As Ursula von der Leyen worked to get re-elected for a second mandate at the European Commission's helm, she offered concessions across the political spectrum and these tactical negotiations have largely shaped the Commission's next mandate.

In this week's edition: Ukraine looks towards autumn diplomacy, Mediterranean commissioner and post-EPC mood.

Poland wants the European Union to launch a campaign in the United States to raise awareness with the American public about the importance of the joint relationship.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev pledged on Saturday (20 July) to help France's overseas territories secure independence, the latest in a series of incidents pitting his ex-Soviet state against Paris over long-running conflicts in the Caucasus region.

Israeli fighter jets struck Houthi military targets near Yemen's Hodeidah port on Saturday (20 July), killing at least three people and wounding 87, a day after a drone launched by the Iranian-backed group hit Israeli economic hub Tel Aviv.

Slovakia will not be a "hostage" to Ukraine-Russia relations, its Prime Minister Robert Fico told his Ukrainian counterpart in a call on Saturday (20 July), after Kyiv placed Russian group Lukoil on a sanctions list, leading to a halt in deliveries.

The top UN court's ruling that Israel's 57-year occupation of Palestinian land was "illegal" is "largely consistent with EU positions", the bloc's foreign policy chief said Saturday (20 July).

Cyprus on Saturday (21 July) marked the 50th anniversary of the bloody invasion of the Mediterranean island by Turkish troops with both sides as divided as ever over the territory's future.

American cybersecurity company CrowdStrike became a household name for all the wrong reasons on Friday (19 July), after a botched software update caused havoc around the world.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed British government ministers on Friday (19 July), a rare appearance by a foreign leader at a cabinet meeting that new Prime Minister Keir Starmer hopes will underline London's support for Kyiv.

A Russian court found US reporter Evan Gershkovich guilty of espionage on Friday (19 July) and sentenced him to 16 years in a maximum security penal colony in what his employer, the Wall Street Journal, called "a disgraceful sham conviction."

Chinese wind turbine-makers this month clinched their first order in Germany, as they build momentum in the European market and add to concern in the EU industry that it faces an existential threat.

Eurostat has found that almost 20 million children in the EU were at risk of poverty or social exclusion in 2023.

The chairman of the new far-right group Patriots for Europe (PfE), Frenchman Jordan Bardella, will take a seat on the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee (AFET), which, according to his entourage, is an opportunity for him to gain a firmer foothold on international issues.

After seven rollercoaster months, European politicians mostly resemble beat-up-birds these days. And they might not have much time to enjoy their ice-cold poolside drinks this summer. 

Europe's insurance sector became the latest to join the chorus of EU interest groups calling on the next Commission to foster a more pro-business regulatory framework - first and foremost, by following through with its pledge to slash reporting obligations by 25%.

The UK has become the first European country to authorise the sale of lab-grown meat, albeit for pet food rather than human consumption, following approval by the country’s regulators earlier this month. 

The official lineup for the new European Parliament's Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI) was confirmed on Friday (19 July), with a make-up promising more political action in this term.

The reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) will be among the main tasks for the new European Parliament's Committee on Fisheries, with the European People's Party (EPP) in pole for the chair post.

Stakeholders attending the negotiations on a future pandemic agreement say that new engagement modalities lack transparency and damage trust in the process.