Israel bombed government buildings in Damascus on Wednesday, intervening in a conflict between Druze and Sunnis in the southern Syrian province of Suwayda that had degenerated into brutal clashes. A ceasefire has since been agreed, after which Syrian government troops withdrew from the Druze stronghold. Commentators assess the situation.
With its national debt at record levels, the "moment of truth" has come for France. Under this motto, Prime Minister François Bayrou has unveiled a budget proposal that involves billions in cuts. In addition to merging authorities and freezing public spending, including pension payments and social benefits, two public holidays would also be scrapped. Europe's press turns its attention to Paris.
Slovakia is blocking the adoption of the 18th EU sanctions package against Russia. It foresees a halt to Russian gas supplies from the end of 2027, to which Slovakia cannot agree without substantial compensation from Brussels, the country's Prime Minister Robert Fico insists. The move has sparked controversy even among commentators in his own country.
The Russian State Duma is due to proceed with the second reading of legislation that foresees fines for those who search for "explicitly extremist content" on the Internet. Due to their content, roughly 5,500 websites, including many international news sites, are currently blocked in Russia. Users can only access them via VPN.
The French overseas territory of New Caledonia is to be given more state sovereignty but remain French under a deal reached by negotiators from Paris and the political parties of the archipelago in the South Pacific. In May 2024, the territory was rocked by deadly riots triggered by a planned electoral reform that favoured citizens from mainland France. The compromise solution elicits both praise and scepticism in Europe's press.