No joke, this once happened to me: showed up at Reagan to catch a flight leaving from Dulles. I’m still in awe of the cab driver who manoeuvred rush-hour traffic expertly enough to get me to the right airport with just enough time to make it onto the plane right before boarding completed.

"There is no room in Europe for selfish speculation on a basic need like our homes," Housing Commissioner Dan Jørgensen said Monday, stressing the need to tackle the "financialization" of the EU's housing stock. Story: www.politico.eu/article/eu-h...

I'm glad the stats prove I wasn't just imagining things during the years I spent in Portugal, during which I concluded its drivers were notably reckless, death-wishing lunatics. That said, let's all spare a prayer for anyone who has to drive in Serbia. Source: www.gov.uk/government/s...

In case you missed it, we clarified the confusion about the timing of the European Commission's long-awaited Affordable Housing Plan in today's edition of Living Cities. For future clarifications of complex matters, make sure to sign up: www.politico.eu/livingcities/

🌿XL🌿

Many happy returns to Bono, as well.

¡Viva San Schuman!

One key takeaway tonight is that one historic trend has been broken.

Reaparece la exvicepresidenta Soraya Sáez de Santamaría en la comisión de investigación parlamentaria sobre la llamada Operación Cataluña y mi única pregunta es ¿CUÁNDO DECLARA EL BOLSO?

In the past, urban development in Valencia paid little attention to the dangers posed by building in flood-risk areas. Accepting that, sooner or later, the waters will rise again, locals are demanding their cities be rebuilt prioritizing resilience and sustainability. www.politico.eu/article/insi...

This headline sums up the exhaustion in Spain, where the nationwide blackout comes in the same five year span that has included a pandemic, massive snowstorms, prolonged droughts, deadly floods, a war in Europe, etc. etc. etc.: "Here we are, living through yet another historic moment..."

Big fan of the @diariodenavarra.bsky.social's quick thinking here: They identified the exact hour the blackout began by stepping outside to see the time at which the clock on a neighboring school had stopped. www.diariodenavarra.es/noticias/nav...

Also a big day for Commissioner @hadjalahbib.bsky.social and her once-ridiculed-and-now-highly-desired emergency kit.

🚨 BREAKING: Spain and Portugal have lost power in a massive blackout, according to the Spanish grid operator. Blackouts were reported from Madrid to Lisbon, with large parts of the Iberian Peninsula without power as of late morning today. Read the developing story: ow.ly/3KG150VIM9u

Big day for Spanish islanders / residents of autonomous cities ✨

The European People's Party's annual conference in Valencia is kicking off exactly six months after 228 died in the floods that swept the region, and with mass protests demanding the resignation of regional center-right leader Carlos Mazón. www.politico.eu/article/euro...

Apropos of today’s papal funeral, a factoid we point out in this week’s edition of Living Cities regarding Francis’ instructions to be buried in Santa Maria Maggiore: The precedent you’re looking for wasn’t set by Leo XIII, but rather by Innocent X. www.politico.eu/newsletter/g...

Sempre!

Alucino con las tonterías publicadas en el artículo sobre 'El Jardín de las Delicias' que publica cierto periódico hoy...

La líder de las disidentes cubanas Damas de Blanco, Berta Soler, denuncia que siete integrantes fueron detenidas en su intento de asistir a misa, en el que denominó como el "séptimo domingo represivo" contra ese colectivo en 2025.

Apropos of nothing, it’ll never cease to fascinate me that the headline we remember when we think of the Great Depression wasn’t printed in ‘The Wall Street Journal’ or ‘The New York Times,’ but rather in film, theatre and vaudeville trade newspaper ‘Variety.’

Donald Trump is trying to purge United States research institutions of scholars who study purportedly progressive issues. The European Union is tripping over itself to take them in. Story w/ the great @aitorehm.bsky.social & Giedre Peseckytė. www.politico.eu/article/euro...

This week the Living Cities team is celebrating the three year anniversary of POLITICO's signature look into the overlap of EU policy and urban affairs!

🎂 Head's up, folks: POLITICO's Living Cities has a birthday coming up! Ahead of our third anniversary we’re opening the floor to your questions about European cities, urbanism, how we work, etc. Take part with comments here, or write me directly at [email protected].

On Nov. 21, 2014, ex-Portuguese PM Minister José Sócrates was arrested at Lisbon's Portela Airport, where he had just arrived on a flight from Paris. He was jailed until Sept. 2015, but he'd have to wait till 2017 to be charged with passive corruption, money laundering, tax fraud and other crimes.

Who killed Dublin's club scene? Interesting piece by @aitorehm.bsky.social of @politico.eu www.politico.eu/newsletter/g...

Portugal held national elections one year ago. Voters are headed back to the polls in May. Confused? I break down what’s going on here: www.politico.eu/article/port...

Momento glorioso no debate da moção de confiança... "Dizia Francisco Sá Carneiro —" "BUUUUUUUUUUUU" 🫠

Tune in to ABC Nightlife now to hear me talk about Spain's red-hot economy: www.abc.net.au/listen

"The temporary cycle paths installed during Milan's lockdown have blossomed into over 100km of new bike lanes, and smart working schemes have become standard in the countless businesses based in the capital of Lombardy." Milan 5 years after lockdown, via @aitorehm.bsky.social @gi-coi.bsky.social

Ahead of International Women’s Day we looked at the presence of women in Europe’s major museums. While there are few studies, those that exist point to works by male artists overwhelmingly monopolising the walls. Top leadership also seems to be reserved for the lads. www.politico.eu/newsletter/g...

The EU's housing crisis poses as big a threat to the bloc's future as Russia, Barcelona Mayor @jaumecollboni.bsky.social warns in an interview with @politico.eu in which he predicts citizens will turn away from democratic leaders who fail to address the problem. www.politico.eu/article/hous...

Me fascina que los flamantes retratos de Felipe VI y Letizia estén destinados a adornar la blandísima Sala del Consejo de Gobierno del Banco de España. Mientras los economistas tratan cuestiones relativas a la política monetaria, una imagen real de fondo con vibe "Qu'ils mangent de la brioche."

Epic line in @benmunster.bsky.social's great read on the unpredictable papal succession struggle.

Extremely niche question for any Florentine history experts out there: Where was Republican France's delegation to the Grand Duchy of Tuscany headquartered in 1793? (This isn't a riddle, it's an earnest question.)

Blockbuster piece by @maxgriera.bsky.social , @l-guillot.bsky.social , @elisabraun.bsky.social & @MarianneGross95. Fact-check: Did the Commission really pay NGOs to lobby for the Green Deal? www.politico.eu/article/fact...

EU leaders are gathering at Brussels' Palais d’Egmont this morning for the first of European Council President António Costa's "informal retreats." The event was originally set to be held in a country palace in Wallonia, but it's instead happening in one of the Belgian capital's best-known venues.

Everyone was caught off guard by Portuguese PM António Costa's surprise resignation yesterday. Now that we've all had a second to catch our breath, here's a quick run-through through what happened — and what comes next — courtesy of @POLITICOEurope. 🧵 www.politico.eu/article/poli...