Former Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte will assume the role of NATO Secretary-General on Monday (30 September), marking the start of a new chapter for the North Atlantic Alliance as he takes over from Jens Stoltenberg.

Around 40 per cent of Europe is covered by forests. The EU has pledged to plant three billion additional trees throughout its territories and become the first climate-neutral continent in its biodiversity strategy for 2030. But forest fires and consumer demand are challenging forestry optimism.

Longer and larger forest fires are contributing to land surface warming, a major new study reveals. Summer 2024, marked by deadly wildfire episodes, was officially Europe’s warmest on record, and it’s getting worse.

Innovation is essential for maximising the potential of forests and addressing global challenges, while paving the way towards a sustainable future for the forestry sector, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations.

Forest monitoring proposals by the European Commission have been received as having ‘potential but requiring significant improvements. Concerns are mounting about administrative burdens, confidentiality and costs.

In Czechia, over 160,000 people and approximately 4,000 children are living with rheumatoid arthritis. While modern medicine offers hope, early diagnosis and better access to treatment remain critical.

Sweden’s ruling coalition has unveiled a draft healthcare budget for 2025 - it got a cold reception from the opposition and health workers' unions. They say it’s a new blow to the hard-pressed Swedish health system.

The Slovak government announced budget consolidations to reduce the deficit; the move will significantly impact healthcare. Health Minister Zuzana Dolinková (HLAS) faces ongoing criticism from her coalition partners and the opposition - her role remains at risk.

The EU's increasing reliance on pharmaceutical production from non-EU countries, particularly India and China, has raised serious concerns, newly elected Czech MEP Ondřej Dostál (NI) said in an interview with Euractiv Czechia.

The regular issuance of common EU debt along the lines of the bloc’s €806.9 billion pandemic recovery fund is not “essential” for Europe to remain competitive with China and the US, Mario Draghi said on Monday (30 September).

The rise and integration of artificial intelligence into our daily lives is no longer a futuristic fantasy, but new data shows AI in the media sector might do more harm than good.

The Common Agricultural Policy national strategic plans (CSPs) do not live up to the EU's environmental ambitions, according to a report by the European Court of Auditors, which recommends that the Commission implements monitoring and evaluation systems for Member States in the next CAP.

Russia is the threat for which Sweden must dimension its defence said Sweden's new Commander-in-Chief Michael Claesson said on Monday ahead of his entry in functions.

The United Nations says gender equality is catastrophically off track, and gender-based violence continues to scar society. Soccer is making a pitch to end domestic violence through engagement and education.

In Malta, where violence against women is still prevalent, more action is needed to change the reality - football stakeholders are playing a part in trying to achieve significant change.

The flexible criteria for allocating EU funds to foreign companies and countries in the plan to prepare the continent’s industry and armies for a war footing, shows an unclear commitment to boosting Europe's defence industry.

Romania is starting to see changes in the way it reacts to domestic violence; it’s the result of a new partnership between the Romanian Football Association and a women’s rights NGO.

In Portugal, where domestic violence remains a largely underreported problem, there are high hopes football can play a vital role in changing society’s perception and reaction to abuse.

In his UN speech on Friday (27 September), Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu underscored that conflicts in the Middle East were a choice between "a blessing or a curse".

A range of academics, from Turing award-winner Yoshua Bengio to PhD candidates have been named chairs and vice-chairs of working groups that will draft a Code of Practice on general-purpose artificial intelligence (GPAI), according to a Monday (30 September) Commission press release.