Israel and Hezbollah traded fresh cross-border fire, as fears of a regional conflict grew after Israel revealed it had approved plans for a Lebanon offensive and the Iran-backed militants vowed to blanket their foe in rockets.

In today's edition of the Capitals, find out more about Orbán and the ECR drifting further apart amid the EU group’s efforts to expand, Bulgaria heading for yet another general election, and so much more.

On Friday afternoon, Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, announced it is pausing plans to roll out artificial intelligence (AI) features that would use users’ public posts to train its AI models. The company cited a request from the Irish Data Protection Commission.

The German states were pushing the federal government during a summit on Thursday to allow the outsourcing of asylum procedures to third states, with chancellor Olaf Scholz promising keep exploring options.

Niger has revoked the operating licence of French nuclear fuel producer Orano at one of the world's biggest uranium mines, the company said Thursday (20 June), in a move that highlighted tensions between France and the African country's ruling junta.

Vladimir Putin said Thursday (19 June) he does not rule out Russia sending arms to isolated North Korea in what Washington called an "incredibly concerning" statement that threatens instability on the divided Korean peninsula.

Fringe parties received a sizeable boost in Germany’s EU elections, suddenly finding themselves in an influential position in post-election negotiations as their collective influence rivals that of entire countries. 

Romania will donate its Patriot missile defence system to Ukraine on condition that it receives a similar or equivalent system to protect its airspace, the country's Supreme Council of National Defence (CSAT) decided on Thursday.

Bulgaria is heading for its seventh general election in three years after former prime minister Boyko Borisov's ruling GERB (EPP) party failed to secure the parliamentary majority needed to form a regular government.

Ahead of Friday's (21 June) Health Council, Frank Vandenbroucke writes that Europe needs a ‘true’ European Health Union to guarantee the survival of national health systems.

US chip manufacturer Onsemi is planning to invest up to $2 billion in its Czech production facility after negotiations with the government resulted in the largest foreign investment in the country's history.

Despite the desire and efforts of Germany's far-right party AfD and some other parties, it is unlikely that a new far-right group will emerge in the European Parliament, argues Polish far-right Confederation MEP Anna Bryłka. 

Slovakia's parliament approved the government's planned revamp and leadership change at public broadcaster RTVS on Thursday (20 June), overruling concerns the changes will bring the broadcaster under political control and harm media freedom.

The Spanish left lashed out at Madrid Regional President Isabel Díaz Ayuso of the right-wing Partido Popular (PP/EPP) on Thursday for honouring Argentine President Javier Milei with the International Medal of the Madrid Community, accusing her of being "disloyal" and only trying to "annoy" the progressive government of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party will be asked provide a written statement expressing support for Ukraine if they want to join the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), according to the group’s Vice-Chair Nicola Procaccini.

After the victory of the European People’s Party (EPP) in the European Elections, the party will decide how to implement one of its core election promises – to secure a future for cars with an internal combustion engine – at the group’s “study days” from 2-5 July in Cascais, Portugal.

Far right Rassemblement national’s (RN) President Jordan Bardella told business leaders on Thursday (20 June) he would cut France’s contribution to the EU budget by “€2 to 3 billion” should he be appointed prime minister after the snap elections – though that’s legally close to impossible.

The European Conservatives and Reformists announced on Wednesday they've overtaken the liberal Renew group to become the third-largest political group in the EU Parliament. This shake-up impacts the negotiations for EU top jobs as - at least in theory - it makes the ECR entitled to one of them.

The next European Commission should carry out a review of its digital rulebook mid-term and revise the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD), says an internal briefing document seen by Euractiv.

“We must commend China for its leadership in decarbonisation industries,” former French Environment Minister Brice Lalonde said on Wednesday (19 June). “It’s an inspiration and it’s a path that we in Europe must follow."