The US and Iran have signed a memorandum of understanding to end the war. US President Donald Trump signed the document at the Palace of Versailles, while Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian signed it digitally, according to a statement issued by the Iranian Foreign Ministry in Tehran. The Strait of Hormuz is now to be reopened with immediate effect. Further issues – including what will happen with Iran's nuclear programme – are to be negotiated over the next 60 days.
The Russian artist and dissident Semyon Skrepetsky was shot dead in broad daylight on a street in the eastern Polish city of Biała Podlaska on Monday. The authorities are searching for the perpetrator. Four days earlier, Skrepetsky, known for his satirical caricatures of Putin, Lukashenko and Stalin, had demonstrated outside the Russian embassy in Berlin.
The leaders of the G7 countries have agreed on tougher sanctions against Russia and new arms deliveries to Ukraine. The summit's host, French President Emmanuel Macron, described the meeting in Évian as a "moment of strategic awakening", bearing in mind that US President Donald Trump left the summit early last year, thus blocking any joint decisions. For some commentators, however, the newfound unity is illusory.
In Lithuania, the Social Democrats have dissolved their ruling coalition with the right-wing populist party Nemuno aušra and plan to form a new government with the centrist Union of Democrats Vardan Lietuvos and the conservative Farmers' and Greens' Union (LVŽS) instead. Social Democrat Mindaugas Sinkevičius is set to replace his party colleague Inga Ruginienė as prime minister.
Citing national security risks, the US government is forcing AI developer Anthropic to block access to its most powerful models, Mythos 5 and Fable 5, for all non-US users. In response, the company has temporarily deactivated the two models entirely. Europe's media discuss the implications of Washington's decision in the debate about digital sovereignty.
Details of the framework agreement to end the war, which the US and Iran intend to sign in Geneva on Friday, have not yet been made public. The two sides have presented slightly different versions of the content. There are open questions regarding the passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, Iran's nuclear programme and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanon. The press sees numerous pitfalls.
The government in Prague has decided to scrap licence fees for Czech Television (ČT) and Czech Radio (ČRo). In future, the two broadcasters are to be financed by the state budget, but will receive less money than before. The opposition says the government is seeking to gag these key media outlets. Commentators are also critical of the move.
The UK plans to follow Australia's example and ban children and youths under the age of 16 from using social media platforms. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced that the regulation is to come into effect at the start of next year and that the government will resist pressure from tech companies to stop the measure. Commentators raise doubts about whether the prime minister will be able to implement the ban, and how effective it would be.
The Fifa Men's World Cup has begun and the first matches have been played. A record 48 teams are competing in more than 100 games held across the three host nations, Mexico, Canada and the US, with the final taking place on July 19. Commentators observe that many of the organisers' decisions are at odds with the values that sport is supposed to embody. But football fever has nevertheless taken hold.
A majority of nearly 55 percent of Swiss voters rejected a proposal to cap the country's population at ten million in a referendum held on Sunday. Launched by the right-wing populist Swiss People's Party (SVP), the 'No to a Switzerland of 10 Million' initiative proposed restricting the number of refugees admitted to the country once a certain population threshold is reached and, under certain circumstances, also ending the freedom of movement agreed with the EU.
British forces have intercepted an oil tanker in the English Channel that appears to belong to Russia's shadow fleet. Russia uses the vessels to evade Western sanctions and generate revenues from oil shipments which are then used to fund the war against Ukraine. The British media praise the move, not only for its impact on Russia.