Two Iranian men have been charged with terror offenses over an alleged plot to bomb Manchester’s Jewish community.

Two Iranians charged with alleged bomb plot against Britain’s Jewish community

Police said the two men received instructions and materials to make a homemade bomb for possible use on Jewish targets.

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A wave of housing protests swept across dozens of Spanish cities today as Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez weighed calling a snap election.

Spaniards protest housing crisis as Sánchez weighs snap vote

With a potential early election looming, the demonstrations highlight growing frustration with the country’s political establishment.

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For the best part of a century, the biggest threat to the residents of Svalbard was polar bears. Increasingly, it now comes from Russia. 🔗 vist.ly/5kvn9

German companies are rushing to stockpile critical raw materials, alarmed by the risk that Beijing could restrict rare earth exports if next month’s trade talks between the EU and China break down. 🔗 vist.ly/5kven

Russia struck a key bridge in Kyiv connecting the left and right bank of the Dnipro river overnight, as Moscow steps up its aerial campaign against Ukraine.

Russia hits major Kyiv bridge, logistics hub in latest attack

Russia struck a key bridge in Kyiv connecting the left and right bank of the Dnipro river overnight Saturday, as Moscow steps up its aerial campaign against Ukraine. Traffic was suspended on the ca…

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The EU has shielded data centers from public scrutiny about how much energy they use, according to a formal complaint filed this week against the European Commission. 🔗 vist.ly/5kvan

British authorities have charged a man accused of murdering former lawmaker Anne Widdecombe with planning a terror attack against Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.

Widdecombe murder suspect charged with planning terror act on Nigel Farage

Joshua Kerry was previously accused of murdering former lawmaker and Reform spokesperson Anne Widdecombe.

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The European Commission ignored its own advice to maintain a bloc-wide combustion engine ban and instead caved to automakers and powerful national capitals to weaken the rules. 🔗 vist.ly/5kv4b

Latvia’s populist Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs will face his first electoral test today — but his head start in the polls is unlikely to shield him from coalition headaches in a contest where Ukraine and Russia are looming large. vist.ly/5ku24

Latvian PM faces bittersweet victory in election backdropped by Russia

An EU sanctions showdown could strengthen the position of Andris Kulbergs, but a coalition puzzle awaits.

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Athens proposes temporarily suspending asylum applications in emergency situations — and the idea has support from Berlin and Vienna. 🔗 vist.ly/5ksyv

French schools are getting torched. The far right’s brightest star is fighting for his political life after being accused of antisemitic remarks. And economic indicators are flashing bright red to warn of a potential sovereign debt disaster in the country.

‘Maxi merde’: French presidential campaign rattled by a week of chaos

Nobody has emerged unscathed, but the spotlight is firmly on the far left and the far right.

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Green leader Zack Polanski has claimed credit for Andy Burnham’s recent arrival in No. 10. Now he’s trying to convince people that his party can still do more to move national politics.

Polanski’s Greens look for their next opening

The left-wing populist party nudged Keir Starmer out of office, but now Andy Burnham is drawing satisfied protest voters back to Labour.

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In London Playbook PM: 🛢️ Donald Trump gloated after G7 nations agreed to release oil stockpiles. ⛽ The U.K. joined the plan as average diesel prices topped £2 a liter. 🏥 Universal Credit’s health element could be scrapped for under-25s. Dig in 👇

An intact explosive device that struck the wing of a Ukrainian aircraft at Germany’s Leipzig Airport has given investigators their clearest look yet at what European officials believe is a wider Russian campaign of attacks. 🔗 vist.ly/5ksm2

German chancellor Friedrich Merz’s foes at home are rejoicing at his political downturn. But those in Brussels aren’t. 🔗 vist.ly/5ks7w

The G7 group of rich countries has agreed to release 100 million barrels of oil over the next four months, following intense pressure from the Trump administration for Europe to tap its stockpiles of diesel.

G7 agrees major release of oil stocks following pressure from the US

France said the agreement meant the U.S. would not ban the export of diesel.

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EXCLUSIVE: Seventeen EU governments have publicly warned against cuts to agriculture and regional payouts in the next seven-year budget, in a rebuke of Germany's stance in the negotiations.

17 countries join forces to oppose EU budget cuts

Italy and Romania lead push to preserve EU spending for agriculture and regional payouts.

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André Ventura, the leader of the populist Portuguese party Chega, discusses U.S. President Donald Trump and cooperation with Germany’s AfD in an interview with POLITICO. 🔗 vist.ly/5krui

Some NATO allies are resisting a U.S. effort to set up a close-knit group of alliance countries ostensibly based on their defense spending, arguing the initiative risks undermining unity just when Russia steps up its hybrid campaign in Europe.

European allies push back against US-led NATO VIP club

Washington’s move to gather favored allies could undermine NATO unity, some countries excluded from the group say.

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The G7 club of rich countries are preparing to convene later today to explore whether to release further diesel reserves to bring down fuel prices. Four people familiar with the matter have confirmed the plan to POLITICO.

G7 to hold emergency talks over possible diesel release

The meeting comes as Trump threatens to ban U.S. diesel exports.

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EXCLUSIVE: The architects of Britain's first post-Brexit trade deals have warned that the country's independent trade policy is under threat after Andy Burnham pledged a major review of the country’s relationship with the EU.

Tories warn Burnham’s EU ‘pandering’ will shred post-Brexit trade deals

Three former ministers tell POLITICO of “grave consequences” if the U.K. moves closer to the EU under prime minister’s bid for a revamped relationship.

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High-ranking members of the Spanish government suggested Friday that Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez could call a snap election if key housing decrees fail to pass in the morning’s emergency parliamentary session.

Spain’s Sánchez weighs calling snap election as housing defeat looms

The prime minister could seize on a looming parliamentary defeat to campaign on housing, an issue that has fueled protests across the country.

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🎙️ Europe’s gray-zone war with Russia is getting harder to ignore. In this week's Brussels Playbook Podcast Week Ender, host Sarah Wheaton speaks to security expert and author Elisabeth Braw about how Europe should respond. 👇

Russia’s not-quite-war on Europe

Europe’s gray-zone war with Russia is getting harder to ignore. Sarah Wheaton speaks to security expert and author Elisabeth Braw about how Europe should respond as sabotage, arson, cyberattacks an…

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EXCLUSIVE: An effort to intensify NATO’s cooperation with Armenia and Azerbaijan is faltering over a feud between France and Turkey, just as Russia loosens its grip on the region.

France and Turkey block NATO’s drive to deepen ties with Caucasus countries

Azerbaijan and Armenia want closer ties with the alliance, but Paris and Ankara first have to agree.

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The end of the world is scheduled for the spring of 2029, writes Paul Dallison in Declassified, POLITICO's weekly humour column.

It’s the end of the world as we know it (and I feel an investment opportunity coming on)

AI might kill us all, but is it worth buying shares in?

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Andy Burnham has his work cut out to convince voters the U.K. should change the way it elects MPs, according to a new POLITICO Poll.

Burnham wants to change British elections. Voters think they’re fine as is.

Polling for POLITICO by Public First finds that most adults, regardless of party affiliation, believe the current voting system is fair.

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China and the EU “are definitely not there yet” on a prospective trade deal, Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič told POLITICO yesterday.

‘Tough’ talks with China have yet to deliver, EU trade chief says

Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič tells POLITICO that “our Chinese partners understood” that a deal is urgently needed to preserve Europe’s social fabric and “literally thousands of jobs.”

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Donald Trump’s threat to halt U.S. diesel exports could leave Europe’s truckers facing another sharp rise in fuel costs — and consumers paying more for goods.

Trump’s diesel threat risks hurting European truckers — and raising prices for consumers

Any U.S. diesel export ban could push European fuel prices even higher, with impacts across logistics and supply chains.

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On August 4, a drone struck the wing of a Ukrainian aircraft at Germany’s Leipzig Airport and fell onto the tarmac. Strapped beneath it was a tin can packed with explosives.

How a failed attack in Leipzig revealed a wider Russian campaign

Documents obtained by the Axel Springer Global Reporters Network trace drone bombs, incendiary parcels and arson attacks to Russian intelligence.

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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz moved to reassure allies in Europe and Kyiv that his domestic political weakness would not erode his government’s support for Ukraine as the war nears its fifth winter.

As Germany’s far right rises, weakened Merz looks to project strength against Putin

In a closely watched speech, the chancellor sought to reassure worried allies in Europe and Ukraine while warning Germans to stay the course against Moscow, lest Russia’s war machine ‘turn against us.’

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