In Iran, the influential secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani has been killed in an airstrike. The fate of the supreme leader also remains unclear: Mojtaba Khamenei has not been seen since the death of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The media ask whether the Iranian regime can survive if its leadership continues to be eliminated by Israeli and US attacks.
The US Department of Defense also relies on artificial intelligence in war, collaborating with companies such as xAI. The Pentagon recently blacklisted the AI developer Anthropic after the company refused to make its technologies fully available for military purposes. Commentators examine potential applications and risks.
Simon Gardner, a journalist for Reuters news agency, has published a lengthy report which claims to reveal the true identity of street artist Banksy. Fans have reacted angrily online, saying that anonymity is part of Bansky's artwork. While some commentators agree, others are in favour of the unmasking.
US President Donald Trump has demanded that Nato member states take action to secure the Strait of Hormuz, warning that otherwise the future of the alliance looked "very bad". His appeal has found little support in Europe. EU Foreign Affairs Commissioner Kaja Kallas stressed that "This is not our war", and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz emphasised that the war with Iran was not a matter for Nato as a defence alliance. The media take stock.
Shortly before the parliamentary elections in Denmark on 24 March, the leader of the centre-right Liberal Alliance, Alex Vanopslagh (34), has caused a stir by confessing that he has used cocaine at parties. He added, however, that his life was different now and that the Danish people should judge him on that basis. Commentators are nonetheless critical.
In the first round of municipal elections on Sunday, the left-wing populist La France Insoumise (LFI) and the far-right Rassemblement National (RN) gained ground in many areas. In the run-up to the second round on March 22, candidates are trying to form alliances in many municipalities, particularly between moderate left-wing parties and the controversial LFI.
While Iran's de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is causing oil and gas prices to rise sharply, US President Trump has called on Nato and Asian states to help secure this critical waterway for global shipping. Europe's media analyse the US's response to this emerging energy crisis and outline its global economic and social impact.
The world-renowned German philosopher Jürgen Habermas has died at the age of 96. Beyond advocating respectful communication in theory, Habermas actively engaged in public debates. In Germany's famous Historians' Dispute, he insisted on the unique nature of the Holocaust. His 'constitutional patriotism' is the modern concept of defining belonging through commitment to democratic principles rather than ethnicity or cultural identity.
Four weeks before the parliamentary elections in Hungary, both the ruling coalition and the opposition have held large demonstrations in Budapest. Péter Magyar’s Tisza Party is leading in most independent polls. If it wins, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and his Fidesz would have to relinquish power after 16 years. Commentators stress that outcome is still open.
Hungarian security forces stopped two Ukrainian bank vehicles transporting cash from Austria to Ukraine last week. Employees of Ukraine's state-run Oschadbank were temporarily detained and nine gold bars and banknotes worth around 69 million euros were seized. Budapest said it was acting to counter money laundering. Europe's press sees a connection with the dispute over the Druzhba Pipeline and Hungary's election campaign.