European Headlines TODAY 🗞️ 17 April 2025

🇪🇺 European Politics & Diplomacy

📌 Le Figaro (France) — “Crisis with Algeria: Retailleau’s stance prevails over Macron”

• Diplomatic tensions deepen as France’s firmer tone on expelled consular agents overrides the Elysée’s initial softer approach toward Algeria.

📌 Le Monde (France) — “France and Algeria on the brink of rupture”

• Paris-Algiers relations deteriorate drastically over arrests and expulsions, with both sides escalating retaliatory actions and public recriminations.

📌 La Vanguardia (Spain) — “The WTO foresees a 1.5% contraction in global trade”

• The World Trade Organization revises down growth forecasts due to tariffs and global tensions, particularly over U.S.-China trade relations.

📌 La Tribune (France) — “BCE lowers rates to revive European economy”

• The European Central Bank reduces interest rates to boost sluggish investment, signalling concern about growth across the eurozone.

📌 Neue Zürcher Zeitung (Switzerland) — “Swiss government avoids haste in trade row with U.S.”

• Bern delays firm action on tech regulation amid tariff pressures from Trump’s administration, aiming to prioritise stable transatlantic dialogue.

📌 Tages-Anzeiger (Switzerland) — “No regulation for social media: Swiss government seeks to appease Trump”

• In response to U.S. pressure, Switzerland holds off on regulating digital platforms like Facebook and YouTube, avoiding further trade fallout.

📌 The i Paper (UK) — “Electric cars with Chinese parts banned from UK military sites”

• The UK Ministry of Defence prohibits Chinese tech-laden EVs from sensitive military areas, fearing espionage and data leaks to Beijing.

📌 The Sun (UK) — “Trans ‘common sense’ court win”

• The Supreme Court ruling defining “woman” as based on biological sex is hailed by gender-critical groups and JK Rowling.

📌 The Times (UK) — “Equality policies in chaos as court defines a woman”

• The court ruling triggers reassessment of equality laws, creating legal uncertainty for institutions relying on gender self-ID criteria.