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Putin Links Parliamentary Election to Support for Ukraine War

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Russian President Vladimir Putin has urged citizens to participate in the country’s upcoming parliamentary election, presenting voter participation as a measure of national support for Russia’s war in Ukraine. The three-day election begins on Friday and will determine the 450 seats in the State Duma, Russia’s lower house of parliament.

The election is the first parliamentary vote since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. It comes as polls indicate growing anxiety among some Russians over the impact of the war, while the economy faces pressure. Many anti-war candidates have also been excluded from the ballot, according to Reuters.

In a televised address, Putin said voting would demonstrate unity and support for Russian soldiers while presenting the election as a response to what he described as external efforts to weaken Russia. The ruling United Russia party, which is backed by Putin, is widely expected to maintain its dominance in the State Duma.

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Turkey Arrests Dozens in Crackdown on LGBTQ+ Activists

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Turkish police have arrested dozens of people amid a widening crackdown on LGBTQ+ activists and organisations. The latest detentions took place on Tuesday outside Istanbul’s main courthouse, where protesters had gathered to demand the release of activists arrested during weekend raids on gay bars and private homes.

The government has described the campaign as part of its “My Family is Safe” initiative, which it says is intended to protect family values. Rights groups, however, have reported raids on association offices, website restrictions and arrests across several provinces. Authorities have also restricted access to the social media accounts and websites of LGBTQ+, media and rights organisations.

Same-sex relations are not illegal in Turkey, but LGBTQ+ rights groups say discrimination remains widespread. Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Michael O’Flaherty expressed concern over the arrests, raids and online restrictions. Turkey’s Justice Minister said the wider operation targeted 162 individuals, nine associations and 13 businesses across 15 provinces.

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Cohere and Aleph Alpha Merge to Target Enterprise AI Market

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Canada’s Cohere and Germany’s Aleph Alpha have signed a definitive merger agreement to combine their businesses and expand their presence in the enterprise artificial intelligence market. The combined company will operate under the Cohere name, with headquarters in Toronto and Berlin, while Aleph Alpha’s Heidelberg office will focus on research.

Aleph Alpha co-chief Ilhan Scheer will join Cohere as chief operating officer. The companies said the merger is aimed at meeting growing demand from businesses and governments for AI systems that can run within their own infrastructure while meeting local regulatory requirements. The deal was previously valued at around $20 billion, although updated financial terms were not disclosed.

Schwarz Group, the owner of Lidl, will invest €500 million in the combined company and provide computing capacity through its cloud arm, StackIT. Schwarz is investing up to €13 billion in a German data-centre campus expected to accommodate as many as 100,000 AI chips. The merger remains subject to regulatory approval.

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Swiss Voters Show Strong Opposition to Tighter Neutrality Rules

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Swiss voters are showing strong opposition to a proposal that would tighten the country’s constitutional definition of neutrality ahead of a referendum on September 27. A Tamedia and 20 Minuten poll found 68% opposed the proposal, while a separate GFS Bern survey for SRG recorded 63% opposition.

The initiative, launched by the Swiss People’s Party (SVP), would restrict Switzerland from cooperating with NATO and imposing sanctions on other countries. Supporters say stricter neutrality rules would protect Switzerland’s neutral status and strengthen its role as a mediator, while opponents argue the changes could limit the government’s ability to respond to international developments.

The Swiss government has opposed the proposal, which will be decided through the country’s direct-democracy system. Switzerland’s neutrality has been internationally recognised since 1815 and incorporated into its constitution in 1848. The latest polls show opposition has increased compared with surveys conducted last month.

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L’Oréal Overtakes LVMH as France’s Most Valuable Listed Company

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L’Oréal became France’s most valuable listed company on Tuesday, overtaking luxury giant LVMH as weaker demand continues to weigh on the global luxury sector. L’Oréal’s market capitalisation reached around €203 billion, compared with about €201 billion for LVMH, marking the first time since 2017 that a non-luxury company has held the top position on the Paris stock market.

L’Oréal shares have risen about 5% this year, while LVMH has fallen 35%. Analysts cited the “lipstick effect,” where consumers facing economic uncertainty may choose smaller affordable luxuries such as cosmetics instead of expensive handbags, clothing and jewellery. LVMH has also faced pressure from weaker demand in China and broader economic concerns.

LVMH, controlled by Bernard Arnault’s family, had become Europe’s most valuable company during the pandemic-era luxury boom in 2021. Its shares fell 2.3% on Tuesday, while the company also dropped out of Europe’s 10 largest companies by market value. Analysts said ongoing economic uncertainty, inflation concerns and changing consumer spending could continue to challenge the luxury sector.

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Norwegian Police Investigate Telenor Over Suspected Crimes Against Humanity in Myanmar

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Norwegian police have launched an investigation into telecom company Telenor over allegations that it aided and abetted crimes against humanity in Myanmar following the country’s 2021 military coup. Investigators raided Telenor’s headquarters in Oslo as part of the probe, which also includes suspected violations of sanctions rules. Police allege that Telenor Myanmar repeatedly handed historical customer traffic data to the military regime during a period of widespread abuses against civilians.

Telenor, which completed its withdrawal from Myanmar in March 2022, said it is cooperating with investigators and wants to help clarify the case. The company said it faced an “impossible situation” after the military takeover, arguing that employees could have faced imprisonment, torture or the death penalty if they refused military orders. Telenor also said that no individuals are currently charged or under investigation.

The investigation also covers the transfer of sanctioned surveillance equipment when Telenor sold its Myanmar business. Police are examining whether the company failed to obtain required approval from Norway’s foreign ministry for the transaction. Activist groups have welcomed the investigation, alleging that customer call logs and location data were shared with the military and that sensitive surveillance equipment was transferred to a military-linked company.

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Italy’s Senate Approves Meloni-Backed Electoral Reform Amid Opposition Fury

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Italy’s Senate approved a controversial electoral reform on Tuesday, backed by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s conservative coalition, despite strong opposition criticism. The proposed system would use fully proportional representation while granting a parliamentary majority to any alliance that wins more than 42% of the vote. The measure passed by 113 votes to 71 but still requires final approval from the lower house.

Meloni’s coalition says the reform would bring greater political stability to Italy, which has experienced frequent changes of government. Opposition leaders, however, accuse Meloni of changing the electoral rules to strengthen her chances in next year’s election. Under the current system, around one-third of lawmakers are elected through first-past-the-post constituencies, which analysts say could benefit centre-left parties.

The reform must now return to the Chamber of Deputies after amendments made in the Senate. The debate comes as tensions grow within both the governing coalition and the opposition. A previous attempt to restore preferential voting was narrowly rejected in the lower house, exposing divisions within Meloni’s alliance as the country approaches its next national election.

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Dutch Farmers Block Roads and Railways in Protest Over Government Budget

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Dutch farmers staged protests across the Netherlands on Tuesday, setting fire to hay bales and car tires near highways and disrupting traffic as the government prepared to present its 2027 budget plans. The Farmers Defence Force said farmers were responsible for the fires, arguing that government policies were putting their businesses under severe pressure.

Rail services were also disrupted after pipes were deliberately attached to railway tracks at more than 20 locations, mainly in rural areas in the central and eastern Netherlands. Railway operator ProRail classified the incidents as sabotage and halted trains near the affected areas. The disruptions also affected international services to Germany and forced several level crossings to remain closed.

The protests are linked to a wider dispute over government plans to tackle nitrogen pollution, which farmers say unfairly targets their industry. The government has promised compensation for farmers whose businesses could be affected by measures aimed at restoring nature reserves. Dutch intelligence officials, police and prosecutors are investigating the railway sabotage, while Farmers Defence Force said it was not responsible for the incidents.

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EU Plans Social Media and AI Chatbot Restrictions for Under-15s

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The European Union is preparing a sweeping proposal to restrict children under 15 from accessing social media, video-sharing platforms, AI chatbots and online games. The plan is part of a proposed EU Kids Act aimed at protecting children from online abuse, exploitation and other digital risks.

Under the proposal, users aged 15 and above could create their own accounts, while children aged 13 and 14 could access social media and video platforms through parent-controlled introductory accounts with limited contacts and strict time limits. Children aged 3 to 12 would have access only to child-friendly services under full parental control, while under-3s would have no access.

The proposed rules would also require technology companies to verify users’ ages, reduce addictive designs and harmful content feeds, and provide stronger parental controls and tools to report harmful content. Companies would pay a supervisory fee to support enforcement. The proposal will still need to be debated and agreed upon by EU countries and the European Parliament before it can become law.

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Iceland’s Last Whaling Company Defies Ban Threat

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Iceland’s only remaining active whaling company, Hvalur, says it can survive renewed efforts to permanently ban commercial whaling. The government has announced plans to submit a bill in February that could bring an end to the practice in Iceland, one of only three countries alongside Norway and Japan that still permit commercial whale hunting.

Hvalur operates two catcher boats and employs around 150 people during the whaling season, which runs from early June to late September. The company has caught 85 fin whales so far this season, against a government quota of 150.

The proposed ban remains controversial in Iceland, where public opinion is divided. Fin whales, the industry’s main target, are classified as vulnerable globally by the IUCN, although their North Atlantic population is considered healthy enough to support managed harvesting.

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