Bomb threats disrupt 34 flights across Europe
Welcome, Europeans. 🇪🇺
Bomb threats have disrupted flights across Europe, while EU governments weigh changes to a proposed business levy and methane rules. Ukraine is seeking equipment to repair its power grid.
Today in Europe:
- ✈️ Bomb threats disrupt at least 34 flights this week.
- 💶 Costa proposes narrowing an EU business levy to larger firms.
- 🌍 EU ambassadors debate delaying methane rules for imports.
- ⚡ Zelensky seeks equipment to repair Ukraine’s power grid.
- 🏦 A cyberattack hits Crédit Mutuel Arkéa for around €100 million.
✈️ Bomb threats disrupt flights across Europe
Hoax bomb threats have disrupted at least 34 flights across Europe this week, with some aircraft forced into emergency landings or diversions, The Guardian reports. At least 25 threats affected flights on Thursday across countries including Italy, Ireland, France, Poland and Spain.
One flight from Dublin to Rome was diverted to a French airbase, according to France 24. Threats seen by AFP claimed to be from a far-right Russian group; the BBC reports there is no hard evidence so far linking the threats to Russia, Iran or proxy groups.
Why it matters: Europe needs a joined-up response to disruption that crosses borders faster than investigators can. Airlines, airports and governments cannot afford to treat each diverted flight as somebody else’s problem.
Share the intelligence first; assign blame when the evidence arrives.
💶 Costa narrows proposed EU business levy
European Council President António Costa has suggested limiting a proposed EU business levy to companies with annual turnover above €750 million, Politico Europe reports, citing two EU diplomats briefed on the discussions.
The proposal would use a 0.05% levy instead of the lump sum in the European Commission’s original CORE plan, which targeted revenues above €100 million. Costa’s chief of staff discussed the idea with governments on Thursday as part of talks on new EU-wide revenues, a sticking point in budget negotiations.
Why it matters: Europe cannot demand common security and investment on a budget held hostage by national haggling. A levy on the largest firms may be easier to negotiate, but governments still owe taxpayers a transparent account of what it raises and buys.
Agree the bill—and show Europeans the receipt.
🌍 EU weighs delay to methane rules
EU ambassadors are due to try again on Friday to agree how long to delay methane rules for oil and gas imports, EUobserver reports. The options under discussion are one year or three years.
The rules were adopted in 2024 and were due to start in two months. The Commission proposed a one-year delay in October after pressure from the US administration, oil and gas interests and some member states, who cited supply and legal risks. EUobserver says it obtained 55 internal Commission energy-department documents covering more than a year of discussions.
Why it matters: Postponing methane controls makes Europe’s climate promises cheaper for suppliers and more expensive for the atmosphere. Governments should fix genuine implementation problems without turning a temporary delay into a licence to leak.
Set a firm deadline—and enforce it.
⚡ Zelensky seeks help repairing power grid
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has appealed to Spain and Latin American countries for equipment to repair Ukraine’s power infrastructure, The Guardian reports.
Speaking at a meeting alongside the Ibero-American summit in Madrid on Thursday, Zelensky said every Ukrainian power plant had been damaged in some way by Russian attacks and that repair crews were working around the clock. He said companies in Spain and Latin America could help supply what Ukraine needs. Euronews reports that he also met Spain’s King Felipe VI.
Why it matters: Keeping Ukraine’s electricity running is a security task, not an optional extra to diplomacy. Russian attacks make repair equipment and the people who install it essential to civilian life.
European governments should turn the appeal into deliveries, fast.
🏦 Cyberattack costs French bank €100 million
French regional bank Crédit Mutuel Arkéa says a cyberattack led to fraudulent transfers worth around €100 million, France 24 reports.
The bank said on Wednesday that hackers accessed its own accounts and transferred funds to other banks. It said the attack had since been contained. Customer accounts were not affected, according to the bank, and clients reported no losses. The sum involved is equivalent to approximately $112 million, France 24 reports.
Why it matters: A bank’s own accounts are not a back door regulators can afford to ignore. Protecting customers means protecting the financial plumbing too, including the systems that let large transfers leave.
Cyber resilience needs testing before the money moves, not just containment afterwards.
📰 In Other News
- 🇱🇹 Lithuania’s president told Politico Europe he expects Russian provocations against NATO to continue.
- 🇪🇪 Estonia’s prime minister told Politico Europe that Europe should not take a mediator’s role with Putin.
- 🇫🇷 France’s interior ministry estimated 600,000 people joined protests over the cost of living, the BBC reports.
- 💷 The pound reached its strongest level against a basket of currencies since June 2016, The Guardian reports.
- 🇷🇺 A Russian decree transferred Japan Tobacco International’s four factories to a state-linked holding company, Euronews reports.
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Written with the help of AI from the reporting linked above.