COP30 begins on Monday in Belém, Brazil. Ahead of the Climate Change Conference, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called for stronger measures against climate change. The world had failed to meet its goal of keeping global warming below 1.5 degrees C, he said, stressing that every tenth of a degree increase means more hunger, displacement and financial losses. Commentators also emphasise the need for action.
Europe's media are closely following Zohran Mamdani's sweeping victory in the New York mayoral elections. The 34-year-old, who describes himself as a "democratic socialist", has promised free transport on buses, free childcare and rent controls. Commentators see lessons for political parties in Europe.
Chinese fast fashion giant Shein has opened its first brick-and-mortar store worldwide in the renowned Parisian department store BHV. The move caused a storm of indignation as Shein has been accused of ignoring social and environmental standards. Childlike sex dolls were promptly discovered on the company's website, prompting the French government to announce a ban on the platform.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is meeting US President Donald Trump at the White House today to discuss Russian energy supplies. The Hungarian oil company MOL is hoping to be exempted from the latest US sanctions on doing business with the Russian companies Lukoil and Rosneft. Commentators take different views of Orbán's chances of success.
The EU environment ministers have agreed to stick to the goal of reducing CO2 emissions by 90 percent compared to 1990 levels by 2040. However, member states can use international carbon credits to account for up to five percent of their reduction targets. Europe's press sees this as a watering down of climate targets, and discusses the outcome with an eye to the COP30 World Climate Conference starting next week in Belém, Brazil.
Tomio Okamura, leader of the far-right Freedom and Direct Democracy Party (SPD), has been nominated as speaker of the Czech Chamber of Deputies. He was the candidate of the new centre-right coalition led by Prime Minister-designate Andrej Babiš and was elected despite a heated debate in which he was accused of having racist and pro-Russian views.
The pro-Orbán media group Indamedia has purchased the country's leading newspaper, Blikk. The tabloid was owned by the Swiss Ringier Group for more than three decades but the latter is now selling off its entire Hungarian media portfolio. Indamedia also owns Hungary's largest news website Index. What does this mean for press freedom in the country?
The US's largest city will be governed by Democrat Zohran Mamdani. The 34-year-old politician describes himself as a "democratic socialist" and has promised free buses, free childcare and to freeze some rents. In his victory speech he addressed the US president directly, presenting himself as his new major rival. For the European press, the significance of the election goes far beyond the Big Apple.
The EU Commission has presented its annual EU enlargement report, which assesses the progress made by the ten EU candidate countries in implementing reforms. Montenegro, Albania, Moldova and Ukraine were commended for their efforts, whereas Georgia was criticised for regressing. Commentators look closer.
Spain's top prosecutor, Attorney General Álvaro García Ortiz, is on trial before the Supreme Court over allegations of leaking an email to the media which implicates Alberto González Amador, the partner of the president of the Community of Madrid Isabel Díaz Ayuso (PP), in tax fraud. García Ortiz, who was appointed by the Sánchez government in 2022, is suspected of using his office to harm an opponent of the ruling PSOE party.
New York elects a new mayor today, Tuesday. In the race for City Hall, 34-year-old left-wing Democrat Zohran Mamdani has a substantial lead against former Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa. Commentators discuss what makes the self-declared "democratic socialist" so successful.
One year after the fatal collapse of a canopy at Novi Sad railway station, tens of thousands of Serbs gathered there on Saturday to commemorate the 16 victims. At 11:52 a.m., the time of the accident, participants observed 16 minutes of silence. The tragedy on 1 November 2024 triggered a wave of mass protests against the Vučić government.