A debate about what to do with Hungary is underway after it blocked both new sanctions against Russia and an aid loan for Ukraine. EU Council President António Costa has stressed that no EU member state should be allowed to undermine the credibility of EU decisions, and several MEPs have called for its voting rights to be withdrawn.
Since its invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, Russia has undergone significant internal changes, with the Kremlin regime tightening its grip on power. However, the economy, which initially boomed thanks to massive government contracts and high oil prices, is now faltering, and according to estimates around 300,000 soldiers have been killed in action.
In 2018, the Swiss clearly rejected a complete abolition of public broadcasting fees. Now, a new initiative by the national conservative party SVP, the Young Liberals and the Swiss Trade Association aims to halve the budget of public broadcaster SRG to ease the burden on citizens and businesses. But according to the national press, this is not the real issue. The vote has been set for 8 March and the outcome is still open.
The killing by the Mexican military of Mexican drug lord Nemesios Oseguera Cervantes, also known as "El Mencho", has triggered a violent backlash from his powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel. Dozens of people have already been killed in the clashes. Europe's press discusses how the conflict will affect the country's stability.
Exactly four years after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, commemorative events for the victims of the war are being held in Ukraine and other countries across the world. Commentators reflect on these four years of death, destruction, hardship and suffering in Ukraine, and on how the war could end.
Moscow's Gulag History Museum, which was initially closed in November 2024 due to alleged fire safety violations, will now be given a new thematic orientation. According to the newly appointed museum director it will be converted into a "memorial museum for the victims of the genocide of the Soviet people" and document Nazi war crimes during WWII.
After five postponements, the Romanian Constitutional Court finally approved the planned reform of pensions for judges and prosecutors last week. The current system provides for pensions of up to 5,000 euros per month and retirement from the age of 48. The implementation of the reform is a condition for the disbursement of EU funds.
The US Supreme Court has ruled that the tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump on the basis of an emergency law are illegal. Following the decision Trump, invoking a trade law, issued a decree imposing new tariffs of 10 percent and then announced an increase to 15 percent. These tariffs can remain in place for a maximum of 150 days and can only be extended with the approval of Congress.
Prime Minister Rob Jetten's new government has been sworn in in the Netherlands today after his left-liberal party, D66, won a narrow victory against the right-wing populist PVV in elections last October. Following lengthy negotiations, D66 and the centre-right parties VDD and CDA have agreed to form a minority government. The national press examines the chances of this coalition being able to pursue constructive policies.
The southern branch of the Druzhba pipeline, which until recently supplied Slovakia and Hungary with Russian oil, has been damaged since the end of January. According to reports from Kyiv, the installation on Ukrainian territory was targeted by Russian attacks. Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico has accused the Ukrainian government of deliberately delaying deliveries. For its part Hungary is again threatening to veto aid that has already been approved to Ukraine.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, brother of British King Charles III, was taken into custody and questioned by police for about 12 hours on Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office. He is accused of passing confidential documents to Jeffrey Epstein while serving as UK trade envoy. Sexual offences are not mentioned in the official statement on the arrest of the former prince, who has been implicated in the Epstein scandal.
US President Donald Trump has upped the pressure on Iran to reach an agreement in the dispute over Tehran's nuclear programme. If no solution is found within 10 to 15 days "bad things" will happen, he warned. Iran has announced a "resolute and appropriate" response in the event of an attack. Commentators discuss the consequences of a US attack for the region.