World
State of the Union: Farmers' protests and the defence of democracy
Farmers’ protests across Europe sparked a surge in popularity of right-wing populist parties and have made agricultural policy one of the main topics of the upcoming European election campaign.
Farming policy has long been a sensitive issue in the European Union with farmers acquiring a track record of disruptive protests, especially in France, the EU’s biggest agricultural producer.
This week, following similar protests in countries from Germany to Romania, their French colleagues hit the barricades – or rather built barricades.
The protests were over a series of long-standing grievances, including low pay, new environmental regulations and rising energy costs which farmers say put heavy pressure on their business.
Reactions from the political class were cautious and non-committal.
“We are hearing very carefully farmers’ voice and I can declare, that we will take into account this voice in our work,” EU Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski said.
“We need the approach based on the ‘four-S principle’: security, stability, sustainability and solidarity. And it should be included in the future of common agricultural policy.”
Right-wing populist parties have seized on the protests and agriculture is now set to be at the heart of their campaigning for the 6-9 June European election.
Hostile foreign interference, hybrid threats and especially disinformation are also expected to play a part in this election, something the European Commission has already said presents a risk to democracy.
“Unchecked malicious content spreads like a cancer and puts the health of our democracy at risk,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said this week. “Liberal democracies cannot live without the information, without reliable information, and without trust in democratic processes.”
A statement Daphne Caruana Galizia would certainly have agreed with.
A fearless journalist from Malta, she was assassinated more than six years ago for exposing corruption, nepotism, patronage and money laundering.
This week, the European Parliament honored her legacy.
Carrying on the torch is her son Paul who recently published “A Death in Malta”, a book about his mother – and her fight for democracy.
He told Euronews’ Maria Psara that years after her death “there are a number of other people who were involved in the attempted cover-up of her murder, who have yet to be charged.”
“And for us, it’s also important that all the people she wrote about, all the corruption she exposed, all those stories are prosecuted. And we haven’t seen anything of that yet,” he added.
He also explained that when she was killed, she was facing 47 libel suits and that “under Maltese law, those libel suits have passed onto us as her heirs, the owners of her estate.”
“Most were filed by, members of the governing Labour Party and its donors. Now, we didn’t see it at the time, I’m embarrassed to say, but if we look back, you can see that there was this escalating, legal harassment against her.
“So, a big part of our campaign has been to address that, address how the courts are used and abused, not to seek justice or not to write wrongs, but to harass journalists in our case,” he said.
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World
‘X-Men’ Star Famke Janssen Says Marvel ‘Made a Mistake’ By Not Asking Her to Return as Jean Grey in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’
Famke Janssen said during a recent conversation with Nerdtropolis at Spacecon 2026 that Marvel “made a mistake” by not bringing her back as Jean Grey for December’s “Avengers: Doomsday.”
“I am so bad at keeping secrets that I always say to everyone I’m the worst actor in the world. It’s all on my face. You right away will read it,” Janssen said. “I think they made a mistake, but hey, who am I? I’m just a little me who thinks that.”
Janssen first appeared as the telepath Jean Grey, aka Phoenix, in 2000’s “X-Men,” and then reprised the role for 2003’s “X2: X-Men United” and 2006’s “X-Men: The Last Stand.” She also briefly appeared as Grey in 2013’s “The Wolverine” and 2014’s “X-Men: Days of Future Past.”
Janssen’s absence from “Doomsday” is notable, considering Marvel is bringing back many of her “X-Men” co-stars for the film. Patrick Stewart (Charles Xavier), Ian McKellen (Magneto), James Marsden (Cyclops), Kelsey Grammer (Beast), Alan Cumming (Nightcrawler) and Rebecca Romijn (Mystique) are all set to return.
In an October 2025 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Janssen said in every interview she does, she’s asked about the future of Jean Grey in the MCU.
“It’s interesting,” Janssen said. “I didn’t realize that was such a big part. Every interview I do, that will come up, and of everything I say, that is going to be the only thing that’s gonna be printed.”
“I should be flattered, I suppose, that this character has resonated with people,” she added. “It’s been so long, but it’s nice that people are still talking about her. I’m sure every single time there’s a new movie that they’re doing, like [is it] ‘Doomsday?’ … it’ll come up again.”
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Authorities are responding after two passenger trains crashed into each other Friday near Bedford, England, killing at least one person and injuring nearly 90 others.
The East of England Ambulance Service said it was called to a collision involving two trains at Elstow, near Bedford, at about 5:15 p.m. local time and quickly declared a “major incident.”
One person died at the scene, 11 people suffered very serious injuries, 22 were seriously injured and 56 people had minor injuries, officials said.
Bedford is roughly 60 miles north of London.
2 TRAINS COLLIDE IN DENMARK, LEAVING 5 PEOPLE CRITICALLY INJURED
Two passenger trains collided Friday in the United Kingdom. (Fox News)
All the patients with the most serious injuries have been taken from the scene to hospital.
The ambulance service said it sent numerous resources to the scene, including more than 20 ambulances, specialist hazardous area response teams and six air ambulances.
MULTIPLE STABBED IN UK TRAIN ATTACK NEAR CAMBRIDGE AS POLICE ARREST 2 SUSPECTS
Emergency crews were pictured working near the scene. (Fox News)
“Our thoughts are with everyone affected, and we thank all emergency service colleagues for their swift response,” the ambulance service wrote in a statement.
The Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed its crews were also responding.
“Please avoid the area,” fire officials wrote in a statement on X.
Sources told The Telegraph the train driver was on the phone with maintenance staff discussing a safety issue at the time of the crash.
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This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
As Israel’s war on Lebanon rages, hundreds gather in Rmeileh by Sidon Gate to watch the 2026 World Cup. Organised by influencer Bilal Haddad, the fan zone offers food trucks, shisha and family activities, giving people a rare chance to relax. Al Jazeera’s Justin Salhani went to check it out.
Published On 20 Jun 2026
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