The US is working hand in hand with Israel in the war against Iran. Most recently, the Israeli Air Force has claimed credit for killing Iranian Security Council chief Ali Larijani. Israel, which has been repeatedly attacked by Iranian missiles, is currently also launching attacks on southern Lebanon, from where the Shiite Hezbollah militia has fired missiles at Israel. The media assess Israel's role and tactics on both fronts.
A nationwide power outage on Monday cut off electricity to Cuba's approximately 10 million residents. The socialist-ruled country suffers from frequent blackouts and is in the throes of a severe energy crisis. The US has imposed an oil embargo on the island, and US President Donald Trump has said he expects to have "the honour of taking Cuba". Commentators debate causes and consequences.
Two young adults have died in a meningitis outbreak in the county of Kent in southern England, while others are being treated in hospital. According to the health authorities, 15 cases of infection have been confirmed so far, with many of those infected reportedly having contracted the disease at a nightclub in the city of Canterbury. Hundreds of people are now being treated with antibiotics as a precautionary measure.
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.