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Catania Airport Suspends Flights Again as Mount Etna Ash Disrupts Travel

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Flights at Italy’s Catania airport were suspended again on Monday as volcanic ash from Mount Etna’s ongoing activity disrupted operations. Airport operator SAC said all arrivals would be halted until 4 p.m. local time, affecting one of Italy’s busiest airports and potentially disrupting travel plans for thousands of passengers.

Mount Etna, Europe’s highest and one of its most active volcanoes, frequently causes flight disruptions at Catania. However, ash emissions have been particularly intense this summer, creating repeated challenges for the airport during the busy holiday season.

Authorities are closely monitoring the volcanic activity and its impact on aviation safety. The latest suspension comes after previous disruptions linked to Etna’s eruptions, highlighting the continuing challenges faced by Sicily’s main air travel hub during periods of increased volcanic activity.

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Finland Joins France’s Nuclear Deterrence Initiative to Strengthen European Security

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Finland has joined France’s initiative to expand cooperation with European partners on nuclear deterrence, the leaders of both countries announced on Monday. The move comes amid concerns over the future of US security commitments to Europe and the wider security impact of the war in Ukraine. France launched the Forward Nuclear Deterrence Initiative in March as part of efforts to strengthen Europe’s responsibility for its own defence.

The initiative allows participating countries to engage in joint military exercises, discuss nuclear strategy more closely and potentially host nuclear-capable assets for short periods. However, the decision to use French nuclear weapons remains solely with the French president, unlike NATO’s nuclear framework, which involves a shared Nuclear Planning Group. Finland’s defence minister described joining the initiative as a natural step following other Nordic countries.

Finnish President Alexander Stubb said the programme is aimed at strengthening European security and preventing escalation, while stressing that it does not replace NATO’s nuclear deterrence. Finland also said it does not intend to allow nuclear weapons to be stationed on its territory during peacetime. With Finland’s addition, 10 European countries now participate in the French initiative.

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Germany Rejects Calls to Halt AI Development, Seeks US-China Cooperation

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Germany has said that halting artificial intelligence development is not a viable option for Europe, arguing that continued innovation is essential to strengthening the region’s digital sovereignty. The digital affairs ministry said on Monday that it was closely monitoring global AI developments and taking warnings from leading technology companies seriously.

The comments came after Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei called for AI companies to slow the pace of model development and introduce stronger safeguards. Germany said AI systems capable of escaping testing environments and independently accessing other systems could create an entirely new type of security threat, requiring a fresh policy response.

Germany also called for greater international cooperation on AI governance, saying effective oversight would require the involvement of both the United States and China. The government plans to raise the issue at the G7 level as countries seek to balance rapid AI innovation with safety and responsible development.

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Céline Dion Wins Praise for Emotional Comeback Show in Paris

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Céline Dion has made her long-awaited return to the stage with the opening night of her 26-show residency at Paris La Défense Arena. The 58-year-old Canadian singer, who stepped away from touring after being diagnosed with stiff person syndrome in 2022, performed before around 30,000 fans. The emotional night marked her first full concert since 2020, following her brief appearance at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Dion became visibly emotional throughout the performance, at times breaking down in tears as the audience cheered her return. Critics praised the singer for delivering a raw and deeply personal performance, with reviews describing the comeback as a high-stakes return. While some noted that her vocals initially sounded fragile, they said she grew in confidence as the concert progressed and praised the authenticity and emotion in her performance.

The Paris residency will continue through September and October and into the New Year. The comeback has generated huge interest, with millions of fans reportedly registering for early ticket access. Additional shows scheduled for May 2027 have also sold out, while Paris has hosted tribute events, karaoke nights and Dion-themed activities for fans celebrating her return.

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France Apologises to US Over Human Rights Criticism

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France has expressed regret over a social media post criticising the United States for voting against extending the term of U.N. human rights chief Volker Turk. The July 25 post triggered a diplomatic dispute between the two allies.

The controversy escalated when the U.S. delegation walked out of a U.N. Security Council meeting while France was speaking. Washington also reportedly considered blocking France’s nominee for ambassador to the United States, Aurelien Lechevallier.

France said the disagreement concerned a single vote and did not question the broader defence of human rights. The U.S. State Department welcomed the statement, potentially clearing the way for Lechevallier’s approval as France’s next ambassador in Washington.

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BRICS Adopts Joint Declaration, Calls for Maximum Restraint in Middle East

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BRICS nations have unanimously adopted a joint declaration expressing deep concern over the escalating conflict in the Middle East and calling for “maximum restraint.” The statement was issued on the first day of the BRICS leaders’ summit in New Delhi, amid renewed exchanges of strikes between the United States and Iran.

The declaration urged countries to avoid actions that could further worsen tensions and supported a multilateral approach that respects the positions of individual nations. BRICS members also reaffirmed their commitment to resolving international disputes through dialogue, consultation and diplomacy.

The agreement was seen as a significant diplomatic outcome because the bloc includes both Iran and the UAE, a close US partner. The declaration also raised concerns over unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures that could distort global trade, highlighting broader economic and geopolitical issues facing the expanding BRICS grouping.

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Hungary PM Pledges to End Orban-Era Gay Adoption Restrictions

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Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar has announced plans to change legislation introduced under former Prime Minister Viktor Orban that effectively prevented same-sex couples from adopting children. The government plans to remove a system requiring adoption applications from single people to receive approval from the family affairs minister, which had effectively blocked gay and lesbian couples from adopting.

Magyar said adoption decisions should be made by qualified professionals rather than politicians, with the focus placed on determining the best conditions for children. The move would represent a significant shift in Hungary’s approach to LGBTQ+ rights following years of restrictions under Orban’s government.

Orban’s administration had introduced several measures affecting LGBTQ+ rights, including restrictions on same-sex adoption and LGBTQ-related content in schools. Magyar defeated Orban in a landslide election victory in April, and his government’s proposed changes could mark a broader effort to reverse some of the previous government’s policies.

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Fire Erupts at Bulgarian Weapons Facility; Sabotage Probe Underway

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A fire has broken out at a weapons storage facility operated by Bulgarian defence company EMCO near the village of Tsareva Livada, prompting an investigation into its cause. Bulgaria’s Interior Minister said the blaze was brought under control and no injuries were reported, while authorities are examining whether the incident could be linked to a previous explosion at another EMCO facility in August.

Officials have not ruled out sabotage and said investigators would compare the latest incident with previous fires at EMCO and other defence facilities. EMCO, however, has stated that the fire was the result of sabotage, pointing to more than 10 similar incidents involving Bulgarian defence companies since 2011. The facility reportedly stored ammunition, including a small quantity of medium-calibre rounds.

The incident comes amid previous allegations surrounding attacks on EMCO facilities and its owner, arms trader Emilian Gebrev. Bulgarian prosecutors have previously accused Russian nationals of involvement in earlier weapons depot explosions, allegations rejected by Moscow. Authorities are also facing renewed questions over security measures and the storage and protection of explosives at defence facilities.

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Polish Train Drivers’ Go-Slow Protest Causes Widespread Rail Delays

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Poland’s rail network faced widespread disruption on Friday as train drivers staged a go-slow protest over safety concerns. Drivers reduced their speed to 20 km/h at railway level crossings, causing delays across the network on one of the country’s busiest travel days.

The protest followed a fatal accident in central Poland on Wednesday, when a train collided with a truck at a level crossing and derailed, killing one person and sending 10 others to hospital. Train drivers’ union representatives said repeated safety concerns had been ignored and called for stronger consequences for motorists who cross tracks despite red warning signals.

PKP Intercity reported that 203 of its 290 services were delayed by midday, with delays averaging 37 minutes. The Polish government has promised tougher penalties for drivers who ignore crossing signals, including possible loss of driving licences, while also planning to invest hundreds of millions of zlotys in railway crossing safety improvements.

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Anthropic Disrupts AI Misuse Linked to Bioweapons and Cyberattacks

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Anthropic said it disrupted attempts to misuse its Claude AI models for potential biological weapons research, weapons development and cyber espionage. In a new threat intelligence report, the company documented five cases involving researchers using Claude in ways that could support biological weapons development, including efforts to plan experiments involving avian influenza.

The company also reported that a suspected Russia-linked hacking group used AI extensively in cyber operations targeting Ukrainian government, military and diplomatic officials. Anthropic said the group used AI to automate activities including phishing, malware development and evading security detection. It also identified other criminal groups using Claude for weapons-related software and intelligence activities.

Anthropic further said it disrupted attacks involving seven China-based AI labs, including Alibaba, Moonshot and DeepSeek, which it accused of attempting to extract Claude’s capabilities. The company alleged that some operators conducted large-scale “distillation” efforts using Claude outputs to improve other AI models, while Moonshot and DeepSeek allegedly routed customer conversations through Claude for training purposes.

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