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Spain Moves to Cap Room Rents and Curb Seasonal Leases to Tackle Housing Crisis

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Spain’s government will introduce tougher rental rules in the coming weeks, including caps on room rents and stricter limits on seasonal leases, as it tries to rein in soaring housing costs. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said the new decree will deepen state intervention in the rental market, which has come under strain from a severe housing shortage and a booming tourism sector.

The plan includes a 100% income tax rebate for landlords who renew leases without increasing rents, alongside rent controls in areas classified as under heavy pressure. It will also limit the total rent charged for individual rooms so it cannot exceed the price of renting a whole apartment, a move aimed at stopping landlords from inflating prices through shared housing.

Seasonal rental contracts will face tighter conditions and penalties if they are used to replace long-term leases, a practice critics say worsens housing insecurity. While regions will be responsible for enforcing most of the measures, some, such as Catalonia and major cities like Madrid, have already begun imposing similar limits as Spain grapples with a housing deficit estimated at about half a million homes.

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French Farmers Step Up Protests Against Mercosur Trade Deal by Targeting Imports

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French farmers intensified their protests on Monday by stopping trucks and checking imported food at key transport hubs, including the country’s largest container port at Le Havre and on a major motorway north of Paris. The actions were aimed at opposing the EU-Mercosur free-trade deal, which farmers say would expose them to unfair competition from cheaper agricultural products imported from South America and beyond.

The pressure has grown since most European Union member states approved the deal last week, despite France voting against it. Farmers’ unions argue that imported goods often do not meet the same environmental, health and labour standards required of European producers, making it difficult for them to compete on price. Protesters at Le Havre said they had already spotted products such as mushrooms and sheep offal from China entering the supply chain.

Protests also spread to other parts of the country, with farmers blocking fuel depots, ports and transport routes in regions including La Rochelle, Bayonne and the French Alps. Unions plan to bring tractors into Paris for a major demonstration, followed by another rally in Strasbourg later this month, as they seek to persuade the European Parliament to reject the Mercosur agreement.

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France Unveils Voluntary Military Service to Boost National Readiness

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France has launched a nationwide recruitment drive for a new 10-month voluntary military service aimed at strengthening the country’s ability to respond to growing security and civil-defence challenges. The programme, announced by President Emmanuel Macron last year, will begin in September and is open to French citizens aged 18 to 25 who want to contribute to national resilience in an increasingly uncertain global environment.

Under the scheme, 3,000 young people will join the army, navy or air force from September, with numbers rising to 4,000 in 2027 and up to 10,000 a year by 2030. Participants will earn about 800 euros a month and carry out a wide range of tasks, including disaster relief, counter-terrorism surveillance and technical roles such as drone operation, mechanical work, medical support and logistics.

The initiative is part of a wider European shift as countries reassess their defence needs amid concerns about Russia and uncertainty over long-term U.S. security commitments. French Defence Minister Catherine Vautrin said the programme supports a move toward a more flexible “hybrid” military model, with recruits free to return to civilian life, join the reserves or pursue full-time service after completing their term.

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Nordic Countries Dismiss Trump’s Claims of Russian, Chinese Presence Near Greenland

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Nordic diplomats have rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s claims that Russian and Chinese vessels are operating near Greenland, calling the assertions unfounded. According to a report by the Financial Times, two senior Nordic diplomats with access to NATO intelligence briefings said there have been no signs of Russian or Chinese ships or submarines in waters around Greenland in recent years. Reuters said it could not independently verify the report, while the White House and NATO did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Diplomats cited by the FT said intelligence assessments do not support the narrative of heightened foreign naval activity near the island. One senior official was quoted as saying there were “no ships, no submarines,” while another dismissed claims that the waters around Greenland were “crawling” with Russian and Chinese vessels, noting that any such activity was instead concentrated on the Russian side of the Arctic. Vessel-tracking data from MarineTraffic and LSEG also showed no Chinese or Russian ship presence near Greenland.

Trump has repeatedly argued that the United States must control Greenland—an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark—to prevent Russia or China from gaining a foothold in the strategically located and resource-rich region. Denmark has disputed these claims, with Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen saying the portrayal of foreign ships and large Chinese investments near Nuuk was inaccurate. Greenland’s assembly has since moved up a meeting to discuss its response to U.S. statements, amid growing concern among the island’s 57,000 residents over renewed pressure from Washington.

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Kyiv Residents Battle Freezing Cold After Russian Drone Strike Tears Through Homes

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Kyiv residents are struggling to cope with freezing temperatures after a Russian drone strike ripped open a high-rise apartment building, shattering windows and cutting off basic services. Nataliya Revutska, a 58-year-old resident, said her flat remains partly habitable despite severe damage, but there is no water or electricity. The strike exposed families to harsh January winds as temperatures dropped to around minus 10 degrees Celsius.

The attack was part of a wider overnight assault in which Russia launched 242 drones and 36 missiles across Ukraine, killing four people and further straining the country’s energy system. Ukrainian officials said they were working urgently to restore power to about 500,000 consumers and heating to thousands of buildings in Kyiv. In western Ukraine, a hypersonic missile strike near the EU border added to concerns over escalating pressure on civilian infrastructure.

At the damaged Kyiv building, residents cleared debris amid falling snow and the hum of generators. Twelfth-floor resident Oleg Marasin described chaos and casualties after a second strike hit medics nearby. Despite the destruction and ongoing outages, residents told Reuters they remain determined to endure. “We’ve already survived,” Revutska said. “We’ll continue living somehow.”

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Denmark’s Greenland Dilemma as Independence Looms Amid U.S. Pressure

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Denmark is facing a complex geopolitical challenge as it defends Greenland at a time when the Arctic territory is steadily moving towards independence. While recent statements from the Trump administration that “all options are open” for taking control of Greenland have prompted strong European support for Copenhagen, the crisis highlights a paradox: Denmark is expending diplomatic capital to protect a territory whose population increasingly wants self-rule and whose political leaders are open to dealing directly with Washington.

Greenland’s strategic importance — sitting between Europe and North America and hosting key elements of the U.S. missile defence system — gives Denmark significant relevance in Arctic geopolitics. However, that leverage could disappear if Greenland chooses independence, a right formally recognised in 2009. Analysts warn Denmark could end up paying a high diplomatic and financial price to resist U.S. pressure, only to see Greenland eventually chart its own path. Trump’s renewed interest has also accelerated internal debates in Greenland, where all major parties favour independence, differing only on timing and method.

The issue also carries a heavy economic burden. Denmark provides substantial annual funding to Greenland and has announced major new Arctic defence spending, even as Greenland’s economy stagnates. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen must balance domestic politics, alliance relations with the U.S., and international law, while acknowledging Greenlanders’ right to decide their future. As tensions rise, Denmark is left defending both its sovereignty and its credibility, amid growing uncertainty over how long the union with Greenland will last.

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ITF to Reassess Wildcard Rules After Viral Nairobi Match

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The International Tennis Federation (ITF) has said it will review its wildcard entry procedures after a debut match at an ITF W35 event in Nairobi sparked widespread criticism online. Egyptian amateur player Hajar Abdelkader lost 6-0, 6-0 in just 37 minutes, committing 20 double faults and winning only three points in her first-round match against Germany’s Lorena Schaedel, ranked 1,026 in the world. The performance quickly went viral on social media, prompting questions over minimum playing standards.

An ITF spokesperson said tournament host Tennis Kenya had believed Abdelkader was of an appropriate level to compete, but acknowledged the outcome showed this was “clearly not the case” and was unacceptable for a World Tennis Tour event. The ITF said it is now examining ways to strengthen the wildcard allocation process, including the possible introduction of minimum standards to ensure competitive integrity and protect players.

Tennis Kenya later admitted Abdelkader should not have been allowed to play, explaining she was granted a last-minute wildcard after another player withdrew in order to maintain player numbers and national representation. Both Abdelkader and Schaedel have been offered support following the intense attention surrounding the match. Meanwhile, the Egyptian Tennis Federation said Abdelkader has never been affiliated with the body and does not appear in its official records.

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Pope Leo Warns of Rising ‘Zeal for War’ in Blunt Vatican Address

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Pope Leo on Friday delivered a sharply worded annual foreign policy speech at the Vatican, condemning the growing use of military force to achieve diplomatic goals and warning that global conflicts are becoming increasingly normalized. Addressing ambassadors from 184 countries, the first U.S.-born pope said international institutions were failing to restrain wars, as diplomacy based on dialogue was being replaced by diplomacy rooted in force.

Referring to recent events in Venezuela, including the capture of President Nicolas Maduro by U.S. forces, Leo urged governments to “respect the will” of the Venezuelan people and safeguard their human and civil rights. He stressed that protecting democratic choice and basic freedoms must remain central to international engagement, particularly in politically fragile nations.

In a notably fiery tone, Leo also criticized abortion, euthanasia and surrogate births, while warning that freedom of expression was shrinking in Western societies. He cautioned against what he called an emerging “Orwellian-style language” that excludes dissenting views under the guise of inclusivity, and highlighted what he described as subtle religious discrimination against Christians in Europe and the Americas.

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Hamburg Trial Sets Precedent in Cross-Border Suicide Murder Case

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A German court on Friday began the closed-door trial of a 21-year-old man accused of coercing children and teenagers online to self-harm and perform sexual acts, allegedly leading to the suicide of a 13-year-old boy in the United States. The case marks a legal first in Germany, as it is the country’s first murder trial linked to a suicide that occurred in another jurisdiction.

Prosecutors say the accused, who allegedly used the online alias “White Tiger,” faces one count of murder and five counts of attempted murder, alongside dozens of other offences committed between 2021 and 2023 against more than 30 victims. Authorities allege he led a cybercrime group known as “764,” which targeted vulnerable children across several countries, manipulating them emotionally and blackmailing them into escalating acts of self-harm.

The trial is expected to run until December, with 82 hearings scheduled, and no verdict anticipated this year. Although murder convictions in Germany typically carry a 15-year sentence, the accused faces a reduced sentencing range of six months to 10 years because he was a minor at the time of the alleged crimes. The case was launched following a tip from the FBI, which had been investigating the US teenager’s death.

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Asylum Applications in Sweden Fall to 40-Year Low, Government Plans Further Tightening

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Asylum applications in Sweden fell by 30% in 2025, dropping to their lowest level since 1985, the government said on Friday. The right-of-centre minority government, which is supported by the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats, said it intends to further tighten migration and asylum rules this year ahead of a closely contested general election in September.

Since taking office in 2022, the coalition has made reducing asylum numbers a central policy goal, arguing that decades of lenient asylum laws and weak integration under previous governments contributed to rising gang-related crime. Immigration Minister Johan Forssell said the shift was not only about fewer migrants overall, but also about a significant change in the composition of immigration, with asylum-related arrivals now at a record low.

Official data showed total immigration, excluding Ukrainian refugees, declined to 79,684 last year from 82,857 in 2024, with asylum seekers and their families accounting for just 6% of arrivals, down sharply from 31% in 2018. The number of voluntary and forced returns also increased. Forssell said the government plans new legislation to boost returns and tighten citizenship requirements as voters prepare to head to the polls later this year.

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