Deutsche Welle: DW.com - Europe

Romania: 2 ships on fire in Black Sea, 7 crew missing Two chemical tankers have caught fire in Romanian territorial waters in the Black Sea. The blazes occurred after Russian drones were sighted in Romanian airspace. EU summit to focus on China, Ukraine and bloc budget EU leaders meeting in Brussels will examine measures to curb the bloc's huge trade deficit with China. But they will also be looking to further agreement on the next EU budget ahead of some major elections next year. Albania: Fire at Education Ministry as students protest Riot police deployed in the Albanian capital Tirana on the second day of student protests. The sudden outbreak seemed at least somewhat reminiscent of the widespread demos in France courting international attention. Fact check: Misleading graph about alleged Russian bot activity Did attacks on Russian data centers reduce bot activity around Germany's AfD? A viral graph claims they did. But it contains significant inconsistencies and provides no evidence to support the claim. Ukraine allies in Poland after Starlink sabotage, Trump diesel deal Germany's Johann Wadephul said hybrid plots like the Starlink fire showed Europe was "in Russia's crosshairs." The UK's Ed Miliband said Trump's Russian diesel deal led to a "very difficult few days" diplomatically. Ukraine and the US: What's next after Trump's diesel deal with Russia? Donald Trump plans to allow the purchase of Russian diesel, drawing criticism at home and abroad. What is behind the US president's decision and what should Ukraine do next? DW spoke with experts. Critics warn of espionage risks as Slovakia restores military-diplomatic representation with Russia Slovakia is restoring military-diplomatic relations with Russia for the first time since 2022. The government has defended the move but critics warn of espionage risks and further damage to trust within NATO. Germany's China calculation shifts as import pressures eclipse export benefits Germany has long resisted tougher action against China, fearing retaliation. But rising pressure on key industries has pushed Berlin to seek stronger EU trade-defense powers to protect its industrial base. What is holding back Cyprus's Schengen ambitions? The European Commission says Cyprus is ready to join the Schengen Area. Yet questions relating to the island's division and British military bases could still complicate its path to Europe's border-free travel zone. UK: Iran 'highly likely' to be behind RAF Fairford incident Prime Minister Andy Burnham told parliament there were "strong indications" of Iranian involvement. The government summoned Iran's ambassador. The scare at RAF Fairford led to the withdrawal of USAF B-1 heavy bombers.