Displaying items by tag: Europe

Lina Ishaq, a 52-year-old Swedish woman, has been sentenced to twelve years in prison for genocide and war crimes against Yazidis in Syria. She enslaved three Yazidi women and six children in Raqqa between 2014 and 2016, forcing them to wear veils, practise Islam, and endure physical abuse. This is Sweden’s first conviction related to IS crimes against Yazidis, a religious minority targeted for extermination. In 2014, IS launched a brutal campaign against them, killing 5,000 and enslaving thousands more. Ishaq, originally from Iraq, moved to Sweden as a child but later converted to Islam and joined IS in 2013. She fled to Turkey after IS collapsed and was extradited to Sweden in 2020. Sweden’s Yazidi community (numbering about 6,000) sees the conviction as a step toward justice, though Ishaq denies the charges and may appeal.

Talks to form Austria’s first far-right-led coalition collapsed after negotiations between the Freedom Party (FPO) and the conservative People’s Party (OVP) failed. The FPO, which won the most votes in September’s election, has struggled to reach an agreement with the OVP. Disputes over key ministries, including finance and interior, along with FPO demands on EU legal rulings and Russian sanctions, proved insurmountable. FPO leader Herbet Kickl blamed the OVP for insisting on ministry allocations before resolving broader policy issues. The OVP, in turn, accused the FPO of failing to commit to fundamental democratic principles, including Austria’s role as a reliable EU partner. With coalition talks broken, the president must decide whether to restart centrist negotiations or call a snap election, where polls suggest the FPO would strengthen its lead. Political uncertainty now looms over Austria’s government formation.

A mass shooting at an adult education centre in Örebro has left ten people dead, including the suspected gunman, in what prime minister Ulf Kristersson called ‘the worst mass shooting in Swedish history’. Police have stated that the suspect acted alone, and have ruled out ‘ideological motives’. A number of others were injured, and local hospitals cleared extra space so that they could treat victims. Witnesses described scenes of terror, with students attempting to aid the wounded as gunfire erupted. Authorities locked down nearby schools for safety, and emergency rooms were cleared for victims. Kristersson called the tragedy a ‘painful day’. He asked people to give police the freedom and the space they needed to do their investigations, and stressed that there was no further risk to attending school the next day. 

Olaf Scholz has criticised Donald Trump’s proposal to make US military aid for Ukraine conditional on access to the country’s rare earth resources, calling it ‘selfish and self-centred’. A Ukrainian source has said that resource-sharing had already been included in Volodymyr Zelensky’s ‘victory plan’, which has been presented to foreign leaders, including Trump. The future of US aid to Ukraine remains uncertain, with military assistance continuing but non-military aid programs frozen under the new administration. Germany is Ukraine’s second-largest military donor; however, Scholz has blocked proposed additional security assistance worth €3 billion unless it is covered by new government borrowing. He has also resisted sending Taurus cruise missiles, citing escalation concerns. As Ukraine seeks continued support, Western nations face internal debates over military aid, economic interests, and the war’s broader implications.

Tens of thousands of Germans have protested in Berlin against perceived political collaboration with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD). The demonstrations followed votes in which the centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), led by Friedrich Merz, received AfD backing on immigration-related proposals. While Merz insists he did not seek AfD support, critics including former chancellor Angela Merkel view this as a violation of Germany’s post-war commitment to reject far-right alliances. The protests attracted around 160,000 participants. With national elections weeks away, CDU leads the polls, with AfD in second place. Merz has ruled out forming a coalition with AfD, but tensions remain high. Demonstrators, alarmed by potential shifts in Germany’s political landscape, have called on democratic parties to protect the nation’s values.

North Korean soldiers are reportedly fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine, employing brutal, near-suicidal tactics. Western intelligence estimates up to 12,000 North Koreans have been deployed to Russia’s Kursk region since November, with 4,000 killed or injured. Ukrainian special forces describe the troops as relentless, often refusing to surrender and committing suicide with grenades to avoid capture. They are using strange warfare strategies, removing body armour for speed, executing frontal assaults, and even using fellow soldiers as bait to target attack drones. They leave behind propaganda-filled notes pledging loyalty to Kim Jong Un and condemning Ukraine. Despite extensive military training, they are struggling with modern warfare, particularly drone technology, leading to high casualties.

Giorgia Meloni has revealed she is under judicial investigation after her government released Libyan police officer Osama Elmasry Njeem, wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged crimes against humanity, including murder, torture, and rape. Njeem, detained earlier this month in Turin, was unexpectedly repatriated to Libya on an Italian aircraft two days after his arrest. The ICC has demanded an explanation, stating it was not consulted. Meloni, who now faces allegations of aiding a crime and misuse of public funds, has denied wrongdoing. Njeem is linked to Libya’s Special Defence Force (SDF), operating notorious detention centres implicated in atrocities during Libya’s post-Gaddafi civil war. His release has strained Rome’s relations with the ICC, which has recently expanded investigations into crimes in Libya. Opposition leaders are demanding further explanations in parliament.

A surge of ten thousand unexpected day-trippers overwhelmed the Italian ski resort of Roccaraso after viral social media posts promoted the area’s heavy snowfall. Influencer Rita De Crescenzo’s videos encouraged budget tour companies to offer cheap bus trips, drawing massive crowds. On 27 January, 220 tour buses and countless cars clogged the narrow roads, frustrating local residents and causing safety concerns. Chaos ensued on the slopes as visitors disregarded ski etiquette, used makeshift sleds like saucepans, and even lit barbecues. Authorities have since introduced crowd-control measures, including bus restrictions. Roccaraso’s mayor, describing the situation as ‘hellish’, fears that an even larger influx could arrive next weekend. Officials are now working with law enforcement to manage future crowds and prevent similar disruptions.

The EU has signalled its readiness to negotiate with Donald Trump, hoping to avoid a damaging trade conflict. Ursula von der Leyen highlighted growing global competition and warned against trade policies that disrupt economic bonds. Trump’s administration has begun investigating US trade deficits and unfair practices: Germany is a potential target, but chancellor Olaf Scholz has expressed cautious optimism after his first contacts with Trump's administration. Von der Leyen reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to collaboration with global partners, including India and China; she also voiced support for the Paris climate agreement, which Trump has exited. Noting that trade between the USA and the EU is worth 1.5 trillion euros, she said, ‘No other economies in the world are as integrated as we are. So our first priority will be to engage early, discuss common interests, and be ready to negotiate.’  EU officials see Trump’s policies as a wake-up call to fix their economies and become more competitive.

A Dutch court has ruled that prime minister Dick Schoof’s government must intensify efforts to reduce nitrogen pollution in protected areas, marking a legal victory for Greenpeace. Half of the country’s vulnerable habitats must meet nitrogen thresholds by 2030, with noncompliance incurring a €10 million penalty. Schoof’s administration, elected in 2024, shifted away from its predecessor’s €24.3 billion sustainability fund, favouring technological and voluntary measures instead. However, the court called for tangible financial and regulatory actions to address emissions from agriculture, industry, and transport. Greenpeace celebrated the verdict but emphasised the need for immediate action. The verdict reverberates with other countries facing similar legal challenges - seen now as a key tool to compel governments to environmental action - for the same reasons; it will also risk further protests from Dutch farmers who are concerned about anticipated herd reductions and new farm standards. The Schoof administration may appeal the decision, balancing stricter measures with potential rural unrest and EU compliance demands.