European

• European stocks experienced volatility on Thursday, eventually reversing initial losses to finish the trading session higher. • The market shift followed an order from Iran's Supreme Leader to keep near-weapons-grade uranium within the country. • Simultaneously, flash PMI data for May indicated a slump in economic activity across both France and the United Kingdom.

• The European AI & Cloud Summit 2026 showcased EU-funded innovations focusing on artificial intelligence and cloud technology integration. • Two primary initiatives, ACHIEVE and EMAI4EU, were highlighted to demonstrate Europe's investment in technological capabilities and digital skills development. • The ACHIEVE project specifically targets small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and public sector organizations, providing training and technical support in cybersecurity, AI, and cloud computing.

• European cinema attendance declined by 5.5% in 2025, with the total number of cinemagoers dropping to 796 million. • Despite the fall in attendance, overall box-office revenues remained stable at €6.36 billion. • This trend highlights a shift in consumer behavior and pricing dynamics within the European film exhibition market.

• OpenAI's revenue chief identified "capability overhang" as the primary challenge for European businesses, where the potential of AI models exceeds the current ability of companies to implement them. • Businesses in Germany, France, and the UK have emerged as some of the top global adopters of OpenAI's technology, signaling strong regional interest in AI integration. • This gap matters because it suggests that while adoption rates are high, organizations are struggling to translate technical capabilities into tangible operational value.

• Several European stocks have experienced a blockbuster rally, with some gaining over 100% this year driven by the global AI investment frenzy. • Companies like Nokia are positioned to support AI infrastructure, though they face a more restrictive regulatory environment than their U.S. counterparts. • The expansion of AI in Europe is currently hindered by power grid constraints, data center moratoriums, and strict compliance requirements under the EU AI Act.

• European shares moved higher on Wednesday afternoon, with London’s FTSE 100 up 11 points to 10,335, Paris’s CAC 40 up 23 points to 8,011 and Frankfurt’s DAX up 200 points to 24,508 by 2:50pm. • The rally came after investors welcomed news that the United States had paused an attack on Iran following Tehran’s latest peace proposal, easing some geopolitical pressure. • Dublin’s ISEQ index was a mild laggard, slipping 6 points to 12,598, even as individual Irish names such as Origin Enterprises and FBD Holdings posted gains.

All 46 Council of Europe members sign agreement ‘deplored’ by human rights organisationsThe UK and 45 other European countries have signed an agreement that explicitly endorses plans to send unwanted asylum seekers to third country hubs.A political declaration from the 46 members of the Council of Europe, the body that oversees the European convention on human rights (ECHR), said states had an “undeniable sovereign right” to control their borders. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Council of Europe to hold meeting in Moldova on Friday, with human rights body set to declare recognition of countries’ right to control bordersEurope live – latest updatesEuropean ministers will this week discuss plans to send thousands of rejected asylum seekers to third-country hubs, the head of the continent’s human rights body has told the Guardian.Alain Berset, the secretary general of the Council of Europe, said discussions about the removal of people who arrived in Europe by irregular routes would take place “at a multilateral level” at a meeting in Moldova on Friday. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Co-chair Vula Tsetsi says it is time to trigger debate, as statement is agreed at annual leadership meeting in BrusselsThe European Green party has urged the UK to consider rejoining the EU and draw a line under the “political and economic failure” of Brexit.A text declaring that “the United Kingdom’s future lies in the European Union” was adopted by a large majority of European green parties at the movement’s annual leadership meeting on Friday, the day before Europe Day. Continue reading...

Profits jump to £122m at ticketing retailer but it expects flat or declining revenues over the coming year Business live – latest updatesTrainline has said the US standoff with Iran is hitting its revenues, with rail ticket sales to foreign visitors to Europe affected.The UK-based ticketing retailer said it expected revenues to stay flat or decline over the coming year, citing “the effects of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East on inbound air traffic into Europe”. Continue reading...

PM’s attendance at European Political Community meeting in Yerevan signals effort to build new ties after US ruptureCanada is to become the first non-European country to attend a meeting of the European Political Community when the prime minister, Mark Carney, joins Monday’s summit of the 48-plus nation grouping in Yerevan, Armenia.Carney has said he is determined to build a new network of trade and diplomatic alliances after the loss of US markets under Donald Trump. His presence will also represent a show of western support for Armenia in its efforts to distance itself from Russia at a time when the US’s approach to Moscow’s opponents, such as Ukraine, is at best ambiguous. Canadian diplomats have rejected suggestions Ottawa might seek EU membership. Continue reading...

• TechCrunch correspondent Anna Heim identified 21 emerging European AI and tech startups positioned to capture venture investor attention beyond market leaders Mistral AI and Lovable. • The curated list of companies represents underreported opportunities in artificial intelligence and emerging technologies that venture insiders are quietly tracking. • These startups compete in a market where established European firms continue securing massive funding rounds and launching competitive products.

Royal Navy chief says unified naval force will deter future Russian threats from the ‘open sea border’ to the northBritain has agreed to create a unified naval force with nine European countries to deter future Russian threats from the “open sea border” to the north, the head of the Royal Navy has announced.Gen Sir Gwyn Jenkins insisted that despite the ongoing crisis in the Middle East, where the strait of Hormuz remains closed after the US-Israel war in Iran that “Russia remains the gravest threat to our security”. Continue reading...

Eight EU members continue to include force or violence in their definitions in national criminal codesThe European parliament has called on the EU to draw up a standardised consent-based definition of rape, in what legislators described as a crucial step towards addressing the patchwork of laws, some of them insufficient, that currently exist across the bloc.On Tuesday, 447 of the parliament’s 720 MEPs voted to approve a report calling for a common definition of rape, centred on “only yes means yes,” prompting a loud round of applause in the chamber in Strasbourg. Continue reading...

• The European Union announced a €2.1 billion emergency aid package for Ukraine on Friday, aimed at supporting reconstruction efforts and civilian needs amid Russia's intensified spring offensive across multiple fronts in eastern Ukraine. • EU officials stated the funds would prioritize healthcare infrastructure, food security, and electricity grid repairs, with disbursement beginning within two weeks pending parliamentary approval scheduled for April 30. • Ukraine's finance minister praised the commitment but warned that current assistance levels remain insufficient to offset projected $14 billion in war-related economic losses this year alone.

Lawyers for oligarch claim freezing of £5.3bn of assets ‘unfair and abusive’ amid row over use of funds for Ukraine Roman Abramovich has gone to the European court of human rights (ECHR), claiming that a criminal investigation into his financial affairs by the Jersey authorities has breached his human rights, according to reports.The former owner of Chelsea FC, who is sanctioned in the UK over his links to Vladimir Putin, is under investigation in Jersey over allegations of corruption and money laundering. Continue reading...

FC Basel and Polish stadium stop US rapper’s upcoming shows, after similar cancellations in France and UK over antisemitic commentsKanye West’s upcoming concerts in Poland and Switzerland have been cancelled, as a growing number of European countries have stopped or postponed the US rapper’s performances amid a furore over his past antisemitic comments.Swiss football club FC Basel, which is responsible for concerts and events that take place at its St Jakob-Park ground, told Reuters on Saturday that after reviewing a request for West to perform there in June, it decided against it. Continue reading...

• The European Commission introduced draft legislation on April 18 to impose stricter sanctions on Russian oil, gas, and refining infrastructure, aiming to reduce EU energy dependence by 35% within two years. • The proposal includes price caps on Russian liquefied natural gas imports and expanded restrictions on third-party shipping companies, targeting the "shadow fleet" used to circumvent existing penalties. • EU energy ministers debated the plan in Brussels, with Hungary and Slovakia expressing concerns about potential economic costs to their economies, though Germany and Poland voiced strong support.

• The EU Council approved a new sanctions package on April 11 targeting 28 Russian oligarchs and 15 companies involved in military procurement, freezing assets valued at approximately €3.2 billion. • The sanctions aim to disrupt Russian defense supply chains and increase pressure on Moscow's ability to sustain military operations in Ukraine, with measures including travel bans and financial transaction restrictions. • EU Foreign Affairs Chief Josep Borrell stated the sanctions demonstrate "unwavering support" for Ukraine, though critics argue they remain insufficient to alter Russian strategic calculations.

Summer flights and holidays may also be at risk, says the Airports Council International European airports have said jet fuel shortages could hit the summer holiday season, if oil supplies do not start to flow through the strait of Hormuz within the next three weeks.Airports Council International (ACI) Europe wrote to Apostolos Tzitzikostas, the EU transport commissioner, saying the bloc is three weeks away from shortages. Continue reading...

Announcement of deal met with relief, and calls for strait of Hormuz to be reopened and permanent end to hostilities US and Iran agree to provisional ceasefireMiddle East crisis – live updatesEuropean leaders have welcomed the US-Iran ceasefire deal, while calling for the reopening of the strait of Hormuz and a permanent end to hostilities, including in Lebanon.The US and Iran agreed a two-week conditional ceasefire on Tuesday, including a temporary reopening of the strait of Hormuz, after last-minute diplomacy from Pakistan. The Israeli military said on Wednesday, however, that it was continuing “fighting and ground operations” in its war against the Lebanese militia Hezbollah, despite a statement from mediator Pakistan that Lebanon was included in the ceasefire. Continue reading...

• The EU imposed sanctions on three Chinese technology firms and one individual on April 6, accusing them of conducting sophisticated espionage operations targeting European telecommunications infrastructure and government networks. • The targeted companies are suspected of exploiting vulnerabilities in 5G networks; the EU cited evidence of stolen intellectual property and unauthorized access to classified communications. • EU officials stated the move signals zero tolerance for state-sponsored cyber operations; Chinese officials denied accusations and called the sanctions "groundless and provocative."

After threatening to withdraw from the alliance, the president did not mention it in his address to the nation, and will meet the secretary general, Mark Rutte, next weekAfter all the excitement about Donald Trump’s rapidly escalating rhetoric on Nato and (his own) suggestions he would go even further in last night’s address to the nation, he … just didn’t say anything about it at all.Whether it was the late phone call intervention by Europe’s finest Trump whisperer, Finland’s Alexander Stubb, or the prospect of next week’s Washington visit from Nato’s secretary general Mark Rutte, we will never know, but the fact is that we live to fight another day. Continue reading...

Michael O’Leary says UK’s reliance on Kuwait for jet fuel supply amid Iran war exposes it to possible shortagesThe UK is the most vulnerable country in Europe to potential jet fuel shortages as the Iran war throttles supplies from the Gulf, the boss of Ryanair has said.Michael O’Leary, the chief executive of the budget airline, said Britain would be the most exposed to jet fuel shortages because it relies on Kuwait for about 25% of its supply. Continue reading...

Intelligence reports find Russia is close to completing phased shipment of drones, medicine and foodMiddle East crisis – live updatesIntelligence agencies in Europe believe Russia is in the final stages of preparing to supply supply drones to Iran for use in its war with the US and Israel, according to a senior European official.Russia has already been providing intelligence sharing with Tehran to help it target US forces in the region, the official said, but the upcoming delivery of explosive-laden drones would mark the first evidence of lethal support since the start of the war. Continue reading...