Gap

GLASTONBURY fans reckon they’ve uncovered a major clue about a surprise headliner for next year’s festival.

The chatter began after rock legends U2 announced the UK and European dates of their massive new world tour yesterday, and eagle-eyed fans have already spotted a suspicious gap in their schedule.

The Irish superstars, fronted by Bono, will perform at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on June 18 and 19, 2027.

But their next scheduled concert isn’t until June 30, when they head to Berlin’s Olympiastadion in Germany.

And the 11-day gap between shows just happens to include Glastonbury Festival, which returns to Worthy Farm from June 23 to 27 following a year off.

The coincidence has sent fans into a frenzy, with some convinced U2 could be preparing a secret appearance on the famous Pyramid Stage.

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Taking to Reddit, one fan wrote: “I’ve just seen they are performing in London 18th and 19th June, then off to Germany on 30th. Maybe just a gap to add more shows or a glasto gap?”

Another replied: “Was literally about to post this.” A third insisted: “There’s no way they wouldn’t headline. They could do the secret pyramid set on the Saturday (the Foo Fighters / Pulp set).”

U2 previously headlined Glastonbury in 2011, having been forced to pull out of their original 2010 appearance after Bono underwent emergency back surgery.

Their newly announced Greatest Show On Earth World Tour will take the band across Europe, with stops including Stockholm, Paris, Lisbon, Amsterdam and Milan.

Meanwhile, speculation is already mounting over who will top the bill at Glastonbury 2027, with Harry Styles, Sam Fender, Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift and Rihanna among the names linked to the festival.

Organiser Emily Eavis has confirmed all three Pyramid Stage headliners have already been booked, although their identities remain under wraps.

She has also ruled out Madonna and Oasis, despite previous rumours suggesting both acts could make an appearance.

Student protests that began in September in France have spread to more than 11 European countries as anger rises over high rents and fuel prices and cuts to public services.

Many young protesters said they no longer expect to be better off than their parents, and household wealth data show a wide gap between generations.

Across the eurozone and two other European countries, households headed by someone under 35 have a median net wealth of about 25,000 euros ($27,870) while those headed by 55- to 64-year-olds are worth about 208,000 euros ($231,882), more than eight times as much, according to the European Central Bank’s (ECB’s) 2023 Household Finance and Consumption Survey.

In this visual explainer, Al Jazeera compares wealth by age groups across 22 European countries and looks at how much more expensive life has become since 2000.

Where is the wealth gap widest?

The Household Finance and Consumption Survey, run by the ECB and national central banks since 2010, tracks household wealth and debt in the eurozone, the Czech Republic and Hungary.

It measures net wealth, which includes property, cars, valuables and savings, minus debts. Under-35s hold just 2.8 percent of all household wealth in the 22 countries while 55- to 64-year-olds hold the largest share at 24 percent.

In Finland, under-35s hold 0.8 percent of household wealth, the lowest share of any country surveyed, while over-55s hold more than 71 percent. Young people’s shares are also small in Ireland (1.4 percent), Austria (1.6 percent), Greece (1.8 percent) and Germany (2 percent).

Rising housing costs mean many young people cannot afford what their parents or grandparents could.

Wealth is more evenly spread in Central and Eastern Europe. In Lithuania, under-35s hold 13.2 percent, against 15.9 percent for 55- to 64-year-olds. Their share is 12.3 percent in Croatia, 10.1 percent in Slovakia and 9.8 percent in Estonia. Malta, at 11.1 percent, is the exception outside the two regions.

The graphic below shows how household wealth is split between age groups in each country surveyed.

“What we’ve seen is actually a very strong increase in housing prices both in terms of the rental market as well as the ownership market,” Evelyn Astor of the European Social Observatory told Al Jazeera’s Counting the Cost programme.

“All of this is also reinforcing a sense of inequality because ultimately ordinary families are struggling to pay their rents or be able to purchase their homes whereas wealthy people with capital are able to make rather significant investments in the European housing market,” she said.

How much more expensive is it than 2000?

Prices of everyday goods and services, such as food, energy, transport and household bills, have risen by 67.2 percent in the eurozone, Hungary and the Czech Republic since 2000.

Of the countries in our chart, Hungary has seen the steepest rise with prices more than tripling, according to Eurostat, the European Union’s statistics agency. Its harmonised index of consumer prices is the EU’s official measure of how much everyday goods and services cost.

The chart below shows how consumer prices have changed in each country since 2000 with prices in 2000 set at 100 on the index.

Eastern European countries have seen the sharpest increases – particularly since 2022 when Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began – because many relied heavily on Russian energy supplies.

Prices rose by about 2 percent a year on average until 2022 when annual inflation in the EU hit 9.2 percent.

The surge was driven mainly by energy costs. Inflation has since eased, but the price rises of the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine have not reversed.

French superstar Kylian Mbappe scores brace for Madrid to inflict Barcelona’s first domestic defeat of the campaign.

Kylian Mbappe struck twice to earn Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid a 2-1 El Clasico victory over La Liga leaders Barcelona at Camp Nou, cutting the gap to three points.

French superstar Mbappe opened the scoring before half-time on Sunday and then slotted home late on to inflict Barca’s first domestic defeat of the campaign after Raphinha had equalised for the champions.

Real Madrid remain third, behind Atletico Madrid and Hansi Flick’s Barca, who had won their first nine games before a chastening week.

The Catalans suffered a second straight defeat after losing on Tuesday against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.

Barca had won six of the seven previous Clasicos since the German arrived but were surprisingly subdued against Mourinho’s side.

“In general we didn’t have a great game, in the first half we weren’t ourselves, there were a lot of things we could have done better,” Barcelona midfielder Pedri told DAZN.

“We wanted to win the Clasico in front of our fans, but the season is very long … a league is not won here.”

Los Blancos, without suspended winger Vinicius Junior, won their fifth straight game across all competitions and are finding their footing under veteran Portuguese coach Mourinho.

After two trophyless seasons Madrid turned back to Mourinho to try and stop Barca’s dominance, and this result will give them hope they are on the right track.

The opening period of the game was cagey, with few opportunities.

Barca defender Pau Cubarsi twice reacted well to shut down Mbappe, while Real Madrid’s Marc Cucurella took a rapid liking for Lamine Yamal’s shirt, constantly grabbing at the 19-year-old winger.

Anthony Gordon, playing in his first Clasico since joining Barcelona from Newcastle, backheeled the ball to Raphinha, who fired narrowly wide as Barca threatened.

The hosts were dealt a setback when young defender Xavi Espart pulled up hurt and needed to be replaced by Alejandro Balde before the half-hour mark.

Andriy Lunin, playing in goal for Madrid after Thibaut Courtois pulled out of the squad with flu, saved at his near post from Gordon before the visitors took the lead.

Mbappe scored his 10th league goal of the season and also his easiest, with Barca’s Gerard Martin clearing a cross straight at the Frenchman, who deflected it into the net.

Barca responded by carving out a glorious chance for an equaliser but teenage sensation Yamal for once miscued in front of goal, firing wide when poised to level.

The game opened up and Yan Diomande came close to doubling Madrid’s lead before half-time, drilling into the side-netting.

Martin redeemed himself early in the second half as he held off Jude Bellingham, who could neither beat the defender nor find a free Mbappe.

Raphinha, who had a quiet first half, pulled Barcelona level just after the hour mark.

Pedri fed the Brazilian, La Liga’s top goalscorer with 13, who fired through Bellingham’s legs and Lunin could not keep the shot out.

The Ukrainian goalkeeper did make a superb save to deny Martin at a corner, as Barcelona flowed forward with the wind finally in their sails.

Yamal bent an effort wide with Lunin at full stretch and Barca substitute Frenkie de Jong had a shot desperately blocked by Dean Huijsen.

There was a sting in the tail for the Catalans though as substitute Gabriel Jesus lost possession and Madrid raced through on goal.

Eduardo Camavinga beat Cubarsi and unselfishly cut the ball back for Mbappe to tuck home his second of the night into an empty net with Joan Garcia drawn out of position.