Culture news
Barack Obama pays tribute to Glen Hansard in his summer 2026 playlist
Barack Obama continues his longstanding tradition of sharing his music (and literature) picks for the summer - and has paid tribute to the Oscar-winning Irish musician Glen Hansard, who tragically died this week in a motorcycle crash at the age of 56.
EU.XL
How Europe made most, but not all, of its swimming waters 'excellent'
Planning a swim this summer? Chances are you'll be diving into clean water. A new European Environment Agency report shows that 96 percent of monitored bathing sites across the EU meet minimum health standards, with nearly 85 percent rated "excellent". But why are some swimming spots still unsafe?