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 06/07/2026 – 12:48 GMT+2•Updated 12:54 The Palestinian militant group Hamas announced the dissolution of the body that has governed the Gaza Strip for nearly two decades on Monday, clearing the way for a technocratic committee to implement civilian rule. The move marks a significant political shift by Hamas, which has run Gaza since its fighters seized control from rival Palestinian movement Fatah in 2007 after winning legislative elections the previous year. Since a ceasefire took effect in Gaza last October between Hamas and Israel, the group has repeatedly said it is prepared to step aside from day-to-day governance,…

Published on 06/07/2026 – 11:05 GMT+2 A group of seven OPEC+ producers said on Sunday they would raise output by a combined 188,000 barrels a day next month, a restrained increase that comes as oil trades near its pre-war levels for the first time since the Iran war began. It is the fifth consecutive monththat members of the alliance have agreed to open the oil taps a little wider. The decision, taken at a virtual meeting, involves Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria and Oman, and continues the gradual unwinding of voluntary cuts the same countries announced back in…

Greece’s Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (HCAA) has issued a statement on delays at Greek airports, following reports citing Eurocontrol data indicating that delays are up 63% compared with the same period last year. Moreover, in the last week of June, again according to Eurocontrol, Greece accounted for 13% of all delays recorded across the European air transport network. According to the HCAA: “From Saturday 4 July 2026, traffic (4,925 flights) has exceeded the highest levels of 2025 (4,916 flights, on 10 August). In this context, efforts to ensure the smooth handling of flights are constant and ongoing.” With regard to…

Pamplona on Monday fired the starting gun for Sanfermines 2026 with the traditional chupinazo, the rocket launch that officially marks the start of nine days of festivities and the world-famous bull runs. From early morning, thousands of people dressed in white and wearing the traditional red neckerchief packed the Town Hall Square to experience one of the most iconic moments in Spain’s festive calendar. This year, the rocket was fired by representatives of Navarre’s Accident and Emergency Subdirectorate, chosen in a public vote as a tribute to the work carried out by healthcare staff during the celebrations and, in particular,…

Jarvis also underlined that he wants to stay in the job once Burnham takes over, saying his previous two years as security minister were the “perfect apprenticeship” for the defense secretary post by giving him a good view of the Russian threat. “I know what they’re like, I know what they can do, I know what they’ve done, I know what they want to do, and it’s our job to guard against that,” he said. But his last task in the current government will be accompanying Starmer to Ankara, where the reception from allies is unlikely to be kind. “The…

Cheers of joy went up in London early on Monday as supporters celebrated England advancing to the next round of the World Cup. Footage from London shows jubilant fans cheering, singing and embracing after the final whistle. Outside Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca, England supporters praised both teams and the atmosphere, while many Mexican fans reflected on their team’s exit with disappointment but also pride. England will now face Norway in the quarter-finals as hopes of ending their long wait for World Cup glory remain alive.

Published on 06/07/2026 – 11:38 GMT+2 The South Korean government intends to set aside the extra tax income flowing from its record-breaking chip industry in a dedicated “future response fund”, the presidential office said, using the proceeds of the AI boom to bankroll public projects ranging from industrial infrastructure to support for younger generations. Behind the windfall sit Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, whose memory chips have become essential to the data centres powering the global AI race. Their record profits this year have propelled the wider economy, and swollen the government’s tax receipts along the way. Presidential chief of…

Published on 06/07/2026 – 11:21 GMT+2 A Reuters photograph taken during this weekend’s 250th Independence Day celebrations in the US has become one of the most viral and discussed images on social media this year. The image, taken by Cheney Orr on 4 July, depicts a Black woman sitting quietly inside a Washington Metro train. She is surrounded by dozens of masked members of the white nationalist group Patriot Front, who were on their way to a march in downtown Washington D.C. The image is captioned: “A commuter sits as members of the group Patriot Front ride the metro on…

But after U.S. President Donald Trump called FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Thursday, the suspension was revoked. FIFA declined to confirm any specific discussions but reiterated to POLITICO that an independent disciplinary committee had decided to suspend the one-match ban. Prévot argued that “if it really was a phone call that led to this incomprehensible decision, that would amount to undermining the most basic rules of football and sport” and question FIFA’s ability to “credibly advocate fair play.” Other Belgian officials and politicians questioned the validity of the football federation’s decision. Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever responded ironically and…