The EU’s new clean industrial strategy must strike a balance between protecting key industries, not unduly shielding others, and creating a strong business case for clean products, key EU officials said on Wednesday (18 September).

TARGET - YouTh footbAll players as ambassadoRs for GEnder equaliTy

Adult industry stakeholders are looking to influence artificial intelligence (AI) regulations to protect content creators' rights amid emerging issues like AI-generated pornography, deepfakes, and age verification challenges.

A large-scale Ukrainian drone attack on Russia triggered an earthquake-sized blast at a major arsenal in the Tver region on Wednesday (18 September), forcing the evacuation of a nearby town, war bloggers and some media reported.

Artillery shells sold by Indian arms makers have been diverted by European customers to Ukraine and New Delhi has not intervened to stop the trade despite protests from Moscow.

In today’s edition of the Capitals, find out more about Czechia denying its alleged involvement in a plot to assassinate Maduro, the Spanish army helping Portugal with wildfires, and so much more. 

The High-level Advisory Body on Artificial Intelligence (AI) to the United Nations (UN) shared its awaited report on global AI governance today (19 September), proposing several new international institutions.

Dozens of international environmental organisations have declared the European Commission-backed Danube Hydroelectric Project dangerous, which involves the construction of a dam and power plant on the Danube between the Bulgarian town of Nikopol and the Romanian town of Turnu Magurele.

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis requested parliamentary approval on Wednesday to establish a maritime training facility on Romanian soil to help train Ukrainian marines.

Senior diplomats from the United States, Britain, Germany, France and Italy will meet on Thursday (19 September) in Paris to discuss the spiralling tensions in the Middle East, sources said on Wednesday.

The spokesperson for Poland's climate ministry resigned on Wednesday after the minister made a controversial promise of low-interest loans for flood damage.

Czechia’s Foreign Ministry has denied allegations that the country is in any way involved in a plot to overthrow the government of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, days after Spain rejected the same claims.

 The area burned in mainland Portugal since Sunday now exceeds 106,000 hectares, with the government declaring a state of emergency and neighbouring Spain even sending its army to help fight the fires.

Processed seafood products, such as canned fish, should carry the same labelling as fresh fish to combat illegal fishing and ensure fair competition, European NGOs and fishermen’s organisations have said.

The European Commission will soon make an additional €14 million package of financial assistance available to Spain to improve the Canary Islands reception capacity for irregular migrants, especially minors, European Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas announced during an official visit to the region on Wednesday.

The impact of mental health conditions on European societies and healthcare systems cannot be understated. Despite growing awareness within policy circles, funding remains scarce and significantly below what is required.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has pledged to push for the review of the European Green Deal, criticising its "ideological approach" and warning that it risks leading to deindustrialisation.

Hungary's energy security chief on Wednesday (18 September) slammed the European Union for not providing enough support to help smaller, landlocked countries move away from Russian natural gas.

With the EU’s electrification rate stagnating, the industry is looking to ensure electric vehicles and heat pumps are a key priority for the coming years.

After Ursula von der Leyen unveiled her selected team of Commissioners and their portfolios yesterday (17 September), it's now time for the EU Parliament to kick into gear and scrutinise the proposed candidates.