Author: staff

The Tories lost Clacton on a huge swing to Farage at the 2024 general election, but now face an opportunity to snatch the seaside constituency back. However, Badenoch repeatedly declined to say if the Tories would stand a candidate, saying only that the party’s plans would be revealed in due course. “I don’t need to respond to what is one man’s gimmick. This is a gimmick,” the Tory leader said. “It’s a waste of taxpayers’ money. He doesn’t want to follow due process.” Farage is hoping to turn the contest into an anti-establishment fightback amid a probe into his finances,…

The European Union’s post-pandemic recovery fund has poured €43 billion into improving the energy efficiency of private homes, but a damning report from the European Court of Auditors (ECA) published on Tuesday concludes the program has failed to maximise energy savings, monitor results properly or ensure taxpayers received value for money. “EU renovation funding for private homes should go to those projects with the greatest potential for cutting energy use. However, we saw all too often that Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) funds went where they were easiest to spend, not where they would make the biggest difference”, said Nikolaos…

A giant Lego replica of the FIFA World Cup trophy has gone on display at Rockefeller Plaza in New York, where Brazilian football legend Cafu joined Lego designer Christophe Vietti to unveil the model. Children placed the final bricks on the 8.5-metre structure before Cafu cut the ribbon. The trophy stands nearly 8.5 metres tall and is made from more than 1.36 million Lego bricks. The model was built in the Czech Republic and transported to Manhattan after a team of 56 builders spent more than 7,000 hours on the project. Cafu said football and Lego both bring people together,…

The eurozone’s top banking supervisor, the ECB, on Tuesday told major European banks to draw up action plans to address cybersecurity risks posed by increasingly powerful artificial intelligence systems. The emergence of AI models such as Anthropic’s Mythos, which is particularly effective at identifying weaknesses in computer systems, has raised concerns among European governments and policymakers. The ECB’s supervisory board sent a letter to the 110 banks it directly supervises, arguing that the latest AI models represent a “long-term shift in the threat landscape rather than a temporary phenomenon”. “While these developments do not introduce entirely new risks, they significantly…

Published on 07/07/2026 – 15:42 GMT+2 Swedish-made aircraft are set to replace NATO’s ageing US-built surveillance fleet. At the NATO Summit Defence Industry Forum in Ankara, NATO and the Swedish government announced that the military alliance had chosen GlobalEye, an Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) system made by Swedish defence company Saab, as the replacement for NATO’s current Boeing E-3A aircraft. NATO plans to open negotiations with Saab to purchase up to 10 GlobalEye aircraft, according to an announcement by the Swedish government. What is the Early Warning & Control System? An Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) system is…

Known for their year-round sunshine, mild climate, beaches perfect for relaxation or watersports, and rich biodiversity, the Canary Islands are a popular tourist destination. In 2025, the Spanish archipelago welcomed 18.4 million visitors who stayed for an average of around nine days. Unlike other Spanish destinations, such as Barcelona and the wider region of Catalonia, the Canary Islands doesn’t impose a levy on visitors – however, travellers will soon be able to make voluntary contributions to support the islands’ sustainability efforts. The Government of the Canary Islands has launched the Canary Islands Tourism Regeneration and Nature Restoration Fund (RegNext) initiative,…

LONDON — POLITICO’s London Playbook goes live Tuesday afternoon with a series of interviews just days before Andy Burnham is expected to become Britain’s next prime minister — and after Reform UK’s Nigel Farage sensationally quit as an MP to trigger a by-election in his Clacton seat. POLITICO speaks to Conservative Leader Kemi Badenoch — who is soon due to face Burnham across the despatch box as leader of the opposition— at 3.30 p.m. Public First unveils exclusive polling at 3.55 p.m. Artificial Intelligence Minister Kanishka Narayan discusses the future of work with Assistant General Secretary of the Trades Union…

Published on 07/07/2026 – 15:48 GMT+2•Updated 15:54 Reform UK leader Nigel Farage says he is resigning as the Member of Parliament for Clacton and that he would run in the subsequent by-election, which he billed as a “people versus the establishment” vote. “I’ve decided that the people of Clacton should be the judges of my actions,” he said. “It’s a chance to stick two fingers up to the entire establishment”. Reform has surged ahead in opinion polls since the Labour Party won a landslide election in 2024, but its leader has been mired in a number of controversies surrounding his…

Visitors to Les Lindarets in the French Alps share the streets with goats roaming freely through the village. The video shows goats walking between shops, interacting with tourists and even trying to enter a restaurant. Locals explain that the animals have been part of life in this Haute-Savoie hamlet for generations, especially during the summer grazing season. The goats belong to a local farmer who brings his herds to the mountain pastures from mid-May until the end of September. Their presence has become a key part of Les Lindarets’ identity. The village has restricted traffic during peak hours to preserve…

While in Monaco, Berezovska was allegedly surveilling the mansion of Ukrainian-born Cypriot businessman Vadym Ermolaev, while disguised as a man. Ermolaev and his family members were among those gravely injured in the attack. After returning to Ukraine, Berezovska was in contact with both Ermolaev and the Ukrainian intelligence official, who were allegedly transferring funds to her bank accounts and crypto wallets. Police, state security service and prosecutors conducted an investigation, finding that an active employee of Ukraine’s military intelligence and another defendant had together killed Berezovska. “At the same time, the intelligence officer did not inform his superiors about making contact with…