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UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres arrived in Damascus on Saturday for the first visit by a serving UN chief to Syria since 2009, meeting President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani. He pledged support for reconstruction, condemned actions in the Golan Heights, and urged international backing for the country's transition. Syrian officials called for an Israeli withdrawal from southern areas.
More than 250,000 people have been evacuated as wildfires sweep through France and Spain, with Spain declaring a national emergency. The fires have caused deaths, destroyed homes, and prompted France's largest peacetime evacuation. Officials attribute the blazes to heatwaves and the climate crisis.
President Donald Trump threatened the European Union with tariffs and a trade investigation after Brussels fined Google about $1 billion for antitrust violations. The European Commission ruled that Google breached the bloc's Digital Markets Act, adding strain to US-EU trade relations.
China is advancing overland trade routes across Central Asia as global shipping chokepoints face continued disruptions. New railway and road links, including a multi-modal corridor to Afghanistan via Uzbekistan, aim to cut delivery times significantly. The Belt and Road Initiative's rapid development in the region has made China the largest trading partner of all Central Asian countries, with trade exceeding $100 billion.
US President Donald Trump has threatened the European Union with 'substantial' tariffs after the bloc fined Google nearly $1 billion for breaching competition laws. Trump announced a Section 301 trade investigation into EU practices, calling the fines 'illegal and highly unethical.' The EU has defended its actions, citing an investigation that found Google gave preferential treatment to its own services.
Countries worldwide have reacted to the latest US tariffs imposed under Section 301, which target 60 to 80 trading partners with duties of 10 to 12.5 percent. Australia, New Zealand, the EU, and China have rejected the forced-labor rationale, with China signaling it will hold off on retaliation.
France 24's Europe Rendezvous looks at the Giorgia Meloni government's migration measures and democracy concerns, from a controversial Albania processing center and a surge in work visas to accusations of an illiberal shift. Challenges from the far right and opposition also add nuance.
French authorities have ordered the total evacuation of the Cap Ferret peninsula, a popular tourist destination on the Atlantic coast, as wildfires continue to rage in the Gironde region. The fires have consumed thousands of hectares, prompting international assistance and highlighting the broader impact of European heatwaves.
Tesla’s stock fell about 13.5% on Thursday, one of the biggest single-day market losses in the company’s history, after second-quarter earnings missed Wall Street expectations. The decline contributed to a broader tech selloff, with the Nasdaq down more than 2%, as investors weighed heavy capital expenditures and concerns about the company’s robotaxi and humanoid robot projects.
Greece's security council approved the purchase of a multi-layer air defense system from Israel, worth up to €3.5 billion, to establish an 'Achilles Shield' protective dome. The deal includes Israeli radars and missiles from Rafael and Israel Aerospace Industries, and is part of a broader defense modernization plan. Analysts see strategic implications in forging a regional alliance against Turkey.
The European Union has agreed on its 21st sanctions package against Russia, targeting energy, financial services, crypto, and trade. The oil price cap is frozen at $44 for 12 months, Greece gets an LNG exemption, and new measures include bank bans and a mechanism to confiscate seized Russian oil.
Children in the poorest areas of England are 40% more likely to be admitted to hospital for respiratory infections, according to an analysis of NHS data, with air pollution and poor housing identified as key risk factors. A separate report from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health warns that UK child health outcomes have broadly stagnated, calling it a 'national embarrassment'.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul concluded an Africa tour with stops in Nigeria and South Africa focused on trade, investment and energy cooperation. Discussions covered economic partnerships, the Just Energy Transition and South Africa’s exclusion from a G20 summit. Bilateral trade figures and company presence underscore Germany’s commercial interests on the continent.
New UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced a 20% cut in business rates for pubs, clubs, and live music venues, affecting nearly 32,000 businesses. The policy, costing around £100m a year, is part of a broader agenda to support the high street, but industry figures describe it as a 'drop in the ocean' compared to other costs.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated Moscow's openness to negotiations while stressing the continued special military operation. He also pointed to EU pressure on Kyiv. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met in Manila, signaling ongoing diplomatic contacts.
The European Commission has fined Google €890 million for breaching the Digital Markets Act by favoring its own services in search results and restricting app developers from offering cheaper alternatives outside Google Play. The fines, split between search-related and app-store violations, mark the first DMA penalties for the tech giant, which has defended its practices and may appeal.
Yemen's Houthis said they attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, while the U.S. carried out strikes on Iranian targets for a 12th consecutive night. The incidents mark an escalation in the Middle East conflict, with oil prices surging and several countries responding to threats.
Tens of thousands have been evacuated as wildfires rage across Spain, France, and Italy, with Europe preparing for another heat wave. Spain has declared a national emergency, France has requested EU assistance, and officials link the blazes to climate change.
easyJet has reported a 70% drop in pre-tax profits due to soaring fuel costs and later bookings linked to the conflict in Iran. Ryanair also saw a 34% decline in profits, with both airlines facing headwinds from higher oil prices and consumer hesitancy.
Scientists say human-caused climate change is intensifying a major drought across Europe, with extreme heat rather than low rainfall driving exceptionally dry conditions. The World Weather Attribution study finds evaporation-potential conditions are dramatically more likely due to climate change, while France reports a record number of water restrictions.