One Continent, One Ticket
By Martin Banks MEPs have generally welcomed the new, long-awaited EU Passenger Package.
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EUROPE
May 20, 2026 -
HISTORY 
May 20, 2026 20 May 2026: This day in history
526: Possible date of the Antioch earthquake in the Byzantine Empire (present-day Syria), which kills 200,000 people 1498: Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama arrives in Calicut, India, becoming the first European to reach India by sea 1609: William Shakespeare’s Sonnets are first published in London, perhaps illicitly, by publisher Thomas Thorpe 1862: US President Abraham […]
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WORLD
May 19, 2026 Trump says he called off new Iran attack at request of Gulf states
US President Donald Trump has said he is holding off a military attack on Iran planned for Tuesday at the request of Gulf states as “serious negotiations are now taking place”. In a post on Truth Social, he said he had been asked to do so by the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the […]
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CYPRUS
May 19, 2026 The anticipated initiative on the Cyprus problem calls for a strong AKEL and a powerful force for reunification
Mr. Christodoulides’ statements concerning an imminent plan for a solution to the Cyprus problem confirm the messages that in the coming months the UN Secretary-General will launch a new initiative on the Cyprus problem. We must all realize how important it is for this new effort to yield results and not lead to another failure, […]
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GEOPOLITICS
May 19, 2026 Fourteen articles, fresh Aegean friction
Turkey is preparing legislation consisting of 14 articles that would formally define the country’s maritime areas of responsibility, continental shelf and exclusive economic zone, according to reports from Ankara, in a move closely watched by Greece amid renewed concerns over disputes in the Aegean.
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HISTORY
May 19, 2026 19 May 2026: This day in history
1536: Anne Boleyn, second wife of English King Henry VIII, is beheaded at the Tower of London on charges of adultery, incest and treason 1643: Massachusetts Bay, Plymouth, Connecticut, and New Haven form the United Colonies of New England 1649: England is declared a Commonwealth by an act of the Rump Parliament, making England a […]
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EUROPE
May 18, 2026 Britain and Europe: The Long Road Back
By Edward McMillan-Scott, former British MEP* Wes Streeting’s call for Britain to rejoin the European Union, and Andy Burnham’s more cautious but still sympathetic noises, signal something important: the question of EU membership is no longer taboo in mainstream politics.
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WORLD
May 18, 2026 Taiwan reaffirms its sovereignty amid “escalating military threat”
By Martin Banks Taiwan has hit out at what it calls an “escalating military threat” posed by its neighbour China.
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ECONOMY
May 18, 2026 Commission approves €405 mln Greek scheme for energy-intensive companies
The European Commission has approved a €405 million Greek state aid scheme aimed at reducing electricity levies for energy-intensive industries, saying the measure would help prevent companies from relocating production outside the European Union.
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HISTORY
May 18, 2026 18 May 2026: This day in history
1291: After 100 years of Crusader control, the last Crusader stronghold of Acre is reconquered and destroyed by the Mamluks under Sultan al-Ashraf Khalil 1804: Napoléon Bonaparte is proclaimed Emperor of France by the French Senate 1896: Khodynka Tragedy: A stampeding crowd on Khodynka Field, Moscow, during the coronation festivities for Russian Tsar Nicholas II, […]
