Author: staff

Published on 27/08/2026 – 14:58 GMT+2 Although there is still almost a year to go, the total solar eclipse of 2 August 2027 is already driving up prices in some of the destinations that will offer the best views. Accommodation bookings have multiplied in provinces such as Cádiz, Málaga, Granada and Almería, and prices have risen along with them. The eclipse will be visible from much of Spain, but only in Andalusia, Ceuta and Melilla will it be possible to see the Moon completely cover the Sun. In Tarifa, one of the most sought-after spots, total darkness will last 4…

One of the most talked about literary releases of the week, nay the year, is “Life of M”, the new novel by critically acclaimed and award-winning British author Rachel Cusk. Known for her novels “The Lucky Ones”, the Outline Trilogy (“Outline”, “Transit” and “Kudos”), “Second Place”, as well as the Goldsmiths Prize-winning book “Parade”, Cusk’s name isn’t one you’d expect to be associated with headline-grabbing controversy or gossip. Still, here we are and all anyone can talk about is the buzz around “Life of M” – specifically: Is the titular M a fictionalised version of Natalie Portman? The novel, billed…

Lescure was speaking at a high-profile gathering of business leaders organized by French business lobby Medef, where he said his government was working on providing “stability” in the upcoming months, with no tax increases and an effort to further tighten the administration’s belt. He also confirmed that the government was looking into a partial pension freeze in an effort to keep the deficit under control. The government is facing a new harrowing budget season, with a deadlock parliament and opposition parties unlikely to cooperate as the 2027 presidential election campaign swings into full gear. Leftist candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon has already…

Published on 27/08/2026 – 14:10 GMT+2 European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Thursday that if negotiations to reduce the record-high trade deficit with China did not produce a breakthrough, the EU should make use of all its trade defence mechanisms. Tensions have remained high between Brussels and Beijing since the talks were launched last June. Over the summer, China moved to ban Chinese firms from participating in EU antitrust probes, while the Commission has continued opening trade defence investigations into the suspected dumping of Chinese products into the European market. “Dialogue with China remains necessary. But it…

Published on 27/08/2026 – 11:59 GMT+2 Long queues stretched for kilometres outside petrol stations in Tehran and other Iranian cities in the early hours of Thursday as a daily fuel shortfall collided with a surge in panic buying, and government officials simultaneously confirmed that petrol prices will rise, without specifying when or by how much. Videos posted on social media showed lines of vehicles forming in the capital and nearby city of Karaj around midnight on Wednesday and lasting into the early hours, with several stations closing before demand could be met. Officials attributed the surge to rumours of shortages,…

The European Space Agency (ESA) has begun signing the first contracts for its European Launcher Challenge (ELC), a programme designed to help Europe stop relying on foreign launchers to put satellites into orbit. Among the companies selected is PLD Space, the Elche-based firm that in 2023 launched its MIURA 1 demonstrator rocket on a suborbital flight. The contract, worth 158.9 million euros and financed mainly by Spain with German support, positions the company as one of the central players in the future European launcher ecosystem. The agreement is split into two components. The first aims to consolidate the commercial MIURA…

The Villena Treasure, one of the most valuable collections of metalwork from the Bronze Age in Europe, was stolen in the early hours of this morning from MUVI, the museum in this town in Alicante. Dated to around 1000 BC, the hoard consists mainly of gold pieces. In barely four minutes, burglars slipped past the security in the small hours of the Villena Museum (MUVI) and made off with part of its star attraction: the Villena Treasure, a collection of gold, silver, iron and amber objects from the Bronze Age. They also stole three crowns of the Virgin and Child…

A second public affairs executive at a major trade body said their mid-term presence had been subject to a big debate in the office, but the Burnham bounce meant that “what looked like a bit of a gamble has turned into a good bet.” “We’ve definitely pared back our presence at the opposition conferences, as much because we can’t justify the time out of the office as much as the cost of going,” that lobbyist said. One public affairs company with event space in the Liverpool secure zone at Labour conference is charging between £10,000 and £15,000 to host a…

Published on 27/08/2026 – 11:04 GMT+2 Iceland’s referendum on whether to restart EU accession negotiations is heading for a knife-edge result, the latest polls show, with the gap between “yes” and “no” narrowing sharply ahead of Saturday’s vote. Maskína, a polling and market research company, says its survey of voting intentions for the high-stakes referendum put the “Yes” camp ahead on 51.3% and “No” on 48.7%. Previous polls have consistently shown a lead for the pro-accession camp, but also a steady closing of the gap. In earlier surveys commissioned by the Icelandic news outlet Vísir, Maskína put the “Yes” lead…

Footage filmed by the Nepal Red Cross shows floodwaters surging through Nepal’s Rasuwa district on 26 August, after an ice and rock avalanche blocked a tributary near the border with Tibet. The natural dam later burst, sending a torrent of water and debris down the Trishuli valley. The disaster began at around 8:40 a.m., according to authorities, with particularly severe destruction reported around Rasuwagadhi, Timure and Syabrubesi. Roads, bridges, markets and hydropower facilities were damaged or swept away. At least 157 people were killed and hundreds remained missing as rescue teams continued their search on 27 August. Security personnel, hydropower…