Author: staff
Mixed track record Sánchez used the televised address announcing the snap elections to highlight what his minority coalition government had achieved since coming to office in 2023. The prime minister emphasized the strides Spain has made on the economic front, becoming “the fastest-growing economy in the entire European Union, leading in job creation,” and underscored the continued investments in green energy that have made the country a renewables powerhouse. He also highlighted his own role on the international stage, where he has gained prominence as one of the Western leaders to most forcefully condemn bothTrump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin…
Former European Council President Charles Michel said that the EU must have a stronger role in resolving conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. Speaking on Euronews’ flagship live morning show Europe Today, he called it a failure that Europe is not at the negotiating table, arguing that the bloc must become more sovereign and resilient. Michel said security and the economy are increasingly intertwined and urged EU leaders to strengthen Europe’s influence and defend its interests.
Dogs, a turtle and even a pet snail were among the animals blessed with holy water in Manila and Santiago on Sunday, as owners brought them to church to mark the feast day of Saint Francis of Assisi. Priests prayed over the animals while families waited with their pets inside and outside the churches. In Manila, dogs sat beside their owners in church pews as priests blessed them one by one. One owner said the ceremony offered a chance to show gratitude for animals regarded as part of the family. Malate Church also provided free vaccinations for dogs and cats.…
Is Andy Burnham an easier opponent for the Conservatives than Sir Keir Starmer? At the Tory conference in Birmingham, Kemi Badenoch’s team sniff a chance to attack the prime minister – with a particular chance to seize on and attack his economic argument. Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy pore over Badenoch’s “The Right Way” pamphlet and how she plans to take the fight to Reform UK in the north and the Liberal Democrats in the southeast. Elsewhere, Anne has been speaking to shadow work and pensions secretary Helen Whately – who has a couple of blunt messages for Burnham. Plus,…
Migration was one of the main topics on the agenda of last week’s Justice and Home Affairs Council in Luxembourg. This Council followed the Munich Migration Meeting on 26 September, where several ministers called for faster returns, stronger external border controls and a bigger operational role for Frontex. On October 1st, the Council gave its final green light to new rules for more effective returns of people with no legal right to stay in the EU. These rules, due to enter into force in the coming weeks, complement the Pact on Migration and Asylum and support its implementation. Commissioner Magnus…
Flooding has left streets, roads and fields across parts of Catalonia covered in muddy water and debris. Aerial footage shows swollen rivers in Pineda de Mar and flooded residential areas in Vilanova del Vallès, while firefighters pump out water and emergency crews navigate damaged roads. Two people have died and another remains missing after heavy rain hit northeastern Spain, according to authorities. The missing person was reportedly swept away by a stream in the town, north of Barcelona. A red alert was issued on Saturday as torrential rain affected Barcelona, Girona and surrounding areas, with residents urged to stay indoors.
The dark side of social media takes centre stage in this week’s biggest movie release: The Social Reckoning. A dramatisation of the 2021 whistleblower scandal, it tells the story of former Facebook (now Meta) employee Frances Haugen, who leaked documents revealing the company’s prioritisation of profits over public health. At a time when technological anxieties continue to dominate our lives, it’s unlikely to be a comforting watch — but at least there’s solace to be found in a trip back to the 90s at London’s Tate Britain. The museum has put together a nostalgically joyful showcase of the decade’s art…
Decades ago, the world treated global trade as a neutral ground decades ago that helped energy markets in becoming more integrated today as we still see them today. The standard view in policy circles was that trade made countries more secure and stable. Governments therefore now use tariffs and export controls as a chokepoint of power. Today interdependence between countries became a double-edged sword. Europe, for instance, faced this back in 2022, when the Russian gas that it long treated as a reliable commodity became a prominent tool of pressure overnight. Mouza Hasan Almarzooqi, director of the Economic Studies Department,…
Five consecutive days of intense rain and thunderstorms have left flooded land, destroyed roads and serious damage in rural areas across much of Crete, an island counted among the Mediterranean’s most important tourist destinations. Measurements by the National Observatory of Athens illustrate the volume of rain that fell, mainly on the island’s mountainous regions. According to the network of automatic weather stations operated by the Observatory/meteo.gr, 91 millimetres of rain had been recorded by 15:10 on Sunday alone at Xyloskalo, in the Chania region of western Crete, at the entrance to the Samaria Gorge, one of the island’s best-known natural…
Published on 05/10/2026 – 8:01 GMT+2•Updated 8:22 On today’s show: Méabh Mc Mahon speaks to the EU’s ambassador to Ukraine, Katarina Mathernova, following a trip to Ukraine by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, during which Russian drones and missiles struck the capital, causing severe damage to Kyiv’s Northern Bridge. Aadel Haleem reports from Doha on the latest developments in the Iran war, after Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister said Washington has replied to Tehran’s proposal to end the conflict and that the response is now under internal review. Charles Michel, the former European Council president, joins the show to analyse the Iran…