European Union

Koran-burnings in Sweden are to go on as before, despite its upgrade of the terrorist threat from "violent Islamism".

Global wealth had declined for the first time since the 2008 global financial crisis — but is expected to grow 38 per cent by 2027, according to a new report.

Ukraine has confirmed its 2035 coal exit — but only a detailed plan to phase out coal and replace it with renewables will secure its independence from Russia, fast-track EU membership, and contribute to the fight against climate change.

The United States has approved sending F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine from Denmark and the Netherlands to defend against Russian invaders as soon as pilot training is completed, a US official said on Thursday (17 August).

Ukraine's defence ministry urged military-age citizens to update their data at army enlistment offices and "overcome their fear" in a campaign launched on Thursday (17 August) as a summer counter-offensive grinds through its third month.

Firefighters on 17 August struggled to contain a wildfire that broke out in a mountainous national park on the Spanish island of Tenerife amid hot and dry weather, that prompted authorities to evacuate more 3,000 people during the day.

Russia detained Grigory Melkonyants, the co-chair of prominent independent vote-monitoring group Golos (Voice), the organisation said on its website on Thursday night (17 August).

Polish lawmakers passed a resolution on 17 August to hold a referendum on migration and three other issues on the same day as parliamentary elections on 15 October, in what analysts say is a government bid to mobilise its base.

Slovak police charged the country's spy master and other high-ranking officials in the security community with forming a criminal group and conspiring to abuse power, in a case that has emerged just weeks ahead of an early election.

Stian Jenssen, chief of staff to Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, suggested in a panel discussion that Ukraine could be offered Nato membership in exchange for ceding territory to Russia, according to the Norwegian newspaper Verdens Gang. Under what conditions negotiations could begin would be up to Ukraine, Jenssen reportedly added. Kyiv described the remarks as unacceptable. Commentators weigh in.

Several data indicators point to a marked slowdown in China's economic growth: according to the country's National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), industrial output rose by 3.7 percent year-on-year in July - falling far behind the growth rate for June (4.4 percent), while retail sales rose by 2.5 percent (compared to 3.1 percent in June) and investment in the real estate sector fell by 8.5 percent. Europe's press takes stock.