Europe

GB’s Burgin and Pattison through to 800m final

• Burgin and Pattison won their 800m semi-finals
• Both Britons reached the European final
• Mark English set a championship record

Great Britain’s Max Burgin and Ben Pattison have both reached the 800m final at the European Athletics Championships after winning their respective semi-finals. Their progress gives Britain two contenders in the medal race, while Ireland’s Mark English also advanced in record-breaking fashion. Burgin and Pattison finished first in…

Zara Larsson helps Sombr kick off first European festival headline set at Sziget

• Zara Larsson joined Sombr at Sziget before his European festival headline debut.
• Sombr performed debut-album tracks and addressed body-image struggles.
• He closed with his biggest hits and a tribute to Budapest.

Zara Larsson joined Sombr at Sziget Festival in Budapest as he began his first European festival headline performance. Larsson had performed earlier on the main stage, and their backstage arrival together helped mark a significant career milestone for the New York musician. Sombr played songs from his 2025…

‘Wandering Trees’ Review: Iconoclastic Director Salvatore Mereu Tries a Newly Minted Fairyale, but Only Fitfully Finds Magic

• Beautiful visuals cannot overcome the film’s uneven storytelling.
• A father and son’s rural life provokes local hostility.
• The review praises Mereu’s nature-focused vision but questions its dramatic logic.

Variety’s review finds that Salvatore Mereu’s three-hour Sardinian fairy tale, “Wandering Trees”, has striking natural imagery and a sincere reverence for the land, but only intermittently achieves the magic it seeks. The critic argues that the film’s blend of fantastical storytelling and social realism creates a tonal mismatch,…

The Democratic establishment strikes back

In today's issue: ▪ A major upset in Wisconsin ▪ US attacks ship breaking Hormuz blockade ▪ Former Marine released from Russia ▪ Air Force One security concerns The left’s successful run in Democratic primaries hit a major roadblock in Wisconsin on Tuesday night as democratic socialist Francesca…

Sarajevo Film Festival Director Jovan Marjanovic Talks “Vibrant” Lineup, Uptick In Female Directors & Developing Long-Term, “Meaningful” Relationships With Filmmakers

• Sarajevo Film Festival opens with Pawlikowski’s Fatherland on 14 August.
• Competition programme includes 51 films and 21 world premieres.
• Director cites strong gender balance and socially focused regional cinema.

Sarajevo Film Festival will open its 32nd edition on 14 August with Paweł Pawlikowski’s Fatherland and close on 21 August with a restored version of Danis Tanović’s No Man’s Land. Director Jovan Marjanović said the programme highlights Southeast European cinema while linking established international filmmakers with regional talent,…

Pylon Bill Discounts and Unmarried Couples Reform Considered

• Homes near qualifying new pylons could receive up to £250 annually for 10 years.
• The first bill-discount payments are planned for early 2027, subject to legislation.
• A separate consultation considered legal and inheritance protections for qualifying cohabiting couples.

On 12 August, the government identified more than 40 locations expected to fall within its new electricity Bill Discount Scheme, intended to compensate households close to new or substantially upgraded overhead transmission infrastructure, including pylons. Subject to legislation and final project details, eligible homes within 500 metres could…

‘Demons’ Explores the Russia-Ukraine Relationship via Borscht, Blood and Graves (Exclusive Trailer)

• Demons uses a surreal romance to allegorise Russia-Ukraine relations.
• It premieres at Locarno on 13 August.
• The story moves from uneasy companionship to betrayal.

Writer-director Natalka Vorozhbyt’s new film, Demons, will have its world premiere at the 79th Locarno Film Festival on 13 August. The film uses a developing relationship between a Russian drifter and a Ukrainian woman as a metaphor for Russia and Ukraine, framing political conflict through a surreal rural…

Wisconsin result halts winning streak for Democratic Party’s left wing

• Centrist David Crowley wins Wisconsin’s Democratic governor primary.
• His victory pauses the left wing’s recent primary winning streak.
• Crowley will face Trump-backed Republican Tom Tiffany in November.

David Crowley has narrowly won Wisconsin’s Democratic primary for governor, defeating the more left-wing Francesca Hong in a result that interrupts recent successes for insurgent progressive candidates across the US. The centrist Milwaukee County executive will face Republican congressman Tom Tiffany in November, in a contest likely to…