The new election in France
France is shaken by around 50 attacks before the election
The mood is tense ahead of the second round of the French general election on Sunday. So far, about 50 candidates and activists have been exposed to attacks, says Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin to the French channel BFMTV.
More than 30 people have been arrested. The event that has received the most attention is a brutal attack on government spokeswoman Prisca Thevenot and her team, in which two people had to be taken to hospital.
Tens of thousands of police have been called in all over France ahead of election day and the interior minister describes the country as "in full swing". The attackers have been people who "spontaneously got angry" or people from the extreme right, extreme left or other political groups, according to Darmanin.
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Political situation in Germany
German government crisis averted - coalition agreed on budget
A German government crisis is said to have been avoided as the three governing parties agreed on a framework for next year's budget on Friday morning. Several media reports.
It must have required months of negotiations between Chancellor Olaf Scholz of the Social Democratic SPD, Vice Chancellor Robert Haneck of the Greens and Finance Minister Christian Lindner of the liberal FDP.
The major stumbling block is said to have been the large deficit in next year's budget, where the coalition has not agreed on where to cut.
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The presidential election in Iran
New round of elections in Iran is characterized by "apathy"
A new round of elections has begun in Iran after none of the pro-regime candidates received more than 50 percent of the vote in last Friday's round.
Reformist Masoud Pezeshkian, who is said to have received slightly more votes last time, advanced to the second round against conservative Saeed Jalili.
The vote is characterized by widespread apathy and low participation, writes Reuters. Many Iranians have very little faith in influencing their life or economy through the election.
The election has been called after the incumbent president Ebrahim Raisi died in a helicopter crash
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The Israel-Hamas warThe attacks
Fuel shortage catastrophic for Gaza's healthcare: "Faced with impossible choices"
The World Health Organization WHO warns that the ongoing fuel shortage is having catastrophic effects on healthcare in Gaza. AFP writes.
On Wednesday, only 90,000 liters of fuel entered Gaza - and the healthcare sector alone needs 80,000 liters daily. The situation is forcing the WHO and its partners to make "impossible choices", says the head of X, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Fuel has been particularly difficult to get into Gaza because Israel fears it could benefit the Hamas military.
The European Hospital in Khan Yunis has been out of service since Tuesday, when the Israeli army ordered residents of the city to evacuate.
"A loss of more hospitals would be catastrophic," says the WHO director.
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