EU institutions, elections, parties, and governance
From a fresh political crisis in Paris to a record-breaking heatwave scorching southern Europe, July 15th brings a packed morning of headlines. Here’s everything you need to know before midday.
Hong Kong police arrested five bookshop workers Tuesday in raids targeting publications authorities claim incited hatred against the government. The operation is being condemned by press freedom advocates as the latest blow to the city’s once-vibrant literary scene.
The UN verification mission warned the Security Council that armed groups continue to threaten civilians in rural Colombia as president-elect Gustavo Petro prepares to take office on August 7. Colombia’s hard-won peace remains real but uneven, officials said.
Marine Le Pen’s economic proposals could add up to €150 billion to France’s deficit over five years, according to analysts. With the 2027 presidential election approaching, markets and EU officials are growing increasingly anxious.
The EU’s proposed Return Regulation would allow migrant detention for up to 18 months using 16 broad risk criteria, sparking warnings that Europe is institutionalizing crimmigration. Legal scholars and rights groups are pushing back hard before trilogue negotiations begin.
President Trump watched an IndyCar pit crew change four tires in under four seconds on the White House South Lawn. The stunt was part of a push to promote the inaugural Freedom 250 Grand Prix, set to race around Washington’s National Mall next month.
Sam Neill, the actor best known for his role as Dr Alan Grant in Jurassic Park, has died aged 78 in what his family described as a ‘sudden and unexpected’ death. Tributes have flooded in from across the world of film, politics and beyond.
From a fragile Gaza ceasefire and record European heat to a shock Belgian PM resignation, July 12th, 2026 is already one of the year’s busiest news days. Here’s everything you need to know this morning.
Around 300 residents were evacuated from a Sarcelles neighbourhood after police found a cache of weapons, including a military-grade firearm, near a synagogue north of Paris. French anti-terrorist prosecutors have launched a formal investigation into the find.
The European Union’s Cohesion Policy is heading into one of its most consequential debates in decades, with the post-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework set to reshape how hundreds of billions of euros flow to Europe’s regions. The Committee of the Regions is now at the center of that fight, demanding that regional development funding isn’t gutted in the name of centralisation.
