Europe
Ukraine: Putin unwilling to accept peace proposal
The current round of diplomacy over the war in Ukraine suggests that Vladimir Putin remains firmly unwilling to accept any current peace proposal. After lengthy talks with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Kremlin…
France: Paris leads the way in tackling ‘carspreading’
Across the UK and Europe, cars are steadily growing longer, wider, and heavier - a trend critics have nicknamed ‘carspreading’. SUVs in particular have surged in popularity, with their market share rising from…
Italy: parliament passes law defining femicide
Italy has taken a major and symbolic step in addressing gender-based violence by unanimously passing a law that defines femicide - the killing of a woman because she is a woman - as…
Ukraine: differing signals about peace proposals
Hopes of a swift peace agreement to end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have been tempered after the Kremlin cautioned against assuming a deal is close. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was ‘premature’ to…
Ukraine: two ministers dismissed over corruption allegations
Ukraine has been shaken by its most serious political crisis since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, after parliament voted to dismiss the energy and justice ministers in response to a major corruption…
Poland: partnership with IJM to combat human trafficking
Poland is one of the highest-risk areas for trafficking in Europe, with 209,000 people currently trapped in modern slavery and many more vulnerable due to migration and regional conflict. Women and children make…
Serbia: protesters form human shield against Jared Kushner’s development plans
Thousands of demonstrators in Belgrade have formed a human shield around the bomb-damaged former Yugoslav defence ministry building, vowing to stop its redevelopment into a luxury complex tied to a company owned by…
Hungary / USA: Trump gives one-year exemption from sanctions
Donald Trump has granted Hungary a one-year exemption from US sanctions on Russian oil and gas purchases, marking a diplomatic win for Viktor Orbán. The move followed Orbán’s visit to Washington, where Trump…
Russia / USA: resumption of nuclear testing in tit-for-tat decisions
Vladimir Putin’s announcement that Russia may resume nuclear testing marks one of the most dangerous escalations in global security since the Cold War. He has instructed senior military and intelligence officials to prepare…
Netherlands: winners and losers after election
The Netherlands’ latest election has upended expectations, signalling both renewal and deep division in Dutch politics. After two years of turmoil and paralysis, centrist liberal party D66, led by 38-year-old Rob Jetten, surged…
