Paris nursery abuse probe expands as 16 staff held over extended custody
The suspects worked at the Saint-Dominique state nursery school in Paris’ 7th arrondissement and are being questioned over rape and other allegedly excessive or violent behaviour. Read More
Technological sovereignty is not about isolation, EU digital chief says
Henna Virkkunen says tech sovereignty means cutting risky dependencies and boosting European capacity in areas from semiconductor supply chains to cloud services. Read More
Merz proposes ‘associate EU membership’ for Ukraine, with mutual assistance
The “associate membership” envisioned by Friedrich Merz would allow Ukraine to request assistance from other EU countries against a Russian attack. This, Merz says, would create a “substantial security guarantee”.…
Italy moves to Airbus A330 tankers in major NATO-aligned shift
Rome shifts course: six Airbus A330 MRTT tanker aircraft, worth around €1.39 billion in total, to bolster the European pillar in NATO. Read More
No, the US hasn’t announced a total withdrawal of troops from Europe
Amid real reports of the US scaling back its military presence in European countries, there are also false claims that Washington is removing the entirety of its personnel from the…
Latvia issues warning to residents after detecting unmanned aerial vehicle in its airspace
On Wednesday, Lithuania’s Vilnius airport also temporarily shut down after the government announced a suspected drone threat over its airspace. Read More
EU countries and Parliament clash on controversial return rules for migrants
The European Parliament and EU member states have failed to agree on a law enabling home searches and setting up deportation centres outside the EU to speed up migrants’ returns.…
EU cuts 2026 growth forecast as Strait of Hormuz crisis pushes inflation up
The EU has downgraded its 2026 economic growth forecast after the Strait of Hormuz crisis sent energy prices sharply higher earlier this year. With no end to the conflict in…
Russia delivers nuclear warheads to Belarus as NATO tensions spike
Russia has delivered nuclear munitions to field storage facilities in Belarus as part of major nuclear drills amid tensions with European NATO members sparked by drone incursions in the Baltic.…
Latest news bulletin | May 21st, 2026 – Midday
Catch up with the most important stories from around Europe and beyond this May 21st, 2026 – latest news, breaking news, World, Business, Entertainment, Politics, Culture, Travel. Read more at…