The World Economic Forum, which brings together leading figures from business, politics and science, is taking place this week at the Swiss resort of Davos. This year's motto is "Spirit of Dialogue". Attention is focused on US President Donald Trump, who is due to arrive on Wednesday and, according to media reports, plans to discuss the peace plan with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the summit.
US President Donald Trump has announced punitive tariffs against eight European countries that oppose his plans for Greenland. The ten percent surcharges are to be introduced on 1 February and are to remain in effect until the Arctic island is acquired. The EU plans to reach a decision on countermeasures at a special summit to be held on Thursday. Commentators make their own recommendations for responses.
Donald Trump began his second term as US president one year ago today. The Republican had promised his voters that he would "make America great again" and settle conflicts around the world. The 47th US president has disregarded conventions and dominated the headlines to an unprecedented degree. Where do Trump - and the world - stand one year on?
After the resignation of Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov's government in December, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev announced on Monday that he is also stepping down, but hinted that he plans to stay in politics and launch his own political party. There is now speculation that Radev, a known Eurosceptic, will run for the post of prime minister. The Bulgarian press takes stock.
For the first time in 40 years, the Portuguese presidential election will go into a second round. On 8 February, the socialist candidate António José Seguro (31 percent) will face off against the right-wing populist André Ventura (23.5 percent). The candidate of the ruling conservative PSD party came in fifth in the first round of voting on Sunday. Portuguese media take stock.
According to a representative of the Iranian government, 5,000 people have been killed during the recent wave of protests in Iran, 500 of whom were members of the security forces. The Sunday Times puts the number of deaths at 16,500 or more, however. Washington had initially stated it would stage a military intervention. Then, on Wednesday, Donald Trump announced there would be no intervention for now as the regime had cancelled its plans to carry out executions.
US President Donald Trump welcomed Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado to the White House on Thursday to discuss the future of her country, Venezuela. At the end of the meeting, Machado presented the president with the Nobel Peace Prize medal she received last year, citing his commitment to the freedom of the Venezuelan people. Commentators are appalled.
After an unsuccessful meeting on the Greenland issue on Wednesday, several European Nato states will send military delegations to the Arctic island. There is now also disagreement about the objective of a working group set up at the Washington meeting: according to US President Donald Trump, it will merely clarify technical details for the US takeover of Greenland. This has been vehemently contradicted in Copenhagen and Nuuk.
Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok announced the date for the 2026 parliamentary elections on Tuesday. The Hungarians will decide on 12 April who governs their country: Viktor Orbán's Fidesz party, which has been in power for 16 years, or Péter Magyar's Tisza party. Several opinion polls put the Tisza party ahead of Fidesz. Commentators predict a heated campaign.
Hungary has granted asylum to Poland's former justice minister Zbigniew Ziobro. The Polish public prosecutor's office has brought numerous charges against him, including embezzlement of state funds and leading a criminal organisation. Ziobro was justice minister in the PiS government from 2015 to 2023 and is considered the architect of a controversial judicial reform. What's behind this unusual situation between EU states?
In an interview for the British podcast The Rest is Politics, Maia Sandu, President of the Republic of Moldova, said that she would vote in favour of unification with Romania if a referendum were held on the issue. She noted that for a small country like Moldova, it was becoming "increasingly difficult to survive as a democracy, as a sovereign country." Is unification a realistic option?
Two former employees of singer Julio Iglesias have filed a complaint against him in Spain for human trafficking and sexual assault. The 82-year-old singer allegedly sexually harassed and humiliated employees at his villas in the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas in 2021. The complaint follows a report published by the news site eldiario.es and the television station Univision Noticias after a three-year joint investigation into the incidents.