Author: staff
By David del Valle Published on 18/06/2026 – 22:30 GMT+2 Europe currently has a unique opportunity to attract investment and strengthen its strategic autonomy, but it will have to cut regulatory red tape and speed up reforms if it is to compete with the United States and Asia. That was one of the key messages to emerge from the FII Institute (Future Investment Initiative Institute) summit in Rome, which brings together political leaders, business figures and investors from around the world. While the G7 was dominated by geopolitics, Rome has put the spotlight firmly on the economy. As the leaders of…
“Dear Gideon, as you know, the EU and Israel have a lot that binds us,” she wrote on X. “Dialogue is the foundation of diplomacy, especially when differences arise.” Kallas also reiterated the EU’s support for a two-state solution and condemned Israeli settlements in the West Bank, describing them as an obstacle to peace. But the olive branch did not land. “With all due respect, even in your remarks here you refrain from denying or condemning what has been attributed to you and published publicly,” responded Sa’ar. “If you did indeed make these vile and defamatory statements, stand behind them.…
Published on 18/06/2026 – 17:40 GMT+2 Switzerland’s parliament approved a divisive government plan to build new nuclear power stations on Thursday, overturning a 2018 ban and putting the country on course for a referendum. The lower house of parliament joined the upper chamber in backing a government proposal to reverse the ban put in place following a referendum won by anti-nuclear campaigners in 2017. During the debates in parliament, energy minister Albert Rosti stressed the need to keep the nuclear power option open to guarantee the country’s long-term energy supply. Both houses say authorisation for new nuclear plants can only…
The two leaders visited the Indian pavilion at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, where they met entrepreneurs, spoke with exhibitors and greeted attendees, underscoring the growing focus on cooperation in innovation and business. Their appearance came during the Franco-Indian Year of Innovation, launched in Mumbai in February 2026 to promote collaboration in research, technology and entrepreneurship. At VivaTech, one of Europe’s leading tech gatherings, the visit also drew attention to India’s expanding role in the global start-up ecosystem and to efforts by both countries to deepen ties in artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure and advanced technologies. The visit also highlighted India’s…
While the EPP called for payments to be suspended only if the results of the study revealed risks to drug supplies, the ECR called for the scheme to be paused while the study is happening. The amendments passed, some narrowly: The EPP’s proposal was pushed through with 305 in favor, 238 against, and 11 abstaining; The ECR proposal passed with 282 votes in favor, 245 against and 13 abstentions. Overall, the amended resolution passed with 294 votes in favor, 245 against, and 28 abstentions. Socialists and Democrats MEP Tiemo Wölken said that by supporting the ECR amendments, “which deleted the…
Calls for tougher measures against goods originating from Israeli settlements are gaining momentum across Europe. France and Sweden have urged the European Commission to adopt EU-wide restrictions, while countries including Belgium, Spain, Slovenia and Ireland have examined national measures targeting settlement imports. The debate comes amid the continued expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. In 2025, Israeli Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich boasted that 69 new settlements had been approved in recent years, describing it as a record level of expansion. Data published by the Israeli settlement monitoring group Peace Now indicates that 103 new settlements have been…
Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said on Thursday that he had approved a deal with the United States to end the Middle East war despite having a “different view,” without elaborating. “In principle, I had a different view (about the memorandum of understanding), but I issued my permission due to the commitment that the honourable (Iranian) president, as the chairman of the Supreme National Security Council, gave me on behalf of himself and other members to protect the rights of the Iranian nation and the Resistance Front,” Khamenei said in message read out on state television Khamenei has not…
“This will be a real review,” Hegseth told fellow ministers in Brussels. The announcement comes after months of U.S. moves to pare back parts of its European presence. Washington has already moved to withdraw about 5,000 soldiers from Germany, a step U.S. officials have said would bring American troop levels in Europe closer to where they stood before Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The administration has also reduced U.S. contributions to NATO force-planning requirements, including high-end assets such as fighter aircraft, airborne refueling tankers, maritime patrol planes and naval capabilities that European allies may struggle to replace quickly. Europe’s…
Published on 18/06/2026 – 20:11 GMT+2•Updated 20:13 Police in the UK said on Thursday that a man had been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a three-year-old boy “ended up in the crocodile enclosure” at a zoo. Cambridgeshire Constabulary said the toddler had sustained “serious injuries” and was in a “critical but stable” condition at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge. It did not specify how the injuries had been inflicted and whether they were from a crocodile. “A 30-year-old man from Norfolk has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder,” the police force added, noting specially trained officers were supporting…
“Residential supply has responded inadequately to the growth in demand”, the Bank of Spain states in its 2025 annual report on the performance of the national economy. The institution estimates that a total of 750,000 new homes would be needed to close the gap between newly formed households and the available housing stock. Its experts warn, however, that this situation is not the same in every Spanish province. While Ávila has 58.2% of properties in its housing stock that could be brought onto the residential market, Madrid is limited to just 9.9%, compared with a Spanish average of 27.1%. The…