Author: staff

Ukrainian men of military age between 23-60 who arrive in the EU could lose their automatic temporary protection status under a European Commission proposal backed by Germany’s Interior Minister, Alexander Dobrindt. The proposal would allow the measure to be introduced across the bloc if requested by the Ukrainian government. In an interview with the Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform, Ukraine’s ambassador to Germany, Oleksii Makeiev, said Berlin and Kyiv are discussing ways to encourage Ukrainian men living in Germany to return home. Asked about plans to deport conscription-age Ukrainians whom Kyiv considers to have left the country illegally, Makeiev said: “I…

Hundreds of Argentina fans gathered at Piedmont Park in Atlanta for a traditional banderazo ahead of the team’s World Cup last-16 clash with Egypt. Footage shows supporters singing, chanting and playing drums, trumpets and other instruments as they created a carnival atmosphere in the city. The pre-match rally is a long-standing tradition among Argentina fans, who come together to show their support before kick-off. Defending champions Argentina take on Egypt for a place in the World Cup quarter-finals.

Tosca, the legendary opera, whose story is steeped in love, jealousy, lust for power and intrigue and ends in tragedy, will be brought to life on one of Europe’s most impressive open-air stages by Thaddeus Strassberger, director and set designer. The costumes are once again created by Giuseppe Palella, who together with Strassberger has already enchanted the St Margarethen quarry audience with Turandot in 2021 and Aida in 2024. The resident orchestra of Austria’s Opera in the Quarry is the Piedra Festival Orchestra, made up of Hungarian musicians, and this year’s production will also feature two Hungarian artists, Zoltán Nagyand…

After new claims about Nigel Farage’s funding arrangements, Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy discuss the bits of the new allegations which are worrying Reform.Plus, what will an Andy Burnham government actually be like? On the Treasury, the reports that he might try to split it in two seem to have gone quiet – but there appears to be an appetite to go early for this autumn’s budget. Anne has also been speaking to Burnham adviser Jim O’Neill about what the PM-in-waiting’s foreign policy vision might be.

Tour de France riders face a “logistical nightmare” in trying to keep their body temperature down from “dangerous” levels amid scorching conditions, reigning champion Tadej Pogacar said. With temperatures of over 30C at the start of the Tour in Barcelona and potentially pushing up to 40C at the start of the fourth stage in Carcassonne, riders have been taking innovative measures to stay cool. That has included wearing frozen vests, eating ice lollies or immersing their arms in iced water. But the task of keeping cool has made riding the Tour much more challenging. “It’s really a logistic nightmare when…

Thousands of people gathered in Pamplona on 7 July for the first bull run of the 2026 San Fermin festival. The video shows runners preparing along the cobbled streets, crowds singing in front of the statue of Saint Fermin, fireworks marking the start of the event and six bulls charging through the streets towards the city’s bullring. Participants dressed in traditional white clothing with red scarves and sashes took part in the early morning ‘encierro’. The run saw moments of tension as runners raced ahead of the bulls along the narrow route. One bull briefly fell among the runners before…

Europe faces years of sluggish economic growth. High public debt, ageing populations, weak productivity, lingering energy costs and persistent geopolitical uncertainty are expected to keep growth well below historical norms for the rest of the decade. According to the International Monetary Fund’s most recent World Economic Outlook, the eurozone is projected to expand by just 1.2% a year on average between 2027 and 2031, with its strongest year, 2028, reaching only 1.4%. The wider European Union does slightly better at 1.4% a year, again peaking in 2028 at 1.6%. That is a modest picture by any measure. Global output is…

Trump posted a photo of Meloni late Sunday, joking that he would need a restraining order against the Italian leader. The public trolling followed an awkward meeting between the two leaders at the June G7 summit in Evian, France, after which Trump said Meloni had “begged” him for a photo — something the Italian leader insisted was not true. “I love her, she’s conservative, she is totally on the same line … and then you’re going to have a fight on what? On a picture!” said Francken. The Belgian defense minister underlined that the EU is not close to being ready to…

Morning. Angela Skujins holding the pen for you this Tuesday, where two major news stories are set to dominate the day. What is expected to be a turbulent North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) summit starts in the Turkish capital and a court in Paris will chart the course of France’s 2027 presidential election. First, NATO. My colleague Shona Murray is on the ground in Ankara and reports that US President Donald Trump’s criticisms of NATO threaten to overshadow the meeting, though they have been par for the course during his presidency. The fundamental disagreements are steeped in divisions over the…

Marine Le Pen’s political future – and potentially the course of France’s 2027 presidential election – will be decided at 13:30 on Tuesday, when the Paris Court of Appeal rules on whether to uphold her five-year ban from holding public office over allegations of embezzling EU funds. If the ruling is upheld, it would effectively end Le Pen’s presidential ambitions and leave Jordan Bardella as the National Rally’s (RN) likely candidate for the Élysée. Despite her conviction, the 57-year-old three-time presidential candidate remains the strongest individual contender, polling 32% in the first round. Bardella, however, is polling between 35% and…