Latest reporting and analysis from this section.
A deal on ethnic Hungarian minority rights has unlocked further progress in Ukraine’s EU accession talks, bringing the number of open clusters to four out of six. Major reforms and unanimous approval from member states are still required.
The European Commission put EU spending on Russian energy since 2022 at $209 billion, below figures cited by Moscow and Donald Trump, and reaffirmed plans to end Russian gas imports by the end of 2027.
A missile strike on Riyadh’s main airport killed 13 people on Saturday, followed by another fatal attack on Sunday. Saudi Arabia has promised a decisive response as the Houthis claim responsibility and warn airlines away from Saudi airports and airspace.
Economist Nicolas Bouzou warns that weak growth, persistent deficits and rising borrowing costs are straining France’s welfare-state model. Political uncertainty adds to the pressure, though he argues that the economy retains important strengths.
Students across France are protesting over overcrowded classrooms, deteriorating buildings, prolonged teacher absences and unequal access to education. Teachers’ unions are backing the movement, while violence, serious injuries and accusations of heavy-handed policing have intensified tensions.
A meeting in Cardiff has brought together nationalist leaders from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland around the prospect of leaving the United Kingdom. Their ambitions share a pull towards Europe, but public support and the rules governing any referendum differ considerably.
Singapore’s Read SG programme rewards participants who read for at least 15 minutes a day. The modest incentives use gamification to encourage a healthier habit and help curb excessive phone use.
Ukraine is funding assisted reproduction and fertility preservation as war deepens an already declining birth rate. Its provisions for using stored eggs and sperm after a service member’s death also raise questions about consent, parenthood and inheritance—issues other countries have approached differently.
The final US, British and Italian troops have withdrawn from Iraq, bringing Operation Inherent Resolve to an official close. The departure marks a new phase for Iraqi sovereignty, while concerns remain over ISIS sleeper cells, pro-Iranian militias and rivalry between Washington and Tehran.
China has called for greater transparency in AI development while attacking Anthropic’s proposals to restrict chip exports. Its own safeguards focus less on existential risks than on protecting the political system, raising doubts about whether either Beijing or Washington will accept a slower pace of development.
Five men are being questioned in a terrorism investigation near the British airbase used by US bombers for strikes on Iran. A local farmer’s role in raising the alarm has prompted questions about security and President Donald Trump’s claim that the suspects were already under investigation.
Major U.S. television networks have ended a brief boycott over the exclusion of CNN, MSNBC and Politico from the White House. Their return comes as the administration has been evading a federal court order to restore the journalists’ credentials, leaving the broader conflict over press freedom unresolved.