NATO will put drone strikes in the Black Sea on its agenda at a meeting next week, officials said Thursday, following two new attacks and the disappearance of seven people. Incidents involving civilian vessels in the Black Sea have been on the rise off the coasts of Bulgaria and Romania in a suspected spillover from Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Clashes broke out between demonstrators and police for the third consecutive day on Thursday in Albania, with Prime Minister Edi Rama condemning the “chaos” that caused damage to government buildings. Thousands of protesters are calling for Rama's resignation and better studying conditions for Albanian students.

Sergei Sokolov, the editor-in-chief of Russia's independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta, was detained and taken for questioning on Thursday after authorities searched his home, the newspaper said.

Far-right leader and presidential candidate Marine Le Pen said on Wednesday that France could no longer afford to fund Ukraine, citing the country's high deficit and weak economic growth.

French President Emmanuel Macron urged EU leaders on Thursday to reach a deal on the bloc’s nearly €2 trillion budget by Christmas, warning that elections in France and other European countries in 2027 could leave little room for compromise as divisions deepen over spending priorities and funding.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Brussels Thursday to rally support at a meeting with NATO chief Mark Rutte the same day, and a summit with EU leaders to follow Friday. Earlier, Zelensky asked the United States not to stand with Moscow and called for "honesty" after Kyiv said it had been betrayed by Washington's intelligence-sharing gaps. Follow our liveblog to see how the day's events unfolded.

Anti-government protests in Albania’s capital Tirana turned violent for a second consecutive night on Wednesday, leaving several government buildings damaged and at least one ablaze. As thousands demanded improved university conditions and the government's resignation, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said he would not step down.

Elon Musk’s ⁠SpaceX restricted “military-grade” ​Starlink services overnight into Wednesday, hampering Ukrainian drone strike missions and air defences, Ukraine reported. In response, Musk said that the US government was behind any slowdown in Ukraine's Starshield system. 

The Nord Stream gas pipelines were a political and economic “weapon” for Russia, the lawyer for former Ukrainian officer Sergei Kuznetsov said Wednesday. The first to appear in the high-profile case, Kuznetsov is accused by German prosecutors of having led the plan to sabotage the infrastructure in 2022.

Elon Musk's Starlink imposed restrictions on the operation of internet terminals in Ukraine overnight, disrupting military missions, an adviser to the Ukrainian president said on Wednesday. The official said Ukraine was given no prior warning about the restrictions to the satellite system it relies on for battlefield operations.

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that a "massive" oil, gas and mineral exploration was slated to begin in Greenland. The US, Denmark and Greenland last month signed a security agreement after Trump's repeated threats to seize control of the island.

SpaceX boss Elon Musk said Wednesday that any disruptions in the Starshield satellite communications system would be the responsibility of the US government, not his company. Earlier, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky called on Musk to “switch on” the system which Kyiv relies on for communications and logistics. Read our blog to see how the day's events unfolded.

Pope Leo underwent surgery on Tuesday to remove a cancerous tumour from his right lung after saying that a nodule had been "detected at a very early stage". Following a "successful" operation, the Vatican said the 71-year-old pontiff would undergo additional testing.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday that a Russian ballistic missile struck a Kyiv power plant without advance warning from Western allies, killing at least two people and wounding around 20. The attack came days after US President Donald Trump announced an energy ceasefire between Moscow and Kyiv, raising questions over efforts to halt strikes on critical infrastructure.

King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia visited Ceuta on Tuesday for the first time in 14 years, with the monarch reaffirming Spain’s sovereignty over the North African enclaves claimed by Morocco. The landmark visit comes amid strained relations with Rabat and the aftermath of a mass migrant influx that saw makeshift camps cleared ahead of the royals’ arrival.

Russia hammered Ukrainian cities and transport links overnight into Tuesday, killing at least four people in the city of Kharkiv, while appearing to spare energy facilities for the first time since US President Donald Trump announced an "energy ceasefire" at the weekend. It was not clear whether Moscow had deliberately avoided targeting power plants.

Hungary's parliament voted on Tuesday to remove anti-LGBTQ provisions from a "child protection" law adopted in 2021 under the country's former nationalist leader, in the first significant move to reverse discriminatory legislation since Prime Minister Peter Magyar took power in May.

French students staged another day of nationwide protests on Tuesday over poor school conditions, including teacher shortages and dilapidated buildings, vowing to keep up the pressure ahead of half-term holidays. Around 480,000 protesters joined in on the demonstrations, with Swedish activist Greta Thunberg turning up in Paris to boost the movement’s visibility. Read our liveblog to see how all the day's events unfolded.

Russia said on Monday that European Union countries had bought $320.7 billion worth of its energy resources since 2022, despite sanctions over the war in Ukraine. The figure fuelled tensions as European officials criticised a US deal to import Russian diesel, while Stockholm called for the bloc to use frozen Russian assets to boost support for Kyiv.

Pope ​Leo had a lower lobe ​of his right lung removed during surgery on Tuesday ​and ‌was diagnosed with lung ⁠adenocarcinoma, a common form of ‌lung cancer, the Vatican said in ⁠a medical bulletin. The surgery was successful and the pope is expected to spend a week in hospital recovering. The 71-year-old pontiff is due to travel to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru on November 6, though the Vatican has not confirmed the operation date.