Hello, this is EUR Radio News.
1. Norway is building the world’s first ship tunnel
Norway is set to construct the world’s largest shipping tunnel, allowing cruise ships, tankers, and fishing boats to avoid one of Europe’s most perilous sea passages. This ambitious billion-dollar project faced significant challenges but is now moving forward.
2. Drug-related deaths among young Germans rise sharply
Authorities report a concerning increase in drug-related deaths among young Germans, with 528 individuals under 30 dying from illegal substances in 2025. This marks a nearly 53% rise compared to 2021, according to figures from the Federal Criminal Police Office.
3. France returns 23 Syrian artifacts after 15 years
In a symbolic gesture during President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Damascus, France has returned 23 archaeological artifacts to Syria. These items, borrowed from Syrian museums, were previously on loan to the Arab World Institute in Paris since 2011.
4. Secret service warns of banking crisis in Russia
A European intelligence report has raised alarms about a looming banking crisis in Russia, exacerbated by EU sanctions. The report highlights the strain on the banking system due to subsidized loans and rising defaults.
5. Gold rings dating back 2,000 years found at Thai archaeological site
Archaeologists in Thailand have unearthed two gold rings believed to be around 2,000 years old at the Don Yai Thong site in Phetchaburi province. The rings were discovered alongside human bones during ongoing excavations.
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6. Canada has placed a billion-dollar order for up to twelve submarines from the German shipbuilder TKMS, as announced by Prime Minister Mark Carney in Halifax. This move underscores Canada’s commitment to strengthening military cooperation with Germany ahead of the upcoming NATO summit.
7. Catania Airport in Sicily remains closed due to ongoing ashfall from Mount Etna, disrupting both take-offs and landings. The operating company SAC has stated that operations will remain suspended until conditions improve.
8. China has conducted a test-fire of a long-range missile into the Pacific, raising concerns among U.S. allies in the region. This unprecedented launch of a nuclear-capable submarine-launched missile underscores Beijing’s expanding military capabilities.
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More than 1,000 individuals have been arrested globally as part of a significant crackdown on human trafficking. This operation has led to the rescue of two Bolivian children who were forced to work in a grocery store in Argentina. In Belgium, authorities apprehended 17 suspects after dismantling a trafficking network that allegedly recruited victims through social media and forced them into prostitution rings operating across Belgium and France.
In a separate development, Ukrainian forces executed a drone strike on the Omsk Oil Refinery, Russia’s largest fuel production site, located over 2,500 kilometers from the Ukraine-Russia border. This strategic attack targets a vital component of Russia’s energy infrastructure, signaling the ongoing tensions in the region.
Turning to the weather. In Riga, 8 to 20 degrees with partly cloudy low. In London, 19 to 31 degrees with sunny feels like. In Paris, 21 to 35 degrees with sunny feels like. In Brussels, 18 to 28 degrees with partly cloudy low. In Berlin, 15 to 22 degrees with patchy rain possible feels like. In Stockholm, 9 to 19 degrees with sunny feels like. In Madrid, 25 to 39 degrees with sunny feels like.
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