World News Roundup: France Adopts Budget, Italy Rushes Security Law, and More
France's 2026 state budget was definitively adopted on Monday evening after months of political gridlock, following the rejection of two no-confidence motions in parliament, according to Euronews. The motions were tabled in response to Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu's decision on Friday to invoke Article 49.3 of the constitution, which allows the government to pass legislation without a vote from MPs.
Meanwhile, Italy is fast-tracking a security decree after violent clashes in Turin left more than 100 officers injured, Euronews reported. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described an attack on a policeman with a hammer as "attempted murder." The officer, 29-year-old Alessandro Calista, of the Padua Mobile Police Unit, was surrounded by masked demonstrators and struck repeatedly, including with a hammer.
In Iran, a program broadcast on Ofogh TV, a channel close to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, sparked national outrage due to mockeries of protesters killed during the January protests, Euronews stated. The program, titled "Khat-Khati" (Scribbles), featured a TV host who, with a mocking smile, said the Islamic Republic kept the bodies in some cold places so that if the US or Israel later attacked Iran. Tehran Prosecutor has brought charges against the director, the production team, and the host of Ofogh TV, according to Euronews.
In economic news, former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis told Euronews that capitalism has already ended and the world has entered an era of "techno-feudalism" where big tech companies wield unprecedented power over human behaviour. Speaking after his panel at Web Summit Qatar, Varoufakis warned that the world could be heading toward another crisis like 2008, driven by the rise of stablecoins and powerful tech platforms. "Capitalism has already ended," Varoufakis said.
Finally, in Pennsylvania, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow on Groundhog Day, predicting six more weeks of winter, Euronews reported. The announcement came at dawn at Gobblers Knob, where handlers translated the groundhog's verdict for a large crowd. The ritual, which draws tens of thousands each year and traces its roots to European farming customs, has been held every year since 1887.
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