Eurotopics.net

Prince Andrew has announced that he is stepping back from all his public duties as a member of the British royal family. Many observers consider his claim that he knew nothing of the predatory practices of his friend Jeffrey Epstein implausible. Epstein, who died in his prison cell in August, had been accused of abusing minors and forced prostitution. Is the public being too harsh on the prince?

High-ranking representatives of Spain's Socialist Party PSOE, including two former regional presidents José Antonio Griñán and Manuel Chaves, have been found guilty of embezzlement and misuse of public funds. They allegedly watched for years as funds intended to help unemployed people and struggling companies were diverted to individuals and businesses with close ties to their party. Commentators draw comparisons with another major corruption case in Spain.

The US has declared that the construction of settlements on the West Bank is not necessarily inconsistent with international law. A statement that further bolsters Benjamin Netanyahu's position after the US already recognised Israel's annexation of the Golan Heights and Jerusalem as the Israeli capital. Commentators criticise the initiative, saying it hinders the Middle East peace process, but also warn against attaching too much importance to the decision.

SUVs, whose popularity with car buyers remains undiminished, cause higher emissions than other car types. In Switzerland, residents of the city of Lausanne are now gathering signatures in a petition aimed at banishing cars that weigh more than 1.5 tonnes from the city, and in Belgium the area around the capital city of Brussels wants to tax cars according to how much pollution they cause. Is this the end of the SUV era?