Eurotopics.net

The US state of Kansas has backed the right to abortion: in a referendum held earlier this week around 60 percent voted in favour of a provision in the state constitution that would allow women to decide for themselves whether to terminate or continue a pregnancy. In June the Supreme Court overturned a 1973 landmark ruling on abortion rights. Commentators debate the significance of the vote.

Despite warnings from Beijing, Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the US House of Representatives, has made an official visit to Taiwan. There she assured President Tsai Ing-wen on Wednesday that the US will "always stand with Taiwan". Meanwhile the Chinese military carried out live-fire exercises near the island. Europe's press takes differing views of the visit.

Ayman al-Zawahiri, leader of the terrorist organisation al-Qaeda, was killed in a drone strike orchestrated by the US military on the weekend. He was struck down as he was standing on the balcony of a compound in the Afghan capital Kabul, according to the US government. Al-Zawahiri was the successor of Osama bin Laden, the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 attacks. The operation and its consequences are the subject of heated debate in the media.

The Spanish government has adopted a series of "emergency measures", including stringent regulations for air conditioning and lighting in public buildings, in a bid to save energy and use it more efficiently. The country aims to reduce gas consumption by seven percent in line with the EU's emergency plan. The Spanish press welcomes the measures but urges caution.

After his controversial visit to Vienna, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has arrived in the US. He met with former president Donald Trump on Tuesday, and is scheduled to deliver a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Thursday. Hungarian commentators are divided in their appraisal of Orbán's performance on this foreign tour.