Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met King Charles at Windsor Castle prior to discussions with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer regarding defence strategies against Russia.
Author: WTX News Editor
The EU has been focused on NATO’s defence spending, with members agreeing to up spending to 5% of GDP (except Spain). European leaders are preparing to deal with Donald Trump again at the NATO summit, after several EU members called for retaliatory tariffs on the USA.
The war in the Middle East and Russia’s continued invasion of Ukraine have also made up a lot of this week’s European headlines. Kyiv has suffered another heavy bombing, and there have been reports that the EU is considering suspending its partnership with Israel over its genocide in Gaza.
The EU and Canada have strengthened their ties with a new partnership and talks of digital trade and deeper cooperation on AI. The EU-Canada summit comes just before NATO.
The continent (including the UK) has experienced a lovely heatwave last week, and whilst it may have ended for the UK, much of the rest of Europe is still basking in the sun – get out and see our incredible continent and all it has to offer, as the summer break begins for some – and is creeping close for the rest of us!
France and Germany have joined forces in calling for a measured yet assertive EU response to proposed U.S. tariffs on aircraft and aircraft parts, part of Washington’s broader 20% levies on EU imports.
Recent flight tracking data indicates a significant increase in US military aircraft movement towards the Middle East, with 52 planes detected over the eastern Mediterranean in just a few days.
The week so far has been dominated by the Middle East crisis as news of an Israel-Iran ceasefire broke early on Tuesday, only to come to an end a few hours later. It’s unclear if Iran ever agreed to the short-lived ceasefire, and now the world waits anxiously to see what happens next.
Away from the Middle East, there has been a handful of domestic news stories worth taking a glance at. GPs in England can start prescribing weight loss drugs on the NHS, Palestine Action is to be prescribed as a terrorist organisation after two members vandalised two RAF planes – a move dubbed extreme by many and has seen significant backlash for the Labour government. It has not been an easy week for the prime minister or his government so far, with a major rebellion on the way over Labour’s welfare bill cuts. It could end up doing permanent damage to the PM and his government. With the Nato summit around the corner, the prime minister will be focusing on international affairs, but what’s happening at home may cost him come election time.
The heatwave may be over, but the summer vibes most certainly are not! Plenty is happening across the UK this week, from arts and culture to sports and business.
The head of the IAEA, Rafael Grossi, emphasised that armed attacks on nuclear facilities pose severe risks of radioactive releases and must not occur.
Monday’s front pages report on the United entering Israel’s war in Iran. Donald Trump claims the US bomb strike on Iran has wiped out 3 nuclear facilities and suggests a regime change is coming in Iran. The Iranians have vowed revenge against the United States, and is seeking talks with Russia.
Monday’s front pages lead with the US entering Israel’s war on Iran, as Trump declares victory, having bombed Iran’s nuclear facilities, claiming it was a total success. Iran has vowed a response. The UN has said it cannot verify the exact degree of damage the US strikes have caused, but that hasn’t stopped the US and Israel from congratulating each other. Last night, Israel continued its heavy bombing of Iran’s military infrastructure, and by this morning, Iran is returning fire.
Ship tracking around Iran’s Tombak port shows vessels appearing to be arranged in a circle on land, indicating possible GPS interference rather than actual positioning.
There will be little surprise that Monday’s UK headlines are dominated by the latest from the Middle East after Donald Trump took everyone by surprise over the weekend and bombed Iran. It comes after Trump signalled he would give Iran two weeks to discuss ending their nuclear weapons programme. The decision to take the USA into Israel’s war is proving unpopular in the US, even amongst his supporters. There’s little support for the move this side of the pond as well, with many looking at how Prime Minister Keir Starmer will react to the bombing and whether the UK could be dragged into the war.
Oil prices surged to their highest in five months, Brent crude briefly topped $81 a barrel, after the US joined Israel in striking key Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.
A 22-year-old British man has been arrested at Disneyland Paris after allegedly organising a staged wedding ceremony involving a nine-year-old Ukrainian girl.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed support today for the US airstrikes targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities, seen as a coordinated effort with Israel to halt Tehran’s nuclear ambitions, but simultaneously warned of the high risk of broader Middle East escalation.
Jeff Bezos is set to marry Lauren Sanchez in a luxurious multi-day wedding in Venice, with reports suggesting celebrity attendees including Oprah Winfrey and Katy Perry.
GPs begin prescribing weight-loss jabs on the NHS in England. GPs can now prescribe Mounjaro (tirzepatide) to combat obesity for the first time via the NHS.
The UK Met Office has issued yellow thunderstorm warnings for parts of northern England, northeast Wales, and the Scottish Borders, with a forecast of up to 40mm of rain within two hours, frequent lightning, hail, and gusty winds.
NATO ambassadors agreed to boost defence spending and related spending, rising from the longstanding 2 % target to a combined 5 % of GDP by 2035, ahead of next week’s Hague summit.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi delivered a stern warning following US airstrikes on Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan, calling the attacks a “heinous crime” that risks “everlasting consequences” for international security.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley expressed shock and frustration over a planned protest supporting Palestine Action, which the government aims to ban under anti-terror laws.
The United States has launched attacks on three Iranian uranium enrichment sites, marking its entry into the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict.
A suicide bomber attacked a Greek Orthodox church in Damascus, resulting in at least 22 deaths and 63 injuries, including children.
NATO ambassadors from all 32 member states approved a new spending pledge to increase defence budgets to 5% of GDP by 2035, amid concerns over threats from Russia and China.
The threat to the UK from Iran is already at a “significant level” and could increase following the US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, a cabinet minister has told Sky News.