Greek university admission thresholds 2026: Engineering and computer science soar, law and psychology slip
The Greek Ministry of Education released the 2026 Panhellenic exam results on 23 July, showing a sharp rise in demand for engineering and computer science programmes, while law and psychology schools saw slight declines.
Global life expectancy rises to 73.8 years, but people spend 10.7 of them in poor health, Lancet study finds
A Lancet Public Health study covering 204 countries from 1990 to 2023 shows the global healthspan gap widening, with women and wealthy nations disproportionately affected.
FDA panel votes 8-6 to ease restrictions on peptide BPC-157 despite safety warnings
A divided FDA advisory committee recommended allowing pharmacies to compound the popular peptide BPC-157, overriding agency scientists who cited a lack of human trial data and safety risks.
Alessio Pio, 18 months, dies in Catanzaro hospital; Tropea nursery cluster triggers investigation
An 18-month-old boy died at Catanzaro's Pugliese-Ciaccio hospital on 22 July. Four other children from the same Tropea nursery were hospitalized with gastrointestinal symptoms; around a dozen fell ill in total. The Vibo Valentia prosecutor has opened an investigation and ordered an autopsy.
Emilia-Romagna approves medically assisted suicide law, third Italian region to act as parliament stalls
The regional assembly voted along party lines to establish a multidisciplinary commission and free, uniform procedures for terminally ill patients, following Tuscany and Sardinia.
Romania's finance minister pledges immediate approval for 22 nurse posts at Marie Curie hospital, but only if separated from larger 7,800-position memo
Interim Finance Minister Alexandru Nazare said he would approve a memorandum for 22 nursing posts at Bucharest's Marie Curie Children's Hospital within 24 hours, provided the Health Ministry separates it from a broader 7,800-position request that lacks budget cover.
Global antibiotic use misaligned with need: Watch drugs overused, Access and Reserve underused, Lancet study finds
A Lancet Public Health study of 186 countries finds that 66 of 67 nations overuse Watch-class antibiotics, while half underuse Access and Reserve drugs, driving antimicrobial resistance.
US aid cuts shut 1,700 HIV clinics, 77,000 fewer children on treatment, studies find
Two studies presented at the AIDS 2026 conference in Rio de Janeiro reveal the toll of last year's PEPFAR funding cuts: 1,700 clinics closed, 16,000 health workers laid off, and a 14% drop in children receiving US-backed treatment.
France adopts assisted dying law after years of debate, becoming sixth country to legalise euthanasia
The National Assembly gave final approval on 15 July with 291 votes for and 241 against, after a legislative battle that saw three Senate rejections.
US cyclospora outbreak surpasses 4,100 confirmed cases as Taylor Farms recall and FDA false positive fuel confusion
More than 4,100 confirmed domestic cases of cyclosporiasis have been reported across 41 states, with Michigan alone recording over 6,100 infections. The CDC is reviewing 7,400 additional suspected cases, and a voluntary lettuce recall by Taylor Farms has been complicated by a retracted FDA lab result.
Spain approves anti-smoking bill banning smoking on terraces and for minors, with fines up to €600,000
The Council of Ministers approved the bill on 21 July, expanding smoke-free zones to outdoor hospitality areas, beaches, and universities, and imposing penalties of up to €600,000 for illegal advertising.
Bertelsmann study: Over 80% of eligible children miss out on €15 monthly participation benefit amid wide regional gaps
A Bertelsmann Stiftung analysis finds that only 18% of 6-15 year olds and 12% of 15-18 year olds receive the €15 monthly cultural participation benefit, with rates as low as 9% in Hamburg and 59% in Schleswig-Holstein.
Pilot Chesley 'Sully' Sullenberger, hero of the 2009 'Miracle on the Hudson', announces early-stage Alzheimer's diagnosis at 75
Chesley B. 'Sully' Sullenberger III, the former US Airways pilot who saved 155 lives by landing a crippled jet on New York's Hudson River in 2009, disclosed the diagnosis in a statement on his website and in an interview with People magazine.
Canada and US restrict travel from Congo as Ebola outbreak accelerates; WHO warns cases may be two to four times higher than reported
Canada will bar foreign nationals who have been in the Democratic Republic of Congo from Monday, while the US has also tightened restrictions, as the WHO warns the outbreak is spreading faster than any previous one and official case counts may underestimate the true scale by a factor of two to four.
Romanian students win one gold, five silver, and three bronze medals at the 2026 International Math and Chemistry Olympiads
Romanian students secured one gold, five silver, and three bronze medals across the International Mathematical Olympiad in Shanghai and the International Chemistry Olympiad in Tashkent, the Ministry of Education announced on 19–20 July.
Portugal's exam results in doubt: 0.7% of papers still ungraded, minister admits risk
With less than 1% of over 300,000 national exam papers still ungraded, Education Minister Fernando Alexandre admitted Thursday that Friday's scheduled publication of results may be delayed due to ongoing digital platform failures.
Italy healthcare waiting lists improve: 1.6 million more specialist visits and diagnostic exams delivered on time
In the first half of 2026, 1.6 million more medical appointments were completed within prescribed deadlines compared to the same period last year, according to the first Agenas monitoring report. The share of timely first visits rose to 78.5% and diagnostic exams to 84.6%, though nearly 2.8 million patients still faced delays.
Young obese women driving 'worrying increase' in early-onset type 2 diabetes across England, NHS data show
Imperial College London researchers analysed NHS records from 2011 to 2024 and found a post-pandemic escalation tightly tied to rising obesity levels, with patients diagnosed younger and heavier than older counterparts.
Portugal's government rejects unconditional six-month parental leave, insists on shared leave to curb costs and gender gap
Minister Maria do Rosário Palma Ramalho told Parliament that a citizens' proposal for six months at full pay without mandatory sharing would cost €485–500 million, double the government's €226–230 million plan.
Spain's Congress passes dependency reform, locks in 50% state funding and 6.2 billion euro injection
The Spanish lower house voted on 14 July 2026 to guarantee the central government finances half of all regional care spending and unlocked 6.2 billion euros in new funding through 2027.
Spain proposes outdoor smoking ban on beaches and restaurant terraces as part of new health bill
The left-wing government of Pedro Sánchez announced a bill to prohibit smoking and vaping in outdoor areas of hotels, restaurants, bus stops, university campuses, sports facilities, pools and beaches, though it lacks a parliamentary majority to pass it.
47% of over-50s in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern want early retirement, DAK health report finds across northern Germany
A DAK-Gesundheit study of five federal states finds 42% to 53% of employees over 50 plan to leave work before the statutory retirement age, with poor health sharply increasing the likelihood.
British aid worker in London Ebola isolation after DR Congo evacuation
The individual, who worked for a humanitarian group in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, shows no symptoms and was flown out on a chartered flight as a precaution.
Spaniards wait an average of 10 days for a GP appointment as waiting-list pessimism climbs four points in a year
The first wave of the 2026 Health Barometer shows 71% of patients waited more than a day for a family doctor, while only 22% were seen within 24–48 hours. Mental-health referrals take three months.
Polish homeowners swap showpiece interiors for calm retreats as stress levels climb
A Huawei CBG Polska study showing 52% of Poles live with chronic stress is driving demand for interiors designed to soothe, not to impress, according to Halupczok expert Anna Dzierżanowska.
Salmonella outbreak in Lamia: 30 patients seek emergency care, 12 hospitalized as contaminated chicken batch suspected
Health authorities in Lamia are racing to trace a contaminated chicken batch after at least 30 people arrived at the city hospital with acute gastroenteritis, with laboratory tests confirming salmonella.
Australian mother gives birth to identical quadruplets sharing single placenta, a 1-in-15-million event
Jenitar Na'amoana, 34, delivered four girls via C-section at 28 weeks at Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital. All four shared the same placenta, a phenomenon doctors called unprecedented.
Frankfurt hospital treats Ebola patient in maximum-security isolation ward; 50 specialists required, zero escapes in 7 German units
A patient infected with Ebola is receiving care at the University Hospital Frankfurt, one of only seven special isolation units in Germany. Every aspect, from air filtration to waste disposal, is strictly separated to prevent any risk to staff or the public.
Derecho y Relaciones Internacionales tops Catalonia's 2026 university cut-off marks with 12.972
The joint programme in Law and International Relations at the Autonomous University of Barcelona claimed the highest entry bar in Catalonia this year, overtaking the long-dominant Physics and Mathematics degree amid a general fall in admission scores.
Greek university applicants face July 16 deadline as 89,032 candidates compete for 68,788 places
The online platform for the Panhellenic Exams application form will shut at midnight on Thursday, with base scores to be announced in the last ten days of July.