Author: staff

The severe thunderstorms that hit France on Thursday evening left at least two people dead, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP). In Saint-Victurnien, in the Haute-Vienne département, a woman died after a tree fell. In Dolomieu, in the Isère département, a man was found charred in a workshop that burned down after a lightning strike. Thirty départements in central and eastern France were placed on orange alert for thunderstorms, with a risk of large hailstones, on Thursday evening. Power grid operator Enedis said on Friday morning that nearly 53 000 households had been affected by power cuts following the severe storms.

Rarely has a week gone by in recent years that NATO has not been making headlines. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, now well into its fifth year, continues to be a priority for the military alliance as it reiterates its steadfast support for Kyiv, and European allies rally to boost their own defences. US President Donald Trump has used his second term to shake NATO to its very core; from threats to seize Greenland from Denmark and to annex Canada (both fellow members), to criticism of what he calls a lack of defence spending by other countries, and warnings that…

A powerful storm surge flooded the Chilean coastal town of Penco on Thursday 16 July 2026, leaving streets and homes under water as emergency crews evacuated residents and authorities warned people to stay away from the shoreline. Footage shows flooded roads across the town centre, a police officer helping a woman leave her waterlogged home, residents bailing water from their houses with buckets, and damaged boats scattered along the coast as large waves continue to batter the shoreline. The storm surge struck Chile’s central coast, killing at least three people, according to authorities. In the Biobío region, seawater inundated homes…

Published on 17/07/2026 – 9:28 GMT+2•Updated 9:40 US President Donald Trump’s media company, Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), said on Thursday that it plans to launch a paid service giving financial institutions real-time access to posts from multiple high-ranking Truth Social accounts. Trump is Truth Social’s best-known user and the largest shareholder in its publicly traded parent company. It is now his go-to platform for making major announcements — but selling high-speed access raises fresh questions about Trump monetising the presidency. TMTG did not identify which accounts would be included or confirm that Trump’s posts would form part of…

Published on 17/07/2026 – 10:09 GMT+2 Make no mistake, Europe’s islands are great if you just want a fly and flop holiday where all you do is lounge by the pool and catch up on some much-needed R&R. But if you’re keen on being a little more active when away then the continent’s islands are a playground for adventure, especially on the coasts and in the waters. Sports and active travel is a growing segment that accounts for around 10% of global tourism spending, with an estimated growth rate of 17.5% between 2023 and 2030, according to UN Tourism. Reflecting…

Andy Burnham will become the next leader of Britain’s governing party Friday, before replacing Keir Starmer as British prime minister early next week. At a special conference in London, the Makerfield MP — who  returned to parliament last month after nine years as Greater Manchester mayor — will be elected unopposed as Labour’s next leader. No other Labour MP received the required nominations after an overwhelming majority of the parliamentary party endorsed Burnham’s candidacy, which comes after months of turmoil for the historically-unpopular Starmer. After failing to win the Labour leadership twice, Burnham will now enter Downing Street on Monday. Burnham has spoken about rewiring the state and bringing hope back into politics — and now has a sizable…

Published on 17/07/2026 – 10:08 GMT+2 Andy Burnham is set to be announced as the Labour Party’s new leader on Friday. The Makerfield MP is scheduled to be unveiled at a special press conference before taking over as the UK’s seventh prime minister in a decade on Monday. Burnham was left with a clear path to Downing Street after his last potential leadership rival ruled out challenging last week. He received 379 nominations from Labour MPs for the party leadership out of a possible 403. Burnham is expected to deliver a speech on Friday where he will reportedly pledge to…

We’re past the halfway mark of 2026, and the Euronews Culture team are taking a look back at the music highlights that have captured our ears (and hearts) this year. There’s been so much to enjoy, from soulful delights to politically conscious Irish hip-hop via the triumphant return of rock veterans still giving it socks into their 80s. The output this year has been so strong that whittling our list down to 20 entries hasn’t been easy. Still, without further ado, here is our countdown to the best album of the year so far. 20) Death Cab For Cutie –…

At the outset of the Iran war and resulting spike in energy costs, a gang of 10 countries led by Poland and Italy used the sensitive moment to demand major changes to the ETS. Initially, they were seen as a fringe band of nations who hadn’t taken decarbonization seriously enough, but their demands have begun to rope in more influential voices.  Just days ago, a similar group of 10 doubled down and issued a new letter to von der Leyen and pressured the Commission to weaken the ETS, in a clear sign they’re willing to be a blocking minority in…

First, a scoop: My colleague Vincenzo Genovese reports that US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner called for a radical overhaul of financial support for Gaza while addressing a closed-door meeting of the Palestine Donor Group in Brussels, in which European and Arab delegates pledged a nearly €900-million recovery package. Speaking via video last week, Kushner dismissed the Gaza aid initiatives carried out so far as “designed step by step by NGOs and terrorists”, and called for a fundamental shift in approach to “turn the tide”, according to people familiar with the content of the private talks consulted by Euronews.…