Europe briefing: Six stories you need to know about today

Toronto shooting scene, wildfires in Greece, heatwave
Toronto shooting scene, wildfires in Greece, heatwave
Copyright 
By Alice Tidey & Reuters
Share this articleComments
Share this articleClose Button

Euronews brings you the latest news and updates as it happens this morning.

1. Greece battles deadly widlfires

ADVERTISEMENT

At least 50 people were killed in wildfires across the country, Greek authorities announced on Tuesday morning.

A group of 26 people was found dead in Mati, a resort town some 20 miles away from Athens, after being trapped by the wildfires.

More than a hundred people have been injured while hundreds of homes and cars were destroyed by the blaze.

A state of emergency has been declared and the country has appealed to other EU states for help.

Cyprus and Spain have announced that they're sending a combined team of 64 firefighters and paramedics as well as two firefighting trucks and two Canadiar firefighting planes.

2. Juncker to meet Trump in Washington

EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker will travel to Washinton on Wednesday where he will meet Donald Trump.

Trade will be in focus as the US has imposed tariffs on European steel and aluminium and threatens to slap additional duties on European cars.

Heiko Maas, Germany's Foreign Minister said on Tuesday that "Europe must stick together."

"I hope that we succeed in resolving this via consensus but we will not be threatened and climb down so easily," Maas told German public television.

3. Identity of Toronto shooting suspect revealed

A Special Investigations Unit have identified Faisal Hussein as the suspect behind Sunday's gun attack in Toronto.

Two people — a 10-year old girl and an 18-year old woman — lost their lives in the attack in the Greektown district. Thirteen others were injured.

Hussein, whose family said that he struggled with severe mental illness, was found dead shortly after the shooting.

REUTERS/Chris Helgren
Police officers walk past Alexander the Great Parkette while investigating a mass shooting on Danforth Avenue in Toronto, Canada, July 23, 2018REUTERS/Chris Helgren

4. Pressure continues to mount on Macron

The scandal over a close security aide filmed beating a May Day protestor continues to add pressure on French President Emmanuel Macron.

A parliamentary inquiry is now under way to establish if they was a cover up. Interior Minister Gerard Collomb revealed on Monday that police confirmed to him on May 2 that they had received the information regarding Alexandre Benalla's conduct during the previous day's demonstrations. The minister put the blame for the lack of action on the police.

The scandal has now derailed the parliamentary agenda, with a constitutional reform postponed until after the summer recess.

5. Italy allows migrant rescue ships to dock

Italy is to allow migrant rescue ships to dock in its ports for the following five weeks as the EU negotiates its policy on migrant arrivals and distribution across member states.

The country's new right-wing government drew widespread condemnation last month after it refused entry to the Aquarius rescue ship, which had 600 on board. The ship eventually docked in valencia, Spain.

Another ship was also redirected to Malta after Italy declined to allow it entry.

ADVERTISEMENT

6. Heatwave

Europe's heatwave shows no sign of abatting, putting heavy strain on the environment and businesses — especially farmers.

In Japan, 65 people have died due to the soaring temperatures. The country has declared it a national disaster.

As it happened updates for Monday, July 23.

This is how we covered key developments this morning:

Share this articleComments

You might also like

'Slaughtered': UK farmers protest post-Brexit rules and trade deals

Unionists agree to restore government in Northern Ireland

Britain's post-Brexit trade talks with Canada break down over beef and cheese