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Iceland Votes to Steer Clear of European Union Talks

After divisive debate, Icelanders rejected a proposal to resume negotiations on joining the bloc in a referendum with the highest voter turnout in almost two decades.

© Marco Di Marco/Associated Press

Leaders of the “No to E.U.” campaign reacting as early results came in during a rally in Reykjavik, Iceland, on Saturday.
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Icelanders Are Voting on E.U. Membership Talks. Here’s What to Know.

The Nordic nation is holding a referendum on Saturday on whether to start membership talks with the European Union. Voters are divided.

© Marco Di Marco/Associated Press

A rally opposing the resumption of talks to join the European Union in Reykjavik, Iceland, on Thursday. The banner reads “no” in Icelandic.
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Why Iceland and Others Might Want In, Not Out, of the E.U. Club

A few years ago, some feared the European Union was going out of style. Now Iceland is mulling membership alongside a long list of candidates.

© Jonathan Nackstrand/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital. A vote on Saturday will determine whether the country restarts talks to join the European Union.
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‘The Sauna Is Hot and Uncomfortable’: Vote on E.U. Talks Makes Iceland Sweat

The usually genial country has been bitterly divided over a vote this weekend on whether to enter membership talks with the European Union.

© Jonathan Nackstrand/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Posters on bus stops urged a “no” vote in Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik, on Tuesday, asking “Natural resources for sale?”
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Iceland’s Murder Rate Is Off the Charts (in Its Books, at Least)

The Nordic nation has almost no homicides, yet crime fiction is its favorite literary genre. That means writers face a challenge: making murder feel believable.

© Sigga Ella for The New York Times

Crime novels on display in a bookstore in Reykjavik, Iceland.
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‘They’re Always Going to Be Polarizing’: Britons Split on Harry and Meghan’s Return

Recent surveys suggest the broader public views both of them negatively, especially in comparison to Harry’s brother, William, and his wife, Kate.

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Prince Harry and Meghan during a visit to Australia earlier this year.
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Queen Camilla Says It Was ‘Difficult’ to Keep Charles’s Cancer a Secret

“I was just longing to let it out,” Camilla said in rare public comments about the king’s 2024 diagnosis, which was not immediately revealed. “But obviously I couldn’t.”

© Pool photo by Paul Grover

Queen Camilla in 2024, visiting a London support center run by Maggie’s, a cancer charity where she serves as president.
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As Europe Gets Hotter, Its Transportation Systems Struggle to Cope

The continent’s railways and roads “were engineered for a climate that no longer exists,” one expert said.

© Christophe Archambault/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Commuters at a train station in Bordeaux, France, during a heat wave in July. Much of Europe’s infrastructure was not built to withstand scorching summer heat.
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How Nigel Farage Ended Up Running Against Count Binface in Clacton

Nigel Farage forced a new election in his parliamentary seat after coming under pressure over his finances. His main challenger is Count Binface, a novelty candidate.

© Kirsty Wigglesworth/Associated Press

Count Binface, played by the comedian Jon Harvey, being interviewed at a studio in London last month.
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The Eclipse Is Coming, and Iceland Is Looking for a Break in the Clouds

Rooms were booked years ago, and officials have been making plans. But there’s no telling where, exactly, Icelanders might go to find the best possible view.

© Amelia Nierenberg/The New York Times

Cloudy skies along the road to the Latrabjarg cliffs, the place in Iceland where the total eclipse will last the longest on Wednesday.
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