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Insight Europe
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London
October 19, 2026
Europe's Street-Level Commerce Holds Its Ground
Europe

Europe's Street-Level Commerce Holds Its Ground

Josephine Thornfield

Manchester City supporters have been gaslit. What happens now?
Europe

Manchester City supporters have been gaslit. What happens now?

Josh Bland

Europe's Fashion Landscape: Couture Meets the Secondhand
Lifestyle

Europe's Fashion Landscape: Couture Meets the Secondhand

Politics

As French protests escalate into riots, they may prove a gift for Marine Le Pen’s right-wing party

As French protests escalate into riots, they may prove a gift for Marine Le Pen’s right-wing party

What started as protests about conditions in French schools has widened into riots about cost of living – and taken hold in other European countries, too.

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Peter McPhee
October 19, 2026
Spain's Vías Verdes Network Positions Country as a Leader in Low-Impact Tourism
Travel

Spain's Vías Verdes Network Positions Country as a Leader in Low-Impact Tourism

Spain's expanding network of converted railway corridors, known as Vías Verdes, offers cyclists and walkers access to rural landscapes through infrastructure re…

July 13, 2026
From Kafka to Contemporary Stage: The Enduring Reach of Czech Cultural Expression
Culture

From Kafka to Contemporary Stage: The Enduring Reach of Czech Cultural Expression

Czech literature, visual art, and performing arts have maintained a consistent presence across European cultural institutions for more than a century. From the …

July 13, 2026
Slovenia's Mountain Lakes Draw International Visitors to the Julian Alps
Travel

Slovenia's Mountain Lakes Draw International Visitors to the Julian Alps

Slovenia's alpine lakes, particularly Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj, have become established destinations for outdoor enthusiasts from across Europe and beyond. The…

July 13, 2026
Culture

Bulgaria's Ancient and Medieval Heritage Seeks Broader International Standing

Bulgaria holds one of Europe's richest concentrations of archaeological and cultural heritage sites, spanning Thracian c…

Bulgaria's Ancient and Medieval Heritage Seeks Broader International Standing
Travel

Cyprus Draws Travelers to Its Layered Ancient Past

Cyprus, one of the Mediterranean's oldest continuously inhabited islands, attracts visitors drawn to its diverse archaeo…

Cyprus Draws Travelers to Its Layered Ancient Past
A Guide to the Essential Dishes of Cypriot Cuisine
Culinary

A Guide to the Essential Dishes of Cypriot Cuisine

Cyprus has developed a distinct culinary tradition shaped by its Mediterranean location and centuries of cultural exchange. Travelers to the island encounter a food culture rooted in fresh local ingre…

Riga Draws International Tourists With One of Europe's Most Intact Art Nouveau Districts
Travel

Riga Draws International Tourists With One of Europe's Most Intact Art Nouveau Districts

Artisan Markets Emerge as Anchors of French Local Food Identity
Culinary

Artisan Markets Emerge as Anchors of French Local Food Identity

Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way Draws Growing Numbers of Long-Distance Hikers
Travel

Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way Draws Growing Numbers of Long-Distance Hikers

Bulgaria's Ancient and Medieval Heritage Seeks Broader International Standing
Culture

Bulgaria's Ancient and Medieval Heritage Seeks Broader International Standing

Bulgaria holds one of Europe's richest concentrations of archaeological and cult…

Cyprus Draws Travelers to Its Layered Ancient Past
Travel

Cyprus Draws Travelers to Its Layered Ancient Past

Cyprus, one of the Mediterranean's oldest continuously inhabited islands, attrac…

A Guide to the Essential Dishes of Cypriot Cuisine
Culinary

A Guide to the Essential Dishes of Cypriot Cuisine

Cyprus has developed a distinct culinary tradition shaped by its Mediterranean l…

Riga Draws International Tourists With One of Europe's Most Intact Art Nouveau Districts
Travel

Riga Draws International Tourists With One of Europe's Most Intact Art Nouveau Districts

The Latvian capital of Riga holds one of the largest and best-preserved collecti…

Artisan Markets Emerge as Anchors of French Local Food Identity
Culinary

Artisan Markets Emerge as Anchors of French Local Food Identity

Across France, weekly and seasonal artisan markets continue to shape how communi…

Culture

Stone Witnesses: Latvia's Medieval Fortresses and the Shaping of the Baltic Region

Latvia's surviving medieval castles stand as physical records of the crusading orders, merchant republics, and competing…

Stone Witnesses: Latvia's Medieval Fortresses and the Shaping of the Baltic Region
Culinary

London's Streets Serve Up a World on a Plate

There is a particular kind of magic that happens when a city decides its pavements are as worthy of great cooking as any…

Josephine Thornfield
London's Streets Serve Up a World on a Plate

Europe

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England out of the World Cup, but this team may have helped redefine a nation

England out of the World Cup, but this team may have helped redefine a nation

It could be time for a new idea of what Englishness really means – and footballers are helping to shape it.

After Ceuta, Europe is once again mired in migration chaos of its own making

After Ceuta, Europe is once again mired in migration chaos of its own making

Anti-immigration critics seized on the Ceuta migrant situation as evidence of the failure of soft policies, but in reality the bloc has become far more restrictionist in the past decade.

Manchester City supporters have been gaslit. What happens now?

Manchester City supporters have been gaslit. What happens now?

The evidence now requires Manchester City supporters to make the distinction their owners have spent years blurring.

UN Mourns King Harald V of Norway

UN Mourns King Harald V of Norway

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has expressed deep sadness at the death of Norway's King Harald V on 28 August, praising the monarch's dedication to children's welfare, environmental issues, and international solidarity. Guterres conveyed his condolences to King Haakon VIII and the Norwegian people.

Politics

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If Europe wants to ‘go it alone’ on security, countries need to learn to sing from the same songsheet

If Europe wants to ‘go it alone’ on security, countries need to learn to sing from the same songsheet

Splits are appearing in Europe’s approach to Russia’s aggression just when it needs to present a united front.

French student protests: comparisons with 1968 will only serve the political extremes

French student protests: comparisons with 1968 will only serve the political extremes

Both far left and far right will try to make political capital out of the unrest.

Andy Burnham is the Labour leader – third time lucky for the UK’s prime minister-in-waiting

Andy Burnham is the Labour leader – third time lucky for the UK’s prime minister-in-waiting

His rise this time seemed unstoppable – but Burnham’s route to the top wasn’t always so clear.

Spain Builds National Mental Health Surveillance System

Spain Builds National Mental Health Surveillance System

Spain's Ministry of Health is preparing a royal decree to establish a Mental Health Surveillance System, with a National Suicide Registry as its first dedicated instrument. Provisional data suggest suicide deaths fell to 3,808 in 2025, marking a third consecutive annual decline.

Economy

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ECB Calls for Simpler Rules in EU Banking

ECB Calls for Simpler Rules in EU Banking

ECB Vice-President Boris Vujčić has made the case for simplifying Europe's banking regulatory framework, arguing that complexity burdens banks without adding meaningful resilience. Speaking at the ESRB's tenth annual conference, he outlined concrete proposals to streamline capital buffers, resolution requirements, and supervisory guidance.

Why you should live your life like an accountant – and how you probably already do

Why you should live your life like an accountant – and how you probably already do

Accountants are often thought of as ‘bean counters’, but we all account for elements of our lives.

Spain's Fishing Sector Faces Key EU Negotiations

Spain's Fishing Sector Faces Key EU Negotiations

Spain's Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Luis Planas met with representatives of the fishing and aquaculture sector on 4 September 2026 to address pressing challenges, including EU quota negotiations for 2027 and the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy. Planas signalled stability for major Atlantic fisheries while drawing firm lines on Mediterranean fishing-day reductions.

Eurozone Unemployment Holds at 6.4% in July 2026

Eurozone Unemployment Holds at 6.4% in July 2026

The euro area unemployment rate remained stable at 6.4% in July 2026, according to Eurostat, though it edged up from 6.3% recorded in the same month a year earlier. Some 11.264 million people in the euro area were without work, while youth unemployment in the bloc eased month-on-month to 14.9%.

Business

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The idea of the ‘company man’ was forged decades ago. Its problems still haunt leaders today

The idea of the ‘company man’ was forged decades ago. Its problems still haunt leaders today

If we are serious about equality, appointing more women to leadership roles should be accompanied by questioning the model of leadership itself.

Gianni Infantino wants to sell the World Cup – but it’s not his to sell

Gianni Infantino wants to sell the World Cup – but it’s not his to sell

The game belongs to the fans. Fifa would do well to remember that. It’s clear from the generally horrified reaction to Gianni Infantino’s plan to turn the World Cup into an investment vehicle that the Fifa boss has gone too far.

Tech Giants Navigate EU's Digital Services Act Era

Tech Giants Navigate EU's Digital Services Act Era

Across Europe, a fundamental shift is underway in how technology companies operate, communicate, and structure their digital offerings. The Digital Services Act — one of the most ambitious regulatory frameworks for online platforms in the world — is compelling major tech players to rethink their approach to everything from content moderation to algorithmic transparency. In recent months, this transformation has moved from boardrooms and legal departments into the visible fabric of how platforms actually function for everyday European users.

EU AI Act: Building Trust Through Transparency

EU AI Act: Building Trust Through Transparency

Across Europe, companies developing and deploying artificial intelligence systems are increasingly adapting to a new regulatory reality shaped by the European Union's Artificial Intelligence Act. Rather than viewing compliance as a burden, many organizations now describe the framework as an opportunity to build trust with consumers, partners, and public institutions alike.

Geopolitics

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What might Canada’s EU ‘associate membership’ look like, and is it even a possibility?

What might Canada’s EU ‘associate membership’ look like, and is it even a possibility?

Making Canada the EU’s first ‘associate member’ may be a solution in search of a problem. In a speech to the European Parliament, Canadian prime minister Mark Carney declared that “Europe and Canada are stronger together”. He also backed an offer made by the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, one day earlier for Canada to become the first “associate member” of the bloc.

Why Europe wants to boost its Arctic presence

Why Europe wants to boost its Arctic presence

EU leaders are scrambling to increase the bloc’s presence in the Arctic.

Russia is cutting off Ukraine’s grain exports again, threatening a critical harvest and global food security

Russia is cutting off Ukraine’s grain exports again, threatening a critical harvest and global food security

Ukraine has proposed a deal to halt attacks on civilian targets in the Black Sea – an effort to allow grain shipments to resume from both countries.

Russia’s new jet-powered drones mark latest evolution in air war above Ukraine

Russia’s new jet-powered drones mark latest evolution in air war above Ukraine

Ukraine is struggling to defend its cities against aerial attack as Russia introduces a new, long-range drone to the war.

Travel

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Ancient Ports and Grand Harbors Drive Malta's Rise as a Mediterranean Destination

Ancient Ports and Grand Harbors Drive Malta's Rise as a Mediterranean Destination

Malta's network of historic harbors, centered on the Grand Harbour in Valletta, has positioned the small island nation as one of the Mediterranean's most visited destinations. The archipelago's maritime heritage, spanning Phoenician, Arab, Norman, and Knights of St. John influences, continues to draw travelers seeking layered history alongside coastal scenery.

Greece's Lesser-Known Islands Draw Travelers Seeking Alternatives to Aegean Crowds

Greece's Lesser-Known Islands Draw Travelers Seeking Alternatives to Aegean Crowds

While Santorini and Mykonos dominate international tourism marketing, a collection of Greek islands remains comparatively undiscovered by mass tourism. These destinations offer distinct cultural heritage, archaeological sites, and landscapes accessible to independent travelers.

Croatia's National Parks Draw Visitors Seeking Nature and Adventure Across Diverse Landscapes

Croatia's National Parks Draw Visitors Seeking Nature and Adventure Across Diverse Landscapes

Croatia's eight national parks span coastal islands, karst river systems, and mountain terrain, offering a range of outdoor experiences throughout the year. From the cascading lakes of Plitvice to the remote peaks of Paklenica, the country's protected areas have become central to its tourism identity.

Germany's Designated Scenic Roads Offer Travelers a Window Into the Country's Diverse Landscapes

Germany's Designated Scenic Roads Offer Travelers a Window Into the Country's Diverse Landscapes

Germany maintains a network of officially designated scenic routes that traverse its varied terrain, from alpine foothills to coastal lowlands. These corridors connect historic towns, natural reserves, and cultural landmarks across all sixteen federal states.

Culinary

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Italy's Culinary Regions Reclaim Their Place on the Global Table

Italy's Culinary Regions Reclaim Their Place on the Global Table

Italian regional cuisine, long overshadowed by internationally standardized versions of pasta and pizza, is experiencing a broader cultural and commercial revival. Food festivals, government-backed initiatives, and a growing appetite among travelers for authentic local gastronomy are driving renewed interest in Italy's diverse culinary traditions.

From Forest Floor to Fine Dining: How Nordic Foraging Is Redefining Finnish Cuisine

From Forest Floor to Fine Dining: How Nordic Foraging Is Redefining Finnish Cuisine

Finland's vast forests and Arctic landscapes have long supplied rural communities with wild ingredients. Now, those same ingredients are driving a broader movement in high-end restaurants across the country and beyond.

Adriatic on the Plate: Croatia's Coastal Food Culture Earns Global Recognition

Adriatic on the Plate: Croatia's Coastal Food Culture Earns Global Recognition

Croatia's Dalmatian and Istrian cuisines have attracted growing international attention, with food critics and culinary institutions acknowledging the region's distinct Mediterranean traditions. The country's emphasis on locally sourced seafood, olive oil, and wine has positioned it as a notable destination within European gastronomy.

Slovak Highland Kitchens Step Into Contemporary Dining

Slovak Highland Kitchens Step Into Contemporary Dining

Chefs across Slovakia are reinterpreting centuries-old mountain recipes, bringing traditional Carpathian ingredients into modern restaurant culture. The movement reflects a broader European trend of culinary heritage preservation driven by both local restaurateurs and growing food tourism.

Health

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Spain's Bone Marrow Registry Nears 533,000 Donors

Spain's Bone Marrow Registry Nears 533,000 Donors

Spain's bone marrow donor registry has grown to nearly 533,000 registered individuals, with 77 new donors enrolling each day in the first eight months of 2026. The figures, released on World Bone Marrow Donor Day, mark a sustained acceleration driven by younger recruits and improved matching technology.

Abdominal aortic aneurysms can cause years of anxiety, even without symptoms

Abdominal aortic aneurysms can cause years of anxiety, even without symptoms

Regular scans help clinicians monitor small aneurysms, but patients describe recurring fears and confusion about what they can safely do.

Belgium's B-FAST Field Hospital Wins WHO Recognition

Belgium's B-FAST Field Hospital Wins WHO Recognition

Belgium's B-FAST mobile field hospital received official WHO verification on 18 September 2026, confirming it meets the highest international quality standards for emergency medical response. The EMT2-classified unit can treat more than 100 patients per day and be operational within 24 to 48 hours of arriving in an affected country.

Spain Launches Campaign to End Abortion Stigma

Spain Launches Campaign to End Abortion Stigma

Spain's Health Minister Mónica García has unveiled a national campaign to combat the guilt and social stigma surrounding abortion, insisting that women need not demonstrate suffering for their decision to be respected. The campaign also targets structural barriers within the public health system, where nearly eight in ten abortions in 2024 were carried out in private clinics.

Culture

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Between Cathedral Spires and Startup Campuses: Germany's Cities Navigate Centuries of Change

Between Cathedral Spires and Startup Campuses: Germany's Cities Navigate Centuries of Change

Germany's major urban centers have long served as crossroads of European history, architecture, and commerce. In recent decades, many of these cities have layered modern technology districts and innovation hubs onto foundations that stretch back to the medieval period.

A bestselling novel was pulled from a French literary prize after AI accusations – what next?

A bestselling novel was pulled from a French literary prize after AI accusations – what next?

The latest literary AI scandal forces us to question what we expect of writers. Some French authors argue AI is now part of our lives – and authorship is evolving.

Italy's Cultural and Creative Industries Continue to Shape European Standards

Italy's Cultural and Creative Industries Continue to Shape European Standards

From classical music institutions to global fashion houses, Italy maintains a defining influence across Europe's cultural and creative landscape. Its contributions span centuries of artistic tradition while remaining embedded in contemporary design, gastronomy, and performing arts.

Spain's UNESCO Heritage Sites Drive Growth in Cultural Tourism Across the Peninsula

Spain's UNESCO Heritage Sites Drive Growth in Cultural Tourism Across the Peninsula

Spain holds one of the largest concentrations of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the world, drawing millions of culturally motivated visitors each year. These designations have become central to regional tourism strategies, reinforcing Spain's position as a leading destination in Europe.

Lifestyle

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The Unhurried Ritual of the European Morning Table

The Unhurried Ritual of the European Morning Table

Across much of Europe, the morning meal is treated less as a nutritional checkpoint and more as a cultural institution. From Parisian café counters to Viennese bakeries, breakfast habits reflect deeply rooted regional traditions.

How Europe Turned the Meal Into a Social Institution

How Europe Turned the Meal Into a Social Institution

Across much of Europe, mealtimes function as structured social rituals rather than brief refueling stops, shaped by centuries of cultural tradition. From the extended midday break in Mediterranean countries to the late evening dining habits of Spain and Greece, the European table operates on its own unhurried clock.

Europe's Fashion Landscape: Couture Meets the Secondhand

Europe's Fashion Landscape: Couture Meets the Secondhand

Europe's fashion culture spans the full spectrum, from high-end designer houses rooted in centuries of craft to a thriving secondhand economy reshaping how consumers engage with clothing. Both ends of the market continue to grow, reflecting shifting priorities across the continent.

Espresso Bars to Sidewalk Cafés: How Europe Drinks Coffee

Espresso Bars to Sidewalk Cafés: How Europe Drinks Coffee

Coffee consumption across Europe is shaped less by ingredient than by ritual, with distinct national customs governing everything from cup size to the hour of the day. From Italy's standing espresso bars to the unhurried café terraces of France, the continent's relationship with coffee reflects deeper social habits.

Science

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UK Launches New Air Quality Alert Service

UK Launches New Air Quality Alert Service

The UK government has launched a new opt-in air quality alerts service, allowing people to receive SMS or email warnings when pollution levels in their chosen local areas are forecast to be high. The service tracks five key pollutants and forms part of the government's Environmental Improvement Plan.

Chores or no chores? The economic psychology of giving kids pocket money

Chores or no chores? The economic psychology of giving kids pocket money

If we do pay our kids for their chores, do we risk creating kids who care more about money than doing good deeds for their own sake?

Nasa’s new space telescope will tackle some of the universe’s biggest mysteries

Nasa’s new space telescope will tackle some of the universe’s biggest mysteries

The Nancy Grace Roman telescope will probe dark energy and discover exoplanets.

Cracking the code: can AI help us decipher ancient languages?

Cracking the code: can AI help us decipher ancient languages?

AI can help move analysis forward, but human ingenuity is still essential in this field.