The large-scale fire in the municipality of Ponte da Barca, which destroyed almost 4,800 hectares, has been stabilized. Rescuers remain on high alert due to the predicted sharp rise in temperature.
An opinion column by financial expert Olena Sosedka.
France and 14 other states signed a joint statement calling on the world to recognize the Palestinian state. This happened after a conference in New York aimed at reviving the two-state solution.
Over 1,300 firefighters and dozens of aircraft are involved in battling three large forest fires in Portugal. Due to prolonged heat and drought, a red alert has been declared in the country, and residents have been evacuated and tourist routes closed in the Arouca area.
Nine countries have officially expressed interest in borrowing funds from the EU military procurement program SAFE by the deadline. Poland plans to request 25 billion euros, and Greece – at least 1.2 billion euros.
On July 26, Italian airports will be paralyzed due to mass strikes, affecting Ryanair, EasyJet, Volotea, and Wizz Air. Strikes will also take place in Spain and Portugal, intensifying chaos for travelers.
The European Commission has sent warning letters to 18 EU member states for failing to notify the full implementation of the Directive on criminalizing the violation of EU restrictive measures. Countries have two months to respond and complete implementation.
A number of countries issued a joint statement, calling on Israel to cease hostilities in the Gaza Strip due to the suffering of the civilian population. The Israeli Prime Minister's advisor called this statement a "delusion" that sends Hamas a "wrong and dangerous signal" because it does not pressure the group.
Poland is finalizing negotiations to acquire a stake in the satellite company Iceye, which gained prominence for tracking Russian troop movements. This investment will add to the $550 million raised by the company, which is valued at over $1 billion.
In June 2025, solar energy accounted for 22. 1% of the EU's total electricity, surpassing nuclear energy and fossil fuels. The Netherlands and Greece became record-breakers, while dependence on coal sharply decreased.
The Grok chatbot, developed by Elon Musk's xAI, began spreading antisemitic rhetoric on the X platform, glorifying Hitler and disseminating conspiracy theories. X stated that it took measures to stop the hateful rhetoric, and Grok is now limited to image generation only.
Europe has been engulfed by wildfires, record heat, and storms. In Portugal, 284 deaths from overheating have been recorded, while other countries have experienced large-scale destruction and paralyzed infrastructure.
The level of online hate and toxicity has reached record highs since the beginning of the year, according to the European Monitoring Centre. The European Commission has called on Sweden, Portugal, Croatia, and Latvia to intensify their fight against online hate.
In Portugal, the funeral of Liverpool forward Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva, who died in a car accident, took place. The ceremony was attended by Liverpool players, the Portuguese national team, and coach Arne Slot.
In the first quarter of 2025, housing prices in the European Union increased by 5. 7%, and rental prices by 3.2% compared to the same period in 2024. Since 2010, housing prices in the EU have risen by 57.9%, and rental prices by 27.8%.
On Thursday, Zimbabwe experienced a massive nationwide power outage due to a system failure that led to a loss of production at two power plants. Electricity imports from South Africa, Zambia, and Mozambique were also interrupted.
Football club "Liverpool" confirmed the death of its winger Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva as a result of a car accident in Spain. The accident occurred due to a punctured tire on a Lamborghini, which led to a fire.
Europe continues to suffer from an intense heatwave caused by a heat dome, bringing red and amber warnings. In France and Germany, temperatures reach 39°C, and climate change intensifies the intensity of heatwaves, threatening health and straining energy systems.
Europe, particularly France, has been gripped by an anomalous heatwave, which has led to the declaration of a red alert level and the closure of the Eiffel Tower. Air temperatures could reach 41°C in Paris, 43°C in Spain, and 34°C in London. In France, schools are closed, there are power outages and train disruptions, and in Italy, outdoor work is prohibited.
San Vito di Cadore in the Dolomites of northern Italy was covered by a thick cloud of dust after a new landslide on the Crod-Marcora slope. Officially, there were no casualties, but local residents are concerned about the growing instability of the mountain slopes.
Europe is experiencing an intense heatwave, with temperatures exceeding 40°C in many countries. Spain recorded a June high of 46°C, leading to fires and evacuations, while the UK and Germany are also expecting historical highs.
The UK leads Europe in the number of days of remote work, averaging 1. 8 days per week, due to individualism, prolonged lockdowns, and the structure of the labor market. At the same time, Greece has the lowest indicator – 0.6 days, due to the peculiarities of its economy and culture.
Ukraine lost to the Netherlands 2-0 in the last match of Group D of the European Youth Championship. The team took third place in the group and did not advance to the quarterfinals.
The Minister of Ecological Transition of Spain stated that the April power outage, which affected tens of millions of people, was caused by technical errors. A cyberattack was also ruled out.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs organized a visit of foreign diplomats to the site of the Russian strike on a building in Kyiv. Representatives of more than 60 missions saw the consequences of Russian terror in Ukraine.
Protests against excessive tourism took place in Spain, Italy, and Portugal. Demonstrators are demanding a rethinking of the economic model that fuels the housing crisis.
PACE expressed concern about pressure on the opposition, the media and activists in Georgia, condemning the persecution and calling for dialogue. Georgia remains under full PACE monitoring due to problems with democracy.
In India, the second flight recorder of the crashed Air India plane was found. There were 242 people on board, including 169 Indian citizens and 53 British citizens.
A Boeing 787-8 plane en route to London crashed after takeoff. Citizens of India, Great Britain, Canada, and Portugal were on board, and they are being taken to hospitals.
During the Nations League final in Munich, a fan tragically died after falling from the stands. Emergency services tried to help, but the injuries were incompatible with life.
