Author: staff
British rail operator Virgin Trains has received pre-approval to run international train services through the Channel Tunnel, potentially breaking the current monopoly held by Eurostar. Eurostar, a French-controlled international rail operator, is the only company providing direct passenger services from England to cities such as Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris through the tunnel. But from 2030, this could change. “This is an important next step in bringing competition and growth to the market for international rail services,” said Martin Jones, the British Office of Rail and Road deputy director of access and international, in an official press release.
Three people were killed after a private helicopter crashed on the island of Sifnos in Greece on Monday, the Greek fire service said. The aircraft came down close to homes in the Tholos region of the popular tourist island – which is part of the Cyclades island group – where it burst into flames. The fire service was notified shortly after 18:15 about the incident and rushed to the scene along with rescue crews. The victims are reportedly a Greek pilot and a newlywed British couple. The cause of the crash is not yet clear. Video footage circulating on social…
Welcome to Day 2 of Canberra Playbook ESSENTIALS Party room meetings will progress the debate on gambling reform, while Taylor awaits a response on his NDIS ultimatum to the PM. Pat Conroy calls bullshit on AUKUS myths. The secessionist movement Canberra forgot to pay attention to. DRIVING THE DAY LETTERS AND LEVERAGE: Labor and the Coalition are poised to reach a deal on gambling reforms today after Communications Minister Anika Wells introduced an opt-out register for online advertising, the ABC reports. A list of amendments will be put to the full caucus and party room meetings this morning for final approval. Listening and preempting: “The…
A 29-year-old American tourist has died after being hit by lightning while hiking on Mount Etna in Sicily. The man was struck on Sunday as a severe thunderstorm swept across the volcano. He was rushed to a hospital in Catania by a firefighter helicopter but was pronounced dead. His identity has not yet been made public. An emergency call came in shortly before 8 pm. He had been in the isolated Rocca Capra area of the active volcano, in the Valle del Bove, around 1,400 metres above sea level. According to preliminary information from authorities, the man is believed to…
Dogs and their owners filled San Pedro Church in La Paz, Bolivia, on Sunday for a Mass marking the feast of Saint Roch, the patron saint of dogs. The footage shows worshippers holding their pets during the service before receiving Communion and having the animals blessed with holy water. Some faithful also brought photos of pets that had died, including one woman who held a picture of her cat. Priest Sandro Arana said people could learn loyalty and unconditional care from animals, describing them as gifts from God. Saint Roch is traditionally associated with a dog that brought him food…
By Euronews Published on 17/08/2026 – 20:15 GMT+2 The US Supreme Court rejected for a second time President Donald Trump’s request to overturn a jury judgement that he sexually assaulted and defamed writer E. Jean Carroll. In July, Trump and the Justice Department asked the Supreme Court to overturn an $83 million (€71 million) defamation verdict won by writer Carroll. Carroll testified twice before New York juries that Trump sexually assaulted her in a dressing room at a department store in 1996. The former journalist and columnist first made the allegations public in a 2019 memoir. She later sued Trump for…
POLITICO’s investigation revealed warnings from Egyptian authorities and internal assessments by Rosatom regarding the construction of the El Dabaa nuclear plant. The documents obtained by POLITICO raised concerns ranging from the quality of concrete work to delays and management problems, while an Egyptian agency alleged “deliberate negligence” and violations of “nuclear safety culture.” Nuclear material has yet to be introduced at the site. Rosatom previously defended its safety record at El Dabaa and pointed to regular scrutiny of the project by Egyptian, Russian and International Atomic Energy Agency officials. None of the allegations contained presented to Rosatom by POLITICO, have…
Buckets, hoses and water pistols soak participants carrying portable shrines through eastern Tokyo during the Fukagawa Hachiman Matsuri on Sunday, 16 August. The footage shows crowds drenching the bearers while firefighters spray them with hoses. Held once every three years, the main procession featured 54 mikoshi carried along an eight-kilometre route by about 25,000 people. The festival dates back to 1642, when Tokyo was still known as Edo. Participants say the event requires years of preparation and brings people from different social backgrounds together. Its history also includes a tragedy. In 1807, Eitai Bridge collapsed under the weight of crowds…
All three ministers declined to comment on the record. The reference to Streeting’s number online has since been deleted, and officials are working to remove the other two. Ministers are given secure government devices to conduct business for their briefs, in particular for high-risk roles like defense, and are expected to use those for non-personal comms. A government spokesperson said: “The government has robust procedures in place to ensure the security of sensitive information.” But Prerana Joshi, research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) think tank, said that having direct numbers for Cabinet ministers in the public domain is…
Nvidia has recruited Wall Street to bankroll its own customers. The US chipmaker said last week it had signed memorandums of understanding with Wall Street’s largest asset managers, including Apollo Global Management, Blackstone, BlackRock, Brookfield Asset Management, Goldman Sachs and KKR to raise upwards of half a trillion dollars for AI companies to borrow against, money that will buy its chips and build the servers that run them. The six firms will set up what Nvidia calls “compute financing platforms,” drawing on institutional money, insurance funds and private credit. Borrowers can use the proceeds for the chips as well as…