Author: staff
Published on 31/07/2026 – 15:00 GMT+2 Already a member of NATO, the European Economic Area (EEA), the single market and the Schengen Area, for decades Iceland has debated whether or not it should become a full member of the European Union. Fears for the fishing and farming sectors are the focus of the Eurosceptic messages. Opposition to the EU in rural areas is up to 80%, according to some polls. Farmer Stefán Geirsson markets milk and beef from the country’s agricultural heartland. Full EU membership would mean an avalanche of cheaper agri-food imports, with which farmers here would simply be…
No one expected a small city of just 19 square kilometres to become the epicentre of a humanitarian and diplomatic crisis whose repercussions stretch across southern Europe. In the space of a few hours on Thursday, Ceuta saw thousands of migrants enter from Moroccan territory, marking the largest mass crossing the city has experienced since the 2021 crisis. Ceuta officials said some 60,000 migrants entered the city, and the human cost was also high, with the death toll rising to 34 people by Friday afternoon, according to Spain’s interior ministry. Videos filmed on Ceuta’s Tarajal beach reveal the chaos that…
Published on 31/07/2026 – 16:04 GMT+2 Barack Obama has paid tribute to Irish singer-songwriter Glen Hansard while sharing his annual summer playlist for 2026. The former US President posted the selection of “some of the songs I’ve been listening to this summer”, adding: “It starts with a song Michelle and I love by Glen Hansard, a great musician who passed tragically this week.” The song in question is ‘Song Of Good Hope’ from the late Irish musician’s 2012 debut solo album, ‘Rhythm And Repose’. Obama added: “Our hearts go out to his family.” Hansard – best known as the frontman…
“The idea that it could even be brought forward, in my view, shows that the FIFA [president] is the wrong man to lead the organization.” In response to being told FIFA is plowing ahead with its plan despite widespread opposition, including from European football body UEFA, the PM said: “Oh wow. Have they actually done that? Oh wow.” Burnham, who’s long called for the community ownership of football clubs, tweeted earlier this week that “football does not belong to investors” but “the people who fill the stands and who stand on the touchline week in, week out, rain or shine. “The World…
Published on 31/07/2026 – 15:33 GMT+2 Nearly half of the 60,000 migrants who entered the Spanish enclave of Ceuta since the early hours of Friday have already returned to Morocco, according to Spain’s Interior Ministry, as cited by local media. The estimate covers the period up to 1 p.m. local time on Friday, meaning the number is expected to increase as returns continue. Local media also reported that at least 34 people died while attempting to swim from Morocco to Ceuta. The mass arrival of migrants has overwhelmed the Spanish authorities and humanitarian organisations in the autonomous city, which has…
European Commissioner for crisis management Hadja Lahbib has dismissed claims by climate sceptics that Europe’s increasingly destructive wildfire seasons are simply the result of hot summers, describing the blazes sweeping southern Europe as “the biggest wake-up call” in years. “Climate change is not knocking at our door. It is here,” Lahbib told Euronews in an exclusive interview from France. “They (climate deniers) should come here and see the situation, open their eyes.” Her comments echo those of EU competition chief Teresa Ribera, who told Euronews that climate deniers are “giving alcohol to alcoholics and telling them it’s okay to drive.”…
Published on 31/07/2026 – 10:48 GMT+2•Updated 11:27 British oil and gas giant BP said on Friday that it had launched a process to market its North Sea business for a potential sale, as it looks to focus on its “highest-value opportunities”. Its North Sea portfolio off the UK coast comprises five production hubs and employs about 1,100 people, BP added in a statement. Its North Sea portfolio off the UK coast comprises five production hubs and employs about 1,100 people, BP added in a statement. “The UK has been our home for more than 100 years and will continue to…
Alongside the extreme heatwaves, Italy is also approaching the height of its summer: Ferragosto. According to CNA Turismo e Commercio’s estimates, between 1 and 23 August a total of 17.4 million tourists will be travelling in Italy, including 8.4 million Italians and nine million visitors from abroad. Average stays will be around 4.5 nights and direct tourist spending will exceed €9 billion. Taking into account the effects on other sectors, including accommodation, food services, retail, crafts, as well as culture and services, the overall economic impact over the coming month could surpass €15 billion. These estimates form part of a…
Spain’s opposition parties are taking aim at Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s migration policies following the arrival of tens of thousands of unauthorized migrants in the Spanish exclave of Ceuta. Over the past 24 hours, the migrants have forced their way into the heavily fortified autonomous city, which covers 18.5 square kilometers on the northern coast of Africa. With the Civil Guard forces that normally defend Ceuta overwhelmed, the Spanish army was mobilized to secure the border. Speaking from Ceuta, where he flew to meet with officials overseeing the crisis on Friday, Sánchez characterized the situation as “an attack, a violation…
By Gael Camba & AFP Published on 31/07/2026 – 14:03 GMT+2 The EU’s powerful antitrust sheriff said it carried out surprise raids in early December 2025, seeking evidence in an investigation looking at whether Temu received “potentially distortive foreign subsidies”. The European Commission said it “preliminarily finds that Temu has infringed its duty to actively cooperate on multiple aspects related to the conduct of the inspection” at the premises of its subsidiary, WhaleCo, in Dublin. Temu rejected the EU’s findings. Temu “cooperated fully and complied with all the requests the commission made during the inspection”, the company said, adding it will analyse the…