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Polls too close to call in Iceland’s pivotal EU membership referendum
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…
Norway’s King Harald in ‘extremely serious’ condition
Published on 27/08/2026 – 10:15 GMT+2 Norway’s 89-year-old King Harald is in an “extremely serious” condition after his health deteriorated while being treated in hospital for a blood disorder, the royal palace said on Thursday. “His Majesty the King’s health…
Which EU countries invest more in maritime defence and why?
Europe’s militaries are pouring money into the sea. EU defence expenditure rose to €418 billion in 2025, a 20 percent increase from the previous year, and is projected to reach €454 billion in 2026, equivalent to 2.4 percent of GDP. Maritime defence is one of…
Second arrest over deadly sword attack at Swedish school
Published on 26/08/2026 – 11:30 GMT+2 A second man has been arrested over a sword attack at a school in central Sweden that left a 17-year-old girl dead and three other students wounded, prosecutors said on Wednesday. The man is suspected of assisting murder…
Zelenskyy awards Musk Ukraine’s top honour despite years of criticism
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy awarded tech billionaire Elon Musk the Order of Freedom, one of Ukraine’s most prestigious state honours, months after the SpaceX founder worked with Kyiv to block Russia’s illegal use of Starlink — a move that…
Frankfurt Airport employee dies after catching malaria, operator says
Published on 26/08/2026 – 11:40 GMT+2•Updated 12:23 An employee at Frankfurt Airport has died of malaria, a spokesperson for the facility’s operator Fraport said on Wednesday. A further five employees at the airport also contracted the infectious disease and…
Europe’s obsession with return hubs may not live up to the hype
The EU’s migration policy has increasingly centred on the controversial notion of using “return hubs” to externalise irregular migrants to third countries, as enshrined in the recently adopted Return Regulation. “We need to set up repatriation centres in…
Romanian ‘integrity law’ will remove liberal party leader from office
Published on 26/08/2026 – 14:21 GMT+2 The Romanian Senate approved on Wednesday the country’s so-called integrity law, including a controversial amendment that will remove liberal leader Dominic Fritz from office as mayor of Timișoara. The bill was passed…
Why did the CIA director fly to Moscow: Ukraine, NATO or Iran?
Published on 26/08/2026 – 15:05 GMT+2 CIA Director John Ratcliffe’s surprise visit to Moscow on Tuesday sparked speculation about the trip’s sudden nature and what message Washington considered important enough for the US spy chief to deliver in person. The…
Belgian fries under threat as potatoes shrink in heat
Published on 26/08/2026 – 15:11 GMT+2•Updated 16:02 Belgian potato farmers are warning that this year’s crop could be too small to make the country’s famous fries after extreme weather hit harvests. In Amay, near the eastern city of Liège, farmer Mathieu…