Europe
Cyprus / Israel / Lebanon: Hezbollah leader threatens wider conflict
Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has warned that no place in Israel would be safe if a full-scale war erupts between the two foes, also threatening Cyprus and other Mediterranean regions. Hezbollah has…
Netherlands: prime minister to become new NATO head
Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte is set to become the next NATO secretary-general after Hungary lifted its veto, following a letter from Rutte to Viktor Orbán. The letter promised Orbán that, as NATO…
Europe: big swing to far-right in EU elections
Following the European Parliament election, the European People's Party (EPP) has secured 184 seats, a quarter of the 720-member chamber. Far-right groups also made significant gains. The centre-left Socialists and Democrats remained stable,…
France: Macron says he will win snap election after European defeat
Emmanuel Macron has said he intends to win the snap legislative election he called after his allies' significant defeat to Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally (RN) in the European Parliament elections. He…
Switzerland: parliament rejects human rights decision
Swiss women, known as ‘climate seniors’, who won a historic ruling on climate change from the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), feel shocked and betrayed by their own parliament's decision not to…
Ukraine: Biden, China not to attend peace summit
Joe Biden will not be at the Ukraine peace summit in Switzerland on 15 and 16 June; instead, vice-president Kamala Harris and national security advisor Jake Sullivan will attend. The decision comes despite…
Fake news ahead of EU elections
Ahead of the EU and UK elections, false claims about immigration are spreading, particularly on social media. One Facebook post says that nearly 97% of Spain’s minimum basic income recipients are immigrants. In…
Ukraine: Sweden and other EU countries pledge further military support
The Swedish government has announced a $1.23bn military aid package to Ukraine, including air defence systems, artillery ammunition, armoured vehicles, and two Swedish-made early-warning planes. This aid is crucial as Ukraine faces delays…
Green MEPs threaten to oppose von der Leyen’s bid for re-election
Green members of the European Parliament will oppose Ursula von der Leyen's bid for a second term as president of the European Commission if she aligns with hard-right nationalists, according to Terry Reintke,…
Ukraine winning its other battle - against corruption
Since gaining independence in 1991, Ukraine has struggled with endemic corruption, a battle seen as crucial for its war against Russia. Transparency International now ranks it 104th out of 180 countries, its highest…
