England beat Spain in a final shootout at the UEFA European Women's Championship in Switzerland on Sunday. The defending champions defeated the world champions 3:1. The press discusses whether this tournament had what it takes to finally put women's football in the premier league when it comes to sports events.
In light of the deepening hunger crisis in Gaza, Israel has agreed to 'humanitarian' ceasefires to enable aid deliveries via safe corridors. A large convoy of trucks and airdrops of supplies have already reached the starving population. However, commentators see little progress and are exasperated by the EU's powerlessness.
French President Emmanuel Macron has announced on X that France will recognise Palestine as a state. Almost 150 UN member states have already recognised Palestinian statehood, but there are certain key Western countries that have yet to do so, including the US and the UK, which have UN veto powers. What can Macron achieve with his announcement?
The Northern Irish rap band Kneecap will not be allowed to perform at Budapest's Sziget Festival in August. Hungary's government justified the decision saying they spread 'antisemitic hate speech, which supports terrorism and terrorists.' The immigration authorities have now imposed a three-year entry ban on the band members. The move is causing quite a stir in Hungary.
Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomed European Council President António Costa and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to the EU-China summit in Beijing on Thursday. Relations between the two sides are extremely tense, with Brussels accusing Beijing of unfair trade practices and supporting Russia militarily in its war against Ukraine. Observers examine the relationship between the two unequal partners.
Volodymyr Zelensky will restore the independence of Ukraine's anti-corruption authorities. Following fierce criticism from both Ukrainians and his Western allies, the president announced that he would submit a new bill to parliament repealing the regulations passed this week. What conclusions can be drawn from this sudden reversal?
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned of widespread starvation in the Gaza Strip. According to the organisation, the lack of aid deliveries and violence and chaos during food distribution are leading to ever more deaths. The dire situation was also sharply criticised in a statement published on Monday in which 30 countries called for an immediate ceasefire. Commentators discuss whether the circumstances warrant more than just appeals to Israel.
For the first time since the start of the war, protests have broken out in Ukraine, directed against a new law concerning the hitherto independent anti-corruption bodies. The National Anti-Corruption Bureau (Nabu) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office are to be put under the control of the Prosecutor General's Office. Observers criticise President Zelensky and see Ukraine on a dangerous path towards authoritarianism.
Portugal's conservative government has announced that sex education will be removed from the curriculum of the subject citizenship and development, leaving it unclear how the topic is to be taught at schools. Critics accuse the government of shifting to the right on socio-political issues and adopting the positions of right-wing populist party Chega.
According to a recent survey, two-thirds of Romanians have a positive image of Nicolae Ceaușescu, the dictator who was overthrown in December 1989 after ruling the country with an iron fist for 24 years. With the help of the much-feared secret police, the Securitate, he systematically eliminated his political opponents. The national press looks at where this positive image hails from.
A petition initiated by a student against a new French agricultural law two weeks ago has already gathered 1.7 million signatures, upping the pressure on the government. The "Loi Duplomb" relaxes environmental regulations governing the use of pesticides, including acetamiprid. The product has been banned in France for several years, but not in any other EU country.