Author: staff
Three EU countries — Germany, Austria and Portugal — are bidding for two non-permanent seats on the U.N.’s most powerful body in a General Assembly vote set for Wednesday. Portugal, thanks to its strong ties with Portuguese- and Spanish-speaking countries, is generally regarded as a shoo-in for the two-year term beginning in 2027. That leaves Germany and Austria — countries bound by close historical and cultural ties, but also occasional tensions — competing for the final seat. Germany is the Goliath in the contest, yet that has not stopped German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul from aggressively lobbying Berlin’s case, reflecting…
Good morning from Brussels. This is Mared Gwyn with a packed newsletter to kick off your Wednesday. First, an exclusive: The European Commission is set to criticise the Italian government’s cuts to excise fuel duties in a report published later today, arguing that such untargeted measures are ineffective. This after Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni asked Brussels for even more fiscal flexibility to respond to the energy crisis stemming from the Iran war, as our political correspondent Luca Bertuzzi explains. The Commission is also expected to castigate Rome for a lack of a robust industrial plan, in separate country-specific recommendations also…
Protesters clashed with police in the southern English city of Southampton on Monday following a rally over the murder of student Henry Nowak. Video showed demonstrators confronting officers, throwing objects and chanting slogans as tensions escalated near the site of the killing and outside a local police station. The protest was triggered by the release of police bodycam footage showing Nowak, who was fatally stabbed in December, being handcuffed by officers while critically injured. The footage prompted anger among some members of the public and drew hundreds of demonstrators to the city. Participants carried signs bearing Nowak’s name and gathered…
Foreign investment is widely seen as a key driver of economic growth, innovation and job creation. When companies open new sites, build factories or establish research centres, they not only bring capital into a country but often create jobs and strengthen local supply chains. As a result, the competition to attract international investors has intensified. Governments use investment incentives, tax breaks and international investment forums to persuade companies to choose their markets. France, too, has made attracting foreign investment a key priority in recent years. Since 2018, the government has promoted the country through its “Choose France” initiative. At this…
As Europe gears up for another busy travel season, where you stay can make a bigger difference to your budget than ever. New short-term rental data reveals a continent of extremes, with nightly rates ranging from less than €40 in parts of the Balkans to well over €200 in some of Europe’s most sought-after destinations. The research has revealed the cheapest and most expensive places to book a short-term stay in Europe in 2026, offering a snapshot of where holiday budgets stretch furthest and where demand and popularity continue to drive prices sky-high. AirDNA, a short-term rental data and analytics…
Dysfunktional und doch aus Sicht vieler unverzichtbar: Der UN-Sicherheitsrat ist angesichts ständiger Blockaden durch Russland und China immer weniger ein Gremium, das die Welt sicherer macht. Trotz dieser Krise kämpft Deutschland heute darum, erneut für zwei Jahre einen der begehrten, nichtständigen Sitze im Rat zu erhalten. Hans von der Burchard ist in New York, und unter anderem mit ihm bespricht Gordon Repinski die außenpolitische Bedeutung dieses regelrechten Wettlaufs um den Sitz. Im 200-Sekunden-Interview dazu: die frühere Außenministerin Annalena Baerbock (Grüne). Sie ist die amtierende Vorsitzende der 80. UN-Generalversammlung. Trotz aller Schwierigkeiten und der bisherigen Unfähigkeit zur Reform hält sie die…
Few cities in North America can lay claim to better summer weather than Seattle, neatly nestled in the Pacific Northwest with sunny skies and little humidity after Memorial Day. But the Emerald City, which will host the World Cup for the first time in its history, is a destination city for more reasons beyond its temperate climate. World Cup fixtures in Seattle Seattle is hosting six matches during the 2026 World Cup at Lumen Field, known as Seattle Stadium during the tournament. The venue will stage four group-stage matches, including the USA’s second Group D fixture against Australia, plus two…
By Rebecca Rommen with AP Published on 03/06/2026 – 6:40 GMT+2 Tourists queue in the heat outside Paris’ Notre-Dame Cathedral, while just metres below them, archaeologists are digging into centuries of history. Four metres beneath the forecourt, a team is uncovering layers of history stretching back nearly 2,000 years, from medieval Paris to the Roman-era city once known as Lutetia. The excavation began as part of plans to redesign the square in front of the cathedral, which reopened in late 2024 after a devastating fire in 2019. Paris aims to turn the space into a cooler, greener area with trees and shade to…
BRUSSELS — Co-legislators from the European Parliament and the Council of the EU paused negotiations on the air passenger rights reform on Wednesday morning without reaching a deal, but agreed to resume talks in the afternoon. Negotiations ended at 5 a.m. after 16 hours of inconclusive discussions on several parts of the reform, including the delay threshold granting the right to compensation and the level of compensation passengers would receive. Council and Parliament tried unsuccessfully to agree on a flat compensation amount, regardless of flight distance. But the idea failed to convince many countries, while MEPs pushed to raise the amount…
Today the Commission will publish its European Semester Spring Package, a checkup on EU countries’ economies. But the news isn’t too good. The report warns that over a million jobs across Europe could be lost in the coming years as a result of high energy costs, competition from abroad and the green transition. On the pod, Zoya and Ian discuss these major labor market challenges. Also happening today, the European Commission is unveiling its long-awaited tech sovereignty package. Most of Europe’s cloud services, AI infrastructure, payment systems and government software relies on companies outside of the bloc. From a security…