World
Commissioner nominees mostly male as leaders flout von der Leyen order
Of the 17 EU capitals that have named their Commissioner picks so far, only five have put forward a female candidate.
The roster of candidates bidding to join Ursula von der Leyen’s next College of Commissioners is predominantly male, with only five of the 17 countries that have so far nominated candidates putting forth a woman.
This means that only 29% of the nominees put forward so far are female – whereas in von der Leyen’s previous term in office 48% were women.
Von der Leyen, representing Germany, had asked capitals to nominate two candidates — one male and one female — to give her leeway in appointing a gender-balanced College. No member state has yet obeyed that demand.
It’s an early challenge for the Commission president von der Leyen as she aims to ensure gender parity during her second term in office.
The College is the cabinet that steers the work of the EU’s executive arm and is formed of one Commissioner representing each of the bloc’s 27 member states.
“I want to pick the best-prepared candidates who share the European commitment. Once again, I will aim for an equal share of men and women at the College table,” she told the European Parliament plenary in Strasbourg following her re-election in July.
EU governments have until 30th August to submit the names of their nominees to von der Leyen, who is due to start interviewing them this week. She is then expected to allocate policy portfolios to candidates in time for their appointment votes in the relevant committees of the European Parliament in September and October.
With von der Leyen herself elected as president and former Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas on track to become the EU’s foreign policy chief and one of the Commission’s vice presidents, the most prestigious roles in the executive are set to be occupied by women.
The four other women nominees come from Croatia, Finland, Spain and Sweden. The current Croatian Commissioner Dubravka Šuica has been nominated to stay on for another term, Spain has put forth environment minister Teresa Ribera in a bid to secure a high-profile climate or energy portfolio, while Sweden has also fielded a heavyweight in EU affairs minister Jessika Roswall. Finland has nominated MEP Henna Virkunnen.
Scarcity of female candidates
Men are clearly dominating the race for the remaining Commissioner posts, as they always have done. Of the nine member states yet to announce nominations, rumoured female picks are few and far between.
The Danish minister for development cooperation and global climate policy, Dan Jørgensen, is the frontrunner to be nominated by Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, according to EU diplomats.
Miguel Poiares Maduro, a former regional development minister, is also tipped to be Portugal’s choice. The Luxembourgish government, meanwhile, is rumoured to be torn between two male candidates: current Commissioner Nicolas Schmit, a socialist, and MEP Christophe Hansen, who belongs to the governing centre-right party.
In the remaining six countries that are undecided or keeping their choices under wraps — Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Italy, Lithuania and Romania — there are few female candidates tipped to be nominated.
Von der Leyen’s next move unclear
Von der Leyen is the first woman to preside over the EU’s executive arm, and has vowed to develop a “Roadmap for Women’s Rights” during her second term to close the gender pay and pensions gap, tackle violence against women and reconcile care and career.
But her credibility as an advocate of women’s rights is at stake unless she is able to strike a balance in her own team.
Her outgoing Commission was the most equal to date, composed of 14 men and 13 women. In previous terms, women have been sorely under-represented, making up just a third of former President Jean-Claude Juncker’s cabinet between 2014 and 2019.
However, her demand for two nominations representing both genders is not enforceable by law, meaning she relies on the goodwill of EU leaders.
Asked by Euronews what action von der Leyen could take, a European Commission spokesperson said in a statement: “A couple of weeks ago, the Commission sent the president’s letter to the member states asking them for the names of candidates for the post of Commissioner. The deadline for the answer from member states is 30 August.”
“We will not be commenting on individual announcements by member states in this context,” the spokesperson added.
Countries have aimed to justify flouting von der Leyen’s demand for two names by saying they are selecting the best candidate for the job.
Irish Taoiseach Simon Harris said in July that he would only field former Finance Minister Michael McGrath despite taking gender parity “extremely seriously”.
Harris said Dublin “doesn’t lightly send their finance minister to Brussels,” meaning the government could be reluctant to propose another female candidate to compete with heavyweight McGrath.
This article has been updated to include Henna Virkkunen of Finland as one of the female Commissioner nominees.
World
Mexico pyramid shooter who took hostages and killed 1 is identified
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A gunman who fatally shot a Canadian tourist and wounded more than a dozen others atop a historic pyramid in Mexico on Monday has been identified, according to officials.
Authorities identified the gunman as 27-year-old Julio Cesar Jasso, a Mexican national, according to a state official who spoke anonymously because they were not authorized to discuss the case publicly.
Jasso later died by suicide after turning the gun on himself, and security officials found a gun, a knife and ammunition. Authorities said he acted alone, with the State of Mexico government confirming he was the sole assailant on Monday night.
Officials said seven of the victims were struck by gunfire, while others were hurt in the chaos as people scrambled to get down from the pyramids, with some falling during the panic.
EX-TV REPORTER ALLEGEDLY TURNED ROADSIDE GUNMAN, GRILLED VICTIMS ON ETHNICITY BEFORE OPENING FIRE
The Pyramid of the Moon and the Pyramid of the Sun are seen along with smaller structures lining the Avenue of the Dead in Teotihuacan, Mexico, on March 19, 2020. A gunman killed a Canadian tourist and injured several others before taking his own life at the popular site, authorities said Monday. (Rebecca Blackwell/AP)
Those hospitalized included tourists from several countries, among them the United States, Colombia, Russia, Brazil and Canada, authorities said. The victims ranged in age from 6 to 61.
Footage circulating in local media appears to show the suspect positioned atop the structure as visitors rushed for safety below, with gunfire echoing across the site.
Police and forensic workers stand on a pyramid after authorities said a gunman opened fire in Teotihuacan, Mexico, Monday, April 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)
The Teotihuacan complex, located just outside Mexico City, is one of the country’s most visited archaeological landmarks, drawing millions of international visitors each year to its towering pre-Hispanic structures.
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The shooting took place shortly after 11:30 a.m. when dozens of tourists were at the top of the Pyramid of the Moon.
Security measures at the site have changed in recent years, with routine entry screenings no longer consistently in place, according to a local guide.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum wrote on social media that the shooting would be investigated and that she was in touch with the Canadian Embassy.
SUSPECTED BLUE CITY GUNMEN KILL INNOCENT GIRL IN REVENGE SHOOTING AT HOME: SHERIFF
“What happened today in Teotihuacán deeply pains us. I express my most sincere solidarity with the affected individuals and their families,” she wrote.
Anita Anand, Canada’s foreign affairs minister, said on X that as a “result of a horrific act of gun violence, a Canadian was killed and another wounded in Teotihuacán” and that her “thoughts are with their family and loved ones.”
People visit the Pyramid of the Sun in the pre-Hispanic city of Teotihuacan near Mexico City, Mexico, on March 21, 2024, following the spring equinox. (Henry Romero/Reuters)
Later in the evening, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson also expressed “deep concern” and sadness over the deaths and numerous injuries, and said in a post on X that the U.S. is “ready to provide support as needed while Mexican authorities continue their investigation.”
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The National Institute of Anthropology and History said in a statement that the Teotihuacán archaeological site will remain closed until further notice.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
World
Appetite among NATO members to join Iran war ‘very limited’, says Eide
Norway has pushed back against criticism from US President Donald Trump over what he described as “zero” European support in the conflict with Iran.
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“NATO is a defensive alliance. It is not an attack alliance,” Norway’s Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide told Euronews’ Europe Today flagship morning show.
Eide said NATO members are focused on safeguarding key global trade routes, including keeping the Strait of Hormuz open. “NATO countries are doing something, but it’s not as a party to a conflict,” he added.
Trump has repeatedly criticised NATO allies for not backing Washington in the Iran conflict. He raised the issue again during a White House meeting earlier this month with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
Eide argued that there had been no prior preparation or consensus within the alliance. As a result, there is “very limited appetite” among member states to join the war.
He said that while both the US and Iran may have reasons to end the conflict, “the sides are far apart”, with negotiations hindered by opposing demands.
On Monday, Trump said the United States would maintain its blockade of Iranian ports until Tehran agrees to a peace deal.
Still, Eide pointed to signs of “some progress”, noting the broader global impact of the conflict. “This is not only an issue for the two sides, but it affects the whole world economy,” he said.
Addressing a European diplomatic push to establish a Palestinian state, Eide reiterated support for a two-state solution based on long-standing United Nations principles. However, he acknowledged that such an outcome is “not around the corner”.
He added that a two-state solution is also in Israel’s interest, describing it as “the only viable solution for real peace in a very troubled region”.
Norway, alongside Spain and Ireland, recognised the State of Palestine in 2024.
World
Iran War Live Updates: Trump Officials and Iran Plan New Talks Despite Mixed Messages
The United States military last week extended its blockade on vessels coming in and out of Iranian ports to the waters of the wider world, declaring that it would pursue any ship aiding Iran, regardless of location on the high seas or flag.
The U.S. “will actively pursue any Iranian-flagged vessel or any vessel attempting to provide material support to Iran,” Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Thursday, noting that the American troops beyond the Middle East will engage in operations to thwart Iranian shipping.
The extension of the blockade comes as the economically vital Strait of Hormuz remains all but closed to commercial traffic and the two-week cease-fire between the United States and Iran nears an end. The move aligns longstanding American economic policies targeting Iran with the current military campaign against it, maritime and military law experts say.
But it raises a host of legal and practical questions.
“War is a messy thing not just on the combat side but under national and international law,” said James R. Holmes, chair of maritime strategy at the Naval War College.
“From a legal standpoint, a blockade is an act of war, so the blockade probably is legal to the extent Operation Epic Fury is,” he said using the name of the U.S. military campaign against Iran.
Since Congress has not declared war against Iran, no formal state of war exists between the United States and the Islamic Republic. But Mr. Holmes noted that “undeclared wars are more the rule than the exception in U.S. history,” with joint resolutions of Congress, United Nations Security Council resolutions and NATO decisions invoked to justify fighting.
“This campaign may be more unilateral than most, but it is not without precedent,” he said.
Under international law, the legality of the blockade is “more ambiguous,” said Jennifer Kavanagh, a senior fellow and director of military analysis at Defense Priorities, a foreign policy think tank in Washington.
For a blockade to be legal, Ms. Kavanagh said, it must be “effective,” meaning that it is both enforceable and enforced. Some would argue that a “‘global blockade’ is not permissible in conception” because it is overly broad, she said.
Still, expansive blockades have taken place throughout history, including during World War II, when states enforced naval blockades worldwide other than in neutral territorial seas. Over the centuries before that, the British blockaded France throughout the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, and during the War of American Independence, the colonies and their allies raided British shipping as far away as the Indian Ocean.
Enforcing expansive blockades is difficult, however.
“The seven seas are a big place, and the largest navy or coast guard is tiny by comparison,” Mr. Holmes said. Whether the U.S. blockade ultimately is deemed “effective,” legally speaking, will depend on whether the U.S. has enough assets like ships, aircraft, boarding crews and intelligence gathering to enforce it.
The blockade does not have to be “airtight” to meet the legal test, Mr. Holmes said, and assessing its effectiveness will be tough for outside observers in any case.
Enforcement may also have to be somewhat selective, he suggested.
“Now, it is possible our leadership might quietly let a ship proceed when it suits the national interest,” Mr. Holmes said. “For instance, with a summit coming up between President Trump and General Secretary Xi” — Mr. Trump is to meet with China’s leader, Xi Jinping, in May — “Washington might not want to ruffle feathers by obstructing China’s oil imports.”
The expanded blockade is part of a longstanding economic campaign against Iran, but it represents something of a tactical change for the Trump administration.
Earlier in the war, the United States temporarily lifted sanctions on Iranian oil at sea to ease the pressure on global energy prices. And before imposing a blockade on Iranian ports last week, the U.S. allowed Iranian tankers to transit the Strait of Hormuz for the same reason.
Now Washington seems to be returning its focus to keeping pressure on Iran.
“The blockade is a wartime extension of existing U.S. economic sanctions against the Iranian regime,” said James Kraska, professor of international maritime law and a visiting professor at Harvard Law School. In peacetime, he said, the sanctions were a “powerful tool to weaken the Iranian economy.” Now, he said, the blockade serves as a “kinetic expansion.”
General Caine’s announcement about the expanded naval blockade came one day after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced “Operation Economic Fury,” an effort he called the “financial equivalent” of a bombing campaign. It includes secondary sanctions on institutions internationally, like banks, that have dealings with Iran.
The expanded blockade “marks a notable escalation by the United States,” said Ms. Kavanagh.
Still, she said, it is unlikely to significantly change Iranian calculations.
“For Iran, this war is existential and it is not going to cave easily or quickly,” she said. “Economic pressure may work over the very long term, but Trump seems too impatient for a deal to wait it out.”
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