NWS Europe Desk
Articles by NWS
Hungary Splits with EU on US Sanctions Waiver for Russian Energy Exports
Hungary’s request for another US sanctions exemption on Russian oil sets it apart from most EU nations. Slovakia and Bulgaria, however, have also backed Trump’s new diesel deal with Russia, signaling a more nuanced European response as energy security and policy divisions come to the fore.
From Paris to Tirana: Students Take to Streets as Anger Over Education and Government Grows
From deteriorating schools in France to corruption allegations in Albania, austerity in Belgium, and university funding cuts in Argentina, young people are challenging policies that threaten their futures.
Azerbaijan’s School Hijab Ban Sparks Protests and Opens Rare Rift With Turkey
New school dress rules that effectively ban the hijab have led to protests, class boycotts and 37 arrests, and drawn a sharp retort from Turkey, Baku’s closest ally. Ankara’s criticism and Baku’s pushback have opened a rare rift between the two countries.
NATO Unveils Three-Stage Plan to Prevent War with Russia: Block, Blunt, Break
NATO’s top commander says war is not imminent, but the alliance is “ready to fight tonight”. He did not name Russia in his speech.
How a Child-Abduction Probe Brought Down Germany’s Former Spy Chief
Prosecutors say August Hanning sold classified intelligence. Who received it is the question investigators haven’t answered.
Deepfake Porn: Meloni Seeks Voice Trademark, 50 EU Lawmakers Hit
From the EU’s nudifier ban to India’s three-hour takedowns, the US 48-hour rule and new UK offences, governments are legislating hard. Victims, from 50 MEPs to a woman in Delhi, are still waiting for relief.
Israeli Documentary NAZA tops Italian box office, outselling Avengers re-release
Israeli-directed documentary film on Gaza civilian killings opens at No. 1 as Netanyahu government threatens to take action against its makers
US Slips to 24 Spot, While Europe Leads Global Retirement Rankings
Retired people in the US are facing squeezed incomes, ever-growing inflation and uncertainty, while their European counter parts are enjoying a much better lifestyle
Norway Probes Ministers Over Think-Tank Where Indian Minister Hardeep Puri Met Epstein
Epstein files case: Oslo has opened a parliamentary inquiry into 11 ministers over state funding for the International Peace Institute, a think-tank where India’s petroleum minister says he met Jeffrey Epstein. No formal inquiry has been reported in India.
Franco-German Plan for EU Trade “Shut-Out” Tool Draws Sharp Response From China
Beijing vows reciprocal measures if Brussels builds a US Section 301-style instrument, days before the EU trade commissioner’s Beijing talks and with the bloc’s China deficit at a record.
UN Warns Forest Restoration Falls Far Short of Global Pledges
Just one-fifth of pledged forest restoration is underway as the UN warns inaction could cost $6.3 trillion a year.
Sánchez’s China Gambit Exposes Fractures Over Who Foots Europe’s Bill
As Spain pushes Beijing talks to fix Europe’s trade deficit, AfD’s Saxony-Anhalt landslide is forcing Berlin to ask how much longer it can keep bankrolling the EU.
Sunk Pipeline, Risen Party: How Nord Stream Fuelled AfD’s German Breakthrough
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in Germany handed the CDU its worst result since 1949 – and made the SPD’s state premier, Manuela Schwesig, look exposed by her own U-turn on Russian gas.
Meloni’s Burqa Ban Plan Reignites Europe’s Culture Wars Over Minority Rights
Critics say the plan reflects a broader pattern of Europe’s right using schools as the frontline in fights over religion and national identity.
Germany’s Centre Collapses as Far Right AfD and Left Surge in Twin State Votes
Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz has suffered back-to-back defeats in Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, where the CDU failed to clear the 5 per cent threshold – its worst state result since World War II.
Russia Says New US Sanctions Threaten Ukraine Peace Push
Beijing and New Delhi brace for tariff fallout as Trump’s 30-day clock begins.
Reliance-Backed Zoo Hired Trump Jr.-Linked Hunting Lobbyist Ahead of CITES Review
A Mongabay investigation found Anant Ambani's Vantara held a closed-door Geneva roundtable with a lobbyist whose firm counts Reliance’s US arm as a client, as India faces November scrutiny over the sanctuary's wildlife imports.
How a Chinese Delivery Rider Became the First Asian Athlete to Win the Tor des Géants
Guizhou-born ultrarunner smashes the course record of one of trail running’s toughest tests, using a “fragmented sleep” strategy to hold off a strong European field over 330 km of the Italian Alps.
Five EU Countries Back Deportation Hubs Outside Europe, Uganda and Rwanda in Focus
Rights groups warn of detention, refoulement and legal uncertainty as ministers push ahead with a new return framework.
Eiffel Tower Shuts Down After Hindu Monks’ Group Allegedly Bars Female Staff
BAPS, the Hindu religious group closely linked to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, faces scrutiny after workers staged a walkout over claims that female employees were sidelined during a delegation visit to the Paris landmark.
AfD Breaches Germany’s ‘Firewall’ – Europe’s Far Right Cheers
Saxony-Anhalt puts the party within reach of its first state government, handing populist allies from Budapest to Warsaw a script for Berlin – and beyond.
Norway’s World-Largest Sovereign Wealth Fund Proposes Cutting US Treasury Holdings
The $2.3 trillion Oil Fund cites America’s soaring national debt and fiscal instability as key reasons to reduce exposure to US bonds. The move, submitted formally to Norway’s Ministry of Finance, could redirect billions towards European and Asian bond markets as confidence in Washington’s long-term fiscal management erodes.
Germany’s Russia Accusation Over Leipzig Drone Plot Lands in the Middle of an Election Fight
An explosives-laden drone, a diplomatic purge and a far-right party likely to poll near a majority – Berlin’s security case now doubles as an election-week flashpoint.
Israel, Greece Sign $3.5 Billion ‘Achilles Shield’ Defence Deal as Tensions with Turkey Rise
Two pacts, three weeks apart – how a defence deal in Athens and a counter-alliance in Mecca are quietly reshaping the Eastern Mediterranean.
The Secret Flight to Moscow: All About the CIA Chief’s Trip to Russia
Eight hours on the ground, no meeting with Putin, and neither Washington nor Moscow saying why – inside the most closely watched unannounced visit of the war.
Greece Bets on Odyssey Fever to Fill Its Beaches and Historical Sites
Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey filled theatres. The movie has created considerable buzz for ancient Greek cultural and historical sites. The Greek officials are racing to turn a summer of movie hype into a lasting tourism trade, betting it can repeat the decades-long boom a single film sparked on Hydra island back in 1957.
Ukraine Sanctions Popular Russian Cartoon Show Masha and the Bear
Ukraine's restrictions on Russian cultural imports predate the 2022 invasion. Films and television shows were among the first targets, followed by books.
Israel’s E1 Settlement Tender Sparks Widest Western Revolt Yet Over West Bank
Seven governments now warn Israel of sanctions and legal fallout as bids close days before its election.
France Expels Iranian Diplomats as Tehran Row Boils Over
A month-long dispute over detained embassy staff escalates into the worst diplomatic rupture between Paris and Tehran in years.
FIFA’s Electoral Arithmetic Turns Against Infantino After AFC Joins the Revolt
UEFA, the AFC and CONCACAF now control the votes to end his presidency, if they can hold together until March 2027.
Global Youth Unemployment Rises to 12.4%, Leaving 67 Million Jobless, Says ILO
The report says joblessness rose in 2025 for the first time since the post-pandemic recovery, driven by weak economic growth, shrinking entry-level roles, and the reshaping of work by AI.
Dubai Ruler Confronted in London Over UAE’s Alleged Role in Sudan War
A viral street clash exposes the racial slurs – and the gold, arms and diplomacy – behind Abu Dhabi’s disputed hand in Africa's bloodiest conflict.
Is Gianni Infantino's Reign at FIFA Finally Cracking?
A scrapped privatisation plan, a European revolt and now a payout to an alleged lover – the FIFA president has never looked this exposed.
Ceuta Crisis: Why Thousands of Migrants Are Storming Spain's African Border
As footage of the crossings spread, the crisis has become a rallying point for the far right, from Italy’s Meloni to Spain’s own Vox, each using Ceuta to press the case for tougher borders.
France Passes Euthanasia Law - Where Else is it Legal?
France’s parliament has legalised assisted dying, joining a growing list of nations. Here’s where euthanasia is legal worldwide, and where it’s still banned.
Sold a Job, Sent to War: How Russia Recruits Foreign Fighters for Ukraine
From Kenya to Hyderabad, migrants promised construction and warehouse jobs are ending up on Russia's front lines — coerced, deceived, and in one in five cases, never coming home.
EU Bans Destruction of Unsold Clothes in Landmark Fashion Overhaul
Large fashion brands must now disclose what they discard and why, as Brussels forces a shift from fast fashion to a circular model.
Zelensky’s Sacking of Popular Defence Minister Fedorov Sparks Rare Wartime Protests
The dismissal of the minister credited with reshaping Ukraine’s drone war has triggered street protests, military resignations, and questions over the country’s wartime leadership.