Spain / Portugal / Morocco: severe storms contrast with extreme cold in north and east Europe
13 Feb 2026
Severe storms across southern Europe and north-west Africa have forced mass evacuations and widespread emergency responses. Storm Leonardo brought intense flooding to Spain, Portugal and Morocco, with rivers reaching record levels and transport disrupted. In parts…
Italy: sabotage attempts during Winter Olympics
13 Feb 2026
Suspected sabotage on northern Italy’s railway network caused major disruption as crowds gathered for the opening of the Winter Olympic Games. Authorities reported several coordinated incidents, including fires on rail infrastructure, severed electrical cables and a…
Renewed Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure have left millions without power during freezing winter conditions. Volodymyr Zelensky said more than two hundred repair crews are working around the clock in Kyiv, where over 1,100 apartment…
Norway: crown princess’s son on trial for rape
05 Feb 2026
The trial of Marius Borg Høiby, who is the son of crown princess Mette-Marit, has opened in Oslo, drawing national attention. The court heard emotional testimony from the first woman who alleges she was raped at…
The deaths of fifteen Afghan and Moroccan migrants after a speedboat collision on 3 February with a coastguard boat have raised troubling questions about accountability at sea. The Greek authorities were quick to blame smugglers, saying…
A new report from the Centre for Strategic and International Studies estimates that around 1.2 million Russian troops have been killed, wounded or gone missing since the invasion of Ukraine nearly four years ago. Despite this…