French investigators on Thursday questioned former prime minister Édouard Philippe, a candidate in next year's presidential election, in a case of alleged embezzlement of public funds. His lawyer welcomed the move, noting that magistrates had chosen not to place the ex-PM under formal investigation.

A humanitarian aid mission is set to enter the Ukrainian town of Oleshky, a Ukrainian official said on Thuirsday, as a localised truce between Kyiv and Moscow, brokered by US first lady Melania Trump, held for a third day. Some 2,000 residents in the Russian occupied city have been cut off from essential supplies amid reports that many are starving.

At least 13 people were killed when a Russian drone struck a busy railway station in Ukraine's Dnipro on Thursday, President Volodymyr Zelensky said, describing the attack as "horrific" and urging Kyiv's allies not to ease sanctions on Moscow.

European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde will step down on February 7, 2027, nearly nine months before her term expires, the ECB said Thursday. Her successor will be appointed by the European Council under EU treaty rules.

Spain entered three days of mourning on Thursday after a high-speed train collision killed 69 people and injured scores more. The incident has prompted fresh questions about rail safety and management. 

Canada and the European Union will pursue closer ties but have dropped a proposal for associate EU membership, according to a joint declaration ahead of Thursday’s summit in Montreal. Prime Minister Mark Carney is seeking to reduce Canada’s reliance on the US, despite warnings from Donald Trump.

Questions are being raised about Spain's rail safety as authorities launch an official investigation into the cause of Wednesday's high-speed train collision, which killed at least 68 people and wounded around 100 more, in the country's second fatal rail crash this year. 

At least 68 people were killed Wednesday after two high-speed trains collided in Spain's central Toledo province, regional authorities confirmed, with high-speed rail services between Madrid and Andalusia suspended. It is Spain's second deadly train crash in less than a year. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said the country would observe three days of mourning. 

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer warned on Monday that a $3.4 billion European Investment Bank loan to Airbus could jeopardise a tariff truce between Washington and Brussels. Greer said his office had received no details about the financing, announced in June, and urged the EU to resolve the matter quickly.

Europe's five main NATO members said on Monday they were ready to take greater responsibility for the continent's security while reaffirming the United States as an "indispensable ally". Defence ministers from France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Britain pledged closer co-operation with Washington after talks in Paris on strengthening Europe's defence role.

Serbia's Aleksandar Vucic conceded defeat in an historic election on Sunday following a near to 70% turnout at polling stations – the highest since the break-up of Yugoslavia in 1992. The snap election followed nearly two years of student-led demonstrations against perceived corruption and authoritarianism triggered by the deaths of 16 people when a train station canopy collapsed in the ‌city of Novi Sad in 2024.  

From student protests across France over the weekend and presidential elections in Brazil pitting leftist incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva against right-wing challenger Flavio Bolsonaro to wildfires in Indonesia, FRANCE 24 looks back at some of the most striking images from the past week.

Serbia votes on Sunday in what is set to be its most contested parliamentary election in more than 14 years, as a student-led movement seeks to oust the party of populist leader Aleksandar Vucic. The vote comes after nearly two years of student-led protests sparked by the 2024 collapse of a canopy that killed 16 people.

Ukraine has regained a "stable" connection to the Starlink and Starshield satellite communications systems, Kyiv's defence minister said on Saturday. Recent disruptions to the connection led to tensions with Washington over the SpaceX-made network crucial to the Ukrainian army's operations.

Italy is preparing for another day of protests on Saturday against budget cuts and the high cost of living in eight cities, including Rome and Milan. Following last weekend’s unrest, authorities announced heavy security measures, including the use of drones and helicopters to monitor the marches.

Ukraine on Friday said it was still experiencing restrictions with the Starlink communication system despite a claim by US President Donald Trump made earlier this week that the country’s access had been fully restored. Trump said he had not yet spoken to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk about the problem, but that he would “straighten it out”. 

Representatives from French high school student groups called for “continued mobilisation” after meeting with President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée palace for the first time since protests started more than a month ago. Earlier, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said some 70,000 security forces would be deployed to keep order throughout France for planned protests on Saturday. Read our blog to see how the day's events unfolded.

Russia’s latest attacks on Ukraine show there has been “no real change” in Moscow’s attitude towards the war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday. The deadly strikes came just hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin told US envoy Steve Witkoff his country was ready to resume trilateral talks with Washington and Kyiv.

The International Criminal Court, which US President Donald Trump's administration has threatened to dismantle "brick by brick", has been awarded the European Union's Sakharov human rights prize.

Local prefects on Thursday banned all protests in France’s second- and third-largest cities Marseille and Lyon for Saturday in an attempt to prevent a repeat of last weekend’s violence and looting on the margins of demonstrations over the cost of living and education funding. Read our liveblog to see how the day's events unfolded.