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Cyprus hopes EU summit can do what travel ads can’t: Bring tourists back – POLITICO Skip to main content

Although countries around the world are cracking down on the use of social media for the youngest in society, use of the platforms remains high among young adults. In 19 of the 27 EU countries, more than 90% of young people aged 16 to 29 said they use social media networks in 2025, according to the latest Eurostat figures. The highest shares were found in Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark and Finland, while the lowest were registered in Italy, Germany and Luxembourg. After Australia banned social media for under-16s in December, European nations are now debating their own restrictions. For instance, MPs…

Hours before the ceasefire took effect, Israeli strikes hit southern Lebanon, including the Qasmiyeh Bridge, a vital crossing over the Litani River linking Tyre to surrounding areas. Repeatedly targeted, the bridge was reportedly left unusable, disrupting movement and supply routes, though residents were seen crossing it at first light. The 10-day truce, announced by US President Donald Trump, came into force at midnight local time on 17 April 2026, aiming to halt a conflict that has killed more than 2,000 people in Lebanon. Washington is also pushing for the first direct talks between Israeli and Lebanese leaders. Tensions remained high…

Election night in Hungary was an emotional and teary one … but now, the work begins. The winners — Peter Magyar’s Tisza party — have the daunting task of reversing years of democratic backsliding that went on under Viktor Orbán’s watch. Meanwhile, Fidesz — and far-right parties across Europe — have some intense soul searching to do to figure out what went wrong in Orbán’s campaign. Our panel of guests includes POLITICO’s White House Correspondent Eli Stokols and our Senior France Correspondent Clea Caulcutt in Paris, along with Balazs Kos, a Hungarian consultant and expert on EU affairs. Together with…

Published on 17/04/2026 – 8:18 GMT+2 For better or worse, everyone remembers their first time doing something. A step into the unknown can be fearful but also provide huge opportunities for lessons and growth. Swiss luxury watchmaker, Audemars Piguet is hoping for the latter as it makes its premier appearance at Watches and Wonders this year. In some senses, the firm faced a stark choice which limited its options. The industry has been hit hard by soaring prices for precious metals and a general downturn in demand for luxury goods. Few, if any, would dare whisper seeing signs of the…

And they caution that it is not yet clear who exactly the once-unthinkable rise of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK in Scotland will benefit. “All it takes is a couple of points swing towards us and [a Scottish Labour government] is within reach,” a senior Scottish Labour official, granted anonymity to discuss strategy, said. “But on the other hand a few points toward the SNP, and they win a majority.” Urban warfare At the center of Labour’s hopes is a clutch of constituencies across Scotland’s central belt — the mostly urban bit of Scotland where the majority of its population lives.…

Kanzler Friedrich Merz reist heute nach Paris. Im Gepäck das Thema einer NATO-Mission in der Straße von Hormus. Während Merz auf eine „Koalition der Willigen“ unter Einbindung der USA setzt, fährt Emmanuel Macron einen anderen Kurs. Hans von der Burchard berichtet über die Bedingungen Berlins und warum zwischen dem Kanzleramt und dem Élysée-Palast ein Clash über die transatlantische Führung droht. Die FDP kämpft ums politische Überleben. Aber wer soll den Heiland spielen? Während Wolfgang Kubicki als lautstarker Polit-Haudegen und Teil von „Ottos Erben“ antritt, schickt sich ein wenig Bekannter an, die Partei zu übernehmen: Henning Höne. An diesem Wochenende steht…

US President Donald Trump announced a 10-day ceasefire in Lebanon on Friday that could pause hostilities in the country after weeks of Israeli attacks and ground operations, and could boost attempts to extend the ceasefire between Iran, the United States and Israel. Israel has not been fighting with Lebanon itself, but rather with the Iran-backed Hezbollah group inside the country, who were not formally part of the agreement. Barrages of gunshots rang out across Beirut as residents fired into the air just after midnight to celebrate the beginning of the truce. “I just had excellent conversations with the Highly Respected…

Defense deals and Thomas Tuchel’s chances: Inside the new Anglo-German bromance – POLITICO Skip to main content

Orbán’s defeat, combined with the fallout from the war in Iran and Trump’s fight with the pope, has accelerated their retreat. While some see advantages in keeping ties with Trump, “in the specific context of elections, that’s not a particularly promising approach,” said Torben Braga, a lawmaker with the far-right Alternative for Germany party, who sits on the foreign policy committee of the Bundestag, Germany’s parliament. For Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Trump’s attacks on Pope Leo were a breaking point. But siding with the Holy Father was also a matter of political convenience for her given her Catholic support…