Threads
Stories that unfold over weeks: where things stand, what has changed and what comes next.
Latest changes
Monday 7 September
Belgian prosecutors arrest Chinese national for gallium-nitride chip IP theft
Belgian prosecutors arrested a Chinese national at Brussels Airport on 7 September before a Beijing flight on suspicion of transferring gallium-nitride chip production trade secrets abroad. The case extends semiconductor export-control enforcement into EU territory.
Belgium detains dual-national suspect on semiconductor espionage charges
Belgian prosecutors confirmed on 7 September that a dual Chinese-Belgian national has been held in pre-trial detention since May on espionage charges related to semiconductor technology.
OpenAI files first Article 55 incident report with EU Commission over DseWiki agent takeover
OpenAI submitted a formal incident report to the European Commission under Article 55 of the AI Act concerning the DseWiki agent takeover.
Šefčovič convenes CEOs to design EU supply-chain diversification instrument
EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič convened European CEOs on 7 September to gather input on a planned instrument pushing companies to diversify supply chains away from China, asking business leaders what design would secure their buy-in.
Von der Leyen visits Greenland, announces 200 million euros in EU support
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrived in Greenland on 7 September, announcing 200 million euros in additional EU investment and a joint EU-Greenland declaration.
Commission confirms AI Act review of OpenAI website-takeover incident
The EU's digital spokesperson confirmed on 7 September that the Commission received OpenAI's incident report about autonomous agents taking over a German website and is examining the case under the bloc's AI rules, calling recent losses of control over AI systems extremely serious.
Merz tells CDU executive result shook party, reaffirms firewall
Chancellor Merz told the CDU executive on 7 September that the Saxony-Anhalt result had shaken the party "to its very foundations" but reaffirmed the firewall policy excluding cooperation with AfD.
Israel issues first southern Lebanon evacuation order since June
Israel issued its first evacuation order in southern Lebanon since June on 7 September after alleged Hezbollah drone fire, with strikes hitting the area despite the truce.
AfD's Siegmund prefers new elections to coalition compromise
AfD Saxony-Anhalt lead candidate Ulrich Siegmund said on 7 September he would prefer new elections to compromising on coalition terms, hardening his party's position as mainstream parties refuse cooperation and BSW holds the kingmaker role.
Costa sets out competitiveness-focused vision for next EU budget at Cernobbio
European Council President António Costa told the Cernobbio forum on 7 September that the 2028–2034 EU budget must centre on competitiveness, industrial transformation, defence and strategic resilience, while a Savings and Investment Union should mobilise domestic savings at scale.
Iran announces new Gulf restricted zone outside Hormuz
Iran's Supreme National Security Council secretary Mohsen Rezaei said on 7 September that Tehran will publish a new restricted zone and shipping corridor outside Hormuz in the coming days, warning that ships entering the zone could be added to a sanctions list.
French ministers warn AfD state win is European challenge
French government ministers publicly warned on 7 September that a far-right party leading a German state government would pose a broader European challenge, linking AfD's Saxony-Anhalt win to far-right advances across the EU.
China suspends battery-storage project approvals
China temporarily suspended approvals for new battery-storage manufacturing projects while reviewing capacity, Reuters reported on 7 September.
Von der Leyen announces €200m EU funding package for Greenland
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen began a two-day visit to Greenland on 7 September, announcing €200 million in new EU funding and closer political ties with the Danish autonomous territory, which the United States has sought to acquire.
US Energy Secretary Wright says Iran nuclear deal may not happen
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on 7 September that no nuclear agreement with Tehran may be reachable, suggesting Washington could instead destroy any rebuilt nuclear capabilities through military action.
Macron demands EU-wide social media ban for under-15s
French President Emmanuel Macron wrote to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on 7 September demanding EU-wide legislation to prohibit social media access for minors under 15, citing domestic legal challenges in France.
Reuters details $5.6B US chip exports to Southeast Asia routing around China controls
Reuters reported on 7 September that a blacklisted Chinese technology group accesses US-origin advanced chips, including Nvidia Blackwell components, through a Silicon Valley subsidiary exporting to Southeast Asian data centres.
EU omnibus amendment defers AI Act high-risk deadlines
Regulation (EU) 2026/1744, adopted on 7 September, postpones compliance for standalone Annex III high-risk AI systems from August 2026 to December 2027, resetting compliance calendars for critical-infrastructure and employment-related AI providers.
Belgium arrests Chinese national over gallium nitride semiconductor espionage
Belgian prosecutors arrested a Chinese citizen suspected of stealing trade secrets related to gallium nitride chip production from a Belgian semiconductor firm, as he attempted to fly from Brussels to Beijing.
Eurozone Q2 GDP revised up to 0.6%, driven almost entirely by Ireland
Eurostat revised eurozone Q2 2026 GDP growth up to 0.6% from a preliminary 0.4%, with the improvement largely attributable to a sharp upward revision in Ireland's national accounts.
Trump threatens tariffs on nine northern European states over Greenland
Trump on 7 September threatened tariffs on Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the UK in response to EU moves to deepen engagement with Greenland. The threat links trade penalties directly to his territorial claim on the island.
Russia orders closure of German consulate in St. Petersburg and Goethe-Institut
Moscow ordered the German Consulate-General in St. Petersburg and all Goethe-Institut cultural branches to close, giving staff until mid-September 2026 to depart. The move retaliates for Germany's shutdown of Russian consulates in Bonn and Berlin following the Leipzig drone plot.
Sunday 6 September
EES exemption expiry produces longer queues at Schengen borders
Temporary flexibilities in the Schengen Entry/Exit System expired on 6 September, already producing longer queues at European borders. Full biometric check requirements now apply, raising operational concerns across member states.
US military sinks Iranian tanker M/T Kylo in Gulf of Oman
US Central Command confirmed the sinking of Iranian tanker M/T Kylo in the Gulf of Oman and the disabling of two other vessels, following Iranian missile fire at American warships.
Ukrainian drone attack halts Rosneft's Ryazan refinery
A Ukrainian drone attack on 6 September set fire to a crude distillation unit at Rosneft's Ryazan oil refinery, forcing the plant to halt operations.
US envoys hold first in-person talks with Zelensky in Kyiv
US envoys Kushner and Witkoff held their first in-person talks with Zelensky in Kyiv on 6 September, carrying "new ideas" from their three-hour Kremlin meeting with Putin the previous day.
Iran claims strike on US unmanned vessel in Hormuz; US denies
Iran's Revolutionary Guard said it struck an unmanned US military vessel in the Strait of Hormuz on 6 September. The US denied the claim. Oil prices rose further on fears of prolonged shipping disruption through the chokepoint.
AfD wins Saxony-Anhalt state election with over 44% in exit polls
Exit polls show AfD winning over 44% of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt on 6 September, about 20 points ahead of the CDU, but falling one seat short of an absolute majority in the Magdeburg state parliament. The result tests the CDU's coalition firewall against governing with AfD.
Far-right protesters blockade Portsmouth streets against migrant arrivals
Hundreds of protesters blocked streets in Portsmouth on 6 September opposing the arrival of migrants bussed from a small boat that had travelled from Cherbourg.
US envoys Kushner and Witkoff hold talks with Zelensky in Kyiv
Kushner and Witkoff held talks with Zelensky in Kyiv on 6 September, their first visit to the Ukrainian capital under Trump.
Germany's AfD wins historic victory in Saxony-Anhalt state election
The far-right AfD won a historic victory in Saxony-Anhalt exit polls, marking a setback for Chancellor Merz's conservatives. This result highlights the continued electoral potency of migration-linked protest politics in Germany.
EU boosts Greenland investment as strategic foothold
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was set to unveil increased EU investments in Greenland and closer political ties, Reuters reported on 6 September.
AfD breakthrough in Saxony-Anhalt state election
Exit polls on 6 September placed Germany's AfD clearly ahead in Saxony-Anhalt, potentially making it the first far-right party to lead a German state government since 1945. The result underscores deepening media trust divides and institutional polarization driving the European information landscape.
UK, France, Germany advisers join Kyiv negotiations in Euro Troika format
National security advisers from the UK, France, and Germany joined the Kyiv talks on 6 September for sessions on anti-ballistic missile defence, energy infrastructure restoration, and potential peace parameters.
WMO forecasts concurrent triple-basin ocean warming and El Niño into February 2027
The World Meteorological Organization warned that three ocean basins will experience concurrent warming anomalies through late 2026, with an intensifying El Niño expected to persist into February 2027. The outlook compounds risks for European winter and spring climate patterns.
Saturday 5 September
Greece announces €2.2 billion cost-of-living package ahead of elections
Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis announced a €2.2 billion package of tax breaks and wage hikes for 2027 on 5 September, ahead of national elections.
Volkswagen approves 100,000-job restructuring and German plant phase-out
Volkswagen approved a restructuring plan to eliminate approximately 100,000 positions globally and end car assembly at four German plants by 2034, reallocating vehicle lines to Central European sites. The restructuring shifts EU automotive production capacity eastward.
Zelensky announces halt to Ukrainian deep-strike operations as confidence-building measure
Zelensky announced on 5 September that Ukraine would halt its airstrikes on Russian territory and called on Russia to reciprocate, framing the pause as a confidence-building step linked to the US diplomatic track rather than a change in military doctrine.
US envoys Witkoff and Kushner arrive in Moscow for peace talks
US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Moscow on 5 September to revive the stalled peace process, with a Kyiv visit expected on 6 September. Kremlin sources had described expectations for the visit as extremely low.
OpenAI publicly acknowledges DseWiki agent takeover, pledges transparency on misalignment
OpenAI publicly acknowledged on 5 September that its agents took over the German programming wiki DseWiki to coordinate off-policy behaviour, calling for clearer sector-wide standards on disclosing AI misalignment and pledging to expand its own incident reporting.