Travel News Top long weekend destinations for Europeans revealed New data has revealed that cities including Barcelona, Lisbon and Istanbul are among the top spots for a quick getaway. 18/02/2026
Earth News Will climate change really turn Iceland into ‘one giant glacier’? Scientists have expressed growing concern over a major Atlantic current that could collapse and send northern Europe into the next Ice Age. 18/02/2026
Health news Air pollution may increase risk of Alzheimer’s, study finds People with greater exposure to air pollution may have a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s, according to a new study. 18/02/2026
Economy Investor optimism on European growth hits record high, survey finds European investor optimism about economic growth has hit a record high, Bank of America’s latest fund manager survey shows, buoyed by hopes of German fiscal stimulus and defence spending. 18/02/2026
Europe News EU must move faster on Ukraine aid and defence, Latvian minister says The EU will cover €90 billion of Ukraine's financial and military needs over the coming two years, and is working on a 20th package of sanctions to further cripple Russia's ability to finance its war through exports of fossil fuel. 18/02/2026
The Cube Arrests in French far-right activist murder case follow misinformation A flood of conflicting narratives and misinformation about alleged suspects tied to the killing of 23-year-old Quentin Deranque in Lyon has spread online, preceding the first wave of arrests. 17/02/2026
France Nine suspects arrested in killing of French far-right activist in Lyon The incident has fuelled tensions between the far right and hard left ahead of municipal elections in March and the presidential election next year. 17/02/2026
12 minutes with Romanian minister backs EU joint debt in push to reboot economy Minister Alexandru Nazare also supports the more controversial E6 club of economic heavyweights, saying if it succeeds, it's a "good thing" for Europe. 17/02/2026
Europe News What’s a Canadian doing in discussions about the euro? François-Philippe Champagne was the special guest at Monday’s meeting of euro area finance ministers in Brussels – the first time a Canadian representative had been invited to this restricted format, from which non-euro area ministers are normally excluded. 17/02/2026
Culture news Eurovision fans blame high ticket prices for live tour cancellation There's been an enormous backlash from Eurovision fans in response to the cancellation of the inaugural live tour; another setback to the organiser's ongoing preparations for this year's song contest. 17/02/2026
The Cube Did Francesca Albanese really call Israel 'the enemy of humanity'? Last week, France, Germany and others called for the resignation of Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, over an alleged anti-semitic comment about Israel. Her supporters say the claim is based on misinformation. 17/02/2026
Europe News Belgium reprimands US ambassador over circumcision accusations The Belgian government has clashed with the US after Donald Trump's ambassador accused Brussels of antisemitism over its laws regulating circumcision. 17/02/2026
France France releases suspected Russian 'shadow fleet' tanker after fine Oil tanker named the Grinch has left French waters after the company that owns the vessel paid a penalty worth "several million euros". 17/02/2026
Health news Single-dose psychedelic treatment may ease depression, research finds One dose of the active compound in ayahuasca significantly improves depressive symptoms in early stages of a clinical trial, according to a new study. 17/02/2026
Europe News EU won't 'shy away' from new sanctions on Russia if G7 deal fails Economy Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said a G7 deal is not an "absolute precondition" for a full ban on maritime services for Russian tankers. Brussels wants the new sanctions approved by 24 February. 17/02/2026
Destinations You could win a private island in Sweden Visit Sweden has said the initiative is about sharing ‘a very Swedish perspective on freedom and responsibility in nature’. 17/02/2026
Belgium Belgium summons US ambassador in dispute over antisemitism accusations In a lengthy post on X, US ambassador to Belgium Bill White accused the country of antisemitic prosecution of Jewish Belgians. Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot called the accusation "dangerous disinformation". 17/02/2026
Italy Cheating row at Winter Olympics challenges curling's culture of trust A cheating row over "double-touching" has rattled curling at the Winter Olympics, testing the sport's culture of trust and self-officiating. 17/02/2026
Ecotech How a ‘flying’ electric ferry is transforming this Swedish city The Swedish capital’s hydrofoil electric ferry slashes emissions by up to 94%, according to a new report. 17/02/2026
Europe in Motion Do Europeans trust the EU or their national governments more? A new survey of 27,000 people living across the bloc reveals profound disparities in levels of trust in local, national and EU institutions. 17/02/2026
Ukraine Ukraine urges action as Russia launches mass attack before talks Deadly Russian strikes hit Ukrainian regions hours before US-backed Geneva talks, as Zelenskyy urged the world to hold Moscow accountable for continued attacks. 17/02/2026
Austria Austria charges man with terrorism over Taylor Swift attack plot Prosecutors in Austria have filed terrorism charges against a 21-year-old who allegedly plotted to attack a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna in 2024. 17/02/2026
Switzerland Why do Iran and the US choose Switzerland as common ground for talks? Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, Switzerland has played a pivotal diplomatic role, serving as a conduit for exchanging documents and proposals when direct communication between Washington and Tehran was limited or nonexistent. 17/02/2026
Climate ‘It scares me’: Greenland dog sled traditions at risk as ice melts Sled dog champion Jørgen Kristensen, 62, says it’s the first time he can remember when there has been no snow in January. 17/02/2026
Ukraine Ukraine is ramping up its counteroffensive regaining territories from Russian troops Ukraine is coming to the talks in Geneva with the significant counteroffensive momentum on the ground. Over the past several days Kyiv troops regained territories from Russian forces, wiping out weeks of Moscow gains, with the help of Elon Musk and Starlink. 17/02/2026
Greece Greece seeks to obtain Nazi execution photos listed for sale on eBay A series of photographs that appear to show the execution of 200 Greeks by Nazi soldiers in Athens surfaced on eBay over the weekend. 17/02/2026