Author: staff

Europe is not an enlarged nation nor a community built on a single language, a single memory or a single historical experience. Its distinctiveness lies precisely in having built a common political project out of different histories, at times wounded, contradictory and even opposed. Perhaps the mistake has been to assume that a European identity can only grow out of what everyone shares equally. Political identities are not built solely on commonalities. They are also forged in the ability to recognise as one’s own what others contribute to the whole. Europe shares history, but does not always share the same…

POLITICO spoke to 17 current and former senior politicians and officials, most of whom have worked with Burnham and many granted anonymity to speak frankly, about what the new PM’s arrival will mean for Whitehall. Some warned that Burnham’s plans could spark a turf war not just between ministers and the civil service, but between civil servants themselves. ‘Slowed down’ Some of Burnham’s rhetoric may be hammed up — he has spent nine years as the left-wing mayor of Greater Manchester — but Burnham’s old friend Steve Rotheram insisted it is not “faux” frustration. “We have experienced time and again…

Published on 13/07/2026 – 8:01 GMT+2•Updated 8:12 On today’s show: Laila Humairah reports from Doha renewed US-Iran exchange of attacks as the war escalates. Angela Skujins breaks down the meeting of EU foreign ministers today and the main discussion to be discussed: sanctions on illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Sandor Zsiros explains the chances of the Hungarian president being removed from office as the country’s parliament votes to amend the constitution. Interviews with Dan Jørgensen, EU Commissioner for Energy, Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, and Martin Heydon, Irish Minister for Agriculture. World Cup update…

A huge fire in a Bangkok bar killed at least 27 people and injured dozens, officials and witnesses said on Monday, the deadliest such incident in Thailand in almost two decades. People ran screaming out of the venue on the outskirts of the Thai capital on Sunday evening as flames shot out of the entrance, several with their clothing burned or ablaze, according to video verified by the AFP news agency. An AFP journalist saw several body bags on the ground early on Monday morning outside the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao bar and restaurant. A few hours later, forensic…

Published on 13/07/2026 – 6:56 GMT+2•Updated 6:59 The price of Brent crude, the international benchmark, gained 3.9% to $78.96 per barrel, while the US benchmark crude oil price rose 4% to $74.26 per barrel. Prices for both types of crude oil had recently slipped back to the levels seen before the war with Iran began, after the two sides reached an interim agreement to end the conflict and ships resumed transporting oil through the Strait of Hormuz. However, the United States launched several waves of strikes on Iran early on Monday morning following an Iranian attack on a container ship…

Can transfers between travel destinations be turned into part of a trip? Rather than only visiting a country’s major cities and treating travel days as time lost between destinations, more holidaymakers are turning to sightseeing opportunities along the way by stopping in smaller cities and visiting unique landmarks. According to booking data from Daytrip, a platform specialising in city-to-city travel with car transfers, travellers are making the journey itself part of the holiday by stopping in places that may usually be overshadowed by larger and more popular destinations. Based on a survey of summer bookings made via the platform by…

This week is shaping up to be an exciting one for history lovers. Whether you’re eager to watch a film inspired by a 3,000-year-old epic poem or attend a concert at one of the Roman Empire’s most remarkable surviving venues, this week’s cultural calendar offers a chance to explore history in new and unexpected ways. Here are our top picks for the week: Exhibitions Ana Mendieta When: 15 July 2026 – 17 January 2027 Where: Tate Modern (London, UK) The award-winning Cuban-American multidisciplinary artist Ana Mendieta will be showcased at Tate Modern in London for the first time. The exhibition…

Foreign ministers meeting in Brussels on Monday will stop short of deciding whether to impose tariffs or restrict imports. The immediate question is whether the countries behind the push can secure the majority needed to demand a formal Commission proposal that governments could vote on later. Any resulting trade measure would have limited economic impact. Trade with illegal West Bank settlements makes up about 0.5 percent of the EU’s overall trade with Israel, according to the Commission’s estimate in a confidential discussion paper seen by POLITICO. But, as has become common since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attacks against Israel and…

Published on 13/07/2026 – 6:50 GMT+2 Firefighters were rushing to contain a fire that erupted in the sprawling Fontainebleau forest just south of Paris on Sunday. Officials described the fire as “very virulent” and of “exceptional scale” as it raced across 800 hectares and was still spreading. The spread caused the partial closure of the A6 highway, the country’s main north-south artery, officials said early on Monday. With nightfall, firefighting aircraft had been forced to suspend their operations. Around 15 homes had been evacuated in the nearby village of Vaudoue and firefighters were defending several other towns in the area,…

Fermented fish, cheese with maggots, black pudding or offal: across Europe’s kitchens there are specialities that can make even seasoned gourmets recoil at first. Yet disgust is subjective. What is seen as a time-honoured delicacy in one country raises eyebrows elsewhere – or even prompts a physical rejection. The Disgusting Food Museum in Berlin shows visitors just how narrow the line between disgust, curiosity and culinary tradition can be. The concept originated in Malmö in Sweden; the museum has also been open in Berlin since 2021. The exhibition does not just aim to shock, but to explain why people react…