World

The Buchenwald concentration camp memorial near Weimar, Germany, held a ceremony for the 81st anniversary of its liberation, blending remembrance of the past with contemporary political tensions. Actor and author Hape Kerkeling delivered a speech honoring his grandfather Hermann, a Holocaust survivor, urging against forgetting and warning of right-wing populism. Kerkeling stated, "He was not a man of many words, but a man of action. His silence was like a glass wall surrounding his soul," highlighting the personal legacy of trauma.

Law enforcement agencies in collaboration with the State Security Service have dismantled a criminal group in the Fergana Region of Uzbekistan that was organizing a channel to send women to Russia for exploitation. The perpetrators recruited victims by promising them high-paying jobs abroad. The investigation revealed that two women, aged 34 and 20, had been targeted by this criminal scheme.

New official data from the Federal Statistical Office of Germany (Destatis) reveals that 26.3% of the country's population, or 21.8 million people, have an immigration history. This category includes both first-generation immigrants who moved to Germany themselves and second-generation individuals born in Germany to two immigrant parents. The figures for 2025 show a modest increase of 1.7% from 2024, indicating a slowdown in growth compared to larger rises in previous years.

Burkina Faso's military leader, Captain Ibrahim Traore, has openly rejected democracy, declaring that "democracy kills." He has proclaimed a new system called the "Popular Progressive Revolution," but political analysts note that this system severely limits the people's right to self-determination, with the charter effectively serving as a transitional constitution imposed by the junta.

A Paris court has found the former CEO of Lafarge, Bruno Lafont, and eight other former employees guilty of financing terrorism in Syria. Judges ruled that the world's largest cement manufacturer funneled approximately €5.6 million to groups including the "Islamic State" and the Nusra Front between 2013 and 2015.

Pope Leo XIV, during a four-day African tour to Algeria, emphasized that his increasingly strong anti-war statements are not directed at any individual. On Monday, he told reporters: "The things I say are not meant as attacks on anyone. I am not a politician. I am inviting all people to look for ways of building bridges of peace and reconciliation, of looking for ways to avoid war any time that's possible."

▪️ Pilots at Germany's flagship carrier Lufthansa, Lufthansa Cargo, and subsidiary Eurowings began a 48-hour strike on Monday morning, organized by the Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) trade union. This marks the fourth strike to impact the airline this year, coming just days after cabin crew downed tools in a separate labor action.

Djibouti and Benin held presidential elections over the weekend, joining the roughly 18 African nations going to the polls in 2026. These two French-speaking countries share one striking feature: high nomination fees that have attracted widespread protest. Djibouti's fee was set at about the equivalent of £20,000, while Benin has pegged it at around £328,000.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that his country will not join the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz announced by United States President Donald Trump, a move that has also drawn criticism from other US allies. Starmer told BBC radio: "We are not supporting the blockade," adding that the United Kingdom "is not getting dragged in" to the US-Israel war on Iran.

Sudan's food crisis is deepening, with millions of people surviving on just one meal a day, according to a report published by a coalition of non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The report from Action Against Hunger, CARE International, International Rescue Committee, Mercy Corps, and the Norwegian Refugee Council states that the war between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), entering its third year, has caused widespread hunger and displaced millions amid one of the world's largest humanitarian crises.

The Central Headquarters of Iran's Armed Forces announced that vessels associated with countries Tehran deems "hostile" will be denied passage through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz. Other ships will receive permits only if they comply with rules established by Iranian military authorities, in a move that escalates regional tensions.

▪️ In the "Geopolitics" program on Kun.uz, analysts discussed how a potential US withdrawal from the conflict and an agreement with Iran could alter the balance of power in the Middle East. According to political scientist Shavkat Ikromov, if the US regime exits the war due to domestic political reasons, including elections, and leaves Israel alone against its adversaries, Israel's military capabilities will be constrained, allowing only symbolic or limited operations.