Author: staff

Published on 27/08/2026 – 16:46 GMT+2 UK asylum applications fell by more than a fifth annually, government figures showed on Thursday, as ministers grapple with the politically contentious issue and reducing record-high recent numbers alongside asylum spending. A total of 85,891 people applied for asylum in Britain in the 12 months to the end of June, down 21% year-on-year and the lowest total since the year to June 2022, according to interior ministry statistics. Migrants who had crossed the English Channel in small boats, a highly controversial route that has fuelled the rise of the UK far right, accounted for…

In Sumy, strikes hit a residential area, sparking fires that damaged homes and commercial buildings. Emergency crews were deployed to three locations as residents surveyed the damage. In Odesa, firefighters tackled several fires after what regional officials described as a large-scale attack lasting more than seven hours. A 16-storey residential building was among the structures damaged, along with a private house, garage, educational facilities, vehicles and a grain elevator. Ukraine’s Air Force said its defences had shot down or suppressed 233 Russian targets during the overnight barrage, including 258 attack drones, two Oniks anti-ship missiles and several Iskander-M and KN-23…

The Villena Treasure, one of the most valuable Bronze Age goldwork collections in Europe, was stolen in the early hours of this morning from the Villena Museum (MUVI) in Alicante. In barely four minutes, intruders slipped past the museum’s night-time security and made off with much of its main draw: 59 pieces of gold, silver, iron and amber, dated to the Late Bronze Age. They also stole three crowns of the Virgin and Child held by the museum. The Civil Guard and local police are investigating the theft, which, according to initial evidence, appears to have been carried out in…

The Commission has proposed a budget of almost €2 trillion. Germany and five allies — Austria, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands and Sweden — are calling for cuts of several hundred billion euros. Italy and Spain are leading a separate group seeking a larger budget. The size of the budget will determine how much money the EU can put behind von der Leyen’s economic agenda, including investment in strategic industries, energy and artificial intelligence — sectors she says are essential to reducing Europe’s dependence. “With over €450 billion from the European Competitiveness Fund and the Horizon Europe program, we will support…

Police arrested the head of the Polish Olympic Committee on Thursday on suspicion that he took bribes from a crypto trader in return for sponsorship deals, officials said. Radosław Piesiewicz, who is considered close to Poland’s nationalist right, is suspected of receiving kickbacks from Zondacrypto, which the government accuses of having links to nationalist opposition groups, organised crime and Russian intelligence services. “Radosław Piesiewicz has been arrested,” Poland’s Sports Minister Jakub Rudnicki confirmed in a post on X. “Such a person should never have been president of the Polish Olympic Committee…Piesiewicz has discredited Polish Olympics,” he added. Interior Minister Marcin…

With just over two months to go before the US’s midterm elections, Democrats face a problem that goes beyond the familiar question of how to beat President Donald Trump: they are still arguing over what the Democratic Party should actually stand for. The divide between progressives and moderates has been visible throughout this year’s primary season. But in recent weeks, it has become harder to dismiss as an internal family quarrel. Progressive insurgents have scored a series of significant victories, while establishment Democrats have responded with growing anxiety about whether candidates identified with the left can win in November –…

Published on 27/08/2026 – 14:39 GMT+2 Ask Google’s AI what to do if you are alone with a Norwegian, and it might suggest making conversation. Ask about a Somali, and it could tell you to call the police. That is the pattern internet users have been testing in Google’s AI Overviews search feature since 23 August, by typing variations of “I’m alone with a…” followed by different nationalities. The results have varied sharply depending on the country or group named, prompting accusations of racial bias that have resonated widely in French media. According to testing reported by Futurism and HuffPost,…

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…