World
Iceland says it will put EU membership to referendum by 2027
Iceland has traditionally been ambivalent about joining the bloc but issues like the 2008 financial crisis, Brexit and a range of domestic issues has meant the country is slowly warming to the idea of membership.
Iceland’s new government has said it aims to put the question of EU membership to a referendum by 2027.
The incoming administration of Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir, which takes over on Sunday, also said it will set up a panel of experts to look into the advantages and disadvantages of retaining the Icelandic crown over adopting the Euro.
“We agreed that a motion in parliament be agreed upon, stating that we will have a referendum on the continuation of Iceland’s European Union accession talks and that this referendum be held no later than 2027,” said incoming Foreign Minister, Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir.
Gunnarsdóttir also heads the pro-EU Liberal Reform party and is widely expected to spearhead any accession talks.
According to a poll conducted by market research company Maskína in June, support for EU membership among Iceland’s population is growing.
That poll found just over 54% of respondents were in favour of joining the bloc, with the majority saying they thought households would be financially better off as part of the EU.
That’s a significant swing in favour of membership in a country that has generally been ambivalent about joining the EU.
In his ‘Public Opinion on the EU in Iceland since 1980’ paper published by Denmark’s Aarhus University, Ragnar Auðun Árnason said that for much of the 1980s and 1990s, Iceland was broadly split into three equal camps regarding EU membership; for, against and undecided.
But issues like the 2008 financial crisis, Brexit and a range of domestic issues has meant that Icelanders seem to be slowly warming to the idea of joining the bloc.
And a significant majority of those polled by Maskína – 74.2% – said it was important that the issue be decided by referendum.
New government unveiled
The new government was presented to the public by president Halla Tómasdóttir at a ceremony in the southwestern town of Hafnarfjörður.
Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir, who is the leader of the centre-left Social Democratic Alliance, said she aims to cut inflation and interest rates.
“This new government will face challenges united. Our first task is to stabilize the economy and lower interest rates with strong leadership in fiscal policy. In the meantime, this government will break the deadlock, and work towards greater creation of wealth in the private sector. The quality of life in the country will be increased through unity surrounding these challenges,” she said.
The Social Democratic Alliance became the biggest party in November’s snap elections, called after the previous coalition government led by Bjarni Benediktsson collapsed due to infighting.
It agreed to form a government with the Liberal Reform Party and the centrist People’s Party. It’s the first time in Iceland’s history that the leaders of all the governing parties will be women.
ADVERTISEMENTNational broadcaster RUV reported that at 36, Frostadóttir will be Iceland’s youngest ever PM.
RUV also said that the incoming administration aims to reduce the number of government ministries in order to cut some administrative costs.
Ship SEIZED near UAE coast, UK military says
Iranian forces seized a vessel 38 nautical miles off the UAE coast early Thursday, a brazen provocation occurring just as President Donald Trump and Xi Jinping met in Beijing discussing key issues like the Strait of Hormuz.
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A ship was seized off the coast of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) near the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday morning, the British military reported.
The ship was boarded and “taken by unauthorized personnel” while it was roughly 38 nautical miles northeast of the United Arab Emirates’ oil export terminal Fujairah, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported Thursday.
UKMTO spotted the ship heading toward Iranian territorial waters after the seizure, it reported Thursday.
British authorities did not release information on who the ship belonged to or who seized it. Despite the lack of official corroboration, the BBC reported that the Honduras-flagged Hui Chuan was seized in the Strait on Thursday.
CARGO SHIP ATTACKED BY SMALL CRAFT NEAR STRAIT OF HORMUZ, UK MARITIME AGENCY SAYS
Ships are anchored in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas in southern Iran on May 4. A report on May 15 said a ship was seized off the coast of the United Arab Emirates and is being brought toward Iranian waters. (Amirhossein Khorgooei/ISNA/AFP)
Citing the risk-management company Vanguard, the BBC reported that the ship’s operators told Vanguard that the Hui Chuan was operating as a “floating armory” for ships in the Strait to defend themselves from pirates.
A container ship sits at anchor in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas, Iran, as a motorboat passes in the foreground on May 2, 2026. (Amirhosein Khorgooi/ISNA via AP)
At least two other ships have already been seized in the Strait of Hormuz since February.
IRAN SAYS ITS SMALL SUBS DEPLOYED TO STRAIT OF HORMUZ AS EXPERT EXPLAINS THREAT: ‘VULNERABLE TO DETECTION’
A cargo ship sails in the Persian Gulf toward the Strait of Hormuz on April 22, 2026. (AP Photo)
In April, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) seized the Panamanian-flagged MSC Francesca and the Epaminondes ships in the Strait.
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Fox News Digital contacted UKMTO and Vanguard for further information but did not immediately receive a response.
Al Jazeera’s Manuel Rapalo reports from Washington, where the first of two days of US-mediated ambassador-level talks between Israel and Lebanon concluded on Thursday. A ceasefire between them expires on Sunday, though Israel has killed 512 Lebanese since its implementation on April 17.
Published On 15 May 2026
World
Miley Cyrus, Jisoo, Sabrina Carpenter, Al Pacino and More Photos from the Dior Cruise Show in Los Angeles
Jonathan Anderson gathered some of Hollywood’s most famous faces for the front row at his Dior Cruise Collection 2027 fashion show at Los Angeles’ LACMA on Wednesday night.
Spotted taking their seats underneath the new David Geffen Galleries were Miley Cyrus, Sabrina Carpenter, Al Pacino, Jisoo of Blackpink, Anya Taylor-Joy, Jeff Goldblum, Tracee Ellis Ross, Role Model, Grace Gummer, Dominic Fike, Miranda Kerr, Mikey Madison, Paul W. Downs, Leslie Mann, Miles Teller, Macaulay Culkin and Bill Pullman.
Guests entered LACMA through a simple entrance on Wilshire Boulevard lined on both sides by gaggles of photographers (some were apparently extras hired to act like shutterbugs). Inside, there were large stone-like step-and-repeats for more photos. Attendees were gifted Dior blankets at their seats as well as a mock script titled “Wilshire Boulevard” starring Anderson explaining the show’s noir theme and looks.
An after-party took place at Chateau Marmont.
Miley Cyrus told me she was grateful Anderson chose her hometown for the event. “I love that they came to L.A.,” she said. “That’s the best part.”
Of her all-denim look, the Grammy winner said, “What I love about L.A. is that it’s casual, so just stopping by to enjoy. Not overdone.”
Meanwhile, following the success of her “Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special,” I asked Cyrus if a reboot of the Disney Channel sitcom was in the works. “I don’t know about all that,” she said, smiling.
Cyrus cracked, “You always get me in trouble.”
Cyrus has credited my question about her possible plans to mark the two-decade milestone earlier in the year that prompted her and Disney to develop the special.
Tracee Ellis Ross also said she was “so pleased” the show took place in Los Angeles: “I don’t have to get on a plane.”
See all the best celebrity looks at the Dior fashion show below.
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Miley Cyrus and Mikey Madison
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores Miley Cyrus and Mikey Madison at the Dior 2027 Cruise Collection Show held at LACMA on May 13, 2026 in Los Angeles.
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Anya Taylor-Joy
Image Credit: Christopher Polk Anya Taylor-Joy at Dior 2027 Cruise Collection Show held at LACMA on May 13, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.
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Danny Elfman
Image Credit: Christopher Polk Danny Elfman at Dior 2027 Cruise Collection Show held at LACMA on May 13, 2026 in Los Angeles.
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Role Model
Image Credit: Christopher Polk Role Model at Dior 2027 Cruise Collection Show held at LACMA on May 13, 2026 in Los Angeles.
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Jake Shane
Image Credit: Christopher Polk Jake Shane at Dior 2027 Cruise Collection Show held at LACMA on May 13, 2026 in Los Angeles.
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Esther McGregor
Image Credit: Christopher Polk Esther McGregor at Dior 2027 Cruise Collection Show held at LACMA on May 13, 2026 in Los Angeles.
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Paul W. Downs
Image Credit: Christopher Polk Paul W. Downs at Dior 2027 Cruise Collection Show held at LACMA on May 13, 2026 in Los Angeles.
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Jay Shetty
Image Credit: Christopher Polk Jay Shetty at Dior 2027 Cruise Collection Show held at LACMA on May 13, 2026 in Los Angeles.
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Christine Chiu
Image Credit: Christopher Polk Christine Chiu at Dior 2027 Cruise Collection Show held at LACMA on May 13, 2026 in Los Angeles.
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Terrence O’Connor
Image Credit: Christopher Polk Terrence O’Connor at Dior 2027 Cruise Collection Show held at LACMA on May 13, 2026 in Los Angeles.
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Tracee Ellis Ross
Image Credit: Christopher Polk Tracee Ellis Ross at Dior 2027 Cruise Collection Show held at LACMA on May 13, 2026 in Los Angeles.
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LaKeith Stanfield
Image Credit: Christopher Polk LaKeith Stanfield at Dior 2027 Cruise Collection Show held at LACMA on May 13, 2026 in Los Angeles.
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Sam Kim and Ejae
Image Credit: Christopher Polk Sam Kim and Ejae at Dior 2027 Cruise Collection Show held at LACMA on May 13, 2026 in Los Angeles.
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Sabrina Carpenter
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores Sabrina Carpenter at the Dior 2027 Cruise Collection Show held at LACMA on May 13, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.
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Jisoo
Image Credit: Variety via Getty Images Jisoo at Dior 2027 Cruise Collection Show held at LACMA on May 13, 2026 in Los Angeles.
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Chase Sui Wonders
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores Chase Sui Wonders at the Dior 2027 Cruise Collection Show held at LACMA on May 13, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.
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Cookie Johnson and EJ Johnson
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores Cookie Johnson and EJ Johnson at the Dior 2027 Cruise Collection Show held at LACMA on May 13, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.
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Al Pacino
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores Al Pacino at the Dior 2027 Cruise Collection Show held at LACMA on May 13, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.
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Miley Cyrus
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores Miley Cyrus at the Dior 2027 Cruise Collection Show held at LACMA on May 13, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.
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Eileen Gu
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores Eileen Gu at the Dior 2027 Cruise Collection Show held at LACMA on May 13, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.
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Owen Thiele
Image Credit: Variety via Getty Images Owen Thiele at Dior 2027 Cruise Collection Show held at LACMA on May 13, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.
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Ejae
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores Ejae at the Dior 2027 Cruise Collection Show held at LACMA on May 13, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.
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Jisoo and Anya Taylor-Joy
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores Jisoo and Anya Taylor-Joy at the Dior 2027 Cruise Collection Show held at LACMA on May 13, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.
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Miles Teller and Keleigh Sperry
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores Miles Teller and Keleigh Sperry at the Dior 2027 Cruise Collection Show held at LACMA on May 13, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.
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