Author: staff
With a week of major articles looking at the EU’s foreign policy branch, POLITICO asks whether budget constraints, a lack of tools and a turf war with the European Commission is threatening its survival. Jun 29 13 mins read
Published on 30/06/2026 – 12:53 GMT+2 The UK’s outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Tuesday that Britain would spend almost £300 billion (€348 billion) over the next four years to modernise its armed forces amid rising threats. Starmer, expected to leave office next month after losing the support of Labour MPs, announced that the overall defence budget would increase by £15 billion (€17 billion) over the next four years to almost £300 billion, as he launched his long-awaited 10-year Defence Investment Plan. “Last year I made the decision in the national interest to reprioritise aid spending towards defence and…
La Guaira port in Venezuela has been turned into a makeshift morgue after twin earthquakes left more than 1,700 people dead and thousands missing. Forensic thanatology teams work among rows of caskets and body bags near the port’s silos as they document and process the victims. The scale of loss is visible across the quayside, now filled with temporary facilities and recovery operations. Teams move between containers, carrying body bags and recording details in a controlled but heavy atmosphere. Nearby, relatives wait outside the identification area, some holding flowers and others standing in silence as they look for news of…
Published on 30/06/2026 – 11:57 GMT+2 The Japanese yen fell to around 162.4 per dollar in Asian trading on Tuesday morning, its lowest level since 1986. The drop extends a punishing run for the yen, which has kept weakening despite the Bank of Japan’s efforts to support it, and now revives the prospect that the authorities will step into the market directly. Japan’s finance minister, Satsuki Katayama, has already responded to the situation by stating that the government was ready to take “appropriate” and even “decisive” action against excessive currency moves, adding that she had confirmed with Washington that such…
The UNESCO-listed Bay of Kotor, known locally as Boka Bay, winds into Montenegro’s coastline on the Adriatic Sea, where views of striking mountains meet calm fjord-like waters. Now, one of its secluded islets is home to Banyan Tree’s first resort in Europe. Called Mamula Island by Banyan Tree, the resort is tucked away in a restored 19th-century fortress at the entrance to the bay. The resort is the result of a seven-year restoration that carefully preserves the site’s historic character while blending it with a contemporary luxury flair. Originally built in the 1850s, Fort Mamula was once a coastal defence…
Inside the burial mound of Casas del Turuñuelo, in the town of Guareña (Badajoz), in the Vegas Altas del Guadiana region, the eighth excavation campaign of the Building Tartessos project has brought to light a bronze chariot with no known equivalent in the Iberian Peninsula. The piece features a box decorated with figures in relief: at the front, an Achelous, a river deity associated with the underworld; on the sides, two griffins with eagle heads and lion bodies; and at the ends, two human figures with their arms raised, supporting the structure, which rests on two equally ornate wheels. “It…
The remarks were a direct response to Macron, who earlier on Monday said he had discussed the maritime mission with Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tarik and agreed to safeguard shipping and guarantee “free and unconditional passage” through the waterway. Tehran also cast doubt on the U.S.-Iran talks expected to take place in Doha this week. Following an exchange of strikes over the weekend, Washington and Tehran agreed to halt attacks and resume talks on Monday. President Trump announced discussions would take place in Doha, but on Monday Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei insisted no negotiations with the United States…
Published on 30/06/2026 – 11:32 GMT+2 After the national team’s embarrassing World Cup exit, Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz caused confusion with a post on the social media platform X. The chancellor praised the national team: “Even though going out hurts: what a game. With your commitment and team spirit at this World Cup you have thrilled our country. We are proud of you.” Merz’s post attracted a great deal of criticism in the comments. Comedian Oliver Pocher also spoke up on the social media platform Instagram beneath the chancellor’s post. “I hope the account has been hacked. But it fits…
In The Hague, celebrations for Morocco’s win over the Netherlands escalated into clashes with police as officers moved in to disperse crowds. Scenes move from street celebrations to arrests, with people running as riot police intervene and detain several individuals. Earlier, supporters gathered after the World Cup last-32 match, waving flags, honking car horns and filming the celebrations. The atmosphere then changes as police arrive, with baton charges and arrests on the streets. Some are pinned to the ground or led away by officers. Despite the unrest, other groups continue to celebrate Morocco’s victory from balconies and cars, with flags…
Over the past decade or so, set-jetting – aka travelling to a destination after being inspired by film or TV – has reached new heights. Game of Thrones sent hundreds of thousands of people to Dubrovnik, aka King’s Landing. Crash Landing on You made the tiny Swiss village of Iseltwald a must-visit for fans. Each season of The White Lotus brings hoards of tourists to the locale in question, from Taormina to Thailand. It can be difficult to predict where the next big surge will be, particularly in the age of streaming when there are dozens of new shows and…