Supermarkets in several European countries have been targeted by cyberattacks. Hackers apparently gained access to the control systems and turned up the temperature in fridges and freezers, with the result that large quantities of food had to be disposed of. There have been several such incidents in Germany, Belgium, Sweden, Ireland, Luxembourg, Estonia, Finland and the Netherlands over the last few days.
Following a second tragic train crash in Spain this year, Transport Minister Óscar Puente has stepped down, explaining that his resignation was a matter of political dignity, consistency and political sensitivity. Sixty-nine people were killed in a collision between two high-speed trains in the Spanish town of Urda. Another 46 died in a similar accident in Andalusia in January.
At the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in the Caribbean island nation of Antigua and Barbuda, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham on Tuesday hinted at a change of direction and signalled a willingness to issue an official apology for colonial slavery. King Charles expressed his deep regret over the historical injustice, but avoided making an outright apology. Commentators discuss the implications.
The US midterms, in which a new House of Representatives and a third of the Senate will be elected, are taking place today. According to the polls, the Democrats might win a majority in one or even both chambers of Congress, making it more difficult for President Donald Trump to push through his policies. Commentators discuss the ramifications.
The long-running power struggle over Poland's constitutional court has escalated. Donald Tusk's government wants to reform the court, which was politically influenced by the PiS for years. However, President Karol Nawrocki, who has close ties to the PiS, is blocking the swearing-in of new judges. PiS supporters demonstrated outside the constitutional court in Warsaw at the weekend, and there were also disturbances inside the building.
The UN 2026 Biodiversity Conference (COP17) took place in Yerevan, Armenia, from 19 to 31 October. The around 200 participating states agreed on an action plan to accelerate the implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework adopted four years ago in Montreal. Among other measures, more funding is to be channelled into nature conservation and around 450 billion euros in subsidies for harmful activities are to be phased out.
Thousands of people – youths for the most part – took to the streets once again on the weekend in several European countries to demand better education, more participation and affordable living standards. French trade unions have announced strikes and protests for today, Thursday, which secondary school and university students intend to join. Commentators explain why the wave of protests shows no sign of abating.
According to projections, the incumbent Iliana Iotova has won the run-off election for the presidency in Bulgaria. With almost all votes counted, she has secured a clear victory over her pro-Western challenger, Andrey Gyurov. Iotova advocates dialogue with Russia and opposes military aid for Ukraine.
The decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to lift the ban on Russian teams participating in international ice hockey championships has triggered widespread protest. Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Norway have announced their refusal to play against Russia, with the Finnish Ice Hockey Association explaining that it won't compete against Russia as long as the latter's war against Ukraine continues.
The President of the European Central Bank, Christine Lagarde, will vacate her post ahead of schedule on 7 February 2027, the bank has announced. Normally she would have remained in office until October 2027. European commentators speculate on what prompted her early resignation and how things look regarding who succeeds her.
With all the votes counted in Israel's general election, it is now clear that neither of the two major blocs has secured a sufficient majority to form a government: Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party and its allies won 53 seats in the Knesset, while the electoral bloc led by his challenger, Gadi Eisenkot secured 48. Arab parties won 19 of the 120 seats.