Europe
Everything that does not fit a single desk: the continent in its full contradictory complexity.
OECD data: Greek and Austrian household incomes fall sharply
Real household income per capita dropped 3.6% in Greece and 2.8% in Austria in Q1 2026, the steepest falls among OECD countries. Overall OEC
Salah's Trabzonspor move: tourism boost and economic ripple effects
Mohamed Salah's move to Trabzonspor is expected to draw thousands of fans to the Black Sea city, boosting local tourism. The club has alread
Spanish police bust Mediterranean smuggling ring, arrest 78
Spanish police arrested 78 people in a crackdown on a major Mediterranean smuggling network. The group allegedly ran at least 64 migrant cro
Portugal fuel prices set for sharp drop from Monday
From 10 August, diesel prices in Portugal are expected to drop by about 12 cents per litre, with petrol down 12.5 cents. The average price f
Danube's low water reveals WWII motorbike and soldiers' remains in Budapest
A DKW NZ 350-1 motorbike and the remains of two German soldiers have been recovered from the Danube in Budapest. The low water level exposed
Iceland's EU referendum: fish and farming outweigh Arctic geopolitics
Icelanders vote on 29 August on whether to resume EU accession talks. The campaign centres on fishing quotas and farm subsidies, not geopoli
Holiday poverty persists across EU as summer travel surges
Almost three in ten EU adults could not afford a week away from home in 2025, up slightly from 2024. Romania, Greece, Bulgaria and Hungary h
Spain's rural vet shortage threatens livestock industry and animal welfare
Veterinarians are abandoning rural Spain due to low salaries and tough working conditions. The shortage threatens the country's leading live
Spanish Civil Guard warns of possible Ceuta mass crossing on 15 August
Spain's Civil Guard has flagged a social media campaign calling for a mass migrant crossing into Ceuta on 15 August. The report says the cam
France bans cold calls from August 11 in consumer crackdown
France will ban unsolicited sales calls from August 11, replacing the opt-out system with prior consent. Fines reach €375,000 per call. Moro
Why the EU's anti-smuggling law is stuck and what it means for Ceuta
EU migration chief Magnus Brunner has urged the European Parliament to adopt a stalled anti-smuggling law after the Ceuta border surge. The
Brussels weighs new aid for Ceuta after record migrant surge
The European Commission is in talks with Spain over new funding for Ceuta after a record migrant surge. Brussels has received Spain's needs