World Cup Culture Wars: Nike’s “Rip the Script” leans into football’s pop-culture legacy, turning the 2026 build-up into a multi-decade marketing showdown. Luxury Travel & Rail: Britain’s “poshest train,” the 1930s Northern Belle to Birmingham and Ascot, is selling tickets up to £1,000. EU Enlargement: Leaders at the EU–Western Balkans summit in Tivat backed faster accession, with Germany’s Merz telling Serbia it must choose Europe over Russia and China. Migration Push: The EU agreed new rules to speed deportations via “return hubs” in third countries, aiming to curb irregular migration. Pope Leo XIV in Spain: The weeklong visit spotlights migrants, polarization and church abuse survivors, with stops including Barcelona’s Sagrada Família. France Gaza Flotilla Probe: France opened a war-crimes and torture investigation into the treatment of activists on a Gaza-bound flotilla. Ukraine Security Exchange: European mayors are seeking Ukraine’s know-how on community security resilience, as Vinnytsia shares practical steps. Sanctions Row in Ireland: Debate grows over whether Aughinish Alumina should be sanctioned for exports linked to Russia’s military. Energy Innovation: Germany’s floating solar panels on a former quarry lake show how renewables can be added without taking new land. Tech & China: A US envoy warns the EU against “decoupling” from Washington in an “AI war” with China.