LONDON: The leaders of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland signed a pact Monday that threatens to lead to the breakup of the United Kingdom.
The first ministers of the three semiautonomous regions of the U.K. told Prime Minister Andy Burnham and his government to prepare for constitutional change and that their future lies with the European Union.
“For people watching across these islands — for people watching around the world — there could be no clearer sign that Westminster’s time is coming to an end,” they said in a memorandum of understanding, referring to Parliament.
The announcement came about 48 hours after U.S. President Donald Trump waded into the waters of the politically contentious issue when he said he would “ love to see ” a reunified Ireland during a trip to visit his golf course hosting the Irish Open.
It’s the first time the leaders of all three countries are either from pro-independence parties, or pro-unification in the case of Northern Ireland, which was partitioned and remained part of the U.K. when Ireland won independence from Britain over a century ago.
Tensions remain despite devolution of power
Burnham’s spokesperson brushed aside the threat and said the prime minister strongly believes in the union and was more focused on lowering the cost of living than dealing with constitutional debates.
“The United Kingdom is at its best when people come together around our shared values and problem-solving, rather than division,” Tom Wells said.
Nicola McEwen, director of the University of Glasgow Center for Public Policy, said the summit was symbolically important but has no legal significance.
“I don’t see the threat to the union being bigger today than it was yesterday,” McEwen said.
In the late 1990s, the U.K. passed legislative acts that decentralized government through the process of devolution, giving each country except England some level of policy independence and self-governance through their own parliaments. But tensions have remained with the U.K.-wide government in London, which retained control over national issues and those concerning England.
Scotland’s John Swinney and Northern Ireland’s Michelle O’Neill called for independence referendums in their countries, while Rhun ap Iorwerth did not provide a timetable for one in Wales.
The three leaders appeared in their political capacity, rather than their official one, possibly because O’Neill is in a power-sharing government with the Democratic Unionist Party.
Northern Ireland’s Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly, of the DUP, accused O’Neill, of the Sinn Fein party, of “weaponizing” the role of first minister by signing the agreement.
“I am first minister in the north of Ireland,” O’Neill replied. “This is about historic change happening all around us.”
Scottish nationalists believe support for independence is rising
Scotland tried unsuccessfully to break away in 2014, with voters rejecting a referendum 55% to 45%. But McEwen said support for Scottish independence has grown since Brexit, in which the U.K. formally left the European Union in January 2020, following a referendum in June 2016.
Swinney, leader of the Scottish National Party, said he believed voters would now vote for independence if the U.K. government approved a referendum.
Burnham told Parliament last week he would allow such a vote to be held if there was a “clear consensus” in Scotland, but later sent Swinney a letter saying a vote was “off limits.”
The 1998 Good Friday peace accord that ended three decades of sectarian violence in Northern Ireland known as “The Troubles,” requires a vote on unification if polls there indicate it would likely pass, a threshold the U.K. government says has not been met. Ireland would also have to approve the change in a referendum.
Burnham has made devolution a major theme since taking office less than two months ago, but his focus has been on regional governments across England, a reflection of his years as mayor of Greater Manchester.
Swinney tried to turn Burnham’s ideology to his advantage, saying his frequent talk of devolution “leads you to the logic of recognizing the right of the people of Scotland, in my case, to decide their own future.”
Beyond any threat of departing the union, McEwen said the greatest impact of the three joining forces could be that they agreed to cooperate with each other routinely and that could help to exert more influence on the U.K. government.
“It does keep on the agenda that question about, well, if the United Kingdom is a union based on consent, what is the pathway where it looks like that consent may no longer be there?” McEwen said. “Any U.K. government has been very reluctant to engage in that discussion.”
The European Union entry-exit system (EES) has caused repeated delays for Brits at major EU airports this year
14:40, 13 Sep 2026Updated 14:50, 13 Sep 2026
(Image: Anadolu, Anadolu via Getty Images)
British holidaymakers heading abroad may finally be able to breathe a sigh of relief over the widely-criticised EES system. The scheme forces non-EU residents to queue at special machines in airports before gaining entry to 29 nations within the so-called Schengen area – essentially the majority of the European Union.
However, there have been persistent reports of lengthy delays – some stretching to as long as four hours. A new report in the Sunday Times now reveals that the European Union has shelved the controversial entry-exit system (EES) across at least nine countries.
Portugal, Italy, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Malta, Greece and Switzerland are all understood to have been granted permission to postpone full implementation of EES. The newspaper reports that there appears to be no deadline by which these countries must adopt the scheme, which has already sparked widespread reports of enormous queues at European airports this summer in destinations such as Mallorca, Faro, the Canary Islands and Milan.
The scheme has faced fierce criticism from Ryanair and others. The European Union describes the Entry/Exit System (EES) as an automated IT system designed to register non-EU nationals travelling on short stays each time they cross the external borders of participating European countries.
Following years of postponements, the system was rolled out from October 2025, with full implementation originally anticipated by the following April. However, faced with the prospect of significant border queues due to software failures, officials granted countries a 150-day grace period during which they could drop the checks to avoid travel chaos.
That rule ended on September 6. The EU previously insisted there would be no extension.
Yet the Sunday Times reports that at least nine Schengen countries are understood to have told the European Commission, which is responsible for overseeing the EES, that they would not enforce the new controls in full until the technology and systems were working correctly.
They have informally been allowed to do so with no time limits apparently in place to adopt the system, it is being reported. One of the main purposes of the system is to track whether non-EU citizens have spent more than their permitted 90 days in the bloc in a rolling 180-day period.
Social media has been awash with debate about the scheme. One post on Reddit saw a traveller say: “They made a mess of it. Seems many basic things like it is hit and miss on the document scanning but also things like people walk up with hats and headphones and the machine doesn’t tell them to remove them, and organisational things like if the machine errors the traveller has to back out and has no where to go.
“The right way to do this would have been progressive: start by getting some people eg 5% going through the machine lane, everyone else through normal.
“The vendor observes problems, fixes them, once machine working well, increase to 10%, then 20% and so on.” Another person said: “The general lack of functionality of so many IT systems across the EU is kind of astonishing.”
A third added: “It’s worse than that. There isn’t even consistent protocol/IT support within a single EU airport.”
Another put it more simply, saying: “I just miss having stamps.”
‘People are missing their flights’
Nadia, from Greater Manchester, told the Guardian in August she had made two trips to Schengen areas this summer. A trip to Tenerife in June was “quite straightforward”, but her experience in July at Frankfurt airport where she was picking up a connecting flight home, was much less so.
“The queue there was ridiculously long, and there was very limited information,” she says. “People were wandering around trying to work out where they needed to go.
“I’m very well travelled and pretty confident, but even I was slightly unsure and was thinking, is there some other queue I should be joining? There was no one nearby to check with without losing your place.”
Eventually, her passport was checked. “He didn’t actually take fingerprints then,” says Nadia, who is a solicitor. “I think the queue was so long they decided to dispense with that.
“It’s the efficiency of the system I question and the fact that individual member states’ systems do not talk to one another. They shouldn’t need to get information again if you have already gone through. It’s pretty shambolic, and I think people missing their flights because of it is just not acceptable, especially when there’s no recourse; it’s not your fault.”
Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary has repeatedly complained about EES. Speaking earlier this year, he said: “There’s a bit of Brexit in this too. Here, you voted for Brexit – f***ing join the queue.”
Rabat: Morocco said on Thursday there were “no facts” establishing its involvement in the massive migrant rush into Spain’s North African exclave of Ceuta in July.
More than 70,000 migrants entered Ceuta from Morocco on July 30 and 31 in an unprecedented, chaotic surge that left scores dead and sparked European Union infighting over the touchy issue of migration.
The Moroccan foreign ministry said there were “no facts or reports proving any involvement by the Moroccan authorities”.
The ministry added that Rabat refused to become the “scapegoat for political score-settling” in Spain.
The statement marked the kingdom’s first official reaction to a Spanish police report accusing Morocco’s security forces of “total permissiveness” when the mass crossing took place.
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has consistently avoided blaming Morocco, noting that there was no “solid proof” that the North African country orchestrated the migrant rush.
BRUSSELS: Asylum applications to the EU dropped to a five-year-low in the first half of 2026, continuing a downward trend partly brought about by a hardening of migration policy, the bloc’s asylum agency said Thursday.
The European Union plus Switzerland and Norway (EU+) received 332,000 applications for international protection from January to June, 17 percent fewer than in the same period last year.
“This is the lowest number recorded in the first half of a year since 2021,” the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) said.
The agency attributed the decrease to the political transition in Syria, which has resulted in a massive drop in applications filed by the country’s nationals, as well as to the EU’s “efforts in cooperating with countries of origin and transit”.
Brussels has recently struck deals with Northern African countries including Tunisia and Mauritania, providing aid and investments in return for help with migration.
War in the Middle East had also not translated into a feared increase in applications from the countries affected, the EUAA said.
Afghans were the largest group of applicants, with 39,000 requests for protection, followed by Venezuelans and Bangladeshis.
Less than a third of applications processed in the first six months of the year were successful, the agency said, noting that this was due to have an impact on future requests.
Under rules that came into force in June, applicants from countries that have a recognition rate of less than 20 percent undergo an expedited procedure linked to swift deportation in case of rejection.
The same is true for applicants from countries the EU deems “safe”.
“In the first half of 2026, nearly 56 percent of applications were from citizenships meeting one or more of these criteria,” the EUAA said.
Among EU nations, France received the highest number of applications (69,000), followed by Italy (66,000), Spain (55,000) and Germany (55,000).
With 23,000 requests Greece was the country that received the most applications per capita.
A TSA agent screens travellers at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport
Thousands of UK holidaymakers are being stopped at international borders and refused entry due to confusion around visas, permits, and entry requirements, new figures have shown/ Data obtained by Confused.com found that more than 2,800 British travellers were refused entry at the US and Australian borders between 2023 and 2025. 2,836 Brits were denied entry across the two countries over the three-year period. More were turned away in 2025 alone (1,607) than in the 2 previous years combined (1,229).
In the US, the 2,533 refusals related to visa or travel-documentation requirements under the visa waiver programme (VWP). In Australia, 303 Brits were refused immigration clearance between 2023 and 2025.
The US figures show a sharp rise in recent years, more than tripling from 424 refusals in 2024. Of the 2,533 Brits turned away, men made up more than two-thirds (1,745), while 18–35-year-olds were the largest age group (1,498). Nearly 100 under-18s were also refused.
Incorrect documentation was behind over half of UK refusals at the Australian border. While some destinations now offer visa-free access, many still require certain permits or specific documentation to be allowed in the country.
Travellers often assume they can rely solely on their passport or arrange permits upon arrival, when in reality, permits can take time to process or come with additional costs. This leaves them at risk of being turned away at the border.
Further research suggests the problem is part of a broader lack of awareness and confidence among travellers. Half say they aren’t confident which countries require a tourist visa for entry and 54% say the visa application process is too complicated or confusing.
Over half of travellers cite visa fees as a deterrent.
Confused.com has launched a new visa checker tool, designed to help UK travellers quickly understand the entry requirements for their destination before they travel.
Tom Vaughan, travel insurance expert at Confused.com, said: “Being turned away at border control is something no traveller expects, but it’s a real risk if you’re unsure about the entry requirements for your destination. Visa rules can be complex and vary between countries, so even small mistakes can result in people being refused entry and losing out on their holiday.
“And it’s worth knowing that if you’re refused entry, it may not be covered by standard travel insurance. Insurers may treat refusals as a preventable risk rather than an unforeseen emergency. This means you could be left to bear the cost of return flights and non-refundable bookings yourself.”
He added: “Visas are just one part of getting ready for a trip. Travellers should also check their passport validity, make sure they have appropriate travel insurance and understand what it does and doesn’t cover, and keep important documents and emergency contacts easily accessible to avoid any last-minute issues.”
Destinations with visa requirements
European Union
Requirement: European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) permit required for short stays (up to 90 days in a 180-day period).
Cost: €20 application fee (exempt for under 18s and over 70s).
United States of America
Requirement: Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) under the Visa Waiver Program.
Cost: $40 USD.
Australia
Requirement: eVisitor visa or Electronic Travel Authority (ETA), valid for stays up to 3 months.
Cost: Free eVisitor visa, or a service fee of $20 AUD if applying via the ETA app.
China
Requirement: Temporary visa-free entry allowed for short stays under a policy running until December 2026.
Cost: N/A (Free during the temporary policy window).
India
Requirement: e-Visa or regular paper tourist visa (passport must be stamped upon arrival).
Cost: £25–£80 for an e-Visa (depending on duration); approximately £127 for a standard paper tourist visa.
Pakistan
Requirement: Tourist visa required prior to arrival; Intent to travel must be submitted at least 24 hours before departure to obtain a Visa Grant Notice.
Cost: Varies by visa type and duration (processing takes 7–10 business days).
Kenya
Requirement: Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) applied for online in advance (recommended at least 2 weeks prior to departure).
Accession talks accelerate in Brussels as Ukraine, Moldova, Albania, and Montenegro push for faster integration into the EU.
This article appears in the September 2026 issue of Global Finance Magazine.
On July 14, the European Union took its most consequential step toward enlargement in two decades by holding four separate accession conferences in a single day and advancing membership talks with Ukraine, Moldova, Albania, and Montenegro.
European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos (pictured) called it “Super Tuesday.” The EU’s last great expansion, when 10 mostly Central European states joined in 2004, redrew the continent. Bulgaria and Romania joined in 2007, and Croatia in 2013. After that, the bloc shrank when the U.K. left the EU.
A New Geopolitical Calculus
Traditionally, the EU treated enlargement as a distant reward for would-be members rather than as an active geopolitical strategy. But Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, China’s expanding influence, and uncertainty about the U.S. commitment to Europe and NATO have shifted Brussels’ calculus. Rather than an economic transaction in which new participants open their markets in exchange for development funds, membership is now framed as a mutually beneficial bargain over border defense, energy security, and global leverage.
Still, candidates must meet strict reform benchmarks, and none of the new crop are likely to join before 2028. Negotiations cover 35 policy areas, or chapters, grouped into six clusters ranging from fundamentals and rule of law to the green agenda, and all 27 existing members must approve the opening and closing of each chapter: a veto power that has long paralyzed the process.
European Council President António Costa has urged lifting unanimity requirements for early accession stages, but this would require unanimous agreement, the very hurdle it is meant to remove. A proposal floated by French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz would partially sidestep this barrier by giving candidates gradual, milestone-based access to the EU single market — covering goods, services, energy and regulatory standards — years before full membership.
Convergence Before Integration
Regardless, economic convergence is already outpacing political integration. Over the past two decades, the Central and Eastern European economies have grown at more than twice the rate of the EU-15, the wealthier Western and Northern European nations that were members before the big Eastern enlargement in 2004.
Some of those newcomers, according to Eurostat data, have since become the bloc’s growth engine. In 2025, the Czech Republic expanded by 2.6%, Latvia by 2.1%, and Lithuania by 2.9%. Poland, the frontrunner, grew by 3.6% and now ranks sixth in the EU by nominal gross domestic product, accounting for 4.9% of its total output, ahead of countries like Sweden, Ireland, and Austria.
It is not just EU officials betting that a second eastward enlargement will strengthen the bloc. Investors have taken notice, too. According to a report by accounting firm Forvis Mazars, mergers and acquisitions in the region hit a record €42.5 billion in 2025, up 36% year-on-year.
Risks loom, however.
Demographic decline, labor shortages, and exposure to geopolitical shocks could undercut the push toward enlargement. Enlargement also carries political costs, including further impeding an already sluggish decision-making process and straining a common budget under pressure from rising defense spending. Ultimately, expansion has come to seem a matter not of if but when. The eastern frontier region is no longer just the EU’s lower-cost manufacturing base, but where the bloc’s defense, industrial policy, and future growth will be decided.
Luca Ventura is a contributing writer based in Italy.
Europe’s answer to OpenAI has just become considerably better funded.
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The Paris-based company Mistral AI announced its Series D on Tuesday, three years after being seeded, with the memory chip giant Samsung leading alongside the EU-backed Scaleup Europe Fund, managed by EQT, and existing investor PSG Equity.
The step up is steep.
Mistral was valued at €11.7 billion in 2025 after a €1.7 billion Series C led by Dutch chipmaker ASML, meaning the company has almost doubled its valuation in a year.
Much of the money is going into concrete rather than code. CEO Arthur Mensch announced the funding would build out data centres and computing capacity that Mistral can rent to others but that will also ensure autonomy.
“Long term, the plan is to fully rely on capacity that we are building ourselves, and so that means that the amount of compute that we own is going to grow around 100% in the next five years,” Mensch said, adding that the company would train “bigger and faster models.”
Mistral is already spending €4 billion on data centres across France and Europe, with one facility running outside Paris and another under construction in Sweden.
It raised further debt financing in March for the same purpose, and Microsoft has agreed to fund capacity from its European network, built around thousands of Nvidia chips.
Both Microsoft and Nvidia are also investors in Mistral, with the latter also adding exposure in this funding round.
The company says more than 125 enterprises across 20 countries use its technology, and Mistral projects it will pass a billion in annual recurring revenue by the end of 2026.
Europe lags behind in the AI race
Despite the news, Europe continues to critically lag behind in the global AI race.
Mistral’s valuation sits far below OpenAI and Anthropic, and Europe’s wider AI sector remains a fraction of the American one, with enterprise adoption across the bloc running at around 13.5%.
Other European contenders exist but are smaller.
Germany’s Aleph Alpha focuses on government and regulated industries rather than competing at the frontier, while Helsing has grown quickly in defence applications, and Switzerland’s Apertus offers fully open models and training data.
Brussels is trying to close the gap.
The InvestAI initiative carries a €200 billion headline commitment, and in July the Commission opened tenders for up to seven AI gigafactories, aiming to unlock more than €30 billion in investment, though those sites are not expected to operate until next year or 2028.
Thirteen smaller AI factories are already being built across seven EU countries.
The AI Act became applicable in August, but its toughest obligations were pushed back by the digital omnibus agreed in May, with high-risk rules now landing in December 2027 and August 2028, a delay Brussels framed as making the policy more innovation-friendly.
A major travel change is set to impact British holidaymakers going to and from Europe as of today (7 September), and an expert has issued some crucial advice to avoid disruption
Brits could no longer benefit from eased airport measures as of today (Monday, 7 September)(Image: Getty Images/Stock Photo)
An expert has issued a warning to all Brits travelling to and from Europe as a significant change comes into force.
The European Union’s (EU) Entry/Exit System (EES) was rolled out across airports earlier this year, and, in a bid to reduce travel disruption, member states were permitted to relax some of its restrictions. EU countries such as France, Germany, Italy, Portugal and Spain were allowed to temporarily “lift biometric registration” until the end of summer to ensure there was “some relief for the worst-case scenario”, and temporarily switched off the EES when required.
Many European countries utilised the eased measures, particually during the summer holidays, as the EES requires all British passport holders to create a digital record and register their biometric details, such as fingerprints and a photograph, upon arrival in the Schengen area. However, as of today, Monday, 7 September, the ability to relax EES requirements is expected to have expired, with no formal announcement made of an extension.
With uncertainty building that it could prompt airport chaos if there is no further leeway given to Brits when travelling through the EU and the digital system, an expert has issued a warning about the impacts. Anton Radchenko, aviation expert and CEO of passenger-rights company AirAdvisor, explained: “The part of this most travellers have not clocked is that the risk runs both ways. Everyone worries about queues when arriving in Europe, but British passengers can also become trapped at exit control at a Spanish, Italian or other Schengen airport when trying to fly home.
“If a passenger misses an operating flight solely because of a passport-control queue, there is generally no automatic EU261 right to compensation or free rebooking. Airlines may help voluntarily, but passengers should not assume they will, and many insurance policies only cover specified causes such as public transport failure, so the exact wording needs to be checked.
“If the airline delays the flight because passengers are stuck in the queue, its normal care obligations still apply after the relevant waiting period. If it cancels, passengers remain entitled to a refund or rerouting, even though fixed compensation is unlikely where the border disruption was outside the airline’s control.”
Anton added: “My advice is to treat the return journey as seriously as the flight out. Follow the airport’s arrival-time guidance, go to passport control promptly, alert the airline before the gate closes if the queue becomes excessive and preserve time-stamped evidence showing where the delay occurred.”
There have been reports that some member states may still allow eased measures moving forward, although nothing has been officially announced. A European Commission spokesperson told the Guardian at the beginning of last week: “We are in close and constructive contact with those few member states where some adjustments are needed at certain border crossing points. And during an additional period of operational adjustment that is needed at these few operational border crossing points, the commission stands ready to provide additional support to these member states.”
Meanwhile, Ryanair has called on the EU Commission to “immediately” extend the EES flexibility until next year. Ryanair’s COO Neal McMahon said: “The EU’s handling of EES has been a shambles from start to finish. Airlines, airports and border authorities repeatedly warned Brussels that the rollout was not ready, that it would increase processing times and that it would create excessive queues for passengers. Those warnings were ignored, with EU citizens the ones delayed and disrupted.
“Passengers should not be made to pay the price for the EU’s failed EES rollout. Ryanair calls on the EU Commission to urgently extend the EES derogation until at least Apr 2027, so that airports and border authorities have the time needed to fix malfunctioning kiosks, increase staffing levels and ensure the system can operate efficiently before full enforcement is introduced and passengers are condemned to these excessive border control delays for another season.”
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COPENHAGEN: EU chief Ursula von der Leyen heads to Greenland on Sunday for a two-day visit aimed at reaffirming the bloc’s support for the Danish autonomous territory coveted by US President Donald Trump.
On Monday, she is due to sign a joint declaration between the European Union and Greenland.
“Greenland is becoming increasingly important to the EU as a gateway to the Arctic and because of its geopolitical location, critical raw materials and role in Arctic security,” Marc Jacobsen, a researcher at the Royal Danish Defence College, told AFP.
Trump was adamant earlier this year about Washington’s need to control the vast Arctic island for reasons of national security, though he ultimately ruled out annexing it by force.
A Danish-Greenlandic-US working group has since met regularly to find an agreement on cooperation going forward.
Following Trump’s threats, European countries broadly backed Denmark and Greenland, and in January von der Leyen vowed “massive” EU investment in Greenland to step up security in the Arctic.
Greenland is not a member of the bloc though Denmark is.
Brussels has also proposed doubling direct EU aid to Greenland to 530 million euros ($616 million) under the bloc’s next budget for the 2028-2034 period.
According to the Financial Times, von der Leyen is expected to propose an additional 200 million euros in support during her visit on Sunday and Monday.
Her visit coincides with the start of NATO’s Arctic Shield military exercise, bringing together soldiers from 10 countries.
Mikaa Blugeon-Mered, a geopolitics researcher at the University of Quebec, called the timing a “not insignificant coincidence”.
The Trump administration has repeatedly accused Denmark of neglecting Greenland and Arctic security.
Copenhagen has since reinvested in the region, as has NATO, which launched its Arctic Sentry mission at the start of the year.
“The EU cannot provide Greenland with a military security guarantee in the way NATO can, but it can provide something politically important: a clear signal that Greenland is not standing alone,” Jacobsen said.
Pressure
The message is all the more important as the US has kept up pressure on Greenland — though Trump has been less vocal since a May visit by his special envoy Jeff Landry.
“We’ve been getting ‘postcards’ from Trump or those close to him about Greenland every month, showing that they haven’t forgotten,” noted Blugeon-Mered.
One such image Trump posted on Truth Social in May showed him peering over the island, with the headline “Hello, Greenland!”.
In August, media reports of an American oil company’s preparatory operations in a remote region of eastern Greenland rekindled concerns on the island.
The project, run by a Texas-based company with licenses granted before a 2021 moratorium on oil and gas exploration and extraction, has left locals and authorities uneasy.
Authorities have yet to grant the company approval for exploratory drilling, citing procedural reasons.
Greenland is also struggling to develop its mining industry, which could help it fund its independence from Denmark.
In this area, Greenlandic and European interests are “highly complementary”, Jacobsen said.
“Greenland needs investment, infrastructure and markets if it is to realise its mining ambitions, while the EU is looking for more secure and diversified access to critical raw materials,” he said.
But turning Greenland’s geological potential into reality is proving more difficult than expected.
Some 135 mining permits are held by more than 60 companies, but only two mines are currently in operation.
“The question is whether the current geopolitical momentum will ultimately be a game-changer,” Jacobsen said.
Blugeon-Mered said von der Leyen’s visit to Greenland — her second in two years — was a strong signal that European investment is long-term.
The EU chief is scheduled to hold talks during her visit with Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, and the head of government of Denmark’s other self-governing territory, the Faroe Islands.
Passports should be scanned electronically from today
A change in EU border rules comes into force on Sunday, meaning everyone from the UK heading into Europe from today could face longer queues. The European Union has been rolling out a new Entry/Exit System (EES), which sees everyone from the UK entering countries like France, Spain, Greece and Portugal having to wait for a machine to enter biometric data.
That includes having your picture taken, having fingerprints scanned and allowing the machine to take a copy of your passport. The system was launched at the end of last year, but queues were so long – sometimes around four hours – that the machines were switched off at some borders and a new date for full use was set – September 6, 2026.
EES was originally planned to go live in 2022 but has been repeatedly delayed due to technical problems and then to avoid peak travel times. It was officially launched in October 2025 and was supposed to be fully rolled out within six months.
By April this year, there had already been severe queue delays, with passengers missing flights, and Greece temporarily suspended EES – followed by suspensions at multiple other EU borders. Those suspensions are supposed to end today.
Airlines have called for the EU to extend the suspension until the end of this year. And there are reports that not everyone will face EES, with France reportedly suffering technical problems that could see it out of use this week.
The fingerprinting kiosks at Port of Dover and London St Pancras are not currently working. A Eurotunnel spokesperson told The Guardian it is “awaiting confirmation from the French authorities on the timing of this next phase”.
A source told The Guardian some countries, including Greece, may continue to use manual checks rather than the automated system despite the September 6 deadline.
Airlines trade body Iata last week called for an official extension, saying there are still delays and still reports of missed flights.
A European Commission spokesperson said: “We are in close and constructive contact with those few member states where some adjustments are needed at certain border crossing points. And during an additional period of operational adjustment that is needed at these few operational border crossing points, the commission stands ready to provide additional support to these member states.”
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has updated its travel advice for British passport holders entering Ireland and the ID that is required
The Foreign Office has updated its travel advice for Ireland (Image: Getty Images)
The Foreign Office has issued an important travel update for Brits planning to visit Ireland.
On Friday, 4 September, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) updated its information on the ID requirements for British passport holders when travelling from the UK to Ireland. On the Foreign Office’s entry requirements page for Ireland, it advised Brits that while they don’t need a passport to enter Ireland, it might be best to carry one.
Outlining the requirement for passports and ID, the FCDO said: “British nationals are not legally required to show a passport to enter Ireland, but it may be useful to carry in case you need to prove your identity. British and Irish citizens can continue to travel freely between the UK and Ireland under the Common Travel Area.
“Some airlines and ferry operators have introduced, or will be introducing, a passport-only identification requirement. Check your carrier’s requirements before departure and, where necessary, travel with a valid passport. Check the Ireland Citizens Information Board for guidance on acceptable ID. Irish immigration officers are entitled to ask for proof of British nationality in the course of their work.”
The FCDO also confirmed that British passport holders do not need a visa to enter Ireland. They stated: “You can visit and remain indefinitely in Ireland under the Common Travel Area rules. British nationals do not need a visa or residency permit to live, work or study in Ireland. Although Ireland is in the EU, it is not part of the Schengen area, and Schengen rules do not apply.
It comes after it was confirmed that anyone travelling by ferry between the UK and Ireland will be required to show a passport before boarding. As it stands, those catching a ferry to and from the Irish ports of Dublin and Rosslare can use photo IDs rather than passports, but from September 28, passports will be required.
In the update, Irish Ferries confirmed: “From 28 September 2026, all passengers travelling on Irish Ferries services between the Republic of Ireland and Britain must present a valid passport or Irish passport card before boarding. The new passport requirement applies to Irish Ferries’ Dublin–Holyhead and Rosslare–Pembroke routes, in both directions.
“This requirement applies to all passengers, including Irish and UK citizens. From 28 September 2026, driving licences, national identity cards and other forms of photographic identification will no longer be accepted for travel on these routes.
“Irish Ferries is introducing this requirement to comply with UK Border Force requirements on the accuracy and integrity of passenger data before boarding.”
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Balos Beach in Chania, Crete, was inundated with tourists at the end of August, many of them struggling to keep steady among the intense throngs attracted to the pretty spot
The beach has become very popular (Image: warumpenny/Instagram)
A beautiful Greek beach has gone viral for all of the wrong reasons.
Some people are bucket-and-spade beachgoers. Others prefer to relax on the sand, enjoying a glass of wine. Some can spend hours splashing about in the waves.
However you prefer to enjoy a day at the beach, it’s unlikely your ideal seaside trip involves getting crushed by hundreds of fellow sunseekers scrabbling not to fall into the water.
That was the scene at Balos Beach in Crete at the end of August. Footage taken at the beautiful coastal spot shows it inundated with tourists, many struggling to keep steady among the intense throngs.
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In the roasting hot Greek weather, beachgoers were unable to move, packed as they were onto an increasingly popular beach on the north-east of the island. More tourists kept arriving by boat, even as it became apparent that Balos was full.
A video of the beach shared on Instagram has attracted more than a million views and hundreds of comments, many of them despairing about the crowds.
“I get that it’s beautiful and everyone wants to see this… BUT it’s a protected area! Maybe just let a few groups of people at a time go … and not a whole invasion … I’m Greek and this makes me sad … so please if you visit… respect that beautiful place,” one person wrote.
Another added: “Poor Balos. In a few years, this beautiful natural environment will be destroyed.” A third wrote: ” Pathetic. At least leave an unspoilt corner for us Greeks and go to Mykonos. Please.”
Efforts have been made to protect some of Crete’s best-loved beaches from the impacts of overtourism.
Balos Lagoon, Elafonisi and Falassarna are all protected under the European Union’s Natura 2000 network due to their ecological importance and rich biodiversity, according to Kathimerini.
Balos is known for its shallow turquoise waters and white and pink-tinged sand.
Giorgos Koukourakis, a special environmental adviser to the Municipality of Kissamos, told the publication: “We have had a problem with overpopulation for the past three or four years. Because these areas have such a good reputation, too many people go there.”
Some steps have already been taken, including limiting the number of sun loungers at Balos to 150, down from 400.
“But even this measure is not enough. When you have to manage 4,000 to 5,000 people a day, it is frightening,” Koukourakis added.
There are now proposals to control beach visits through an online booking system. Officials hope to have it ready next year.
Greece signs $3.5bn deal with Israel to acquire its first multi-layered air defence network by 2029.
Published On 31 Aug 202631 Aug 2026
Greece has signed a $3.5bn defence deal with Israel to provide its first integrated “multi-layered” air defence network.
Israel said the agreement, negotiated over three years, is one of the largest in the country’s history..
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Engineers will set up an aerial defence shield for the Greeks, integrating three Israeli systems, including the SPYDER system, produced by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, the BARAK MX system, made by Israel Aerospace Industries and David’s Sling air defence technology, an Israeli defence ministry statement said on Monday.
The agreement comes as Israeli weapons’ exports are soaring, despite widespread criticism over its genocidal war against Palestinians in Gaza and other wars in Lebanon and Iran.
Israeli weapons exports reached record highs with more than $19bn last year, a 30 percent increase from 2024, according to official data.
“Modern conflicts have already altered the parameters of military defence and deterrence,” Greece’s Defence Minister, Nikos Dendias, said in a statement after the agreement was signed.
“Technology, ballistic missiles, satellite communications, unmanned systems, cyber threats, hybrid forms of warfare and the interconnection of fields of operations have long rendered pre-existing defence doctrines completely unrealistic,” he said.
Reporting from Athens, Al Jazeera’s John Psaropoulos said the systems could counter a range of aerial threats.
“The SPYDER and David’s Sling are short-to-medium-range air defence missile systems. They fire missiles to intercept incoming aircraft, cruise missiles and large drones. The BARAK can do all these things, but it also intercepts incoming ballistics,” he said.
Separately, Greece signed a $30m deal with Israel for Rafael’s Drone Dome system, “to defend strategic sites against UAVs and drones and to reinforce existing defences”.
Europe’s changing security landscape
Greece is the second European Union member to agree to buy the David’s Sling system, after Finland.
“This is Greece interpreting the lessons from the war in Ukraine, which has changed the nature of armed conflict and realising that it needs much stronger air defences to intercept whatever might come in from the East.” Psaropoulos said.
“Now that the war in the Gulf has reawakened Iranian animosity towards US allies in Europe, there is a perceived threat from there as well as from other countries in the East,” Psaropoulos added.
Greece spends nearly 3.5 percent of its gross domestic product on defence, a higher proportion than many NATO allies due to its long-standing dispute with neighbouring Turkiye.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney supports a new global defense bank called the Defence, Security and Resilience Bank (DSRB), which aims to help allied countries rearm. The bank is looking to raise around €100 billion ($116 billion) to provide low-cost loans to governments and defense contractors for military projects. It will also guarantee loans for smaller, riskier firms. So far, Canada, along with Albania, Belgium, Greece, Latvia, Luxembourg, Romania, Turkey, and Ukraine, has expressed support for the initiative.
As of August, the DSRB had secured about €5 billion in commitments but aims for €20 billion in paid-in capital and an additional €80 billion available when necessary. However, major economies like Germany and Britain have not yet committed, which raises concerns about the DSRB’s ability to achieve the triple-A credit rating necessary for the lowest funding costs. Experts suggest that the participation of larger governments is essential to impress ratings agencies. Some potential members are hesitant about whether the DSRB can offer better financing terms than national governments, given their own budget limitations and existing commitments in similar initiatives.
Canada is actively engaging other countries ahead of the charter signing planned for autumn. DSRB founder Rob Murray emphasized the need for rearmament to address increasing security threats. He noted that many European nations are raising defense spending but are not close to meeting NATO’s targets. Carney has called for cooperation among middle powers to respond to what he sees as a changing world order.
The DSRB aims to provide funding for defense investments separate from current national debts but needs further backing to be impactful. Major European countries already have access to cheap borrowing but joining the DSRB would allow their domestic contractors to benefit from its funding. Some officials have raised concerns about overlap with existing financing programs like the EU’s SAFE program and Britain’s proposed Multilateral Defence Mechanism. There are worries about the upfront capital required for DSRB membership and the selection process for projects, as larger countries might need to contribute around €1 billion.
Murray highlighted that contributions could be spread over three years, and the DSRB could provide a more stable financing avenue for defense than existing programs. He stressed that increasing defense spending could lead to technology improvements, job creation, and economic growth while enhancing deterrence.
Canada hopes that under new Prime Minister Andy Burnham, Britain might reconsider its initial rejection of the DSRB, which was based on concerns over value for money. Burnham’s defense minister has described the DSRB as an innovative mechanism. If Britain joins, it may influence Germany’s decision to participate as well. Currently, Germany has been observing discussions but has not committed.
Industry groups in Britain and Germany are urging their governments to join the DSRB, fearing exclusion from projects financed by the bank. The DSRB has received about $10 million in support from various banks to help establish itself, and its proponents claim it is on track to achieve a high credit rating. Canada is willing to move forward with the current supporters, leaving room for other countries to join later, which could help secure the desired credit rating. The support of core shareholders is crucial for the creditworthiness of multilateral institutions.
Icelanders head to the polls on Saturday to decide whether their country should reenter negotiations to join the European Union, a vote that could have economic and security implications beyond the small Arctic country.
The election comes 13 years after Iceland, under a Eurosceptic government, paused the last EU accession talks, believing the country would fare better outside the bloc.
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But much has changed since then.
Arctic security concerns have grown amid Russia’s war against Ukraine and United States President Donald Trump’s threats to invade neighbouring Greenland, the cost of living has climbed and Iceland’s currency has kept wavering.
Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir, whose Social Democrats party is pro-EU, said she will honour whatever choice the public makes.
If Icelanders vote “yes”, the country would likely start years of negotiations with Brussels to hammer out membership terms. It would then hold a second referendum on whether to formally become part of the EU.
Frostadottir has said a “yes” vote would see the nation “enter negotiations with our heads held high and stand together in seeking a good agreement”.
If the result is “no”, “all speculation about what [EU membership] might involve will be set aside”, she said.
Knife-edge vote
Recent surveys show Icelanders are almost evenly split on the proposal.
A Gallup opinion poll conducted this week found that 51.6 percent of respondents were against new EU membership talks, while 48.4 percent favoured them.
An earlier survey by Icelandic pollster Maskina showed a narrow majority of 51.3 percent of respondents backing new EU accession talks.
Gabriella Gricius, associate professor of strategy at the Norwegian Military Academy, said Iceland’s lack of armed forces has always left it “reliant on NATO and specifically the US for its security”.
“As the US has grown more unpredictable, and specifically, its rhetoric around Greenland has grown more concerning, it is not surprising that Iceland is seeking additional security guarantees through the EU,” Gricius told Al Jazeera.
Adam Fishwick, a lecturer in international relations at the University of Iceland, said the expected benefits of membership would be reduced inflation, a more stable currency and fewer customs barriers for consumers.
“There may also be opportunities for regional development in Iceland, which is an important issue here, with access to dedicated EU funds,” he told Al Jazeera.
However, the debate over EU accession remains “quite polarised”, he noted. Opponents fear the small nation of 395,000 people would “lose control over everyday policy decisions” and have limited sway in a bloc filled with larger European powers, Fishwick said.
Voters to weigh impact on inflation, currency
The benefits of EU membership for Iceland are not as obvious as for other potential candidates.
Iceland is a relatively wealthy country that, as a member of Schengen and the European Economic Area, already gets a lot of the single-market access that would come with EU membership.
However, the country has experienced growing economic pains in recent years, primarily regarding the cost of living. Consumer prices in 2025 exceeded those of any EU state and were 87 percent higher than the EU average.
Iceland’s currency, the krona, meanwhile, has been prone to exchange-rate swings that opponents say lower investment confidence and make it more costly to borrow money. Earlier this year, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs concluded that the costs of maintaining Iceland’s own currency probably outweigh the benefits. Adopting the euro, it said in a report, may help reduce interest rates and transaction costs.
Joining the EU could help address both issues.
Iceland would become a part of the bloc’s customs union, in which goods move freely between members and face a common tariff when imported from non-member countries. It could also adopt the more stable euro as its currency.
Fishing industry concerns: ‘Backbone of the economy’
A major concern, though, is the impact on the country’s fishing industry, an economic pillar that in 2024 directly contributed about 8 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) and much more indirectly.
By joining the EU, Iceland would become subject to the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy, which governs European fishing fleets and fish stocks.
Iceland’s fishing industry fears this change could lead to new catch quotas, increased foreign competition and, more broadly, less control over local fishing policy.
A fishing boat battles rough seas in Grindavik, Iceland [File: Brook Mitchell/Getty Images]
“The fundamental objection to EU membership is that Iceland would not retain full control over its fisheries – the traditional backbone of the economy,” Valur Ingimundarson, professor of contemporary history at the University of Iceland, told Al Jazeera.
Even if Icelanders vote “yes” to proceed with EU negotiations, the country is unlikely to go forward with EU membership unless it secures “ironclad” exemptions regarding its fishing industry, said Ingimundarson.
‘Additional security guarantees’
Mounting security pressures in the Arctic, coupled with uncertainty about US commitment to its traditional European partners, are also contributing to Iceland’s renewed interest in the EU, say analysts.
Though Iceland is a founding member of NATO and has a 75-year defence treaty with the US, it has no standing armed forces of its own and is located in a geopolitical hotspot that both Russia and the US have sought to project power in.
While Russia has expanded its military presence in the Arctic in recent years, President Trump has repeatedly threatened to use force to seize nearby Greenland.
Ingimundarson said pro-EU Icelanders see “the EU as a source of political and economic protection for a small state confronted by coercive great-power politics and uncertainty about the US as a reliable security partner”.
Iceland’s Foreign Minister Thorgerdur Gunnarsdottir has said membership would be “a valuable addition” for Iceland, even though NATO and the US would still be its core security partners.
In comments to Reuters, Gunnarsdottir said Iceland has been “disappointed” with the US’s “pressure campaign waged against both Greenlanders and Denmark”.
Russia poses a security threat “in our waters and nearby, in the North Atlantic”, said Gunnarsdottir.
For the EU, bringing Iceland into its orbit would expand EU territory much deeper into the North Atlantic, potentially deepening its strategic focus there, said Gricius, the professor.
“Icelandic membership in the EU wouldn’t necessarily change Arctic security dynamics, as Iceland is and will continue to be an Arctic state,” she said. “However, it may influence how the EU behaves in the Arctic, as the EU would then include four of the eight Arctic states – Iceland, Finland, Sweden and Denmark.”
Meta has agreed to a landmark $18bn settlement in a major US federal case accusing it of endangering children, the terms of which will force the social media giant to introduce new safety features to platforms including Instagram and Facebook.
The social media giant has faced an avalanche of legal cases against it this year, mostly arguing that it deliberately designed its platforms to be addictive and that they have harmed children. It has already lost two of these and been forced to pay damages.
Under the agreement, child users under the age of 18 will see a slew of changes to their Facebook and Instagram accounts, ranging from night curfews to two-hour usage limits, which Meta must implement as part of the settlement reached on Wednesday with 48 US states.
The agreement could have a global ripple effect as several countries around the world are already taking regulatory action against Meta and other social media companies over their platforms.
So, what is in the settlement Meta has reached in the United States, and how will Instagram and Facebook change for users?
Colorado Chief Trial Counsel Jason Slothouber leaves the courthouse with team members after Meta Platforms agreed to a settlement to resolve claims by states across the US that the company designed those platforms to get children addicted, in Oakland, California, the United States, August 26, 2026 [Manuel Orbegozo/Reuters]
What was the lawsuit about?
Twenty-nine US states sued Meta, accusing it of designing its platforms in ways that “encourage addictive behaviour, fail to verify users’ ages, encourage adolescents to bypass parental controls, and inadequately safeguard against harmful content and/or intentionally amplify harmful and exploitative content”, according to filings at the Court of Appeal in California.
The first four of the states that originally filed their federal lawsuit against Meta in 2023 – California, Kentucky, Colorado and New Jersey – began their cases in a California federal trial last week.
The attorneys general bringing the case also asked the court to order that changes be made to Meta’s platforms to protect young social media users. In particular, they demanded that Meta introduce a process of parental verification for teenage users; change its “dopamine-manipulating” algorithms; remove image filters for users’ personal images; forbid the creation of multiple accounts; and end “disappearing” messages and posts.
The lawsuit also alleged Meta had violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act by collecting, retaining and using personal data from children under 13 without proper parental consent.
In February this year, Meta lost a multimillion-dollar case brought on similar grounds by a young woman referred to as KGM in Los Angeles, over platform features linked to addiction in younger users.
In March, a US jury ordered Meta to pay $375m for endangering children in a case brought by the state of New Mexico.
Last month, a judge in New Mexico also ordered Facebook and Instagram owner Meta to pay a further $567m in a second phase of the trial.
Witness Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, leaves the courthouse as Meta faces a landmark trial in federal court in Oakland, California, the US, August 25, 2026 [Manuel Orbegozo/Reuters]
Meta denied wrongdoing but agreed to settle after evidence was heard that Meta knew its products harmed children’s mental health. The total payout – to be paid over 10 years – is a fraction of Meta’s 2025 revenue of $201bn.
The company, which was originally founded as Facebook in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg, agreed to make maximum payments totalling $16.7bn to 47 US states as well as Washington, DC; Puerto Rico; American Samoa; and the Northern Mariana Islands.
Among those, California could receive a $2.2bn payout, while New York could receive $1.1bn. Texas reached a separate settlement worth more than $1bn. Some states will deposit funds they receive in general accounts, while others will earmark portions to address children’s mental health services.
The settlement does not require Meta to discontinue personalised recommendations or targeted advertising.
It also does not address some content researchers found particularly problematic, including posts that made Instagram users uncomfortable with their body image.
“Ensuring teens have a safe and productive experience on our platforms is an absolute imperative for Meta,” Meta said in a blog post. “We want to get this right for parents and teens.”
Novva Tolson, 15, and Annie Wang, 15, pose as they scroll through their social media feeds, in Sydney, Australia, July 14, 2026 [Jeremy Piper/Reuters]
What changes will be seen on Instagram and Facebook?
Under the agreement, children under 18 using Meta platforms will be restricted to two hours’ use per day, with a night curfew in place from midnight to 6am. Meta will limit “social comparison” features by hiding likes and reactions to children’s accounts, and will ban “cosmetic procedure filters” that alter the appearance of a user’s image, as a default setting. These settings will only be able to be overruled by parental consent.
The company also agreed to disable the majority of push notifications from the platforms during school hours – 8am to 3pm – for teenage users.
It will also facilitate much closer parental supervision of social media accounts by giving designated adults the ability to more extensively monitor and change settings on a social media account.
Parents and guardians will be able to receive information about time spent on platform apps, and usernames of social connections and accounts sending messages to children.
Supervising parents will also receive daily notifications from Meta any time the teen account messages an adult account for the first time, as well as a link to the adult’s account. Parental accounts will also be notified any time the teen account searches for keywords related to suicide, self-harm or eating disorders.
Meta also agreed to improve the technology used to check children’s ages, using its own as well as third-party tools, with regular outside audits on how well this monitoring is working. This measure is particularly notable because Australia banned under-16s from using social media platforms in December last year. However, the Australian internet watchdog, eSafety, found in August this year that more than eight in 10 young Australian teens and preteens continue to use them – largely because age-check procedures are ineffective.
So far, Meta has only agreed to pay 70 percent of the settlement, or roughly $12.7bn, over the next 10 years. It will only pay the remaining amount, about $5bn, if its rivals – including Snapchat, TikTok and Alphabet-owned YouTube – adopt similar measures and agree to pay the same. It also said it would reduce time restrictions to one hour per day if other platforms do the same.
These changes would be phased over time. Once the court approves the settlement, non-personalised feeds would be introduced within four months; broader compliance measures within six months; and major age-assurance requirements within one year.
While these changes will apply to users in the US, it is unclear if Meta plans to introduce them worldwide. However, Meta is already under rising regulatory pressure in European Union countries and those elsewhere to implement similar changes.
How much difference will these changes make?
Critics and child safety advocates have acknowledged that this settlement has forced landmark changes by Meta, the world’s biggest social media company, which owns Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger, each of which has more than two to three billion monthly active users.
However, critics say the central plank of Meta’s latest settlement deal is the move to restrict teens to two hours per day on platforms, rather than fundamentally changing their addictive algorithms.
Sacha Haworth, executive director of The Tech Oversight Project, which campaigns for youth safety online, said the deal is a “historic settlement that will have a lasting impact, but we cannot truly protect all children and teens until these protections are required on every platform and are permanent – that’s something only Congress can do”.
Ella Bradshaw, policy officer for child safety online at the NSPCC, a UK children’s charity, welcomed moves to rein in “addictive” design features like personalised algorithms and likes. “These are the things that we know keep children hooked and feeling out of control of their screen time, so action here is necessary and welcome. However, important gaps remain,” she told Al Jazeera.
Bradshaw described the settlement as taking “piecemeal action” on tackling risky features and addictive design choices which drive harm of children.
“This means features like disappearing messages, infinite scroll, the ability to gift and livestreaming remain unaddressed. Similarly, little has been announced on how Meta’s AI chatbots will be made safer – better guardrails are needed, particularly when children raise safeguarding concerns.”
Bradshaw also called for stronger protections for younger children as well as protections that “don’t suddenly drop away the moment a teenager turns 18.”
Furthermore, she said: “Not all children have families they can rely on to oversee their online worlds and help them to stay safe. We know that the issue of patchy online protections extends across the online world.
“This settlement must spur governments and regulators to go further faster; taking stronger action across the online ecosystem including private messaging, AI tools and online gaming. Without that wider shift, children will continue to face avoidable harm.”
What action are other countries taking against Meta?
While action against social media giants in the US is mostly taking the form of lawsuits, elsewhere it is regulators who are leading the charge.
In the European Union, regulators are pursuing several legal and regulatory cases against Meta, covering antitrust rules for artificial intelligence (AI) on WhatsApp, as well as child safety protections and addictive platform features under the Digital Services Act (DSA).
The EU specifically accused the group of designing Facebook and Instagram to be “addictive”, adding that Meta has failed to adequately assess the danger its products pose to users’ physical and mental health.
On Thursday, a European Commission spokesperson said it is waiting on Meta to present changes to limit the addictive designs of its social networks.
“We have been very clear … Meta knows what we are expecting from them. … the ball is in Meta’s court,” Thomas Regnier said. “Now it is for the company to offer these commitments in the European Union to protect our kids here, too.”
In June, the UK government also announced a sweeping ban on social media for those below 16 to come into force next year, following a global trend after Australia pioneered it. The UK is also considering overnight curfews and ways to prevent infinite scrolling for those under 18.
In Brazil, a prominent consumer rights organisation, the Collective Defence Institute, filed twin lawsuits for three billion reais ($525m) in damages against the Brazilian subsidiaries of Meta, TikTok and Kwai in October 2024.
Those lawsuits also accuse the groups of failing to implement safeguards against addiction and use by children and adolescents. Since March this year, platforms have been required to link the accounts of children below 16 to legal guardians under Brazil’s Digital Statute for Children and Adolescents.
South Korea’s media regulator also reacted on Thursday to Meta’s settlement, calling for better protections for young users to be ideally applied worldwide, rather than just in specific markets.
Poland has asked the European Commission to impose a €250 million ($291.3 million) fine on Meta, accusing the social media company of failing to adequately tackle fraudulent advertisements and scams on its platforms.
Polish Digital Affairs Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski said on Wednesday that Meta had failed to respond effectively despite repeated warnings from Polish authorities and cybersecurity teams.
“Despite repeated reports from the relevant Polish authorities and teams responsible for cybersecurity, Meta still does not provide an effective and adequate response to fraudulent advertisements,” Gawkowski said in a post on X.
Poland’s Cybersecurity Tests Raise Concerns
The request followed tests conducted by CERT Polska, Poland’s national cybersecurity incident response team. The team identified 122 advertisements that were classified as fraudulent.
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According to Gawkowski, Meta decided not to remove 106 of those advertisements, representing 86.8% of the cases. Only 10 advertisements were removed, while authorities received no response in six cases.
The Polish minister called on Meta to introduce more effective tools to identify and remove scams, false advertising and promotions for illegal applications.
Meta did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
The dispute adds to broader regulatory and legal pressure on Meta over the content and safety of its platforms.
The company has faced criticism over allegations that its products can harm children and that it has misled the public about their safety. In Poland, Meta has also faced criticism over fraudulent advertisements and a lawsuit filed by billionaire Rafal Brzoska over fake advertisements using his identity.
In April 2026, a Warsaw appellate court ruled that Meta was responsible for advertisements hosted on its platforms. Meta has argued that it should not be held responsible for fraudulent actions carried out by its users.
Poland’s request places the issue within the broader European debate over the responsibility of major technology platforms for illegal and deceptive content. The European Commission now faces a decision over whether the evidence provided by Polish authorities warrants further enforcement action.
Analysis
The dispute highlights a growing regulatory challenge for social media companies: whether platforms can continue treating fraudulent advertising primarily as user generated content or must take greater responsibility for what they distribute.
For Poland, the requested €250 million penalty is not only about individual scam advertisements. It is also a test of whether existing European digital regulations can compel major platforms to respond more effectively when national authorities identify systemic failures.
If the European Commission takes action, it could increase pressure on Meta to strengthen its advertising verification and content moderation systems across Europe. It could also establish a broader precedent for holding technology companies accountable when their platforms repeatedly facilitate fraudulent advertising.
The beautiful but small islands of the South Aegean, namely Kos, Santorini and Rhodes, recorded the highest tourism saturation of any region in the European Union in 2024
Tourists hugely outnumber locals in islands including Rhodes (Image: peeterv via Getty Images)
A set of beautiful European islands face becoming ‘monsters’ as locals grapple with major overcrowding.
The charming but small islands of the South Aegean, namely Kos, Santorini and Rhodes, recorded the highest tourism saturation of any region in the European Union in 2024, with visitors spending more nights per resident there than anywhere else in the bloc, according to Eurostat.
Tourists logged 127.2 nights for every resident last year, the widest gap between visitors and residents found anywhere in the EU. The figures underline the challenge the islanders face in terms of managing their huge popularity, and not losing what makes them so desirable.
When I visited Rhodes in 2023 to see how the island was recovering from wildfires that had forced thousands of holidaymakers to evacuate, a number of independent hoteliers and restaurateurs told me how hard times had been in the past decade. While they cited numerous factors, the biggest one in their minds was the arrival of several large all-inclusive hotels.Do you have a travel story or opinion to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com
Both times I visited, I stayed at the Atlantica Imperial Resort and Spa, a palatial place that stretches its Greek-style whitewashed buildings and lake-sized pool across several acres of coastline in Kolymbia, over in the east of the island.
It was a difficult place to leave, such was the comfort of the beds, the extensive options at the all-you-can-drink bars and restaurant, and the fact it was separated from the nearest sizeable conurbation, Faliraki, by 5km of motorway, with another similarly lengthy stretch to get to the old town.
But when I did make the trip, I found a place that lived up to the Eurostat figures. Quaint alleyways were packed wall to wall with tourists; restaurants were choc-a-bloc full; knick-knack shops were difficult to squeeze into and hard to navigate without accidentally causing a stack of Colossus lighters to tumble to the floor.
At the other end of the island, I found the exact same scenes in Lindos, except the beautiful village and its cliffside acropolis had been swamped by an even denser pack of day-trippers.
The island is home to 115,000 permanent residents and welcomed 3.5 million tourists between January and September 2024, giving a local-to-tourist ratio of roughly 1:30.
Such demand has led to large-scale hotel construction projects, rapidly rising rents that are making it harder for locals to find a place to live, and damage to Rhodes’ natural assets, including by increasing the risk of wildfires.
Action is being taken. The national government has placed dozens of Rhodes beaches under protected status, while some areas are to become ‘red zones’ where new hotels can’t be built.
While Rhodes is struggling with high tourism numbers, Santorini’s problems are on a different scale altogether.
For many months of the year, the postcard-worthy town is taken over by battalions of tourists armed with selfie sticks and phones, jumping off massive cruise ships and making land via dinghies, riding up the steep hills on coaches and donkeys willing to haul them up cobbled streets.
They’re mostly there for the sunset. “This has been my dream since high school,” American tourist Maria Tavarez, 40, told NBC after watching the rays disappear beneath the horizon.
Residents are increasingly worried that the island of 20,000 is being overwhelmed by the nearly four million tourists who visit it each year.
“Our standards of living have gone down. It’s as simple as that,” said hotel owner Georgios Damigos, who warned the “wonder of nature” he lives on risks being turned into “a monster”.
As on Rhodes, work is being done, including a daily 8,000-cruise-passenger limit and a per-passenger €20 fee during the summer, with some parts of the coast now given “Untrodden Beaches” protection, meaning no sunbeds, no commercial activities and no structures.
Whether the South Aegean, along with the rest of Greece, successfully grapples with the challenges that come with its popularity remains to be seen.
If it doesn’t, it risks jeopardising a huge part of its economy. Between January and June, travel receipts across Greece increased by 14.8%, reaching €8.80 billion, while inbound travel traffic rose by 15.4% to 13.49 million travellers.
Locals often spot celebrity visitors such as the Mad Max star Mel Gibson and Dangerous Liaisons actor John Malkovich
Cliff formations on Cathedral Beach, Playa de las Catedrales, Ribadeo, Galicia, Spain.(Image: FedevPhoto via Getty Images)
Jet2Villas is offering holidaymakers a fresh way to explore Spain. The popular airline has added a new region of Spain to its Jet2Villas portfolio – in an area more and more Brits are heading to instead of Andalucia and the Canary Islands.
The area Jet2 is expanding to is popular with Hollywood film celebrities, who have been spotted in local restaurants. Stars such as Mel Gibson and John Malkovich have stayed in the region on more than one occasion – and it’s becoming increasingly popular with Brits as an alternative to spots like the Balearics.
Jet2Villas announced today that it has added Galicia to its programme for the very first time. The northern Spanish region has joined the Jet2Villas portfolio, as the Which? Recommended Provider continues to broaden its villa holiday range in response to increasing demand.
Situated on Spain’s north-west coast, Galicia is celebrated for its lush landscapes, Atlantic shoreline, beaches and fishing villages, as well as cities such as Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña and Vigo. The region is also well-known for its seafood and culinary delights.
Its blend of coastline, countryside, culture and cuisine makes Galicia ideally suited to families, groups and couples seeking a more independent villa break and the opportunity to experience a different side of Spain, away from the country’s more traditional resort hotspots.
The area is steadily growing in popularity. Last year, travel journalist Simon Calder explored the region’s appeal for the Independent. He spoke to Jessica Harvey Taylor, head of press for the Spanish Tourist Office in the UK, who said: “Obviously we’re well aware that the vast majority of our UK holidaymakers are still visiting our five most popular regions: Valencia, Andalucia, Catalonia, and then our islands, the Balearics and the Canaries.
“But it’s very encouraging to see that there’s increased appetite in our northern regions, namely Galicia, Asturias and the Basque country. I think there are multiple reasons. Obviously climate plays a part and not everybody wants the extreme heat that we’ve seen in recent years in the southern Med.
“But there’s much more to it than that. Increasingly, the UK public is realising that they can supplement a beach holiday with something a little bit more adventurous.”
Hollywood legend Mel Gibson, one of the biggest and best-paid actors of the 1990s, has a soft spot for Spain’s northern towns. El Pais reports that the Mad Max star has been spotted dining at a local restaurant in A Fonsagrada in Lugo, and later in Santiago de Compostela, where he took in the cathedral and stayed at the historic Hostal dos Reis Católicos. John Malkovich is a regular visitor to Ponte Maceira, Costa da Morte and A Coruña, the Spanish newspaper revealed.
In the spring of 2019, he returned once more and enjoyed a meal at restaurant Casa Salvador in A Baña alongside Spanish actress Marisa Paredes. The addition of Galicia forms part of a broader expansion which has seen Jet2Villas add more than 1,000 new properties to its portfolio for Summer 26, bringing the total number of available villas to over 4,000 across more than 52 destinations.
The airline says its villa holidays can offer travellers private pools and outdoor space, multiple bedrooms and generous shared living areas, making them ideally suited to families holidaying together, multi-generational groups and gatherings of friends. Jet2Villas has recorded its highest ever number of villa bookings for a summer season, with over 100,000 customers and counting, highlighting the enduring demand from families and groups for holidays offering the convenience of a package holiday combined with the space, privacy and flexibility of a villa break.
David Hills, Chief Customer Officer of Jet2, said: “We’re delighted to introduce Galicia to Jet2Villas for the first time, giving customers even more choice when it comes to villa holidays in Spain. With more than 1,000 new villas added to the collection and a record number of villa customers for Summer 26, we’re continuing to grow our programme in response to strong demand.”
The Xunta De Galicia tourist information website outlines a host of reasons why visitors might be tempted to head there. It says “Miles of coastline, fine sandy beaches, small fishing ports and outstanding gastronomy make the Rías Baixas one of the favourite destinations for travellers looking to combine nature, culture and the sea.
“A journey through the O Grove Peninsula, the Illa de Arousa or the Muros and Noia estuaries reveals sheltered coves, scenic waterfront walks and viewpoints overlooking breathtaking landscapes. After a day at the beach, there’s nothing better than enjoying fresh seafood and fish by the sea, paired with one of Galicia’s renowned wines with Designation of Origin.”
It also highlights that inland Galicia is home to the spectacular Ribeira Sacra, where the Sil and Miño rivers have carved deep canyons lined with centuries-old vineyards, historic monasteries and forests waiting to be explored.
Iceland will hold a referendum on August 29 on whether to reopen negotiations over joining the European Union, in a closely contested vote that could reshape the country’s economic and strategic direction.
The referendum, however, is not a vote on EU membership itself. Icelanders will only decide whether their government should begin accession negotiations with Brussels.
If voters approve the proposal, negotiations could last two or more years before Iceland holds a second referendum, potentially in 2028, on whether to actually join the bloc.
With opinion polls showing a near-dead heat between supporters and opponents, the vote has become an important test of Iceland’s relationship with Europe at a time of economic uncertainty and growing geopolitical competition in the Arctic.
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Is Iceland Voting to Join the EU?
No.
The August 29 referendum only asks whether Iceland should begin negotiations with the European Union.
A “yes” vote would open a potentially lengthy accession process. Iceland would then negotiate the terms of membership with Brussels before citizens have another opportunity to accept or reject the final agreement.
That means the upcoming referendum is essentially a decision about whether to explore EU membership, rather than a final decision to join.
Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir’s government has nevertheless presented the vote as a potentially decisive moment.
What Happens If Iceland Votes No?
The government has described the referendum as a “now or never” opportunity.
Frostadottir has warned that rejecting negotiations would effectively put the EU question aside.
This makes the vote particularly important because Iceland has already attempted the accession process once.
Reykjavik applied to join the EU in 2009, but negotiations were abandoned in 2013 after a Eurosceptic government came to power.
A second rejection could therefore close the issue again for the foreseeable future.
Why Does Iceland Want to Reconsider EU Membership?
Economic concerns are among the strongest arguments for reopening negotiations.
Iceland has faced high living costs and economic volatility, while the country’s relatively small economy remains vulnerable to external shocks.
Supporters argue that closer integration with the EU could provide greater economic stability and strengthen Iceland’s position when dealing with larger trading partners.
EU membership could also eventually allow Iceland to adopt the euro, replacing the Icelandic krona.
Supporters say the euro could reduce currency volatility, help address inflation and potentially lower interest rates.
The country’s strategic environment has also changed since Iceland abandoned its previous accession negotiations.
The war in Ukraine and growing competition in the Arctic have encouraged Iceland to reconsider how closely it should align with European institutions.
What Would Iceland Gain From Joining the EU?
EU membership would provide Iceland with access to the bloc’s customs union and its wider internal market.
The customs union eliminates internal tariffs between member states while applying common external tariffs to goods entering the bloc.
Iceland would also gain a formal role in EU decision-making.
Its representatives would participate in institutions including the European Parliament, European Commission and European Council.
For supporters, this is important because Iceland would move from being closely connected to the EU economically to having a direct role in shaping policies that affect it.
The argument is particularly relevant for a small country dealing with much larger economic powers.
Why Do Icelanders Oppose EU Membership?
Opponents argue that membership would transfer too much political authority from Reykjavik to Brussels.
They also question whether joining the EU would substantially improve Iceland’s security.
The most sensitive issue, however, is fisheries.
Why Are Fisheries Central to the Debate?
Fishing is one of the pillars of Iceland’s economy and a major part of the country’s national identity.
Opponents fear that joining the EU would subject Iceland to the bloc’s Common Fisheries Policy and potentially weaken its control over fishing resources.
They worry that common European resource-management rules could eventually increase access for foreign vessels to Icelandic waters.
For a country surrounded by some of the world’s most important fishing grounds, that is not simply an economic concern. It is also a question of national sovereignty.
The fisheries debate therefore gives the opposition one of its strongest arguments against membership.
Why Does Iceland Want to Keep the Krona?
Iceland’s currency is another major dividing line.
Supporters of the euro argue that replacing the krona could reduce exchange-rate volatility and improve economic stability.
Opponents see the krona differently.
They argue that an independent currency provides Iceland with an important economic adjustment mechanism.
During a downturn, the krona can weaken against major currencies, potentially helping Iceland’s economy adjust. During periods of stronger growth, it can appreciate.
Giving up that flexibility in favour of the euro, opponents argue, could leave Iceland with fewer tools to respond to economic shocks.
Who Supports EU Membership?
The country’s centre-left government coalition has backed putting the issue to a referendum.
Vidreisn, Iceland’s most explicitly pro-EU political party, pushed for the vote.
Prime Minister Frostadottir’s Social Democrats also support EU membership, although they have taken a more cautious approach to campaigning.
The coalition’s third party, the People’s Party, opposes membership.
The political divide therefore does not fit neatly along government versus opposition lines.
Who Opposes EU Membership?
The opposition Independence Party, led by Gudrun Hafsteinsdottir, is campaigning against reopening accession talks.
Its argument centres on sovereignty, fisheries and economic independence.
Opponents believe Iceland can maintain its existing relationship with Europe without accepting the political obligations of EU membership.
The close polling suggests neither side has yet secured a decisive advantage.
Why Is the Arctic Important to the Vote?
The referendum is taking place against a backdrop of growing geopolitical competition in the Arctic.
Iceland occupies a strategically important position between North America and Europe.
It sits along the Greenland-Iceland-United Kingdom gap, commonly known as the GIUK gap, a critical North Atlantic maritime corridor.
The area has long been important for monitoring Russian naval movements between the Arctic and the North Atlantic.
Iceland is also a NATO member despite having no standing army of its own.
That makes its strategic location particularly important to the security architecture of the North Atlantic.
What Would Iceland Mean for the EU?
For the European Union, Iceland’s potential membership would have significance beyond economics.
It would expand the EU’s presence in the Arctic at a time when the region is becoming increasingly important to major powers.
Russia, the United States and other countries are paying greater attention to Arctic shipping routes, natural resources and military positioning.
Iceland could therefore give the EU a stronger institutional and geopolitical foothold in the North Atlantic and Arctic region.
Its accession could also be relatively straightforward compared with some other countries seeking EU membership.
Unlike Ukraine and several Western Balkan states, Iceland already has close economic and institutional links with Europe and would require fewer major reforms to align with EU rules.
Could Iceland Join the EU Quickly?
Potentially, but the process would still take years.
A “yes” vote would only begin negotiations.
Iceland would then have to negotiate the terms of membership before citizens could vote again on the final agreement.
The second referendum could potentially take place in 2028.
This means that even if Icelanders vote in favour of talks on August 29, actual EU membership would remain uncertain.
The referendum is therefore the beginning of a political process rather than its conclusion.
Analysis: Why Does Iceland’s EU Vote Matter?
Iceland’s referendum is ultimately about more than whether a small North Atlantic country should join a political and economic bloc.
It reflects a wider debate over sovereignty, economic resilience and strategic alignment in an increasingly contested Arctic.
For supporters, EU membership offers economic stability, greater influence over European decisions and closer integration with a bloc that could provide Iceland with additional leverage against larger powers.
For opponents, the same process represents a potential loss of national control over fisheries, monetary policy and important economic decisions.
The strategic dimension is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
Iceland’s location makes it disproportionately important to North Atlantic security despite its small population and lack of a conventional military. As competition involving Russia, the United States and European countries intensifies in the Arctic, Iceland’s relationship with the EU could acquire greater geopolitical significance.
The vote also highlights a fundamental dilemma facing smaller states: whether greater integration with a larger political bloc provides more security and economic strength than the sovereignty it requires them to surrender.
The August referendum will not answer that question definitively.
It will determine whether Icelanders are willing to begin the conversation.
If voters choose “yes,” Iceland could move toward its most significant geopolitical realignment in more than a decade. If they choose “no,” the country may once again put EU membership aside and preserve its distinctive position outside the bloc while remaining closely connected to Europe.
Anyone who is flying back home has been warned about the serious consequences
12:58, 18 Aug 2026Updated 13:15, 18 Aug 2026
The items are banned regardless of whether they have been bought at duty free (stock image)(Image: Getty )
Travellers flying home after a holiday are being warned not to bring back certain items, even if they were purchased at a duty free shop. According to government rules, people who disobey risk facing a £5,000 fine or possible prosecution.
In an alert posted on social media by the Animal and Plant Health Agency, Brits returning home should not bring sandwiches, cheese, cured meats, raw meats or milk into Great Britain. The agency also states that this applies regardless of whether it is packed or packaged, or whether it has been bought at duty free.
It explains: “Help protect UK farmers from the devastating threat of African swine fever (ASF) and foot and mouth disease (FMD) by not bringing back meat or dairy products from the EU into Great Britain in your personal luggage. This includes items like sandwiches, cheese, cured meats, raw meats or milk into Great Britain – regardless of whether it is packed or packaged or whether it has been bought at duty free.”
The government agency says it is illegal to bring in most meat and dairy products from abroad for personal use. This is to protect the UK from devastating livestock diseases circulating in Europe and beyond.
Most personal meat and dairy products are now banned from entry into Great Britain. You must not bring in sandwiches, meat (raw or cured, such as ham and salami), dairy (milk, yoghurt, cheese) and animal-derived products. That includes items bought from duty free.
If you declare banned food products to Border Force officers at customs, they’ll take them away and destroy them. If you do not declare banned food products, you could be fined up to £5,000 (in England) or you could be prosecuted. Border Force can take away (‘seize’) your products if they think:
you’ve brought something into the country illegally
you’ve brought in too much of a restricted product
it’s been cross-contaminated, for example with blood from meat – if any clothing or a bag the item’s in is contaminated, it’ll be destroyed
These rules are in place to protect the UK from highly infectious viral diseases of livestock, such as foot and mouth disease and African swine fever. These viruses can persist in meat and dairy products for several months, posing a risk to susceptible animals.
Neither disease affects humans. Livestock diseases like foot and mouth and African swine fever have a devastating impact on animal welfare, farming, trade and affect food security
The Animal and Plant Health Agency reminds travellers: “If you break the rules, you are breaking the law. If you break the rules, you are risking our food and economic security. If you break the rules, you could be responsible for the death of millions of animals. If you are found with undeclared illegal meat and dairy products, you will have these confiscated and risk a hefty fine.”
What are you allowed to bring into Great Britain?
You can bring the following into Great Britain from any country without any restrictions:
bread, but not sandwiches filled with meat or dairy products
cakes without fresh cream
biscuits
chocolate and confectionery, but not those made with a lot of unprocessed dairy ingredients
pasta and noodles, but not if mixed or filled with meat or meat products
packaged soup, stocks and flavourings
processed and packaged plant products, such as packaged salads and frozen plant material
food supplements containing small amounts of an animal product, such as fish oil capsules
