In the letter, dated August 3rd, she also reiterated the EU’s support to help Spain tackle illegal immigration while noting that more needed to be done
International News via Reuters:
More must be done to strengthen the European Union’s borders at critical points, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in a letter seen by Reuters.
In the letter, dated August 3rd, she also reiterated the EU’s support to help Spain tackle illegal immigration while noting that more needed to be done.
The letter came after last week’s huge rush of migrants who surged over the Moroccan border to enter the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in north Africa. At least 67 people died as a result.
“In co-operation with Spain, especially on anything related to Ceuta and Melilla, we could enhance border management early-warning systems and improve our technical and financial support to Morocco,” wrote von der Leyen in the letter.
Reporting by Inti Landauro and Amina Ismail; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta, Charlotte Van Campenhout
Registrations of Tesla’s vehicles, a proxy for sales, rose 86% in France and 52% in Denmark from a year ago, according to data from French car body PFA and Denmark’s bilstatistik.dk
International News via Reuters:
Tesla’s July registrations across several European markets painted a mixed picture on Monday, with strong gains in France and Denmark contrasted by sharp declines in Norway, Sweden and Spain.
Registrations of Tesla’s vehicles, a proxy for sales, rose 86% in France and 52% in Denmark from a year ago, according to data from French car body PFA and Denmark’s bilstatistik.dk.
However, the registrations plunged 97% in Norway, 60% in Sweden and 81% in Spain, numbers from compilers OFV, Mobility Sweden and industry group ANFAC showed.
The broader European electric car market appeared strong in July, supported by state incentives in France and continued market growth for battery-electric vehicles in Denmark, among others, said Rico Luman, senior economist at ING Research.
Tesla appears to be prioritising incentive-rich markets such as Germany, where volumes could rise sharply in the second half of 2026, and France, said Matthias Schmidt, European auto market analyst at Schmidt Automotive, adding that weaker sales elsewhere could be reflecting that.
Andy Leyland, co-founder of supply-chain specialist SC Insights, commented on the plunge in Norway by saying a single month’s figures should be treated with caution.
“Such a large change is usually reflective of either shipment timings, or a taxation change,” Leyland said.
Tesla’s sales in Europe have so far rebounded this year after two straight annual declines, helped by easier year-ago comparisons, higher fuel prices, government incentives and growing consumer interest in electric vehicles.
Overall registrations of new BEVs rose 51% in June, data from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association showed.
Last month, Tesla reported record-setting second-quarter delivery numbers that beat Wall Street estimates, boosted by the rebound in Europe.
Registration data from Britain and Germany, Europe’s two largest car markets, is due later this week.
Reporting by Amir Orusov and Mathias de Rozario in Gdansk, editing by Milla Nissi-Prussak
Strong firefighting forces assisted by water tanks and 21 aircraft were deployed near the communities of Kandili and Agia Skepi early on Monday as plumes of thick black smoke and red flames engulfed lush pine forests
International News via Reuters:
Hundreds of Greek firefighters battled a wildfire northwest of Athens for a fourth day on Monday after blazes fanned by strong winds gutted homes, thousands of hectares of farmland and pine forests, and forced emergency evacuations by land and sea.
Two people on a firefighting helicopter — a Greek and a Danish national — died on Sunday after their helicopter crashed after a mid-air brush with a second helicopter. The crew of the second firefighting aircraft, a Greek and a Briton, survived the incident near the seaside community of Psatha, about 40 miles from Athens.
Strong firefighting forces assisted by water tanks and 21 aircraft were deployed near the communities of Kandili and Agia Skepi early on Monday as plumes of thick black smoke and red flames engulfed lush pine forests, Reuters images showed. Local authorities with heavy machinery built fire breaks to stop the wildfire from reaching homes, a Greek fire brigade official told Reuters.
Europe has been ravaged by wildfires this summer after a period of record-breaking heatwaves and little rain — conditions that scientists say have been exacerbated by a fast-changing climate. France and Spain have been particularly hard hit although destructive blazes there abated over the weekend, providing some respite.
FAULTY POWER LINES
Sunday’s air crash follows a grim week for Greek emergency services. Three firefighters were killed in two separate incidents in Crete and on the Peloponnese on July 29 in a jarring start to a fire season which has, until now, been relatively mild by local standards.
Greek authorities are trying to ascertain the cause of the mid-air crash of the two helicopters, which occurred as they were flying at low altitude, with the rotor blades of one appearing to clip the underside of the other, footage which appeared on social media showed.
“We’re fighting an unequal battle with the impact of the climate crisis,” Deputy Climate Crisis Minister Kostas Katsafados told public broadcaster ERT, adding that strong winds over the past few days made water bombers unable to draw sea water and dump it in the area, leaving ground forces battling the blazes on their own.
Preliminary investigation suggests the outbreak in the area of Boeotia, northwest of Athens last week, which spread to a lush pine forest near the capital, was caused by sparks from vibrating conductors on a private power line transmitting electricity from wind turbines, the Greek fire brigade said.
Two Greek nationals, an electrical engineer and a contractor, have been arrested and face felony charges of arson.
Faulty power lines have been the leading cause of major wildfires in Greece in recent years, overshadowing arson and negligence.
Additional reporting by Angeliki Koutantou, Renee Maltezou and Lefteris Papadimas; writing by Angeliki Koutantou; editing by Susan Fenton
The conflict has almost halted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key transit route for the Gulf’s energy exports, sending manufacturers’ energy prices soaring
International News via Reuters:
Manufacturing activity in China slowed in July as the 5-month-long war in the Middle East delivered weaker demand and elevated costs for the exporting powerhouse — a situation mirrored across much of Europe — surveys showed on Monday.
The conflict has almost halted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key transit route for the Gulf’s energy exports, sending manufacturers’ energy prices soaring.
Factories in the world’s second-largest economy saw growth in new orders slow to its weakest pace since January, and although euro zone output surged, that was largely driven by firms clearing order backlogs rather than rising demand.
The headline S&P Global Eurozone Manufacturing PMI INPMI=ECI rose to 51.9 in July from June’s 51.4, its highest reading since April but just below a preliminary estimate of 52.0. A reading above 50.0 indicates growth.
“It’s a mixed bag, but with the main conclusion the euro zone economy is more resilient than feared … but we’re clearly heading into at least a low growth environment,” said Carsten Brzeski at ING.
“In the shorter term I think it is weak but relatively sustained growth unless obviously something really bad happens in the Middle East. It’s not a situation in which the euro zone economy will all of a sudden take off and present a stellar performance.”
Inflation in the common currency bloc rose to 2.9% in July from 2.8% a month earlier, official data showed last week, adding to an already strong case for another European Central Bank interest rate hike which would likely add a further constraint on demand as households curtail spending.
Factories across the globe faced elevated input costs last month, the PMIs showed.
Germany, Europe’s largest economy, enjoyed a strong start to the third quarter as manufacturing activity expanded but S&P Global said it was difficult to imagine this performance being sustained without a resolution to the Middle East conflict due to corresponding volatility in oil prices and uncertainty.
French factory activity slipped back into contraction and Italy’s manufacturing industry saw growth slow.
In Britain, outside the European Union, manufacturing activity expanded for a ninth straight month in July but at the slowest pace in four months, according to its PMI that pointed to a renewed impact from the Iran war towards the end of last month.
Earlier PMIs showed India’s manufacturing sector expanded at its slowest pace in nearly five years as overall demand remained soft. But in contrast, Japan’s factory output expanded at its fastest pace in more than 12 years with across-the-board improvements in sub-indexes, including a 4-1/2-year high surge in new orders buoyed by AI-related demand.
Reporting by Jonathan Cable; Editing by Toby Chopra
As Europe experiences the fastest warming of any continent and record-breaking heatwaves, drought has exposed the need to reconsider business practices
International News via Reuters:
Record low water levels in Europe’s major rivers have curtailed the transport of goods, reduced electricity output and shrunk company earnings, stoking fears about the economic impact of searing heat and erratic rainfall.
As Europe experiences the fastest warming of any continent and record-breaking heatwaves, drought has exposed the need to reconsider business practices.
From the bustling port of Rotterdam to hydropower plants in Serbia, waterways have become a less reliable way to transport goods such as grains and oil, or to produce much-needed electricity when millions are seeking to cool their homes.
“It’s affecting not one region like we’ve seen in the past, but the whole European landscape,” said Alessandro Armenia, a power analyst at commodities data and analytics firm Kpler.
“Given the current dynamics, it means either we’re going to see blackouts or we need to invest way more.”
HYDROPOWER AND NUCLEAR OUTPUT CUT
Production of nuclear power in Hungary and hydropower in Serbia have fallen because of record low water levels along the Danube, which passes through major cities like Vienna, Budapest and Belgrade on its route from Germany to the Black Sea.
The Paks nuclear power plant, which generates nearly half of Hungary’s electricity, will be shut down on Monday, possibly for weeks because water levels on the river, which supplies cooling water to the facility, are expected to stay too low for it to operate safely.
At Djerdap 1, Serbia’s largest hydropower plant, output has fallen to 20% of capacity, the plant’s production director Davor Maljokovic told Reuters, as the once broad shipping channel beside it has shrunk to expose sandbanks and gravel bars.
The lack of water has also disrupted cooling systems at Serbia’s Kostolac coal-fired power plants, forcing them to cut output, Serbia’s state EPS power utility said.
Both Serbia and Hungary say they will make up for the losses by importing electricity, a costly measure when demand on the spot market is high.
Romania’s state nuclear power producer Nuclearelectrica also had to shut one of its two reactors earlier this week for the same reason, with the second expected to soon follow, potentially depriving the country of a fifth of its electricity needs.
France has also had to reduce nuclear power generation because of low water levels or rising river temperatures.
WATER LEVELS ALSO DISRUPT TRANSPORT
Energy is not the only loser.
Cezar Gheorghe of Romanian grain market consultancy AGRIColumn told Reuters on Friday farmers along the Danube were having problems shipping their crops because low water levels stopped barges from using several river ports.
“Only the ports which are closer to the Black Sea are still operational. Barges can’t go through the others,” Gheorghe said.
“Crops buyers could offer farmers lower prices and load them in trucks, although there might also be a shortage of trucks.”
Meanwhile, the volume of cargo transported to and from Rotterdam – Europe’s largest sea port – to the Rhine has fallen slightly each week since the beginning of July and is around 10% lower than normal, a port spokesperson told Reuters.
Chemical and oil product tankers and dry bulk carriers are particularly affected because of their normally greater draught compared to container barges, which means they sit deeper in the water and require greater water depths.
DROUGHT REDUCES COMPANY EARNINGS
Apart from the natural devastation of wildfires and temperatures that have caused thousands of excess deaths, companies’ balance sheets have suffered from the changing climate.
Austrian utility Verbund, which produced about 85% of its electricity from hydropower last year, said on Thursday that drought conditions reduced earnings by about €370 million in the first half compared with a year of normal hydrological conditions.
French state-owned utility EDF said on Friday that full-year earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation for 2026 were expected to fall by 10% because of low market prices and as heatwaves reduced power output.
In Italy, the Po River basin has entered a state of high water scarcity, threatening rice crops and drinking water supplies across the north.
Chief Executive of regional utility A2A, Renato Mazzoncini, said he expected hydropower production this year of 3.9 TWh compared to a historical average of 4.1.
“Some of our reservoirs are under pressure,” he said. “We practically need to start doing a rain dance.”
Additional reporting by Inti Landauro in Brussels; Giancarlo Navach in Milan; Danny Callaghan in Gdansk; Marleen Käsebier in Zurich; Rene Wagner in Berlin; Writing by Edward McAllister; editing by Barbara Lewis
The pan-European STOXX 600 index was up 0.4% at 651.69 points by 8:50 GMT, with most major regional bourses trading higher. Germany’s DAX led the gains, jumping 1.4%
International News via Reuters:
European shares rose on Monday as oil prices dropped sharply after U.S. President Donald Trump said talks with Iran were expected later in the day, raising hopes that diplomacy could avert a further escalation in the conflict.
The pan-European STOXX 600 index was up 0.4% at 651.69 points by 8:50 GMT, with most major regional bourses trading higher. Germany’s DAX led the gains, jumping 1.4%.
Energy stocks fell 1% as oil futures slid more than 4%. Trump’s decision to hold off on a fresh attack on Iran, while seeking a rapid agreement to curb Tehran’s nuclear ambitions and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, eased fears of further supply disruptions. [O/R]
“For now, it seems like a step in the right direction, but I’m sceptical that this will last,” Daniela Hathorn, senior market analyst at Capital.com, said.
“Everyone is waiting to see the latest developments in the Middle East, and that remains the main driver of market momentum.”
The fall in crude prices boosted oil-sensitive sectors. Travel and leisure gained 1.6%, while automobiles and parts rose 2.2%.
Aerospace and defence stocks were the strongest sectoral performers, rising 2.6%, while the luxury index advanced 1.7%.
The STOXX 600 added more than 1% in July, with resilient earnings helping investors look past the economic fallout from the U.S.-Iran conflict. The turmoil had pushed Brent crude above $90 a barrel, a particular concern for Europe given the region’s dependence on imported energy.
M&A activity also commanded investors’ attention, as markets assessed a fresh batch of deal announcements and reports of potential tie-ups.
AstraZeneca shares bottomed the STOXX 600, down 6% after a reported possible merger of the European pharmaceutical giant with U.S.-based Bristol Myers Squibb. Healthcare sector fell 0.4%.
Prysmian fell 2.3% after agreeing to buy U.S. electrical products maker Atkore for $95 per share in cash, implying an enterprise value of about $3.8 billion.
TotalEnergies edged down 0.8% after Shell said it would sell its onshore European renewables business to the French energy company as the British oil major continues to scale back its low-carbon investments.
Separately, an ECB Economic Bulletin article published on Monday said euro zone household consumption fell sharply in the early weeks of the Iran war as confidence tumbled, underscoring the economic risks of any renewed escalation in the region.
Reporting by Tharuniyaa Lakshmi in Bengaluru; Editing by Nivedita Bhattacharjee
The blue-chip FTSE 100 index fell 0.10% to 10,857.49 points by 0931 GMT, while the mid-cap FTSE 250 rose nearly 1% to 24,206.25 points
International News via Reuters:
The UK’s FTSE 100 slipped on Monday as AstraZeneca shares fell on reports of a potential tie-up with U.S. drugmaker Bristol Myers Squibb, while lower oil prices dragged down energy heavyweights BP and Shell.
The blue-chip FTSE 100 index fell 0.10% to 10,857.49 points by 0931 GMT, while the mid-cap FTSE 250 rose nearly 1% to 24,206.25 points.
• AstraZeneca shares fell 6.2% as investors questioned the logic of a merger with Bristol Myers Squibb after reports they held preliminary talks about forming one of the world’s biggest drugmakers. The stock was the top decliner in the FTSE 100.
• “The initial market reaction to the reports is highly circumspect, reflecting understandable caution about the scale of the deal. Major transactions of this kind often run into difficulties around integration and matching up different workplace cultures,” said Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell.
• Meanwhile, shares of BP fell 1.6% and Shell dropped 0.8% as Brent crude prices fell about 5% after U.S. President Donald Trump held off a fresh attack on Iran as he sought a quick deal that would halt Tehran’s nuclear ambitions and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. [O/R]
• The broader British stock market and global stocks, however, took comfort from the fall in oil prices.
• Rate-sensitive housebuilding stocks including those in Vistry Group, Bellway and Persimmon climbed in the range of 4.8%-6.9% as UK bond yields fell on the back of a retreat in oil prices.
• British manufacturing activity expanded for a ninth straight month in July but at the slowest pace in four months, according to S&P Global purchasing managers’ data that points to a renewed impact from the Iran war towards the end of last month.
• Among other movers, UK shipping services firm Clarkson rose 7.8%, leading gains across all London-listed stocks, after issuing upbeat full-year outlook.
Reporting by Sruthi Shankar in Bengaluru ; Editing by Nivedita Bhattacharjee
The new British government’s cautious fiscal stance helped ease investor concerns that had fuelled a political risk premium in sterling
International News via Reuters:
Sterling broke a three-day winning streak against the dollar while dropping versus the yen as investors closely watch the U.S. rate path and authorities’ interventions to support the Japanese currency.
The new British government’s cautious fiscal stance helped ease investor concerns that had fuelled a political risk premium in sterling, underpinning the currency late last week despite the dovish message from the Bank of England’s policy meeting.
Finance minister John Healey told cabinet ministers to make cuts in their budgets to help fund the government’s new spending commitments, the Times reported on Friday.
The British currency dropped 0.50% against the yen to 211.11 after hitting 209.48, the lowest since March 5. It fell also last week as Tokyo and Washington stepped into the foreign exchange market to support Japan’s currency.
Sterling was last down 0.18% at $1.3457, after reaching $1.35055 earlier in the session, the highest level since July 16.
The dollar index was little changed, shrugging off a decline in oil prices on Monday as investors awaited U.S. employment data later in the week for fresh signals on the U.S. rate trajectory.
The pound recorded its best monthly performance since April against the dollar and euro on Friday.
It inched 0.13% lower against the euro.
“The pound’s negative risk premium closed somewhat further last week, albeit much less than we would have expected in light of the dovish lean of the Monetary Policy Committee’s remaining erstwhile hawk Deputy Governor Lombardelli and swing-voter Governor Bailey,” Barclays said in a research note.
The BoE kept interest rates on hold on Thursday as it waits for a keener sense of how much the Iran war will push up inflation.
Deputy Governor Clare Lombardelli, who some economists thought might also back a hike, said on Thursday that her decision to keep rates on hold had not been a hard one.
“With fiscal news likely to remain light and the window for carry potentially open throughout August, we take a small profit from our long euro/sterling recommendation,” Barclays added.
reporting by Stefano Rebaudo; editing by Andrew Heavens
Bermuda’s top female footballers were back in pre-season action, featuring across top-flight European friendlies, English non-league encounters, and an entertaining North American clash in California.
From the mountains of Aosta to PayPal Park under the California sun, here is how the island’s contingent fared.
Midfielder Leilanni Nesbeth and her Como Women teammates suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat against Swiss outfit Young Boys in their second pre-season outing at the Centro Sportivo in Montjovet.
Young Boys took control of the contest through Jelcic, who bagged a brace with goals in the 43rd and 63rd minutes. Como responded almost immediately through substitute Ginevra Moretti in the 65th minute, but the Italian side were unable to find an equalizer despite late pressure.
Over in North America, Mia Fishel made an immediate impact for Seattle Reign FC as they claimed a dramatic 3-2 victory over Bay FC in a pulsating contest.
It took the Reign just five minutes to open the scoring after pressing aggressively from the opening whistle. Maddie Dahlien drove down the left wing before cutting a precise cross into the box, where Fishel displayed superb footwork to tap the ball past her marker and the goalkeeper for her first run-of-play goal of the campaign.
Dahlien then doubled the lead with her second goal of the season before Bay FC fought back into contention. However, Reign legend Jess Fishlock sealed the win with a dramatic goal in the dying minutes of the match.
It was a productive day for Bermudian players across the English pre-season circuit:
Sutton United Women: K’Shaela Burch-Waldron helped Sutton United secure an impressive 3-1 away victory over QPR Women in West London.
AFC Sudbury Women: Midfielder Eva Frazzoni played a key role as AFC Sudbury earned a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Billericay Town Women.
Newport Pagnell Town Women: Featuring Bermudian forward Jasmine Spence, Newport Pagnell Town claimed a 2-1 win over Hitchin Belles to continue their pre-season momentum.
Jamaican reggae and dancehall star Wayne Wonder delivered an electrifying performance at Snorkel Park Beach. With fans singing, dancing and celebrating throughout the night, the atmosphere was electrifying.
Kendal Trott was there and captured some of the highlights.
Motorists should expect stop-and-go traffic management and delays
Media Release:
The Ministry of Public Works and Environment wishes to inform the motoring public that a lane closure will take place on North Shore Road near Crawl Hill to accommodate inspection of an existing transmission line that delivers fuel from SOL to BELCO.
The lane closure will commence on Monday, 3rd of August 2026 and continue through Monday, 10th of August 2026.
Working hours will be from 7:30 am to 6:00 pm.
Traffic controls will be under the direction of Island Construction representatives, with stop-and-go signs and possible traffic lights.
The Ministry of Public Works and Environment encourages full cooperation from the public and apologises for any inconvenience that may arise.
If you have any questions about these works, please contact the Island Construction Services representative, Michael DeSilva, at 441 538-0525.
Wells, Trott and Lambe each produced standout moments in pre-season fixtures this week
Media Release:
Action-packed pre-season fixtures across the U.K. saw several Bermudian internationals taking centre stage—headlined by stellar performances from Nahki Wells, goalkeeper Nathan Trott, and veteran attacker Reggie Lambe.
Nahki Wells continued his fine form, netting for the second consecutive match as Luton Town sealed a comfortable 4-1 victory over Dutch side Go Ahead Eagles B at Kenilworth Road.
Following work at The Brache earlier in the day, the Hatters proved far too strong. Wells capped off a dominant display after George Saville pounced on a loose ball to find Jayden Luker, who squared unselfishly for the Bermuda international to roll into an empty net.
In one of the most eye-catching results, goalkeeper Nathan Trott produced a sensational display to help Cardiff City dismantle Italian giants AS Roma 4-1 in their final tune-up.
Trott was the hero after Roma were awarded a first-half penalty. World Cup winner Paulo Dybala stepped up, but Trott read the Argentinian brilliantly, diving low to his right to keep the effort out.
The pressure mounted shortly after, but Trott proved unbeatable—making a stunning reaction save from close range before watching a header glance wide from the resulting corner.
Further down the pyramid, Reggie Lambe produced a moment of magic to spearhead a thrilling comeback for Ipswich Wanderers, who erased a two-goal deficit to defeat Ely City FC 3-2.
Trailing 2-1, Lambe took matters into his own hands. Collecting a short corner, the winger whipped in a wicked, curling cross-shot that baffled the keeper and slotted inside the far post to restore parity, setting the stage for a dramatic late winner.
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