Author: staff
As much of Europe swelters through another summer heatwave, there’s no better excuse to swap crowded beaches for a refreshing hotel pool. Across the continent, luxury hotels have transformed swimming pools into spectacular destinations in their own right, from infinity pools perched above calderas to geothermal lagoons carved into volcanic landscapes. Whether you’re planning a Mediterranean escape or a “coolcation” in the northern nations, these are some of Europe’s most remarkable hotel pools. Villa d’Este, Lake Como, Italy Consistently ranked among Europe’s top resorts, Villa d’Este is home to a legendary pool that floats on Lake Como. Villa d’Este’s Sporting…
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Europe’s biggest military powers are meeting today. The group of countries is called the E5 (not to be confused with the E3) and consists of France, Germany, the U.K., Italy and Poland. They’ll be preparing for the NATO summit next month and discussing support for Ukraine. Hosts Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart discuss what smaller meeting formats like this mean for the EU as a whole. Also on the show, we discuss the new EU agreement on migrant return laws. Under the new rules, people ordered to leave EU territory could be transferred to detention centers in countries outside the bloc. It’s a…
The US is easing its restrictions on Iran’s World Cup team, allowing the squad to travel into the country two days before its next match, the US Department of Homeland Security said on Tuesday. The team will still be required to leave after Friday’s match in Seattle, a spokesperson for the department said. Iran’s Football Federation confirmed that the team will leave its base camp in Tijuana, Mexico, on Wednesday for Seattle following news of the eased restrictions. “This was planned on our end,” Andrew Giuliani, the executive director of the White House FIFA Task Force, told The Associated Press.…
Jenrick described their relationship as “positive” and added: “Look, I respect him.” On immigration, he argued that they were “basically making the same point, which is that we’re going to abolish indefinite leave to remain.” He added: “If you don’t meet our economic tests, then you’re gonna have to leave the country. And if you happen to be in social housing, it’s very, very likely that you will not meet our economic tests because by definition you’re reliant on the state. So if you’re not a Brit and you’re in social housing, you’re going to be given a short period to…
Ioannides said the protection of human rights will be a “yardstick” for the agreements, and the EU wants international organizations such as the International Organization for Migration and the U.N. refugee agency to help make sure the rules are upheld. Uphill battle The EU is falling prey to “populist rhetoric” and “alternative facts” about migrants, said Jean-Nicolas Beuze, UNHCR’s representative in Brussels. Refugees ran “the risk of being sent to a country” where they could “suffer irreparable harm,” he told POLITICO. Some countries, including France and Spain, have challenged the scheme. “I have never seen a return center in a…
Purnell preceded Burnham as Britain’s culture secretary under Tony Blair, but left parliament in 2010 after launching a failed attempt to topple Blair’s successor Gordon Brown the previous year. He joined the BBC as its director of strategy in 2013 before joining the lobbying firm Flint Global in 2024 as its chief executive. His financial interests in Flint will likely need assessing under standard conflict-of-interest rules. Purnell is one of Burnham’s longest-standing personal allies in Westminster, and was instrumental in his bid to become an MP aged 31 in 2001. Purnell suggested that Burnham — then a special adviser —…
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has ordered emergency inspections of 16 Airbus A380 aircraft after cracks were discovered in a structural component inside the wings of one of the superjumbos. Airbus, Europe’s largest aircraft manufacturer, confirmed that 15 of the affected aircraft are operated by Dubai-based Emirates and one by Australia’s Qantas. Five Emirates aircraft have been ordered to undergo inspections before their next flight. The checks will focus on the wing mid-spar, a key structural element inside the wing box that helps distribute the stresses generated during flight. The regulator has not grounded the entire A380 fleet…
However, the official added they thought Starmer would still try to get the plan through before the NATO summit, since it would be difficult for him to reassure allies on the U.K.’s spending commitments without it. Others questioned whether an outgoing prime minister would be able to secure agreement on such a politically sensitive plan. Simon Case, a former Cabinet secretary, told The Times: “Why would the MoD want to agree something with an outgoing prime minister? Anything that an outgoing prime minister announces is unlikely to be taken seriously by anybody.” Defense industry representatives will be invited to Downing…
Belgium’s King Philippe and Queen Mathilde rolled out the red carpet for Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako at the Royal Palace of Brussels on Tuesday. The Japanese imperial couple was welcomed with full military honours as they began an official state visit to Belgium. The two royal families inspected an honour guard and posed for photographs before entering the palace. Hundreds of spectators gathered outside the palace, many waving Japanese flags to catch a glimpse of the ceremony. The visit highlights the longstanding ties between Japan and Belgium. Diplomatic relations between the two countries date back to 1866, when…