At least nine people were killed on Tuesday (17 September) and nearly 3,000 wounded when pagers used by Hezbollah members - including fighters and medics - detonated simultaneously across Lebanon.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk expressed his satisfaction with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s decision to assign the highly coveted budget, anti-fraud and public administration portfolio to Polish candidate Piotr Serafin.

Polish emergency services are fully equipped and well prepared to deal with the ongoing flood crisis, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Tuesday, adding that there was no immediate need to request the activation of the EU's civil protection mechanism.

The ruling coalition removed Michal Šimečka (PS/RE) from his position as deputy speaker of parliament in a vote on Monday, with 76 MPs voting in favour of his removal in a secret ballot - the narrowest possible majority, as even three coalition members did not vote in favour of his dismissal.

Europe is set to face immense socio-ecological challenges in the coming decades, including extreme heat and flooding, with dire impacts for community health and city infrastructure. There is, however, good news: we have a powerful tool at our disposal: Nature-based Solutions (NbS). NbS use the power of healthy ecosystems to mitigate climate change impacts while enhancing biodiversity. With such clear benefits, why are NbS absent in 65% of key EU environmental and sustainability policies?

Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro expressed satisfaction with former finance minister Maria Luís Albuquerque being appointed to the 'crucial' financial services portfolio in the new von der Leyen Commission.

The Slovak government is pleased with the portfolio given to its nominee, five-time commissioner Maroš Šefčovič, who has added trade, economic security and transparency to his roster, while Transparency International Slovakia reminds of his "non-transparent" 2019 presidential campaign. 

The wildfires that have been raging in mainland Portugal since Sunday, particularly in the central and northern regions, have left seven dead and at least 40 injured, affected dozens of properties and forced the closure of roads and motorways.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's nomination of Italy's European Affairs Minister Rafaele Fitto for the coveted post of executive vice-president has been welcomed by Italy's ruling parties, although opposition parties voiced mixed reactions.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's proposal for a new college of commissioners did not go down well with the governing coalition parties in her home country on Tuesday, despite them previously backing a second von der Leyen-led executive.

Euractiv’s Green Brief brings you a roundup of energy and environment news of the week from across Europe.

Mario Draghi’s report on European competitiveness was sharply criticised by far left and far right MEPs in a European Parliamentary debate in Strasbourg on Tuesday (17 September) but received strong backing from Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s centrist alliance.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled her proposed team of European Commissioners, highlighting significant changes in leadership.

There were no obvious contenders for the role of health commissioner, but the choice of Hungary’s Olivér Varhelyi reflects the role's lower priority among member states. 

The European Commission wants Member states to ban cigarettes, e-cigarettes and heated products tobacco from outdoor areas, according to new recommendations published on Tuesday (17 September).

Stéphane Séjourné was nominated as the French European Commission Executive Vice President (EVP) for prosperity and industrial policy on Tuesday (17 September) following a rather hectic 24 hours.

The 2020s will be a rollercoaster ride in terms of energy and climate legislation in Brussels, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made clear in the mission letters sent to her commissioner-delegates on Tuesday (17 September).

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) of all political stripes spent much of Tuesday (17 September) briefing journalists on what they think of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s proposal for the next EU executive team.

Centre-right Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed his satisfaction with Greece's transport and tourism portfolio allocation in the next Commission. However, the candidate for the role, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, faces a challenging task ahead of his European Parliament's hearing. 

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen nominated Oliver Várhelyi as Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare on Tuesday (17 September), a move seen by the Hungarian opposition as humiliating and a sign of an increasingly marginalised Hungary.