The EU environment ministers have agreed to stick to the goal of reducing CO2 emissions by 90 percent compared to 1990 levels by 2040. However, member states can use international carbon credits to account for up to five percent of their reduction targets. Europe's press sees this as a watering down of climate targets, and discusses the outcome with an eye to the COP30 World Climate Conference starting next week in Belém, Brazil.
Tomio Okamura, leader of the far-right Freedom and Direct Democracy Party (SPD), has been nominated as speaker of the Czech Chamber of Deputies. He was the candidate of the new centre-right coalition led by Prime Minister-designate Andrej Babiš and was elected despite a heated debate in which he was accused of having racist and pro-Russian views.
The pro-Orbán media group Indamedia has purchased the country's leading newspaper, Blikk. The tabloid was owned by the Swiss Ringier Group for more than three decades but the latter is now selling off its entire Hungarian media portfolio. Indamedia also owns Hungary's largest news website Index. What does this mean for press freedom in the country?
Chinese fast-fashion giant Shein has opened its first brick-and-mortar store in France. Frédéric Merlin, head of the Société des Grands Magasins (SGM), which owns the BHV Paris department store where Shein is establishing its retail space, hailed the move as a "revolution". Merlin's decision to enter a partnership with Shein triggered a storm of protest because the latter has been repeatedly been accused of disregarding social and environmental standards.
The US's largest city will be governed by Democrat Zohran Mamdani. The 34-year-old politician describes himself as a "democratic socialist" and has promised free buses, free childcare and to freeze some rents. In his victory speech he addressed the US president directly, presenting himself as his new major rival. For the European press, the significance of the election goes far beyond the Big Apple.
The EU Commission has presented its annual EU enlargement report, which assesses the progress made by the ten EU candidate countries in implementing reforms. Montenegro, Albania, Moldova and Ukraine were commended for their efforts, whereas Georgia was criticised for regressing. Commentators look closer.
Spain's top prosecutor, Attorney General Álvaro García Ortiz, is on trial before the Supreme Court over allegations of leaking an email to the media which implicates Alberto González Amador, the partner of the president of the Community of Madrid Isabel Díaz Ayuso (PP), in tax fraud. García Ortiz, who was appointed by the Sánchez government in 2022, is suspected of using his office to harm an opponent of the ruling PSOE party.
New York elects a new mayor today, Tuesday. In the race for City Hall, 34-year-old left-wing Democrat Zohran Mamdani has a substantial lead against former Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa. Commentators discuss what makes the self-declared "democratic socialist" so successful.
One year after the fatal collapse of a canopy at Novi Sad railway station, tens of thousands of Serbs gathered there on Saturday to commemorate the 16 victims. At 11:52 a.m., the time of the accident, participants observed 16 minutes of silence. The tragedy on 1 November 2024 triggered a wave of mass protests against the Vučić government.
A gun battle between two feuding families in the mountain village of Vorizia on the Greek island of Crete left two people dead and four injured on Saturday. Members of the rival families shot at each other with pistols and a Kalashnikov. Three brothers are wanted in connection with the deadly shootout, and the police fear further bloody acts of revenge.
Rob Jetten's left-liberal D66 has won a razor-thin victory against Geert Wilders' right-wing populist PVV in the Dutch parliamentary elections. The 38-year-old, whose party tripled its seats in parliament, is seen as the clear winner and future head of government. The press takes a closer look and draws lessons for Europe.