Iceland has surpassed Switzerland as the world’s most expensive country, according to new calculations by the Icelandic trade union federation Viska, based on data from Eurostat and the Central Bank of Iceland. As reported by Bloomberg, consumer prices in Iceland now average three percent higher than in Switzerland — a reversal of the long‑standing ranking. A Shift at the Top The last time Iceland was more expensive than Switzerland was in 2018. As recently as 2024, Swiss prices were still about seven percent higher on average. But while Swiss inflation…

Austria’s peak pollen season is creating serious safety concerns on the road, prompting the ÖAMTC to warn allergy sufferers about a significantly increased risk of accidents. Sneezing fits, itchy eyes, headaches and breathing difficulties can impair drivers for several seconds — long enough to cause dangerous situations in traffic. “Anyone who sneezes several times while driving is effectively travelling blind for moments at a time — and that can be life‑threatening,” cautions ÖAMTC traffic psychologist Marion Seidenberger. She also warns that some anti‑allergy medications can slow reaction times or cause…

Western and Central Europe are trapped beneath an unusually early heat dome, driving temperatures to historic May records and causing multiple fatalities in France. Meteorologists warn that the combination of cloudless skies, stagnant hot air, and Saharan dust drifting northward is intensifying the heat across the continent. France: Seven Deaths Linked to Extreme Heat French government spokesperson Maud Brégeon confirmed on Tuesday that seven people have died in incidents “directly or indirectly linked to the heat.” At least five victims drowned, likely after attempting to cool off in rivers or…