News from the 27 EU member countries
From fresh diplomatic tensions in Eastern Europe to a surprise economic announcement out of Brussels, it’s been a packed morning. Here’s everything you need to know heading into the afternoon of June 24th, 2026.
Foreign criminal networks from Nigeria, Albania, and beyond are reshaping Italy’s organized crime landscape in ways prosecutors say they’ve never seen before. Italy’s mafia problem isn’t going away — it’s just changing hands.
The Dutch royal family celebrated a remarkable double on Saturday as both the Netherlands and Curacao won at the World Cup on the same day. It’s a once-in-a-generation moment for a kingdom spread across 5,000 miles of Atlantic Ocean.
The EU’s landmark migration pact is now in force, but most member states are struggling to meet implementation deadlines. Questions are mounting over whether the bloc’s biggest asylum overhaul in decades can deliver on its promises.
Belgium were seconds from a shock World Cup 2026 defeat before Lois Openda’s 94th-minute header rescued a 2-2 draw against Egypt in a stunning Group G opener at SoFi Stadium. Omar Marmoush and Mostafa Mohamed had put the Pharaohs in control, but Romelu Lukaku and Openda dragged the Red Devils back from the brink.
Berlin composer Stephan Graf von Bothmer performed a live 34-piece orchestral score during Germany’s 4–1 World Cup win over Curaçao on 14 June. The unusual cultural experiment drew both baffled crowds and unexpected converts inside the Olympiastadion.
NASA has unveiled the four astronauts who’ll venture to the Moon aboard Artemis II, though their feet won’t touch lunar soil. The 2025 mission marks humanity’s first crewed journey beyond Earth orbit in over 50 years.
Thousands took to the streets across France this weekend after an 11-year-old girl was found dead in a Paris suburb. The suspect had been reported to authorities months earlier, intensifying anger at the government’s handling of repeat offenders.
NASA has revealed the four astronauts who will fly around the Moon on Artemis II, though they won’t actually land on the lunar surface. The mission serves as a crucial test flight before humans set foot on the Moon again.
Thousands mourned 11-year-old Lyhanna across France after her murder exposed catastrophic police failures. The main suspect had been previously reported for child sexual abuse—but authorities never investigated.
