WHO ‘deeply concerned’ at the scale of Congo’s Ebola outbreak

Congolese authorities say at least 131 deaths and 500 cases have been recorded in Congo Ebola outbreak.

19/05/2026

Economy

Could Central Asia help Europe address labour shortage concerns?

European labour shortages and legal migration systems were central topics at the Tashkent International Migration Forum, where officials came together for discussions and solutions.

19/05/2026

Tech News

Elon Musk loses OpenAI case after he waited too long to sue

Musk left OpenAI’s board in 2018 after clashing with Altman. A year earlier, he reportedly made a failed bid to get more control over the company.

19/05/2026

Iran

Europol disrupts thousands of IRGC online accounts across 19 countries

Europol announced a major digital crackdown that led to the removal of thousands of online accounts linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the suspension of the group's primary X account in the EU.

19/05/2026

Europe News

Money, love and murder: the Mango founder case that shocked Spain

The arrest comes after more than a year of investigations into the death of the textile magnate, which was initially thought to be accidental after he fell off a cliff while walking with his son in the Salnitre caves in Barcelona's Collbató.

19/05/2026

No Comment

Swatch fans left frustrated as stores stay closed amid watch frenzy

Dozens of shoppers gathered outside a Swatch store in Lyon hoping to buy a sought-after watch released with Audemars Piguet, only to find the shop closed following disturbances and stock shortages.

19/05/2026

Destinations

A travel guide to all the potential Eurovision 2027 host cities

From the oldest continuously inhabited city in Europe to the Bulgarian Riviera, here’s where the 71st edition might be held.

19/05/2026

No Comment

Protest erupts at Venezuela’s Central University after prisoner deaths

Students clash with police at Venezuela's Central University after Carmen Navas dies, renewing anger over her son's death in state custody.

19/05/2026

Europe in Motion

Which EU countries dominate passenger rail travel and who lags?

Rail travel in the EU hit record highs in 2024, but railway networks remain uneven across the bloc. Which countries are leading Europe's rail revival?

19/05/2026

No Comment

Fast-moving wildfire spreads through Southern California hills

A fast-moving brush fire in Simi Valley, Ventura County, has forced evacuations and damaged homes as it spreads across more than 180 acres in California.

19/05/2026

Climate

Up to 38ºC in Spain this week: Heat soars after rainy winter

Temperatures over 30ºC are predicted in large swathes of the country.

19/05/2026

Europe Today

Ukraine is our 'number one priority' - top EU military chief

Speaking on Europe Today on Euronews, the EU's top military general Seán Clancy says Ukraine remains the EU’s “number one priority” as war continues to reshape Europe’s defence strategy.

19/05/2026

Europe News

Washington or Moscow: China’s Xi Jinping hosts Putin after Trump visit

Less than a week after the US president’s visit to China, it is now Vladimir Putin who is heading to Beijing. The question is which leader will prove the more persuasive partner for China — Washington or Moscow?

19/05/2026