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Poland to Ban Phones in Schools

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Poland plans to introduce a nationwide ban on mobile phone use for students under 16 in schools starting September 1, 2026, the country’s education minister said. The move is part of a broader legislative change aimed at improving classroom focus and reducing digital dependency among children aged 7 to 15 in primary education.

Education Minister Barbara Nowacka said the government is finalizing the law, stressing that phone use in schools “cannot be the norm” due to growing concerns over children’s reliance on the internet. The proposal also follows earlier discussions about restricting social media access for children under 15.

Poland joins countries like the Netherlands, South Korea, and Italy that have already imposed similar restrictions. These measures reflect a global trend to limit screen time and address its impact on students’ concentration, behavior, and overall well-being.

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Pope Urges Prayers for Civilians in Iran War, Shows Solidarity with Lebanon

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Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday expressed deep sorrow over the deaths of civilians, including children, in the ongoing Iran war and called on pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square to pray for peace across the Middle East. Highlighting the humanitarian toll, he emphasized the need to end violence that could escalate further, appealing repeatedly for calm and reconciliation.

The pontiff also extended his condolences to Lebanon, currently facing Israeli strikes targeting Hezbollah. He lamented the death of Rev. Pierre El Rahi, a priest who was killed while assisting injured parishioners, calling him a “true shepherd.” Pope Leo reiterated his closeness to the Lebanese people, noting the country is undergoing a “great trial” amid regional conflict.

Pope Leo’s remarks come amid escalating tensions in the region, including a reported strike on a girls’ school in Minab, southern Iran, during the initial U.S. and Israeli attacks, which Iranian officials claim killed 150 students. While details are still under investigation, the pontiff’s call for prayers and solidarity underscores the Vatican’s humanitarian concern and ongoing engagement with affected communities.

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France Moves to Ban Social Media for Under-15s Amid Child Safety Concerns

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France’s National Assembly has approved legislation to ban children under the age of 15 from accessing social media platforms, citing rising concerns over online bullying, mental health risks and youth violence. Lawmakers voted 116 to 23 in favour of the bill, which would also restrict social-networking features embedded within wider digital platforms. The proposal now heads to the Senate before returning to the lower house for a final vote.

President Emmanuel Macron has strongly backed the move, urging France to follow Australia’s lead after it introduced a world-first ban on social media access for under-16s in December. Macron wants the French ban to take effect by the start of the next academic year in September. Supporters of the bill argue that social media is harming children’s well-being, with lawmakers warning it is reducing sleep, reading habits and self-esteem among young users.

If enacted, the law would require platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Snapchat to enforce age restrictions using verification systems compliant with EU regulations. While enforcement remains a challenge, public backing in France is strong, with a 2024 survey showing nearly three-quarters of respondents support the ban. The legislation would also extend France’s existing smartphone ban in schools to include high schools, as debate continues across Europe on setting minimum ages for social media use.

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Josef Fritzl: Court approves move to normal prison

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A court in Austria has ruled that Josef Fritzl, infamous for imprisoning his daughter for 24 years and fathering seven children with her in a dungeon beneath his home, can be transferred to a regular prison. The court in Krems an der Donau cited Fritzl’s advancing age, progressive dementia, and physical frailty as reasons why he no longer posed a serious danger requiring him to be held in a psychiatric unit within the prison system.

While this decision theoretically opens the possibility of eventual release, the court emphasized that due to Fritzl’s unprecedented criminal history and the severity of his actions, both release and conditional release are highly unlikely for “special preventative reasons.” Fritzl’s lawyer has indicated plans to apply for his release a year after the transfer, but the court’s statement suggests that such a step is improbable.

The Fritzl case, which shocked Austria when it came to light in 2008, involved Fritzl imprisoning his daughter Elisabeth in a cellar in 1984, where he repeatedly raped her and fathered seven children with her. Three of the children were confined in the cellar with Elisabeth, while the others lived upstairs with Fritzl’s unsuspecting wife. The case was discovered when one of the children became seriously ill and had to be taken to the hospital.

Fritzl initially denied the charges of murder and enslavement but later changed his plea after watching his daughter’s videotaped testimony in court. Elisabeth and her children have since been given new identities.

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Ukraine war: Thousands of children to be evacuated from Belgorod after strikes

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Approximately 9,000 children are being evacuated from Belgorod and its surrounding areas following shelling incidents attributed to Ukraine, according to Belgorod governor Vyacheslav Gladkov. The recent attacks have resulted in injuries, power outages, and casualties, with 16 people killed and 98 wounded this week alone.

In response to the attacks, schools in Belgorod were closed earlier in the week, and evacuation orders now extend to several villages in the region. The evacuation process is set to begin on Friday, with the initial group comprising 1,200 children.

Russia’s defense ministry claims to have intercepted Ukrainian shells over Belgorod and conducted strikes against alleged Ukrainian “saboteurs” near the border regions. Concurrently, Ukrainian border areas have also faced Russian attacks, necessitating evacuations.

Although Kyiv has not officially responded to the incidents in Belgorod, Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused Ukraine of attempting to disrupt his re-election campaign through the strikes. Putin has urged the Federal Security Service to identify and punish Russian fighters supporting Ukraine’s cause, vowing retribution regardless of their location.

Earlier this month, reports emerged of Russia-based paramilitary groups crossing into Russian territory from Ukraine. Videos circulated by these groups claimed control over villages in the Belgorod and Kursk regions, although Russia’s defense ministry refuted these claims, stating that such attempts were thwarted.

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Alain Delon: Police seize 72 guns from French film star’s home

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French authorities discovered 72 firearms and over 3,000 rounds of ammunition at the residence of iconic actor Alain Delon, located in Douchy-Montcorbon, approximately 135km south of Paris. The actor, renowned for his tough-guy roles in classics like “The Samurai” and “Borsalino,” did not possess the necessary permit to legally own these weapons.

The search was initiated after a court-appointed official observed a firearm at Delon’s home and reported it to a judge. Delon, aged 88, has been in poor health since suffering a stroke in 2019 and is facing family disputes that have garnered public attention. His children have publicly aired grievances, leading to legal battles and accusations.

Concerns arose when his children accused his former live-in assistant of “moral harassment,” a claim that was disputed by the assistant’s lawyer. Delon’s most recent notable appearances include receiving an honorary Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 2019 and attending the funeral of his friend and fellow actor Jean-Paul Belmondo in Paris later that year.

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Spanish Church sexual abuse affected 200,000 children, commission finds

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According to a recent report by Spain’s ombudsman, more than 200,000 children have reportedly suffered sexual abuse at the hands of Catholic clergy in Spain. The ombudsman, Angel Gabilondo, expressed deep concern over the “devastating impact” this has had on the victims. He criticized the Church for its silence and attempts to conceal or deny the abuse, emphasizing that this silence has facilitated such atrocities.

The comprehensive 700-page report, commissioned by Spain’s Congress last year, was based on a survey of 800,000 members of the public. The findings indicated that approximately 0.6% of the adult population, roughly 39 million people, reported experiencing sexual abuse as children by clergy members. When allegations of abuse by lay individuals in Church-run institutions were included, this percentage rose to 1.13%, accounting for over 400,000 people.

Mr. Gabilondo urged caution in interpreting these numbers and highlighted the emotional toll detailed in the statements of more than 487 abuse survivors. The report called for urgent action to address the suffering that has long been concealed by a pervasive culture of silence.

In response to these findings, the ombudsman proposed the establishment of a state-funded compensation program for victims of abuse. The investigation was initiated following an earlier inquiry by the El Pais newspaper in 2018, which had already cataloged over 1,000 alleged cases of abuse. Although the Church partially cooperated with the commission, Mr. Gabilondo noted their lack of active engagement and the resistance of certain bishops in collaborating with the inquiry.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez hailed the report as a “milestone” in the nation’s democracy, stressing that it has brought to light a reality that had long been known but not openly discussed.

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Germany Takes Action Against Neo-Nazi Group Artgemeinschaft for Child Targeting

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Germany has imposed a ban on the far-right organization Artgemeinschaft due to its dissemination of Nazi ideology to children and young individuals. The country’s interior minister has labeled the group as “deeply racist and antisemitic” and accused it of attempting to cultivate new adversaries of the constitution.

Artgemeinschaft employed Nazi-era literature and cultural events as vehicles for propagating its ideology. Law enforcement authorities have conducted searches in numerous residences and offices associated with the group across 12 German states.

German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser stated, “This represents another significant blow against right-wing extremism and against those who continue to propagate Nazi ideologies to this day.”

Artgemeinschaft, which roughly translates to “racial community,” reportedly had around 150 members, according to the interior ministry. The ministry revealed that the group provided guidance to its members on selecting partners with North or Central European backgrounds, in alignment with their “racial preservation” ideology.

The sect operated an online bookstore and regularly hosted cultural events, drawing several hundred attendees. It portrayed itself as “Germany’s largest pagan community.”

Authorities assert that the group used the facade of “pseudo-religious Germanic beliefs” to promote a worldview that violates human dignity.

The ban encompasses the group’s website, publications, and Familienwerk, another affiliated association.

Recently, Germany also outlawed Hammerskins, another neo-Nazi organization known for its role in organizing far-right concerts and selling racist music. Hammerskins, founded in the US in the late 1980s, was the last major right-wing skinhead group in Germany after the banning of another group, Blood and Honour, in 2000. It was heavily involved in establishing neo-Nazi music labels, distributing antisemitic records, and organizing clandestine music events.

Germany’s interior minister emphasized that “right-wing extremism has many faces,” noting that while Artgemeinschaft operated differently from Hammerskins, it was “no less dangerous.”

Artgemeinschaft is one of Germany’s oldest neo-Nazi groups and played a significant role in connecting various far-right and neo-Nazi factions in the country. Stephan Ernst, who assassinated prominent regional politician Walter Lübcke in 2019 due to “racism and xenophobia,” was a member of the group, according to German intelligence. Media reports also suggest that members of the group had ties to Ralf Wohlleben, a neo-Nazi convicted of supporting a notorious cell responsible for ten racially motivated murders in Germany.

Germany’s domestic intelligence agency estimates that there are 38,800 individuals active in the country’s right-wing extremist scene, with over a third of them considered “potentially violent.”

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Ukraine war causes birth rate to slump

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According to official statistics, the war in Ukraine has led to a significant decline in the country’s birth rate, with a decrease of 28%. In the first six months of 2023, only 96,755 children were born, compared to 135,079 in the same period in 2021. This drop is the most substantial decrease in birth rates since Ukraine gained independence in 1991.

Even before the conflict, Ukraine’s birth rate had been steadily declining over the past decade. However, the war has exacerbated the situation, resulting in the largest decline in births on record. The ongoing conflict has also had a severe impact on the country’s population, with nearly six million people fleeing, according to the United Nations.

Data collected by the Ukrainian data analytics website Opendatabot aligns with the observations of demographic experts, who have noticed similar declines in birth rates during previous wars. The US-based Population Reference Bureau states that fertility rates typically drop by up to one-third during civil conflicts but tend to rebound quickly after the fighting ends.

Before the invasion by Russia, Ukraine used to witness around 23,000 monthly births, but this number has now fallen to approximately 16,000. However, the decline in birth rates has not caused a significant imbalance between male and female births. In the first half of 2023, the number of boys born was 49,626, while girls accounted for 47,129.

The last time Ukraine experienced such a significant drop in birth rates was in 2014 when Russia invaded and annexed Crimea. During that period, the number of babies born decreased by 12%.

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French Authorities Search at Former Caretaker’s Residence of Film Icon Alain Delon

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French police are investigating allegations made by Alain Delon’s three children against his former companion, Hiromi Rollin, who had been caring for the 87-year-old film star. The children claim that Rollin engaged in “moral harassment” of their father and used her influence to isolate him and make him dependent on her. They also allege that she controlled his correspondence, maligned their names, and mistreated Delon’s dog, Louba, leading him to put the pet in kennels.

Alain Delon, known for his heart-throb looks and tough-guy screen persona in French cinema, had been increasingly cared for by Rollin at his country house since suffering a stroke in 2019. However, a showdown with the three children in July led to Rollin moving out of the residence. Anthony Delon, Alain’s son and an actor as well, revealed on French television that he became suspicious of Rollin’s actions when she failed to inform the family about his father’s hospitalization after a fall.

The relationship between Rollin and Delon is described differently by the parties involved. Anthony Delon refers to her as his father’s “dame de compagnie” or lady companion, implying a contractual relationship. Rollin, on the other hand, considers herself Delon’s “compagne” or partner.

In response to the allegations, Rollin’s lawyer submitted a 39-page statement to the prosecutor’s office, denying the family’s claims. The lawyer asserted that Rollin had been providing daily personal care to the aging actor since his stroke and had not been paid for her companionship. The lawyer further suggested that the children’s motives might be financial, hoping to gain from pointing fingers at Rollin.

The story has garnered significant attention in the French media due to Alain Delon’s legendary status as a prominent figure in French cinema, known as one of the last “big beasts” or “monstres sacrés” of the industry.

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