Also known as: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen · European Commission President · Commission President Ursula von der Leyen
European Commission President who has announced EU proposals on Canada associate membership, social media restrictions for minors, and border security responses.
… European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made the announcement in a post on her X account on Saturday, following the cancellation of New York’s Global Citizen Festival, where she was due to speak. …
… His comments came a day after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed “opening the door” to Canada’s associate membership, a status that does not currently exist. …
… The threat follows a landmark state of the union address in Strasbourg, France, where European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed the novel membership tier. …
… Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament on Wednesday she wanted to work on “opening the door” for Canada, which would involve closer ties on various key sectors. …
… The EU proposal is part of an EU Kids Act that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen will present on Thursday. …
… His post came shortly after the European Commission announced a €200m (£172m) investment in the Danish territory during a visit by Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and Frederiksen. …
The heads of Nato and the European Commission have warned that Russia is growing increasingly reckless and vowed to respond to a “new normal”. “Leipzig marks a new escalation on European Union soil directly attributed to Russia,” said Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, a …
… In May, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed a “social media delay” for children in the EU, saying new legislation could be put forward in months. …
A civilian cargo ship, the Alfa Watan, has sunk and its crew is missing after being attacked by air and sea drones in the Black Sea off Bulgaria's coast. A second vessel, the Able, carrying grain was also hit; its 18 crew members were rescued by Bulgarian sailors.
A civilian cargo ship, the Alfa Watan, has sunk and its crew is missing after being attacked by air and sea drones in the Black Sea off Bulgaria's coast. A second vessel, the Able, carrying grain was also hit; its 18 crew members were rescued by Bulgarian sailors.
The European Union has committed more than 710 million euros ($810m) to help people affected by crises, natural disasters and conflicts worldwide, with a particular focus on Africa. The funding will support displaced communities and address migration, food insecurity, conflict, and the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighbouring countries.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney welcomed the European Union's proposal for Canada to become its first "associate member," calling for closer cooperation on defence, critical minerals and energy security. The proposal comes as Canada and the US face an escalating trade dispute with tit-for-tat tariffs.
US President Donald Trump warned of heavy tariffs on the European Union if he views a proposal to make Canada an EU associate member as a hostile act. The proposal, announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Strasbourg, aims to strengthen economic resilience amid global trade tensions.
The European Commission president has backed proposals for Canada to become the EU's first "associate member," offering closer ties on key sectors including energy, critical minerals, AI, and defence. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who is seeking a "unique alliance" with the EU amid tensions with the US, is attending the speech in Strasbourg.
The European Union will propose a ban restricting under-15s from social media, video-sharing platforms, AI chatbots, and online games as part of an EU Kids Act. The proposal allows gradual access to services by age while imposing obligations on companies depending on service type and child age.
Iceland has summoned the US ambassador after President Trump posted a map showing Iceland, Canada, Greenland, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean covered by the American flag and labelled "United States of America". Iceland's foreign minister called the post "completely inappropriate".
EU Commission President von der Leyen and NATO Secretary General Rutte said the alliance will respond faster and better to what von der Leyen called a "new escalation on European Union soil directly attributed to Russia," after Germany blamed Russia for a failed drone attack on Leipzig airport in August. Russia has rejected the accusations.
Germany has attributed a drone attack on Leipzig/Halle Airport in eastern Germany in August to Russia, citing equipment examination and intelligence findings. In response, German officials announced the closure of the Russian consulate in Bonn and termination of the Russian House contract in Berlin, along with tighter entry controls for Russian nationals.
France's Constitutional Council has overturned legislation banning social media for under-15s, finding it violated freedom of expression and lacked necessary legal safeguards. President Emmanuel Macron has asked his Prime Minister to prepare a revised draft with the court's concerns in mind.
A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Colombia's Chocó province, killing at least 132 people and injuring more than 480, with a state of emergency declared. The quake damaged buildings across western Colombia, particularly in Pereira and surrounding regions, with many feared trapped under collapsed structures.
Russia attacked Ukraine overnight with ballistic missiles and drones, killing at least 17 people and injuring at least 45 in strikes on Kyiv and the capital region. President Zelensky said interceptor delays from allies led to "horrific casualties and destruction," noting that supply of anti-ballistic systems had been "significantly reduced" this year and no missiles were intercepted in the attack.
A senior Moroccan official said Spain should have anticipated the consequences of a court ruling that weakened migration deterrence, which contributed to mass crossings into Ceuta last week. Spain estimates about 69,500 migrants have returned from Ceuta to Morocco since the crossing, while Moroccan authorities say about 40,000 people entered the enclave; the death toll stands at 72 on the Spanish side and 11 on the Moroccan side.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called for "united action" on border security following a large influx of migrants from Morocco into the Spanish exclave of Ceuta, where about 69,500 migrants have now returned to Morocco and 72 deaths were recorded on the Spanish side. The crisis has strained EU relations, prompting emergency talks among interior ministers and causing Italy, Finland, and Denmark to suspend or call for suspension of Schengen arrangements with Spain.
Spain has condemned the "selfish, polarising and unlawful" reaction of some EU countries to about 60,000 migrants crossing from Morocco into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. Italy, Finland, and Denmark have suspended or called for suspension of the Schengen border-free arrangement with Spain, with EU interior ministers set to meet Tuesday to discuss the crisis.
Spain has condemned the "selfish, polarising and unlawful" reaction of some EU countries to about 60,000 migrants from Morocco reaching the enclave of Ceuta on 30 July. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said Spain had restored border control and prevented unauthorised onward movement within 48 hours, while Italian and other EU governments suspended or urged suspension of Spain's Schengen membership, citing the influx.
French lawmakers voted to ban social media use for children under 15, with the bill set to take effect this school year after President Emmanuel Macron signs it into law. The ban makes France the first EU country to impose such a restriction, following Australia's implementation of a ban for under-16s last year.
Andy Burnham, the new UK prime minister, is set to announce new support to help people with the cost of living crisis as his cabinet meets for the first time. He has vowed to provide "breathing space" for households struggling with costs and pledged to set out details on Tuesday.
Andy Burnham, the new UK prime minister, is set to announce support for households struggling with the cost of living crisis on Tuesday. Burnham has appointed a cabinet including John Healey as chancellor and Ed Miliband as foreign secretary, and pledged to provide "breathing space" for people facing financial hardship.
A reconciliation committee of France's Parliament approved a bill to ban social media access for those under 15, with French President Macron seeking implementation by early September. The measure follows Australia's ban for under-16s and comes as European Commission President Von der Leyen has supported similar limits across the EU.
Three people were killed in a Russian attack on the Black Sea port of Odesa, the fifth consecutive day of strikes on the region. Russia said it targeted port infrastructure for petroleum and oil unloading; Ukraine's Odesa governor accused Russia of deliberately targeting civilians and residential buildings.
After Wednesday's NATO summit in Ankara, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan presented each NATO leader with a Gumusay .357 Magnum revolver produced by Turkish arms maker MKE in the 1990s, engraved with their names and accompanied by live ammunition, to showcase Turkey's defence industry. The gifts created logistical complications for recipients including Belgium's prime minister, who handed his to airport police for safekeeping.
A Russian aerial attack on Monday killed at least 18 people in Ukraine, with 12 deaths in Kyiv and six more in the surrounding region, exposing critical gaps in air defences. President Zelenskyy blamed the shortage of Patriot interceptor missiles and urged NATO allies at the upcoming Ankara summit to supply more air defence systems.
Ukraine's Air Force reported a "serious shortage" of interceptor missiles meant none of 23 ballistic missiles fired by Russia at Kyiv on Sunday night were shot down, killing at least 12 in the capital and six more in the wider region. President Zelensky appealed to NATO allies for air defence systems, warning Russia would continue striking residential areas while Patriot missiles remained in allied stockpiles.
Ryanair and Berlin Airport's leadership have warned of severe travel disruption this summer due to the EU's new Entry-Exit System (EES), which requires non-EU travellers to register biometric information at entry. Non-EU nationals are facing queue waits of up to two hours at some terminals, and Ryanair has urged governments to postpone the system until after the summer holiday period.
US President Donald Trump announced that Iran and the United States have reached a tentative deal to end the US-Israel war on Iran, including Israeli attacks on Lebanon. World leaders including Qatar, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait have welcomed the agreement, though Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich condemned it as "bad for Israel and for the entire free world."
Swiss voters rejected a proposal by the right-wing Swiss People's Party to limit the country's population to 10 million, with nearly 55% voting against the measure. The government, Swiss businesses, and all major parties opposed the initiative, which risked jeopardizing Switzerland's free movement agreement with the European Union.
The Trump administration has urged European nations to impose travel restrictions on people who have recently been in Central African countries affected by the Ebola outbreak, citing concerns about virus spread during the World Cup. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has already barred noncitizens who have been in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan in the previous 21 days from entering the U.S.
Europe's largest airlines have warned the European Commission against extending its Emissions Trading System to cover international flights, saying the expansion would raise ticket prices. The system currently covers only flights within Europe, and the Commission is considering including emissions from flights departing the EU as part of a review due next month.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has told Hungary's new Prime Minister Péter Magyar that the EU will unlock €16.4 billion in funding subject to his government pushing through democratic and anti-corruption reforms. The funding had been frozen under former PM Viktor Orbán's administration, and Magyar campaigned on unlocking it as a key platform for his Tisza party in last month's elections.