UN Negotiations on Plastic Treaty Conclude Without Agreement

On 15 April 2026, the call HORIZON-CL4-2026-05, part of Horizon Europe Cluster 4: Digital, Industry and Space, closed. HaDEA has evaluated the proposals from this call.
HaDEA is now initiating grant agreement preparations with the successful consortia of 7 proposals, which will receive a total EU contribution of €81.3 million.
For more details, evaluation results for each topic are available on t

The former prime minister stepped down from the House of Commons last week, stating he wants to focus more on international affairs, despite earlier promising to remain an MP until the next general election.
In 2024, Starmer secured the seat with an 11,572 majority but encountered strong competition from a left-wing independent candidate and the Greens.
Green Leader Zack Polanski has put himself f

Katowice, Poland, 4 September (Eurotoday Newspaper) – The FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup begins in Poland on Saturday, with around 15,000 spectators expected for the opening matches in Katowice, although FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s attendance remained uncertain on Friday.
Hosts Poland face Argentina on the opening day, while Mexico play tournament debutants Benin in the other Group A fixture

New price data complicates interest-rate debate before Sweden’s election
Sweden’s central inflation measure stayed well below the central bank’s target in August, according to preliminary figures released on Monday, intensifying the discussion over interest rates and household finances less than a week before the national election.
The annual inflation rate monitored by CPIF, wh

The AfD secured 43.8 percent and 39 of 83 seats, falling three seats short of a majority, marking their most successful state election result. This positions them closer to governing a German state than any far-right party since World War II.
Allies across Europe celebrated. Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini congratulated his “friend” Weidel, saying: “Another Europe is possible.” Austri

Birmingham, 4 September (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Two senior Reform UK figures have temporarily stepped down after an undercover investigation raised Reform UK funding claims involving political polling allegedly financed by a foreign donor. The party denies wrongdoing and has launched an internal investigation.
The development came as Reform UK opened its annual party conference in Birming

Yáng Shuāng-zǐ turns food, translation and thwarted intimacy into a subtle study of colonial rule
Taiwan Travelogue, translated by Lin King, is an enchanting historical novel where abundant meals reveal a stern investigation into empire. Through the bond between a Japanese writer and her Taiwanese interpreter, Yáng Shuāng-zǐ illustrates how affection can be sincere yet distorted by privilege, cl

Following a resounding victory in the regional elections in Saxony-Anhalt, Ulrich Siegmund’s Alternative for Germany (AfD) might be in a position to lead the state, marking the first time since World War II that a far-right party could govern a part of Germany.
As Europe reacts to the AfD’s win, Zoya Sheftalovich and Nick Vinocur engage with Head of Playbook Germany, Hans von der Burchard, t

London, 4 September (Eurotoday Newspaper) – Britain’s construction sector contracted for a 20th consecutive month in August as a sharp deterioration in housebuilding outweighed modest improvements elsewhere in the industry. The latest UK construction PMI fell to 44.3, signalling that the sector remains under significant pressure.
The S&P Global UK Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index dec

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Schengen authorities face pressure to enforce digital checks consistently without allowi