Belgian PM De Wever Criticizes Festival for Cancelling Israeli Music Conductor

When a state shuts down a church, imprisons a blogger for alleged blasphemy, or forces a minority believer to register with the police, the issue isn’t simply religion. It’s about power. The most revealing cases of religious persecution illustrate how governments, militias, and even local majorities use belief—or lack thereof—as a means to control identity, dissent, and public life.
F

“He never objected to the Fidesz leadership or the Fidesz government. Now, defending his seat for the first time, he objects,” Bálint Magyar, a former Hungarian cabinet minister, told POLITICO.
Blind Eye
The president’s unpopularity may explain why Magyar attacks him in harsh terms.
“After so much cowardice, turning a blind eye, and lying, how could you possibly represent the unity of this beauti

Middle East, June 19 – Eurotoday Newspaper — Israel Hezbollah ceasefire is scheduled to begin on Friday after Israel and Hezbollah reportedly agreed to halt hostilities under a US-backed arrangement, according to a US official familiar with the negotiations. The Israel Hezbollah ceasefire comes after weeks of military exchanges along the Israel-Lebanon border that raised concerns about a broader

Paraguay Match in Santa Clara Raises Questions About Türkiye’s World Cup Comeback
Türkiye’s first World Cup since 2002 has shifted from celebration to strategic planning. After losing to Australia in the opening match, Vincenzo Montella’s team needs not only points against Paraguay in Santa Clara but also a composed display that reflects the footballing spirit which brought them back to th

Kemi Badenoch’s Conservative Party, now strongly opposed to net zero policies and supportive of oil and gas, won the Aberdeen South vote, defeating the Scottish National Party. Oil and gas companies are key employers in the area, where many drilling-related jobs have disappeared due to depleted reserves and lack of investment.
Badenoch claims Miliband’s policies are worsening the situation, making

OTTAWA, Canada, June 19 – Eurotoday Newspaper — Canada retail sales increased by 0.5% in April, according to newly released official data, providing another indication that consumer spending continues to support the country’s economy despite elevated borrowing costs and ongoing global uncertainty. Preliminary estimates also suggest Canada retail sales could climb 1.0% in May, pointing to stronge

EUROPA Consortium to Develop Open-Source AI Model for All 24 EU Languages
The European Commission has chosen a consortium led by Italy’s Domyn to create an advanced AI model for Europe’s multilingual landscape, turning the focus on technological sovereignty into a real public-interest initiative.
The decision, revealed on Friday, appoints the EUROPA consortium as central to the EU’s Fronti

Lisbon, Portugal, June 19 – Eurotoday Newspaper — Employment legislation Europe remains in focus after Portugal’s parliament voted against the government’s proposed labour reform package, delivering a major setback to the country’s minority administration. The decision comes after weeks of political debate over employment protections, business flexibility, and economic competitiveness. The faile

Three out of four individuals indicated that Reynolds had encouraged the PM to agree to the widespread calls for him to establish a departure timeline. However, the fourth person disputed this characterization of the meeting. Both No. 10 and Reynolds’ team refused to comment.
A fifth person, an MP, stated they were informed ahead of the Downing Street meeting that Reynolds was planning to have an

“During a period supposedly defined by restraint and protection, a child has been killed, on average, every single day for more than eight months,” said UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) spokesperson James Elder. “That is an absurd and devastating figure.”
Killed while playing
Briefing journalists in Geneva via video from Amman, the UNICEF aid veteran noted that the children “were not killed in a warzo