Author: staff

European Central Bank (ECB) President Christine Lagarde on Thursday criticised a proposal by left-wing French presidential candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon to cancel France’s debt held by the central bank. Lagarde said the proposal by the La France Insoumise (LFI) leader was “really not a good idea” during a press conference following the ECB’s announcement of another increase in its key interest rates. The president added that the move would amount to a “clear violation of the treaty” on the European Union. Mélenchon’s proposal essentially entails cancelling the 18% of France’s debt that is currently held by the country’s central bank. He…

A major fire broke out early Thursday at the Marché du Soleil in Marseille, a large market near Saint-Charles station known for selling counterfeit goods. Flames tore through around 2,000 square metres of the 3,600-square-metre site. Marseille marine firefighters deployed 110 personnel and 35 vehicles to tackle the blaze. Nearby residents were evacuated during the operation, but no injuries were reported. The market had been closed since February and recently ordered by a court to shut down permanently following concerns over fire safety and compliance with regulations.

Thriving or surviving Von der Leyen has sought to take ownership of the bloc’s policy to vet corporate deals — in response to demands from France and Germany to bend the EU’s antitrust rulebook to allow for the creation of “European champions.”  In particular, she has championed an overhaul of the EU’s merger guidelines that would give increased weight to considerations such as innovation, saying these would help companies “to thrive, scale, and innovate.” But von der Leyen’s assertiveness has put her at odds with Ribera, her Spanish number two, who has defended the traditional role of EU’s trustbusters in…

Published on 11/09/2026 – 15:00 GMT+2 Work begins at dawn in Corticeira Amorim’s cork oak forests. Cork harvesting takes place between late May and August, and much of it is still done by hand. “On average a tree can produce for 170 years, 200 years more or less, giving us 15 to 17 extractions.” explains Carlos Abreu, from the Communication Department at Amorim Florestal. A cork oak takes at least nine years to regenerate its bark, and around 25 before it can be harvested for the first time. These long timeframes are difficult to reconcile with the needs of small…

Residents of Cali gathered on September 10 to mark one month since a powerful earthquake struck southwestern Colombia. During a memorial ceremony, people laid flowers, lit candles and released white balloons in honour of the victims. The ceremony also included prayers and a tribute from Cali Mayor Alejandro Eder. Later, residents visited the site of the Torres de Limonar residential complex, which collapsed in the earthquake and left debris behind. Survivors spoke of the pain of losing loved ones, homes and neighbours, while the mayor said the city was beginning to get back on its feet.

Published on 11/09/2026 – 13:46 GMT+2•Updated 15:00 Fifty European CEOs and investors have urged EU legislators not to “dilute” the bloc’s EU Inc. law, currently under negotiation in Brussels, according to a joint letter sent to policymakers on Thursday. The law would make it cheaper and easier for businesses to launch and operate across EU borders and is expected to be approved by the end of the year. However, negotiations in Brussels suggest the final version may fall short of what many startup founders had hoped for. The EU Inc. law is among the legislative proposals the bloc is pushing…

French astronaut Thomas Pesquet told Euronews that Europe and France must “maximise the scientific return” from ESA’s next private mission aboard PAM-6 to the International Space Station (ISS), which he will lead in summer 2027. Speaking to Euronews at the International Space Summit held in Paris on Wednesday and Thursday, Pesquet said “we know the ISS is coming to an end soon and we don’t know when Europe and specifically France’s next turn, will come again, given that long-term missions to the ISS are assigned on a rotating basis.” The ISS is scheduled to retire and be deorbited in 2030…

“Blocking or disrupting this vital artery puts global supply chains at risk,” he said, warning of higher prices and shortages of “food, fuel and other essential goods.” Prévot urged Iran to use its influence “for de-escalation rather than confrontation.” Beginning in 2023, the Houthis launched a sustained campaign of attacks on shipping in the southern Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb, which they said was in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza during the Hamas-Israel war. That prompted major shipping firms and oil companies — including Hapag-Lloyd, MSC, Maersk, BP and Frontline — to reroute vessels away from the Suez Canal and…

Published on 11/09/2026 – 15:49 GMT+2 The immobilised assets from the Russian Central Bank are not “the primary focus” at the moment, the European Commission said on Friday amid growing calls to channel the €210 billion into additional support for cash-strapped Ukraine. Sweden, the Netherlands, Poland and Spain, backed by the Baltics, have asked the executive to devise new legal options to tap the assets. Ukraine has endorsed the initiative and pitched creating an EU-owned custodian to hold the assets kept at Euroclear, a depository in central Brussels. And this week, a cross-party group of 122 members of the European…

Atokos, a tiny private island in Greece’s Ionian Sea, has become a popular stop for visitors drawn by its unusual residents. Tourists arrive by boat to swim alongside Mediterranean black pigs, feed them fruit and watch them roam the beach. The island, sometimes called ‘Piggie Island’, has gained attention through viral social media videos. Visitors can be seen sitting on the beach with the pigs, taking selfies and entering the water as the animals swim around them. Underwater footage shows the pigs swimming alongside boats, sometimes following them in search of food. The island has become a destination for day…