Europe

UK June heat record could be broken for the second consecutive dayParis mayor Emmanuel Gregoire said there had been an “increase in mortality” in the capital owing to the heatwave, without giving any figures, AFP reported.He said “pretty much all our indicators are in a critical state”, including calls to emergency medical services, calls to the fire brigade, ER admissions, and deaths, he told local TV. Continue reading...

• General Christopher Donahue, a highly respected four-star Army general commanding U.S. soldiers in Europe, is set to retire from his post. • The retirement follows a lack of new nominations for a position consistent with his rank from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. • This leadership change occurs as Secretary Hegseth conducts a broader review of U.S. military support and commitments to NATO allies.

• France is reconsidering its historical reluctance toward air conditioning as the country experiences its hottest day on record. • Current adoption rates in France are significantly lower than in other nations, with only 25% of households equipped with units compared to 50% in Spain and Italy and 90% in the US and Japan. • The extreme heatwave is creating a political divide over how to balance public health and cooling needs with energy consumption and environmental concerns.

• Trustnet analyzed the performance of UK and European funds ten years after the Brexit referendum to determine the best-performing assets. • Adrian Murphy, CEO of Murphy Wealth, acknowledged that while Brexit contributed to sluggish economic growth, it is not the sole reason for the UK stock market's underperformance. • Murphy highlighted that the FTSE 100's heavy concentration in financials, energy, and pharmaceuticals caused it to lag as global investors prioritized high-growth tech stocks.

• European markets in 2026 are being shaped by rising inflation and strategic interest rate adjustments by the European Central Bank (ECB). • Analysis focuses on sector performance and the identification of top-performing funds via the Wealth Shortlist to navigate these economic shifts. • One highlighted fund is currently yielding 3.83%, though it has struggled to keep pace with rapidly rising, economically sensitive sectors.

• An early summer heat wave is sweeping across Europe, with France, Italy, Spain, and Britain experiencing significantly high temperatures. • France has been the most severely affected nation, reporting 40 drowning deaths as people sought relief from the heat in bodies of water. • The extreme weather is particularly concerning due to its early arrival in the season, putting immediate pressure on public health and safety infrastructure.

• Forty people have drowned in France as citizens sought relief from a severe heatwave currently gripping Europe. • Spain's meteorological agency issued red alerts after temperatures peaked above 45℃ in Andujar on June 22, 2026, with forecasts predicting further highs of 44℃. • The extreme heat is disrupting daily life across the continent, forcing a primary school in Tervuren, Belgium, to move final exams to a church.

• France has reported 40 drowning deaths since last Thursday as a severe heatwave grips the region. • While temperatures on the Iberian peninsula are expected to decline starting Wednesday, the heat is shifting northward. • Record June heat is projected to peak in Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands this Friday.

• France recorded its hottest day on record this past Tuesday as an early heat wave swept across Europe. • Extreme temperatures forced major landmarks, including the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre museum, to restrict their visiting hours for safety. • This event highlights the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather patterns affecting the European continent.

• A new book titled "Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump" reveals that a former cabinet member referred to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a "special needs child for the Europeans." • The derogatory comment reportedly occurred during a meeting focused on discussing a proposed minerals deal between the United States and Ukraine. • These revelations highlight the contentious nature of the Trump administration's relationship with Ukraine and the personal perceptions held by top officials.

• The group stage fixtures for European teams have been announced for the 2026 World Cup, hosted across Canada, Mexico, and the United States. • A total of 12 groups (A-L) have been established, featuring European sides such as England, France, Germany, Spain, and Portugal alongside global competitors. • This structure highlights the expanded scale of the tournament, placing European nations in diverse matchups against teams from Africa, Asia, and the Americas.

• As the tenth anniversary of the Brexit referendum approaches, new polling indicates a significant shift in European sentiment toward the United Kingdom. • Majorities in every polled EU country, from Poland to Portugal, now express a desire for Britain to rejoin the European Union. • Many respondents suggest the European Commission should soften its "red lines" to improve bilateral relations, particularly regarding shared security concerns.

• Former EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier stated that the UK could potentially rejoin the European Union on a "short" timeline if the political will exists. • Barnier suggested that the UK could also integrate into a newly proposed European security and defence council to strengthen regional stability. • Separately, leaders from the Visegrad Four (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia) are meeting in Hungary to revive their regional grouping.

• Nearly a decade after the Brexit vote, the European Union has consolidated its identity while the UK continues to struggle with the long-term shape of its relationship with the continent. • EU leaders, including Poland's Donald Tusk and Spain's Pedro Sánchez, have expressed a desire for the UK to return, with Tusk explicitly mentioning a "Breturn." • Public sentiment remains favorable toward reintegration, as a European Council on Foreign Relations poll shows 66% of citizens across 15 EU countries support UK membership.

• Keir Starmer has resigned as UK Prime Minister, marking his fall from a landslide election victory and becoming the sixth person to hold the office since 2016. • European media outlets, including Spain's La Vanguardia, are reacting with bemusement, describing the UK's political landscape as a "revolving door." • The situation signifies a major shift in international perception, as Britain's reputation for political stability has been replaced by a sense of chronic instability.

• The "Europe 2031" scenario has gone viral following the G7, warning that Europe currently controls only 5% of global AI compute. • This doomsday projection suggests the continent is falling dangerously behind in the global AI race, sparking debate among policymakers and critics. • To combat this gap, the EU unveiled the €200 billion InvestAI fund at the Paris AI Action Summit in early 2025.

In this week’s newsletter: As the EU consolidates,​ t​he UK faces renewed debate ​over the long‑term shape of its relationship with the continent• Don’t get This Is Europe delivered to your inbox? Sign up hereThe morning of 24 June 2016, the day after Britain voted to leave the EU, dawned grey and overcast in Brussels, after a stormy night. As the Guardian’s correspondent in the city, after a few hours’ sleep, I hurried to a breakfast briefing with Conservative MEPs at a smart hotel in the EU quarter. Large trays of eggs, sausages and beans were barely touched, as MEPs fielded questions they couldn’t answer: What happens now? When would the UK leave? Would David Cameron resign? A few hours later he did.In the EU institutions officials broke down in tears. A few top British EU civil servants prepared to resign. Anti-EU populists were jubilant. European leaders feared a domino effect of withdrawals. Sadness, shock and anger swirled on that humid day. The then-president of the European parliament, Martin Schulz, told me that EU lawyers were studying whether it was possible to speed up the triggering of article 50, the then-obscure and untested EU exit clause. Then European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker declared he would like to get Brexit negotiations started “immediately”. The idea of hurrying Britain out the door was soon dropped, but those statements reflected the febrile mood. Continue reading...

• European nations are intensifying their debate over digital sovereignty as artificial intelligence reshapes how countries manage their technological independence. • The focus has shifted from simple data hosting locations to critical questions regarding model development, ownership, and the transparency of AI decision-making processes. • This shift matters because governments are increasingly concerned about the origins of training data and the potential for foreign influence over essential AI systems.

• European direct lenders are re-evaluating their approach to software deals following the market boom of 2021-2022. • A new "fault-line" has emerged in the private credit sector, distinguishing between software companies that are financeable and those that are not. • This shift is driven by how individual companies are exposed to and impacted by the rise of artificial intelligence.

Country is ‘militarily the strongest in Europe’, says Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who wants coalition ready in case US pulls troopsThe US’s attitude to the defence of Europe has changed permanently and a European coalition of the willing, including Ukraine, should be established to defend the continent, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, a former Nato secretary general, has said.A coalition of the willing compromising 45 states is already in theory poised to act as a reassurance and training force inside Ukraine in the event of a peace settlement with Russia. Continue reading...

• Five projects based at Irish universities have been selected as recipients of the European Research Council (ERC) Advanced Grant. • Announced on June 23, the funding total is €838 million, distributed among more than 300 researchers globally as part of the EU’s Horizon Europe programme. • These grants are designed to support senior researchers in pursuing ambitious, curiosity-driven projects that could lead to significant scientific breakthroughs.

Analysis by more than 150 political scientists finds proportion who back such parties has increased nearly fivefold since 1995Almost one in four voters in Europe now cast their ballot for far-right parties, research shows, a proportion that has grown nearly fivefold since the mid-1990s and climbed particularly steeply over the past three years.Analysis by more than 150 political scientists in 31 countries found the proportion of Europeans voting for a far-right party in their country’s most recent national elections had risen to more than 23%, from about 10% a decade ago and roughly 5% in 1995. Continue reading...

• The European Copyright Society published a paper affirming that performer equitable remuneration (ER) for streaming is a "lawful mechanism" under EU copyright law. • This position follows Belgium's recent introduction of an ER right and a corresponding legal challenge attempting to block its implementation. • The society's findings reject arguments against the right, asserting that performers are legally entitled to fair compensation from streaming services.

• Europe’s largest natural gas distributor, Italgas, announced a strategic plan to invest approximately $14.8 billion (nearly 15 billion USD) by 2032. • The "Lead. Innovate. In a changing world" initiative focuses on deploying AI-backed smart networks and rolling out smart meters to increase flexibility and energy security. • A significant portion of the funding, totaling $1.14 billion (1.0 billion euros), is earmarked for network expansion and development within Greece.

Temperatures expected to hit 40C in parts of the UK, as extreme heatwave spreads slowly eastwards, sparking warnings in Italy and the NetherlandsFrance records hottest day ever as 40 people drown across countryTell us: how is the heatwave in the UK and across Europe affecting you?Europe is braced for another day of an unprecedented heatwave that has smashed records in many countries.Italy’s health ministry has declared a red heatwave alert in 16 cities for Wednesday, including Milan and Rome, and in the UK, temperatures are expected to reach 40C in some areas. Continue reading...

• A new book titled "Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump" reveals that a former cabinet member referred to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a "special needs child for the Europeans." • The comments reportedly surfaced during a meeting focused on discussing a proposed minerals deal between the United States and Ukraine. • This disclosure highlights the contentious nature of the Trump administration's internal views toward Ukrainian leadership and its allies in Europe.

Great Britain has paid at least six times normal for imported power as millions turn on air conditioning and windfarms’ output sagsThe heatwave has prompted a sharp rise in electricity prices across European markets as millions turn to air conditioners and electric fans to battle record high temperatures, which have also caused string of power plant outages across the continent.Great Britain imported electricity from Europe at more than six times the normal price on Tuesday as the high pressure heat dome has slowed wind speeds, hitting renewable energy generation, and caused outages at multiple gas plants across the country. Continue reading...

Front pages across the continent reflect on Britain’s political turmoil after Starmer becomes seventh prime minister to quit since 2016Europe live – latest updatesIn Germany, Downing Street was likened to a transit station, given the regular comings and goings of different prime ministers and staff. Meanwhile, a bemused Spanish newspaper concluded No 10 seemed to have been fitted with a revolving door.As news outlets across Europe digested the implications of Keir Starmer’s precipitous fall from landslide election winner to ousted prime minister, many also focused on a wider reality – Britain’s once much vaunted political stability was a thing of the past. Continue reading...