europe

SINCE the introduction of EES, there have been reports of huge delays, missed flights – and now a new problem has arisen.

It appears that Brits aren’t being correctly recorded as leaving the Schengen Area, meaning they could be banned from entering the EU again and face a hefty fine.

The UK Foreign Office has altered its advice to Brits asking them to carry evidence of when they last left the EU, to avoid being wrongly refused entry.

Brits travelling from the UK to Europe can spend 90 days out of every 180 in the EU – staying over this limit will mean both refusal of entry and a fine.

In some cases a fine can be as much as £8,550.

Before the introduction of EES, Brits would be stamped in and out by officials at passport control.

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Now Brits are being electronically recorded as leaving – but in some cases where EES has been suspended due to long queues, they aren’t.

Without being officially noted as returning home, the clock continues to count down which could cause problems when attempting to re-enter the EU.

Advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) reads: “If you believe you have been incorrectly entered into EES or your record of time spent in the Schengen area is incorrect, approach border officials when you next cross the Schengen border and request a correction.

“If you are exempt, carry documentation confirming your status. If you believe your time spent in the Schengen area has been recorded incorrectly, raise this with border officials and be prepared to provide supporting evidence if requested.”

It doesn’t explain what ‘evidence’ is needed but it’s likely to be confirmation of flights out of the country.

Some Brits who have either not been stamped out physically, or electronically by EES have revealed their issues in returning to the Schengen Area.

Talking to Sun Travel, one woman revealed how she got stuck entering Finland after a trip to Rome.

She explained: “I was stopped at the border in Finland last November by border control who said my record was showing I was still in Italy.

“While I had registered with EES going into Rome, it hadn’t recorded me leaving.”

She added: “After a lot of back and forth with border control officers and around 45-minutes of waiting, it was recognised as an error and I was let into the country.”

In another case, Martin Farrall told The Guardian, didn’t have his exit recorded for the Schengen zone.

Martin and his wife arrived by ferry at Hoek van Holland in the Netherlands.

He said that Dutch border officials enrolled them into EES, but that they had no entry stamp on their passports.

Then 55 days later when he returned to the UK via France, they were not given an exit stamp.

Back at home, Martin checked how many days he had left to travel through the Schengen – and it’s continuing to count down. Meanwhile his wife still has 90 days despite both having travelled the same route.

In another case, one passenger who had returned from Ibiza back in April had two entry stamps, but no exit stamps.

They told local media: “On my last two occasions visiting Ibiza on direct UK flights, my UK passport has not been exit-stamped by Spanish immigration authorities upon leaving Ibiza back to the UK.

“I now have two ‘un-closed’ Spanish visits in my UK passport, making a nonsense of the 90-day rule, and running the risk of me being accused of overstaying my rolling 90 days’ allowance. Which I haven’t.”

For more advice on travelling as a family and the new EES system, head here.

AVROTROS says escalating international conflicts are undermining the event’s neutrality and fuelling divisions.

The public broadcaster in the Netherlands has announced it will not participate in next year’s Eurovision Song Contest because the event can “no longer be considered neutral” due to ongoing divisions over the war in Gaza.

“It is undeniable that international conflicts are increasingly affecting the Contest, undermining its neutral character. The Eurovision Song Contest has therefore become a platform for division,” said Taco Zimmerman, Director-General of AVROTROS, in a statement on Monday.

The widely-watched show has recently faced a series of boycotts over Israel’s participation. Organisers announced earlier this month that they would exclude any country involved in an armed conflict from hosting the competition.

“However, the recently announced changes… do not provide sufficient confidence that the independent and neutral character of the Eurovision Song Contest has been restored,” the AVROTROS statement added.

Israel finished second in the competition – the world’s largest live televised music event – in both 2025 and 2026.

Next year’s Eurovision is due to be held in Bulgaria’s Black Sea city of Burgas, after Bulgarian singer Darina Yotova, known as Dara, won this year’s contest in Vienna, Austria, with her catchy floor-filler ‘Bangaranga’. The contest on May 15 will be the first time the Balkan nation has hosted.

Since its launch in 1955, Eurovision has become the ultimate pop platform, catapulting Swedish icons ABBA to worldwide fame, while also boosting the careers of artists such as Celine Dion, Cliff Richard and Olivia Newton-John.

However, this year’s competition pulled in 131 million viewers, 35 million fewer than last year, after five countries boycotted over Israel’s participation. The Netherlands, Iceland, Spain, Ireland, and Slovenia all pulled out, with the latter three refusing to broadcast the show at all.

TUI is set to launch new flights to a pretty island with golden beaches and quaint villages

Next summer TUI will launch flights between the UK and Djerba in Tunisia.

The flights will take off from London Gatwick Airport twice a week, on Mondays and Fridays.

Just three hours and 15 minutes from the UK, Djerba is known for its 34C weather, sandy beaches and Star Wars sights.

Even in winter you can still expect temperatures around 20C – much warmer than the UK.

As one of Tunisia‘s lesser-known islands, travellers can book a holiday to the island with TUI from £659.

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The island sits off Tunisia‘s south-east coast and across the island’s coast you will find resorts and pretty villages.

Travellers can book many different experiences on the island including seeing the desert, heading to cave villages and exploring Star Wars filming locations.

Away from the beaches, there are also sprawling souks to explore such as Houmt Souk.

Lisa Minot, Head of Travel, who recently visited, said: “Relatively undiscovered by us Brits, Djerba is a great-value option for those looking to explore beyond the Med favourites.

“The resemblance to the alleyways of Mykonos and Santorini is striking and my arty stroll ends at a small cafe under a sprawling canopy of trees in a sunlit square.

“But when I tell you a small cup of strong coffee here costs 25p, you’ll know I am nowhere near the trendy Greek isles.

“The small town of Erriadh sits at the centre of the island of Djerba —which was used as a filming location for Star Wars — just off the south coast of Tunisia.

“And at its heart is Djerbahood, the passion project of a famous French art gallery owner who convinced some of the world’s best street artists to travel to Djerba, and its inhabitants to allow their walls to be daubed.

“Now, more than 250 murals and sculptures have transformed the heart of the neighbourhood.”

You could stay at TUI BLUE Palm Beach Palace which is a beachfront, adults-focused hotel.

Alternatively, head to TUI MAGIC LIFE Penelope Beach, which is an all-inclusive resort ideal for family holidays, with sports, entertainment, food and drink included.

TUI UK & Ireland Managing Director Neil Swanson said: “Tunisia has been growing in popularity with our customers, and it is easy to see why.

“It offers sunshine, great beaches and really good value, which is exactly what many people are looking for when they are planning their next holiday.

“Djerba gives them all of that, but with something a bit different too. It has a lovely laid-back island feel, beautiful sandy beaches, warm temperatures for much of the year and plenty to explore if you want more than a week by the pool.

“By adding TUI Airways charter flights from London Gatwick, we are making it even easier for customers to get there as part of their TUI holiday.

“It is a brilliant option for families, couples and groups who want somewhere sunny, great value and a little less expected.”

Barcelona ‌begin their La Liga title ⁠defence ⁠and bid for a third successive crown with a 5-0 ⁠victory at Elche.

Spanish champions Barcelona have cruised to a 5-0 win over Elche in their La Liga opener, with Raphinha and Fermin Lopez scoring twice each and Anthony Gordon setting up two goals on his debut.

After watching Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid defeat Espanyol 2-1 on Saturday with a late winner, Barca’s display on Sunday warned the Portuguese coach that the Catalans will not relinquish the title easily.

Karim Adeyemi also found the net on his debut as Barca made light work of a vulnerable Elche side at Martinez Valero Stadium.

Hansi Flick started with several regular starters on the bench as they continue to get up to speed following the World Cup.

Teenage winger Lamine Yamal, a key part of the triumphant World Cup Spain squad, did start on the right but was far from his best, though it did not matter given Barca’s otherwise sparkling display.

Raphinha was cut down in the box by Victor Chust and stroked home the resulting penalty after 14 minutes to get Flick’s team on their way.

Eric Garcia was sharp at the back to ward off a threatening Elche attack, while Barca’s Gavi caught the eye in midfield – admittedly more for his pink haircut to celebrate Spain’s triumph than for his performance.

Rapid winger Adeyemi, playing on the left, started shakily but grew into the game and doubled Barca’s lead before the break after Raphinha unselfishly set him up.

In the second half, former Newcastle United winger Gordon, on as a substitute, teed up Raphinha for his second, and then supplied Lopez for Barca’s fourth in an electric and impressive cameo.

Youngster Xavi Espart played in Lopez, who endured a difficult summer after missing Spain’s World Cup triumph through injury, for his second to seal Barcelona’s comfortable triumph.

Flick’s high-line defence showed the occasional sign of its usual frailty, but goalkeeper Joan Garcia did well when called on to keep a clean sheet.

Raphinha told reporters after the game that “whether a game is easy or hard depends on us.

“If we start playing at the maximum level, we’re likely to win. It was a very tough game, but we did our job.”

Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and the Faroe Islands back calls for Infantino’s resignation amid FIFA crisis.

Six Nordic football associations have delivered a united blow to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, declaring they have lost confidence in his leadership while demanding sweeping governance reforms at world football’s governing body.

The six Nordic FIFA members – Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and the Faroe Islands – met in Helsinki and issued a rare joint statement on Sunday, backing calls for Infantino’s resignation from three major regional confederations.

They also supported demands for an independent investigation into his proposal to sell a stake in events like the World Cup to private equity investors, a plan that was quickly abandoned in the face of a global backlash.

“The six Nordic football associations have lost confidence in FIFA’s president and are concerned about the organisation’s governance and decision-making at the highest level,” they said in a statement.

“The Nordic football associations stand united with UEFA and support the measures that the organisation and its national member associations have jointly proposed.

“We expect FIFA to provide binding guarantees that the organisation’s governance or competitions will never again be opened up to private ownership.”

FIFA did not respond to Al Jazeera’s request for comment.

On Friday, Denmark’s football association pledged to find a credible alternative to Infantino in March’s presidential election.

Infantino is under pressure from three confederations to resign: UEFA, the AFC and CONCACAF.

The sport’s regional powerhouses in Europe, Asia, and North and Central America and the Caribbean have also discussed a potential vote of no confidence against the FIFA chief.

“We also support the demand made by AFC, CONCACAF and UEFA that a fully independent external investigation into the events surrounding the FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal be established,” the Nordic associations added.

“We also call on FIFA to initiate a comprehensive and independent review of its governance framework to determine whether it ensures the independence, checks and balances, transparency and accountability that were intended when FIFA adopted its reform programme in 2016.”

Infantino, who is seeking a fourth term until 2031 in next year’s election, is in the Dominican Republic this weekend, where he has met with officials of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU).

CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani had asked Infantino to stay away from a youth football tournament in the country, saying his presence would overshadow the event.

“This meeting of the presidents of CFU takes place in the environment of [an] under-14 youth tournament in the region, which actually is one of those tournaments that can take place thanks to the FIFA Forward programme,” Infantino said.

“So even more so a reason to be proud to be here and happy as well because it’s important to engage, to have a dialogue, to express views and opinions.”

The warning comes as US President Donald Trump threatens to isolate Iran economically, to weaken its government.

Iran has threatened to treat nearby countries as enemies and target their interests if they join a United States campaign to cripple its economy.

Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, issued the warning in a Saturday interview with state broadcaster IRIB.

“We’re telling all nearby countries not to join the US economic war. Otherwise, we will consider them as enemies,” Rezaei told IRIB.

His remarks come on the heels of escalating economic threats from the administration of US President Donald Trump.

On Wednesday, Trump announced his government would undertake the “most crushing economic operation” yet against Iran, as part of ongoing hostilities between the two countries.

The US and Israel have been locked in a war with Iran since February 28, when the two allies launched an initial volley of attacks against Tehran.

In addition to threatening Iran’s economy this week, Trump pledged “tremendous economic consequences” for any country that gives Iran “any type of lifeline”.

His Treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, echoed his threats the following day, saying, “You’re either with us or against us.”

In Saturday’s interview, Rezaei described Iran’s regional strategy as a three-stage sequence, which would start with efforts to de-escalate tensions with neighbouring countries.

“First we negotiate. Then, we try to separate them from America with pleasant language, because we are not really looking to expand the war,” he said.

Any countries that continue to side with the US would then be given time to reconsider, he said. “But in the third stage, we will definitely act.”

While the US has not stopped its military operations against Iran, Rezaei suggested that the Trump administration was betting that economic pressure would fracture Iranian society, forcing the war to come to an end.

“They hope that, if possible, they can break our unity with economic pressure and a group of protesters will take to the streets, and in a way, they will come to the aid of American F-35s,” he said, referring to a kind of military aircraft.

Negotiations to end the conflict have stalled in recent months, following the failure of a June 17 memorandum of understanding (MoU) that called for an “immediate and permanent termination of military operations”.

Control over the Strait of Hormuz, a major shipping lane off the coast of Iran, has become an enduring sticking point between the US and Iran.

Iran quickly moved to shut down traffic through the strait early in the war, sending the price of goods like oil and fertiliser skyrocketing.

Countries in the Middle East that were previously reliant on the strait for exports have started to pursue substitute trade routes.

But Rezaei warned that Iran would target those alternative oil-shipping routes out of the Gulf if regional states took part in the US’s plans of economic warfare.

Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday also decried the incoming US measures as an assertion of “extraterritorial sovereignty” over United Nations member states.

Tehran has also reportedly considered widening its target list beyond the Middle East, with media outlets reporting it could strike US allies in Europe who have supported Trump’s operations.

A NEW train service has launched in Europe – with double-decker trains.

A double-deck train service between Finland and Sweden has launched and is now the longest route of its kind in the world.

It is the first rail connection between northern Finland and southern Europe in nearly 40 years.

The route used to run back in the 1980s to the 90s but was stopped due to low passenger numbers.

The route has two services each day and is operated by Finnish state railway VR.

The journey heads from Oulu in Finland to Haparanda in Sweden and takes about an hour and 40 minutes.

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If you are heading to Sweden, you must switch trains at Haparanda Station.

As a result of the new connection, travellers can head from Lapland all the way to Portugal‘s Algarve along one route stretching 3,100 miles making it the longest train journey in the world.

On part of the track, you can head from Helsinki – the capital of Finland – to Stockholm – the capital of Sweden – in 24 hours.

Until now, travellers wanting to head between Finland and Sweden would need to rely on a bus or walking the 1.2mile walk gap between the two.

The new link between Tornio in Lapland, Finland and Haparanda, Sweden, now bridges that gap.

Tickets for the route start as little as €5.40 (£4.60).

Germany splits

At least two generations on both Guetinger’s maternal and paternal sides were from Babenhausen, a small Bavarian market town of about 4,000 people in the 1960s. Surrounded by a castle, it was once home to a merchant family said to have been prominent during the Middle Ages.

Guetinger’s father, Ernst, was among five siblings and the youngest of the three boys. Hans was the eldest, followed by another brother, Erich, and there was a four-year age gap between Ernst and Hans. Guetinger said this age difference played a role in his father’s and uncle’s relationship.

“My dad and uncle Hans didn’t have a very close relationship because they had grown up during wartime,” he said. “When war broke out in 1939, Uncle Hans was obliged to serve as a soldier.”

Soldiers were in short supply, so German boys aged 16 and 17 were drafted as “Flakhelfer” to work with anti-aircraft guns or man the huge lights that tracked enemy aircraft.

“My Uncle Erich was in this age range so served in this role, but my dad, being the youngest, did not have to serve,” he added.

After Nazi Germany’s defeat in 1945, the country was divided into occupation zones and then formally split into two separate countries in 1949.

Hans returned to Babenhausen, Bavaria, after the war and looked for work as a shoemaker. But jobs were scarce, and he had trouble finding work.

Amid their struggles, Hans’s homesick wife encouraged him to try finding work in the GDR, where she was from. They knew they would be welcomed, because the GDR was keen on people willing to buck the trend of those going west – roughly 2.7 million people moved to West Germany between 1949 and 1961 – for better economic and employment opportunities.

In 1958, Hans’s family moved east to Brieskow-Finkenheerd, a village near the Polish border, where Hans started working at a power station that also provided their accommodation. He was also able to indulge in his love of hunting as much as he liked.

“He was very happy hunting,” Guetinger remembered fondly. “In West Germany, you could only hunt if you owned land, but since the government owned all the land in the GDR, my uncle was told he could hunt wherever he wanted.”

Hans became so well known for his hunting abilities that when the big cadres wanted to celebrate something and eat some tasty meat like boar or wild swine, they would ask Hans to go hunting.

“The party had its own hunters, but they considered my uncle one of the best,” Guetinger said.

Meanwhile, Hans’s younger brother Ernst, back in Bavaria, became a father to Erich Guetinger in 1951.

In the 1950s, freedom of movement between the two countries remained largely unrestricted, but from the 1960s onwards, tougher measures were instituted. After that, East Germans were generally only allowed to travel to the West for urgent family matters, such as funerals or weddings.

In August 1961 – 65 years ago – the East German government began building the Berlin Wall, a 155km (96 miles) concrete structure surrounding West Berlin that effectively isolated it within GDR territory and severed the capital.

Outside Berlin, efforts to fortify the division led to the installation of new barbed wire fences, detectors, watchtowers, as well as booby-traps and extended powers for border guards to shoot and arrest escapees. Between then and 1989, when the wall came down, an estimated 75,000 people were imprisoned for trying to escape.

Guetinger says that in the early years of the division, there was barely any contact with his uncle and family.

“Eventually, we were able to start sending letters, but we shared very little in these because everybody knew the East German secret police, known as the Stasi, would carefully check the post between families, often reading our letters,” he said.

Like many families in West Germany, the Guetingers would often send Western products to their relatives in the East.

“For Christmas, we made parcels containing things we knew they would like, and which we knew it would be difficult for them to get, such as coffee and blue jeans,” Guetinger said.

“Blue jeans were particularly hot property, and my cousins liked this kind of clothing. And even though we would send parcels, there was always a chance that they wouldn’t reach them,” he explained, noting that shipments were closely monitored.

Guetinger says it is still hard to fully assess how the day-to-day disruption caused by the division impacted their family’s sense of safety and unity.

“Even if my parents had a heavy heart back then, they would rarely talk about it, so today, I have to rely on other indicators to try and understand. And one of the indicators is that my dad and his elder brother tried to visit each other as soon as it was possible for both of them.”

China is set to launch its Chang’e-7 unmanned, robotic space mission, possibly as early as Monday morning, to look for ice water in the permanently shadowed craters of the moon’s south pole.

This marks China’s seventh and most ambitious moon mission so far. Here is what we know about it.

What do we know about Chang’e-7?

The Chang’e‑7 launch window runs from Monday, August 24 to Monday, August 31, according to launch observers. That means the mission could lift off on any day in that period.

The Chang’e-7 comprises an orbiter, a lander, a rover and a hopper.

• The orbiter is the main spacecraft which will remain in the moon’s orbit, mapping the surface and taking images while the mission is under way. It will also relay data and communications between the other Chang’e‑7 components and Earth.
• The lander is the vessel that will touch down on the lunar surface, loaded with the necessary scientific instruments for lunar exploration, near the edge of the Shackleton Crater, a 21km-wide (13-mile-wide) pit close to the moon’s south pole. Lunar missions before this have never come this close to the pole.
• The rover is a small robotic vehicle which can drive around the landing site and which carries equipment to analyse the local environment, including rocks and soil.
• The hopper is a small robotic craft powered by solar energy, designed to “hop” – or fly – short distances from the surface of the moon and land again. It will be used to explore the Shackleton Crater.

How do we know there is water on the moon?

Over the past two decades, several space missions have established that there is water on the moon.

Since the 1960s, even before the first Apollo landing in 1969, scientists speculated that water could exist on the moon. However, when Apollo crews returned samples for testing in the late 1960s and early 1970s, they appeared to be dry.

Finally, in 2009, NASA deliberately crashed a rocket segment and its probe into a shadowed lunar crater to analyse the dust plume it kicked up. This provided one of the clearest direct confirmations that significant ice water does exist on the moon, building on earlier detections of water and hydrogen by probes.

In October 2020, NASA scientists announced that water on the moon is more widespread than previously known. They said water molecules had been found to be encapsulated within mineral grains on the lunar surface and speculated that more water is hidden in ice patches which are in permanent shadows.

NASA describes these permanent shadows as dark areas inside deep craters near the north and south poles of the moon where sunlight has not reached for millions or even billions of years. In 2018, prior to confirming it in 2020, NASA had detected water ice in shadowed parts of the moon through mapping.

Why is it important to find out more about the water on the moon?

Expanding knowledge about water on the moon is vital because ancient polar ice may have preserved a record of lunar volcanic activity and of water delivered by comets and asteroids to the Earth-moon system, offering clues to how our own oceans originally formed.

Additionally, if there is enough water on the moon that is realistically accessible, it could serve as a source of drinking water for crewed lunar missions, and could also help to keep equipment cool.

Hydrogen could also be extracted from moon water to provide fuel, while oxygen could be extracted to breathe, supporting onward missions to Mars or lunar mining.

Could anyone ‘own’ the water on the moon?

The 1967 United Nations Outer Space Treaty bans any nation from claiming sovereignty over the moon or owning it as territory. It does not explicitly prohibit commercial operations, but it requires private activities in space to be authorised and supervised by states and leaves key questions about resource ownership unresolved.

Which recent space missions have searched for frozen water on the moon?

In 2023, Russia’s lunar spacecraft, Luna-25, was launched to look for frozen water in the moon’s south pole. However, the Luna-25 spun out of control and crashed. The crash prevented any scientific data collection or water discovery.

Racing against the Luna-25 mission was India’s Chandrayaan-3, which also aimed to expand knowledge of lunar water ice. Chandrayaan-3 successfully landed in August 2023 and found critical new evidence of water on the surface of the moon’s south pole through soil temperature readings.

Why is exploring the moon’s south pole a challenge?

Attempted landings at the moon’s south pole have failed before because of its challenging terrain, which is full of craters and deep trenches.

The south pole is far from the equatorial region targeted by previous missions, including the crewed Apollo landings.

What is different about the Chang’e-7 mission?

The upcoming Chang’e-7 is aiming to expand knowledge about where, exactly, water is located in the craters of the moon, how deep it is, what form it is in and whether it is indeed possible to access it.

The Chang’e-7’s six-legged hopper has been designed to jump into and out of the deep, shadowed craters near the south pole that are hard for traditional rovers to reach, to look for water ice and other resources.

No previous space mission has used a dedicated hopper to jump in and out of lunar craters in this way.

London, United Kingdom – The United States and Israel’s war on Iran was largely unexpected, given the repeated warnings from most US allies, as well as their lack of enthusiasm for a potential conflict.

Iran’s retaliation, too, has been unexpected, particularly Iranian missile strikes on several countries not party to the conflict, in the Gulf, and more recently, Jordan.

Beyond the immediate regional sphere, the Iranian military has reportedly attempted to hit targets as far as the joint US-UK military base on the island of Diego Garcia, 2,350 miles (3,780 kilometres) away from Iran.

And Tehran has recently threatened southeastern Europe – in particular, Bulgaria.

Bulgaria’s Bezmer airfield

In July, Bulgaria’s parliament approved the use of its Bezmer Air Base for refuelling US military aircraft, an agreement that functions as a support mechanism for the US military operations in the Middle East and against Iran.

Speaking to his Bulgarian counterpart, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that any country aiding US “aggression” against Iran would be considered a legitimate target of retaliatory attack by Tehran.

According to a recent report in the Financial Times, citing unnamed Iranian sources, Tehran will consider attacking Europe if Washington escalates the conflict.

According to Armida van Rij, a senior fellow at the Centre for European Reform, southeastern Europe could be seen as an attractive target.

“[The region] is the soft underbelly of Europe as it is strategically important, hosting a number of NATO bases and key supplies to Ukraine and being on the Black Sea”.

In Bulgaria, the Iran war is perceived as something “remote”, Angel Petrov, a Sofia-based journalist who covers southeast Europe and the Middle East for the news website, Dnevnik.bg, told Al Jazeera.

Bulgarians do not view the Iran war “as important as Ukraine, and whose implications in terms of oil prices seem bearable, given general inflation”.

According to Petrov, Sofia lacks the institutional capacity to defy a brash administration in Washington while managing the war in Ukraine and an increasingly active Russia. So it was not surprising when Bulgarian leaders obliged the Trump administration’s request for the use of the Bezmer Air Base.

By firing missiles at Bezmer Air Base, Iran might hope to raise the costs of that cooperation and possibly drive a wedge between Bulgaria and the US. Bulgarians would find themselves under threat from the Iran war, to which they are indifferent, at the behest of a US ally that has shown increasing reluctance to support them in the war in Ukraine that they consider more important.

Could Iranian missiles reach Europe?

While Iranian missiles could indisputably reach parts of Europe, whether those attacks would further Iranian goals is less clear.

Ali Bakir, a senior non-resident fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, said an Iranian attack on Europe would play into Trump’s hands and intensify Iran’s isolation.

In the event of an attack on countries such as Bulgaria, Iran would effectively force an additional front on Europe to a conflict that many European leaders have resisted joining, much to the irritation of the US leader.

According to Bakir, engaging Europe in the Iran conflict would likely benefit Russia’s war in Ukraine, aided by further straining Europe militarily, “potentially triggering a much wider and more dangerous war with serious international economic and security consequences”.

It may be that, for Tehran, the threat of an attack on a less powerful European country is worth more than missiles actually fired towards Europe.

The threat could shape domestic politics in Europe, keeping focus alive on a conflict that is farther than the immediate war in Ukraine and making European leaders and populations more hesitant to give passive support to the US military effort against Iran.

Iran’s declared aim is to prise Europe away from the US campaign.

However, an actual strike on a member of both the European Union and NATO would turn Europe from a hedging bystander into a belligerent party, trigger Article 4 – which quite possibly results in military retaliation, and hand Washington the European coalition it has so far failed to assemble.

For now, a reasonable conclusion is that Iran has held back by calculating that an Iranian missile attack on Europe could hand Washington a strategic victory.

However, several factors keep the risk of an attack on Europe above zero.

The first is the credibility trap. Having declared that any base used to attack Iranian territory is a legitimate target, Tehran has threatened to extend its retaliation beyond the Middle East if pressed further by the US, but that threat will only remain effective as long as US allies believe Iran is actually willing to do so.

Another factor is that Iran would not consider itself to be attacking Europe at all, but US assets that happen to stand on European soil. Tehran has used a similar distinction in missile attacks against other countries in the region, such as GCC countries. Gulf nations have rejected that notion, saying their nations, populations and infrastructure should not be assaulted amid a war they did not launch, but have not thus far retaliated against Iran directly.

Lastly, and perhaps more importantly, the cohesion of the command and control mechanisms in Iran matters deeply. If the decision to attack is not made by those who devise political strategy, retaliation could be unpredictable. The desire to respond to renewed US attacks by attacking a perceived weak point could result in disastrous overreach.

The longevity of the conflict is arguably a greater threat to Europe than Iranian missile capabilities that NATO defences over Europe could well protect against.

As the war drags on, the real danger for Europe is a prolonged US-Iran war that Washington treats as dormant, with financial effects being felt in European streets and support diverted away from Russia and the Ukraine war.

Russian ballistic missile attacks have begun to cause record civilian deaths in Ukrainian cities without any Patriot interceptors to stop them, but Ukraine’s long-range strikes have destroyed Russian fuel supplies.

With the Russian economy struggling, a top expert warned that social unrest could unfold in a matter of time – and consequently lost his job.

On Tuesday, Russian missiles killed at least 10 people in Pechenihy, a town 40km (25 miles) east of Ukraine’s northern city of Kharkiv. On Thursday, they killed 15 people in Kyiv, three in the western city of Zhytomyr and injured 40 at a border crossing between Odesa and Moldova.

Russia said it was targeting weapons manufacturing sites in Kyiv, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russian forces struck 30 residential buildings, a school and a children’s hospital.

The United Nations said Russia killed a record 437 people in July and injured 2,610, surpassing its previous record in June by 30 percent.

Civilian casualties have continued in August, because Ukraine has run out of Patriot interceptors and has been unable to stop incoming ballistic missile attacks since the beginning of the month.

As Zelenskyy pointed out, Ukraine’s interception rate of cruise missiles and drones is still in the 90-percent range. But Russia is doubling down on the use of ballistic missiles and has brought in an additional 50 North Korean weapons, according to Ukrainian military intelligence.

Ukraine strikes back

Since June 25, Ukraine has launched a campaign of mid-range strikes to disrupt Russian logistics and has harassed fuel and ammunition supplies so effectively that it has made 233sq km (90 square miles) of territorial gains this year.

By August 16, Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces announced it had put 228 supply ships out of action in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov, as well as destroying 243 power stations, electricity substations and gas distribution nodes in Crimea.

They have also been striking relay antennas used to guide Russian drones and radar stations that detect Ukrainian counterstrikes. On August 20, Ukraine struck drone launch sites in Donetsk City and Primorsko-Akhtarsk on the Sea of Azov, as well as a fuel terminal in the Kerch Strait used to supply Crimea.

Ukraine’s long-range strikes have served a different purpose – to undermine the Russian economy’s ability to fund its war.

On August 15, Ukraine managed to fly two of its Flamingo cruise missiles into the Progress Rocket and Space Centre, 800km (500 miles) east of Moscow, despite Russia’s use of four A-50 early warning aircraft and its reported downing of 822 Ukrainian drones that day.

Ukraine said it hit an engine assembly workshop for Soyuz rockets, causing a fire covering half a hectare.

Russia is using Soyuz to launch satellites for its Rassvet constellation to replace dependence on the US Starlink system, after Ukraine managed to cut Russian access to Starlink on February 1 . Russia needs satellites to increase the speed and precision of its counter-battery fire on Ukrainian positions. Its loss of that capacity has been partly responsible for Ukrainian gains this year.

“One Soyuz-2.1b launch vehicle can put 20 satellites into orbit,” said Ukrainian electronics expert Serhiy Beskrestnov. “To create a basic satellite constellation in orbit, Russia needs to carry out 12-15 launches.”

The following day, Ukraine set ablaze a 25-hectare warehouse belonging to the Wildberries online retail chain, Russia’s equivalent of Amazon, and said it had destroyed seven out of Wildberries’ ten largest logistical hubs.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on July 28 that the Kremlin was monitoring the damage to Wildberries.

Russian President Vladimir Putin implied on Thursday that he might provide government funds for Wildberries to rebuild, saying “logistics and warehousing capacity certainly needs to be restored, including with government support”.

Ukraine has also succeeded in destroying Russian oil refineries and starving its economy of petrol

It has recently struck the Ust-Luga refinery, the Taneco refinery in Tatarstan and the Perm refinery, 1,500km (930 miles) from its borders.

Similar strikes this year have so reduced petrol supply in Russia. The Izvestia newspaper reported that only 28 percent of petrol stations across the country could supply fuel this week, citing mobile app GdeBENZ, which monitors real-time fuel availability.

Izvestia said only five petrol stations in Moscow were selling high-octane AI-98 fuel. Russians posted video of Rosgvardia police units sitting outside petrol stations to avert some of the fights involving motorists in recent months.

Deputy Prime Minister, Alexander Novak, said lower-grade fuel was being supplied to ease market tensions, and confirmed that Russia is now importing refined fuel for the domestic market.

“We expect a number of oil refineries to complete maintenance work soon and the situation to improve significantly,” Novak told Vesti journalist Pavel Zarubin, but that may be wishful thinking. Ukraine has struck Russia’s largest refineries not once but repeatedly. On Wednesday [August 19 ], it struck a refining unit at Ufa, which was undergoing repairs from a previous strike. It is 1,300km (810 miles) from Ukraine.

Ukraine also struck significant military targets during the week, including the Kamenyy Kombinat plant in Rostov, which makes solid rocket fuel for missiles, and the Savasleika airfield, from where MiG fighters armed with Kh-47M2 ballistic missiles take -off.

Russian economy in trouble

Some Russian economists have begun to warn of impending social and political upheaval as a result of the slowing economy.

Andrey Klepach, chief economist at Vnesheconombank, a state bank that finances the Kremlin’s national projects, warned on August 18 that, “Losses from Ukrainian military strikes … are already becoming a significant macroeconomic barrier to Russian economic growth.

“I believe Russia won’t collapse, but I’m almost certain we’ll reach a social crisis.”

He was removed from his post after making the comments during a discussion at the Moscow Exchange’s Nikitsky Club.

Russians are withdrawing savings in increasing amounts, reported The Washington Post. While businesses are increasing “voluntary” donations to the state defence budget, in addition to having to pay for their own air defences, putting further strain on the economy.

At a meeting of the Council for Strategic Development and National Projects this week, Putin acknowledged that Ukraine’s strikes are “certainly” causing damage, adding that “overall economic performance is modest but positive”.

That damage took financial form in the $1.18bn Putin newly released to aid regional budgets, in addition to previous financial assistance. Some $52m of that was destined for Crimea.

Ukraine’s defence ministry estimated that every dollar spent on drone strikes caused five times that amount in costs to the Russian economy.

DELAYS are set to hit three major airports over the weekend due to a strike by air traffic control.

The walkouts started today and will continue for the next few days with warnings of disruption.

Members of the Norwegian Air Traffic Controllers Association staff have staged strikes affecting service at Oslo Airport Gardermoen, Bergen Airport Flesland, Stavanger Airport.

This also includes workers at Røyken – an air traffic control centre.

The strike officially began just before midday today and is scheduled to continue until Monday next week.

Avinor, a company that operates most of the public airports in Norway, has warned that Oslo Airport Gardermoen could be closed for several hours during the weekend.

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It added that part of the airspace over western Norway could also be closed periodically.

On the Oslo Airport Gardermoen website, a message reads: “Due to an ongoing air traffic controllers’ strike, flight operations at Avinor’s airports are currently disrupted.

“The strike is affecting capacity in Norwegian airspace, resulting in delays and cancellations across multiple departures and arrivals.

“The extent of disruptions may vary. All passengers are advised to follow updates from their airline. Avinor apologises for the inconvenience.”

Avinor spokesperson Helene W. Jensen told local media today that “delays will increase throughout the day and become worse this evening.”

Initial disruptions mainly affect flights to and from Oslo, the country’s capital.

Airlines from the UK fly into Oslo Airport Gardermoen include Ryanair, SAS, British Airways and Norwegian.

So far none of the cancelled flights area heading to or from the UK.

Passengers are being advised to check for information with their airline and if they haven’t received information about a cancellation, to go to the airport as normal.

FRANCE has long been the world’s most visited country, but Spain is rapidly closing in.

Spain is projected to welcome 110million annual visitors by 2040.

A joint study between Deloitte and Google revealed France‘s predicted figure is slightly lower, at 105million annual visitors by 2040.

With Spain becoming more popular, knowing the lesser-visited spots and hidden gems is a must – so here’s our top recommendations when visiting the country:

Barcelona

Hitting headlines for being overwhelmed with tourists, Barcelona gets a bad rep.

The city is popular, there is no doubt about it, but it is for good reason – but the good news is that you can be clever about when you go.

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Travel outside of the peak season and the city will seem as busy as any other city.

Head to Las Ramblas first thing in the morning to avoid the crowds, and you’ll also get to see the magic of the street performers setting up.

While others are heading to the Sagrada Familia (which is stunning and a must visit, but do expect it to be busy) head around 30 minutes on the bus from the city centre, where you will find Parc Guell.

Also designed by Antoni Gaudi, the sprawling park features fairytale-like houses covered in mosaics, a grand hall with hundreds of pillars, and breathtaking views of the city.

For somewhere with a cheap drink, head to Nevermind Bar just off Las Ramblas.

This grunge dive bar is insanely cool with a skateboarding half- pipe inside and has €1 (86p) beers from 5pm to around 10pm. Cyann Fielding, Travel Reporter.

Ibiza

While partygoers flock to the southern coastlines of Ibiza where mega- clubs boom until the early hours and lively bars spill onto the sands, the north remains untouched and void of tourists.

That’s what makes it so special.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for cocktails on a cabana at a bohemian beach resort, but I like to blend it with unadulterated relaxation – and that’s what this island does best.

Head north and you’ll find ultra exclusive hotels like the Six Senses and Hacienda Na Xamena.

But don’t stay there; instead, book a more-affordable boutique hotel near the charming cobbled streets of the Old Town and explore the other side of Ibiza by boat.

Trips can be booked from the Old Town harbour, Playa d’En Bossa or San Antonio (with companies like samboat.co.uk and leboat.com).

You’ll get to sail past quiet, rugged coves with the brightest of blue waters – on one visit, my friend and I had an entire patch of sand to ourselves, that is until a couple of locals pottered over to play a mid- afternoon game of chess, perched on the rocks.

The petite village of  Sant Joan de Labritja hosts a hippy market every Sunday, selling gorgeous handmade jewellery, clothing and dream catchers. Sophie Swietochowski, Assistant Travel Editor

Tenerife

Tenerife might be one of the most popular Spanish islands to visit, but there is a hidden beach that you have to know about to find.

Tucked behind the towering pink Moorish resort Ritz-Carlton is Cueva de la Abama.

Private beaches are banned in Spain, but what makes this so hidden is that it is tucked down a winding road that weaves behind the resort.

The golden sands are overlooked by palm trees and a banana plantation, with a beach bar to keep you well hydrated all day.

If you want to arrive in style, stay at the resort – it offers a quaint green land train down to the beach that is exclusive to guests, as well as a funicular.

(It’s also one of the best hotels on the island, making it perfect for a treat-yourself holiday). Kara Godfrey, Deputy Travel Editor

Seville

Seville has been named everything from the happiest Spanish city to one of the best places to visit in the world – but it is also insanely affordable if you know where to look.

There’s Taberna Perejil, where you can find wine for €1.20 (£1) or Spanish cheap chain 100 Montaditos, which is scattered throughout the city with small beers from €1 (86p).

You can even visit some of the top attractions for free, if you’re quick.

The Royal Alcázar of Seville has free tickets on Mondays between 4pm and 7pm (although they go fast) while Seville Cathedral has free Sunday visits between 2:30pm and 6pm. Kara Godfrey, Deputy Travel Editor

Majorca

You can’t go wrong with a holiday to Majorca.

It’s got everything you want from an island, beautiful beaches, a pretty Old Town and plenty of activities to do.

The capital, Palma, is the perfect blend of city and beach with a busy Old Town full of winding streets with classic high street names and plenty of designer shops found on the ‘Golden Mile’.

It’s lined with brands like Louis Vuitton, Bvlgari and Hugo Boss but there are also little trinket shops selling shell-adorned jewellery and souvenirs too.

Majorca is hot in the summer, it’s why so many of us Brits flock there, and when it’s time to cool off with an ice cream, Giovanni L. Gelato Deluxe is the place to go.

It’s Palma’s oldest ice cream parlour with around 80 flavours to choose from.

Although I would recommend pistachio, which has twice been awarded the title for the “World’s Best Pistachio Ice Cream”.

One of my favourite spots that was actually very quiet was Levita Café.

It’s a 30-minute drive from the capital, but a two-minute walk from my hotel.

I stopped by for a refreshing rosé sangria which set me back €6.50 (£5). Alice Penwill, Travel Reporter

Valencia

The sun-soaked city of Valencia is a tourist magnet with its stunning Old Town, gorgeous parks and attractions and vast swathe of golden sands.

But many visitors can miss out on one of the hidden, natural wonders of the region and the place where Valencia’s most famous culinary treat is grown.

The Albufera Natural Park is home to lagoons and rice paddies where the main ingredient for paella is grown and taking a boat trip along the lagoon in a traditional boat – called an albuferenc – offers a very different view of this buzzing coastal city.

Drifting peacefully along rivers fringed with reeds and bursting with varied bird life is a real treat – and at the end of the journey, you get to sample a traditional paella at a local restaurant like Nou Raco with its elevated terrace offering views across the lagoon. Lisa Minot, Head of Travel

Cadiz

If you’re tired of overcrowded tourist traps and want a slice of authentic Andalusian culture, check out Cadiz.

Sunny Cadiz in the south of Spain is where the locals like to holiday – where Vespas hum through sun-bleached alleys which spill out into busy market squares.

Cadiz’s old town is anchored by these bustling plazas, where you can pick up everything from nourishing acai bowls to tasty cones of jamon Iberico.

Plaza de la Catedral is overlooked by the massive 18th-century Catedral de Santa Cruz and its gold-tiled dome – this spot is the centrepiece of the Old Town.

In the evenings, a traditional merry-go-round and street musicians liven up the square, making it the perfect spot to sit with a local sherry and watch the world go by.

The cathedral itself is well worth a visit, with a £7 ticket granting you access inside, as well as the top of the tower, the crypts and exhibitions.

There are plenty of gorgeous beaches here, too.

Playa la Caleta is a small stretch of sand that sits between two castles (and makes an appearance in Bond film Die Another Day) whilst Playa Victoria has white sand and a lengthy promenade. Jenna Stevens, Travel Reporter.

Alcudia

For beaches with powder-soft sands and waters so calm they feel like a giant paddling pool, take a trip to Alcudia in Majorca.

Growing up, we returned here year after year on family holidays – and now I understand why my parents picked this spot.

Alcudia is the ultimate Majorcan destination for families, with plenty of affordable hotels lining its beachfront with attractions like HidroPark Alcudia nearby (the only waterpark in the north of Majorca).

For history buffs, the Old Town is home to Roman ruins including an amphitheatre, plus you can walk along the top of the ring-shaped medieval fortification walls.

There’s some seriously affordable stays here, too.

We loved staying at TUI‘s Hotel BQ Delfin Azul, which offers week-long package holidays for under £500pp. Jenna Stevens, Travel Reporter

Teguise, Lanzarote

While millions flock to Lanzarote’s stunning beaches and coastline every year, there’s delights to discover in the historic inland capital, Teguise.

Every Sunday morning, the cobblestone streets with their Lanzarote signature whitewashed low-rise houses are filled with more than 400 stalls for the island’s largest open-air market.

Running from 9am to 2pm, there’s a host of treasures to admire and buy including artisanal volcanic rock jewellery, handmade ceramics and 100 per cent organic cotton clothing.

Foodies can get their fill with artisan goat cheeses, cactus jams, and local Mojo sauces – get there early for the best pick of the local produce and fewer crowds and don’t just focus on the stalls.

Teguise’s own boutiques, art galleries, and courtyards inside historic 15th- century buildings open up on market day and often hold some hidden gems.

With traditional Canarian folk dancers and musicians often performing in front of the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Guadalupe, savvy travellers grab local wine and tapas as the stalls are being taken down at spots like Palacio Ico or El Patio Creperie. Lisa Minot, Head of Travel

PRINCE Harry and Meghan Markle are returning to the UK – but that’s not the only tie they have to Europe.

The couple are rumoured to have a luxurious bolthole in what is called the ‘European Hamptons‘.

Found in Melides in Portugal, the luxurious CostaTerra is a 722-acre private community with high-profile and celebrity home-owners.

The royal couple reportedly paid £6.3million for a holiday home on the resort in 2023.

The golf and leisure complex is found between the coastal villages of Comporta and Melides which are 90 minutes south of Lisbon.

CostaTerra describes itself as ‘an ideal luxury getaway for families seeking an authentic lifestyle-focused coastal retreat.’

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It has an 18-hole golf course and offers lots of activities for its homeowners like yoga, surfing, sailing, horse riding and bike riding.

One Sun Writer who visited described it as a “well-kept secret” – and it’s also home to one of the most beautiful beaches in Europe called Galé Fontainhas Beach.

The materials contain iron oxide, which gives them their distinctive reddish-orange colour.

The beach cliffs, reaching over 50 metres in height, and the waters are often clear.

One visitor wrote on a Tripadvisor review: “A real hidden gem. Beautiful clean beach, crystal clear water, just about right waves to have fun in the water, magnificent views from the top of the rocks.”

Another is Gale Beach which has carved sandstone cliffs that one visitor said “could have been cut straight out of the Grand Canyon.”

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle aren’t the only members of the royal family to be drawn to this part of Portugal.

Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack split their time between the UK and CostaTerra where they also own a house.

Jack actually works in marketing and sales at a private resort itself.

Both Shakira and Madonna have reportedly both enjoyed stays at CostaTerra too.

When one Sun Writer visited the Alentejo coast, she discovered a flamingo-filled lagoon, beautiful rice fields and vineyards.

There are also charming village streets without a single tourist and, perhaps best of all, stunning secret beaches only the locals knew about

Melides has been in existence for more than 500 years and for much of that time it has been a quiet hamlet with a white-cobbled central square

Met Office predicts ‘unprecedented’ sea surface temperature rise of 3C (5.4F) plus will heighten extreme weather risks.

The impact of this year’s El Nino event is expected to be the most intense in more than a century, United Kingdom forecasters have warned.

The effect of the event will drive the risk of drought, high temperatures, intense rainfall and other extreme weather effects, the Met Office said in a statement issued on Friday.

Typically, El Nino leads sea surface temperatures to rise between 1-2 degrees Celsius (1.8-3.6 degrees Fahrenheit). However, forecasts for the 2026 version predict record values of more than 3C (5.4F) in the coming months, the forecasters said.

“We should be clear that this is an unprecedented event,” said Adam Scaife, head of the office’s long-range forecasting. “I have never seen an El Nino signal this intense in our forecasts.”

If the spike plays out as anticipated, “then 2026 will far exceed our recent experience of El Nino and its worldwide climate influences”, he added.

The chief forecaster separately told the BBC that the three-degree rise was “unheard-of in modern climate records”.

El Nino is triggered by unusually warm sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, influencing global weather patterns.

Governments around the world are already grappling with historic climate events so far this year.

Wildfires have burned through more than 200,000 hectares (494,200 acres) in Indonesia and rampaged across southwestern Europe, forcing the displacement of at least 325,000 people in Spain and France. Other countries are dealing with severe droughts.

The Met Office said El Nino will spawn wetter, stormier conditions in northwestern Europe, including the UK, as autumn and winter arrive in the Northern Hemisphere.

Particularly strong effects are expected throughout the Tropics, Scaife said, “where we expect really severe droughts in places like South America, and the West Pacific”.

In mid-August, the UK recorded its hottest day of the year as the temperature in west London climbed to 38.1C (100.5F), beating the previous high of 38C (100.4F) in June.

Combined with the effects of human-induced climate change, the Met Office warned that the event is “very likely” to make 2027 the hottest year on record globally.

In the last few years, lithium has emerged as one of the most crucial metals for the global electric transition.

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This is mainly due to its widespread usage in electric vehicles (EVs), through lithium-ion batteries. These provide high energy density, a lightweight structure and fast-charging capacity, along with a long cycle life, which supports modern driving range and performance.

As such, it has become key to achieving widespread, practical advancements in automotive electrification.

However, lithium continues to face vital long-term structural supply challenges, which has led to more EV producers considering other alternatives like manganese and magnesium.

Why magnesium?

Magnesium, another critical metal for electric vehicles and energy storage batteries, could potentially be a key alternative to lithium in EVs.

This is because it is cheaper, abundantly found across the world and also stores more energy. It is also considered to be safer than lithium, as it does not form the sharp spikes known as dendrites that cause lithium batteries to sometimes short or catch fire.

A magnesium battery can also hold more energy in a smaller space, which could have significant size and efficiency benefits for EV makers who want to make more compact vehicles.

It is also one of the most common elements found both in seawater and in the ground, which could help makers bypass potential supply constraints with lithium down the line.

Magnesium ions also carry double the charge of lithium ions, at a +2 charge, which can help support a higher volumetric capacity, enabling more compact, energy-dense power storage for both EVs and other devices.

China produces the overwhelming majority of the world’s magnesium, accounting for around 87% to 95% of the world’s primary magnesium in 2025, coming up to anywhere between 830,000 and 950,000 metric tons, according to Visual Capitalist’s Elements.

This is mainly from extensive dolomite reserves, with the largest magnesium reserves being in the Liaoning province.

The second top producer of magnesium is Israel, which extracts the metal mainly from the Dead Sea. Russia and Brazil are other major producers, with some key magnesium reserves being located in Satka and Brumado.

Manganese is also emerging as a support to lithium batteries, rather than fully replacing them. This is due to manganese batteries having a much lower energy density and not being easily rechargeable hundreds of times. They also provide lower voltage.

As such, they work well to support lithium systems in hybrid setups but fail under heavy power demands.

Why lithium supplies are fickle

One of the biggest challenges facing lithium supply is slow project timelines. This is because opening a new lithium mine takes an average of 16 to 18 years, from initial discovery to first production. This is mainly due to complex permitting rules, exploration rights and financing issues in many regions of the world.

Hard rock mining also produces significant waste and brine extraction consumes vast amounts of water in the arid regions lithium is usually found in. This leads to more scrutiny from local communities and environmental groups as well.

Similarly, due to lithium prices having crashed recently, following previous oversupply, mining investment and exploration budgets have now reduced somewhat. This significantly threatens the pipeline for future production and the global green transition.

The majority of lithium is also concentrated in Australia and South America’s “Lithium Triangle,” whereas China controls a significant portion of the refining capacity required to make battery-grade material.

Magnesium batteries?

Currently, most magnesium batteries still in the testing phase by entities like the University of Waterloo.

However, some major automakers are increasingly developing and experimenting with magnesium-rich or manganese-doped alternatives like Lithium Manganese-Rich or LMFP cells or long-term magnesium chemistry.

MG (SAIC Motor) has recently deployed new Lithium-Manganese-Oxide (LMO) semi-solid-state SolidCore battery tech in models like the MG4 EV Urban, which is scheduled to hit UK and European markets by the end of 2026.

General Motors and LG Energy Solution are currently aiming for a 2028 commerical launch for advanced lithium manganese-rich (LMR) battery cells. These use high manganese content to decrease costs and raise energy density for future electric trucks and SUVs.

Similarly, Toyota has also funded long-term dedicated research into replacing standard lithium chemistry with high-capacity magnesium alternatives. However, it is still unclear when commercial vehicles could be using this technology, as researchers are still awaiting further electrolyte stabilisation.

Great Wall Motor also uses semi-solid magnesium casting technology to reduce component weight, while Tesla integrated selective magnesium alloy components inot the Model 3 and Model Y.

Why magnesium batteries are not as widespread yet

While magnesium batteries are seeing more interest as potential alternatives to lithium now, significant challenges remain before they can be mass-adopted yet.

One of the biggest drawbacks of magnesium is slow ion movement, which means that magnesium particles move more slowly inside the battery materials.

This causes very slow charging times and weak power during fast acceleration, along with poor cold-weather performance. These factors could make it much harder for magnesium batteries to match fast-charging and high-power lithium EV batteries.

Finding a liquid, solid or electrolyte that lets magnesium move easily without breaking down is hard too, currently, as electrolytes that successfully move magnesium ions efficiently end up corroding the internal battery components.

Similarly, finding a cathode material that can withstand insertion and removal of magnesium ions without breaking down remains incredibly complex.

A PRETTY Italian city has banned riding bikes in certain areas – after the mayor was hit by one.

Como is known for its historic city centre with a Gothic-Renaissance cathedral and alpine backdrop.

But many use bikes to get around the city and now the Mayor of Como, Alessandro Rapinese, is introducing a bike ban in parts of the city after he was hit by an electric bike.

From September, bikes will be banned across around 30 streets.

The bike ban applies to both electric and push bikes.

According to Italian media Ansa, the Mayor said: “People act based on their own experiences and I know what it’s like to be hit by one of these beasts.”

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He added: “In this case, I didn’t even end up in the hospital.

“I was hit by a bike. I gathered information, and that’s where the measure came from.”

The new bike rules are part of a wider traffic plan which will create a Limited Traffic Zone (ZTL) to manage tourists better as well as implement stricter rules on vehicles in the city.

Other rules introduced include some vehicles requiring an annual permit and a €3 (£2.60) permit for daily entry to the city.

And tourists staying in hotels can only drive in the city centre if their accommodation has parking.

Deliveries can also only occur between 6am and 11pm.

Locals are outraged with the decision and have pledged to organise a protest on September 12.

Como isn’t the only Italian spot to place restrictions on bikes – Palermo has also restricted bikes in some areas since 2023.