Sep 21, 2026, 02:30 PM UTC

European nations are enacting stricter rules and classroom measures to address challenges posed by generative artificial intelligence.

In Denmark, upper secondary students must now orally defend written assignments and undergo enhanced supervision to prevent AI-driven cheating. Meanwhile, some educators in Germany are returning to analog teaching methods, excluding digital devices to preserve core learning skills.

Beyond academic integrity, experts express concern over the psychological impacts of conversational AI on young people. Digital trainers warn that children may increasingly favor AI chatbots over human interaction. Additionally, a German government advisor criticized tech companies for relying on automated AI software to address child safety, calling for stronger structural protections against psychological harm.

Sources: Correctiv, Der Spiegel, Der Standard, FAZ, Tagesschau

Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev announced that the country's 2027 state budget will be adopted on schedule, promising a realistic financial framework to ensure economic stability following years of political uncertainty. Speaking at a cabinet meeting, Radev urged lawmakers to focus on upcoming administrative and judicial reforms.

In parallel, his ruling Progressive Bulgaria party submitted its candidates for the Supreme Judicial Council's parliamentary quota, emphasizing the nominees' high academic qualifications and judicial experience.

However, media reports point out growing centralization within the party four months after its electoral victory. Critics note that beyond Radev and roughly ten selected spokespeople, most of the party's 131 lawmakers remain virtually unknown to the public, functioning primarily to cast legislative votes.

Sources: Investor.bg, Mediapool, Nova TV

Ahead of Berlin's state parliament election on 20 September, fact-checkers and law enforcement addressed separate incidents involving the Alternative for Germany (AfD).

Fact-checking outlets Correctiv and Deutsche Welle identified a viral video shared on social media as fraudulent. The footage, viewed over 300,000 times on X, falsely depicted a man destroying mail-in ballots cast for the AfD while preserving a ballot for the CDU.

In a separate development on 15 September, Berlin police searched the apartment of a staff member working for Kristin Brinker, the AfD's top candidate in Berlin. According to the public prosecutor's office, the operation stemmed from suspected violations of German weapons law. Prosecutors confirmed that officers found no evidence supporting the initial firearms allegations during the search.

Sources: Correctiv, DW, Der Spiegel, FAZ, Tagesschau

Switzerland football team captain Granit Xhaka will miss the national team's first four Nations League matches after admitting to acquiring a forged Covid-19 vaccination certificate. The 33-year-old midfielder publicly acknowledged purchasing the document in 2022, citing deep distrust of the vaccine and personal anxiety at the time.

Following discussions with the Swiss Football Association, Xhaka agreed to step aside from the upcoming training camp and matches. Meanwhile, public prosecutors in Lucerne confirmed that an investigation is currently underway to assess potential criminal liability regarding the acquisition of the document.

Sources: BBC News, Der Spiegel, Der Standard, Die Presse, FAZ.

Ireland's Data Protection Commission has fined Google 403 million euros following an investigation into the company's location tracking practices on Android devices.

The regulatory authority determined that Google violated the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation between May 2018 and February 2020 by processing user location data without sufficient consent or adequate transparency. The decision follows joint complaints submitted in 2018 by several European consumer protection organizations, including consumer councils in Norway and Sweden.

The penalty ranks among the largest fines imposed under GDPR enforcement to date. Consumer rights representatives hailed the enforcement action as a key development for privacy protection across the EU. Google has not yet publicly stated whether it plans to challenge the regulator's ruling.

Sources: Der Spiegel, Der Standard, NRK, Sweden Herald, Sydsvenskan