Friday, May 01, 2026

France steps up vaccination push as anti-vax fears grow in Europe

France is using European Immunisation Week to push a nationwide vaccination campaign to raise protection among adolescents and young adults, while scientists warn that anti-vaccine disinformation seen in the United States could spread across Europe.

Issued on: 30/04/2026 - RFI

France is prioritising vaccination against meningococcal and human papillomavirus (HPV) infections among adolescents and young adults during European Immunisation Week.

AP - Michel Spingler

As vaccination awareness events continue across Europe this week, France is focusing on meningococcal infections and human papillomavirus (HPV), while nearly 300 leading figures have backed a Pasteur Institute-supported call to fight vaccine disinformation.

Published on Monday to coincide with the start of EU Vaccination Week, the text warns that political tensions around vaccines could undermine public confidence.

Growing concern over vaccine hesitancy in France is linked partly to political debates coming from the United States, signatories say.

“The open letter stems from our community's concern regarding the vaccine hesitancy we are seeing in France, linked to political positions, particularly across the Atlantic,” Brigitte Autran, professor at the Sorbonne University and former head of France’s health risk monitoring committee Covars, told public broadcaster FranceInfo.

Disinformation fears

The petition reads: “We are signing this open letter today for all the parents who have questions, for all the citizens troubled by the surrounding noise, for all those searching for a sign of truth amid the cacophony of opinions.

"And here it is: vaccination works. It is safe. It saves lives. One life every eight seconds."

The signatories said vaccines have saved 154 million lives over the past 50 years, citing World Health Organization figures.

Scientists are especially concerned by growing disinformation and attacks on science from the United States and policies under President Donald Trump’s administration.

US Health Minister Robert F Kennedy Jr has drawn strong criticism from medical groups over moves that have raised doubts about vaccine safety, cut research funding and weakened disease prevention programmes, even as the United States faces its worst measles outbreak in years.

France has long promoted vaccination since Louis Pasteur developed the rabies vaccine in 1885, and several vaccines are mandatory, especially for children.

Since 2017, meeting vaccine requirements has been necessary for admission to childcare and school, while vaccination against ACWY and B meningococcal infections became mandatory in 2025.

Teenage gap

French health authorities say that although vaccination rates for babies remain high, greater progress is needed among adolescents and young adults.

Meningitis, sepsis and septicaemia linked to meningococcal infections are serious illnesses that can be life-threatening and may lead to disabilities including amputations, hearing loss and brain damage.

The Santé Publique France health agency said that in 2025, nearly nine out of 10 babies had received their first ACWY vaccine dose by eight months old.

But only 17.1 percent of 11- to 14-year-olds, 10 percent of 15-year-olds and 7.9 percent of people aged 15 to 24 were vaccinated against ACWY meningococcal disease.

Since September 2025, middle school pupils have been able to receive free ACWY vaccinations in all public schools and some participating private schools.

The other major focus is vaccination against HPV, which is not mandatory but strongly recommended.

HPV and flu

Usually spread by sexual activity, some HPV strains cause genital warts while others can lead to cancers.

In 2025, 61.6 percent of 15-year-old girls received a first HPV vaccine dose, up from 58.4 percent in 2024, while the rate for boys rose to 46 percent from 36.9 percent.

But only 35 percent of girls and 27 percent of boys born in 2012 had received two doses, still far below the government’s 80 percent target for 2030.

Measles vaccination targets have also not been fully met, despite the disease circulating again in France since 2024.

SPF says reaching 95 percent coverage for two doses is essential to protect vulnerable groups, including newborns and people receiving cancer treatment.

Flu vaccination rates are also causing concern. “Last year, there were very few vaccinations and an extremely severe flu wave,” Autran told FranceInfo.

Even though flu vaccination has improved slightly, she said levels remain far below those of neighbouring European countries.

“When everything is going well, everyone forgets the benefits of vaccination,” Autran said.

INTERVIEW

Fighting racism 'must be at heart of presidential debate', French mayor tells RFI

France needs to take concrete action to tackle growing racism before the 2027 presidential election, the newly installed mayor of Saint-Denis Bally Bagayoko tells RFI, after facing racist abuse in the weeks following his election in mid-March.

Issued on: 01/05/2026 - RFI

Bally Bagayoko in the RFI studio on 22 April, 2026, to talk about challenges he's faced since becoming mayor of Saint-Denis, north of Paris. © rfi

Born in France to Malian parents, Bagayoko of the hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) party – which the government has designated "far-left" – is now mayor of the second largest town in the Ile-de-France region after Paris. Shortly after being elected, he was the subject of racism, notably on the CNews television channel, on which a guest compared him to a primate. Bagayoko has filed an official complaint against the broadcaster. His town hall has also received racist phone calls.

RFI: You've been subjected to racist attacks, including on CNews. Did these surprise you?

BB: These attacks are utterly intolerable. And I’m unfortunately not the only one to have experienced them, so I want to express my full solidarity with all those who are victims of such remarks. We condemn them.

Now, we need to act. That’s why, on 4 April, we organised a major rally. Some 15,000 people came along to say that the anti-fascist and anti-racist struggle is still necessary. We hope we'll soon be able to develop policies that break with these dynamics, and also create the conditions so that by 2027 we have a government capable of addressing this issue.

RFI: Racism in politics isn’t new, and there has been resistance against it for decades too – people remember the 1983 march against racism [Marche des Beurs]. And yet you don’t think anything has changed?

BB: No. If anything, I would say things are getting worse.

RFI: Because of what you describe as an "unrestrained" form of racism?

BB: Because today we have social media. And we also have, unfortunately, a number of media outlets – such as CNews and others – which act as accomplices to racist discourse, when they're not actively spreading it themselves.

So we’re seeing a growing and increasingly powerful shockwave, which is forcing public authorities and politicians to respond. Public opinion also needs to be more alert – and above all more active.

It’s no longer acceptable to tolerate these attacks. And I say this all the more strongly because, as the mayor of a large city, I'm fortunate enough to have a voice. I get heard. But what about those who are victims of such remarks and remain silent? That's why we have to condemn this, and above all do something to change things.

RFI: So you don't think the State is doing enough? You’ve criticised President Emmanuel Macron for not reacting strongly enough.

BB: Yes, I said so, as I did to other government members who were very slow to respond. Then, under pressure from public opinion, the President of the Republic eventually clarified his position and, of course, condemned the remarks.

But what matters to us – those of us who are often from post-colonial immigrant backgrounds – is action. Of course, statements and condemnations are welcome, they matter emotionally. But what counts is concrete action to stop this happening.

ARCOM [the media watchdog] has a responsibility. The audiovisual regulator and the media must be held to account, and measures must be taken to prevent this kind of discourse.

A protester holds a placard reading 'racism, xenophobia, hate get lost' during a rally against racism convened by Bagayoko in Saint-Denis, on 4 April, 2026. AFP - THOMAS SAMSON

Protest in Paris against immigration law as parliamentary debate continues

RFI: You are planning another rally for May. Has that been confirmed?

BB: The original date was 3 May. But after discussions with a number of partners who want to be fully involved in this major gathering – which should be even larger than the one on 4 April – we agreed to move it to late May, or even early June.

The aim is to build a broad, popular initiative that brings together as many people as possible, to express our deep attachment to the values of the Republic – liberty, equality, fraternity – and to act against racism, anti-Semitism and Islamophobia.

RFI: Is this a key priority for you in office? Beyond rallies, are you thinking about other concrete actions?

BB: As mayor, I already have a direct responsibility to act. I also have responsibilities as an employer, which means these issues cannot be dealt with only in abstract terms – they must be addressed within the city itself.

That's why staff and elected representatives are trained in these issues.

Secondly, in Saint-Denis we'll always respond firmly and immediately to anything of this nature – whether it involves residents or media outlets that, in our view, undermine these values.

More broadly, change is needed at a national level – in law, in public decision-making and in how the media operates. There needs to be a major overhaul. That’s why this debate must be held on a national level.

RFI: So the aim is to make this a central issue in the 2027 presidential election?

BB: It has to be at the heart of the presidential debate. The goal is to ensure it’s firmly on the agenda – that the first debates, the first policy directions, the first measures address the question of which candidates are capable of countering the project of the far right in this country. That’s the issue.

Bagayoko, with the founder of France Unbowed (LFI) Jean-Luc Melenchon (left) on 4 April, 2026. AFP - THOMAS SAMSON

How effective is France’s fight against racial discrimination?

RFI: Some people have called you the “French Barack Obama”. The same was said of Karim Bouamrane, mayor of Saint-Ouen, close to Saint-Denis. Do you see that as a form of racism – reducing elected officials to their skin colour – or do you see real parallels with Obama’s trajectory?

BB: I would rather be compared to another figure – the mayor of New York, Zohran Mamdani. As for the comparison with Barack Obama, that’s a bit of a stretch.

But yes, there is clearly an element linked to skin colour. And the fact he had a very close relationship with people – a very direct, unfiltered style. There’s an element of that.

But it doesn’t define who I want to be. I don’t want to be Barack Obama. I want to be Bally Bagayoko – the child of a working-class neighbourhood who does what I can, within my means, to stand up for what I believe is right in society.

Macron hardens attack on 'far-left' LFI, says antisemitic rhetoric must be tackled

RFI: Bouamrane – who ran against you for the presidency of Plaine Commune, the inter-municipal authority covering eight towns in Seine-Saint-Denis, an election you won – has accused you of wanting to turn it into a support base for the presidential campaign of Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of LFI. Does that mean you'll struggle to work together?

BB: It’s interesting that the government classifies us as far-left. But it’s important to say clearly that we are on the left.

As for Karim Bouamrane, even within the left he's closer to the Macronist wing. That said, yes, we can work together. That’s why I held out my hand to him. It’s now up to him to take it – in the interests of residents.

RFI: This reflects a broader national picture where the left is struggling to unite ahead of the presidential election...

BB: I distinguish between political parties, politicians and left-wing voters and activists.

Some people within the Socialist Party share the idea of a more radical programme. That’s why I say that for the 2027 presidential election, we must be able to come together around a candidate. For me, it would be Jean-Luc Mélenchon. We’ll see what happens, but I believe it’s possible.

This article was adapted from an interview in French and has been edited for clarity.

Mali rebels seize key military camp as junta forces and Russians retreat

Bamako (AFP) – Mali's army and its Russian mercenary allies surrendered a strategic northern military stronghold to armed rebels on Friday, as Tuareg separatists and jihadists waged a unified front to bring down the country's junta.

Issued on: 01/05/2026 - RFI

FLA rebels assemble around a roundabout in Kidal on April 26, 2026. © abdollah Ag Mohamed / AFP/File

Forces at Mali's Tessalit military base, a "super-camp" near the Algerian border, surrendered and were scattering southward, an official from the Tuareg-dominated FLA separatist group told AFP.

The FLA's allies, jihadists from the Al-Qaeda-linked Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), are calling for cooperation to bring down the junta that has run Mali since 2020.

Friday's assault follows large-scale, fatal attacks at the weekend by the separatist and jihadist rebels on key junta strongholds across Mali.

And it comes just one day after JNIM began a road blockade on the capital, Bamako. Only people already in the city were allowed to leave.

A security source in Gao, south of Tessalit, told AFP that "no clashes took place" during the rebel forces' capture of Tessalit, and that regular troops had already evacuated when the assailants entered.

A local elected official confirmed to AFP that the Russians had also abandoned their position there.

Tessalit serves as a strategic base due to its geographical location and features a well-maintained airstrip capable of accommodating helicopters and other large military aircraft.

It had hosted a significant number of Malian troops and their Russian allies, in addition to a substantial quantity of military equipment.

"Tessalit is the oldest base built by the colonial power (France)", a military officer told AFP, adding that its position in the far north offered "a panoramic view of the entire Sahara".

Push to take north

The coordinated weekend attacks marked the largest assault in the west African country in nearly 15 years.

The fierce fighting at various locations, including around Bamako, resulted in the death of at least 23 people and killed defence minister Sadio Camara, a key junta figure.

A government tribute was held for the 47-year-old minister on Thursday, who died as a result of a car bomb at his residence in Kati, a garrison town near Bamako.

During the series of attacks, the militants took the northern city of Kidal.

The Tuareg rebels later predicted they would conquer the country's north and the junta would "fall".

In recent years, Mali, like neighbouring junta-led Burkina Faso and Niger, has cut ties with colonial power France and moved closer to Russia.

Russia has sent in mercenaries to help fight a long-running jihadist insurgency.

The three west African neighbours banded together to form the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), which created a joint force it says numbers some 15,000 men.

The government of Niger said late on Thursday that the three countries had "conducted intense air campaigns" following the attacks in Mali on Saturday.

While that assault marked a turning point in JNIM's fight against the Malian junta, it was far from the jihadists' only campaign in recent times.

Late last year, JNIM attempted to cripple the Malian economy by imposing blockades on the supply of petrol and diesel being trucked in from abroad, particularly from Cote d'Ivoire and Senegal.

Russia vows to keep forces in Mali despite warning from separatists to withdraw

Russia said on Thursday its forces would remain in Mali and continue backing the country’s military rulers, rejecting demands from Tuareg separatists to withdraw after surprise attacks forced Russian troops out of a key northern town.

Issued on: 30/04/2026 - RFI

Tuareg separatists from the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) ride on the back of a truck in Kidal, on 26 April 2026. © AFP

Alongside jihadist forces, Tuareg rebels launched coordinated attacks across the country last weekend.

The offensive forced Russia’s Africa Corps paramilitary unit to pull out of Kidal, a strategic northern town that Russian forces helped the Malian army recapture from Tuareg rebels in 2023, prompting speculation about a wider pull-out.

A Kremlin spokesperson denied Russian forces were planning to leave Mali. “Russia is present there in connection with the necessity declared by the authorities,” Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Thursday.

“Russia will continue, including in Mali, to fight against extremism, terrorism and other negative manifestations. And it will continue to provide assistance to the current authorities.”

Malian official accuses Russian forces of 'betrayal' after Kidal falls to rebels

Tribute to defence minister

Russian paramilitary forces provide key support to Mali’s military junta, which has been in power since 2020 and is battling insurgents in a long-running conflict in the north.

Defence Minister Sadio Camara, a central figure in the military government and the driving force behind Mali’s partnership with Russian mercenaries, was killed in an attack on his residence on Saturday.

On Thursday, a ceremony was held to commemorate Camara, who was killed when a truck packed with explosives was driven into his compound in Kati, outside the capital, Bamako.

Sadio Camara outside the Malian Ministry of Defence in Bamako on 19 August 2020. © AFP - MALIK KONATE

The service at the military engineering battalion's grounds in Bamako was attended by the defence ministers of Niger and Burkina Faso, which, together with Mali, form the Alliance of Sahel States.

Dressed in combat fatigues, junta leader Assimi Goita paid tribute to Camara by bowing before his coffin, draped in Mali’s flag.

The minister's funeral service was due to take place later on Thursday.

The 47-year-old, who received military training in Russia, was widely regarded as the architect of the junta’s turn towards Moscow and away from former colonial ruler France.

Separatist warning

Kati was one of a number of strategic junta positions that were attacked on Saturday by jihadist fighters from JNIM, a group linked to Al-Qaeda, and Tuareg separatists from the Azawad Liberation Front, or FLA.

A spokesperson for the FLA said it wanted Russia to "withdraw permanently" from all its positions in Mali.

During a visit to Paris on Wednesday, spokesman Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane told French news agency AFP that the rebels intend to take control of other strongholds including Gao and Timbuktu.

"The regime will fall, sooner or later," he said.

Mali has faced a security crisis since 2012, fuelled by violence from groups linked to Al-Qaeda and Islamic State, as well as separatist movements and criminal gangs.

Like neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger, Mali has shifted politically and militarily towards Moscow.

Russia’s Africa Corps is overseen by the defence ministry in Moscow and succeeded the Wagner paramilitary force, whose founder Yevgeny Prigozhin died in a plane crash in August 2023, two months after leading a mutiny against Russia’s military leadership.

(with newswires)

The unexpected benefits of ditching social media

01.05.2026, DPA

Photo: Alicia Windzio/dpa

A digital detox can offer a plethora of advantages.

By Camilla Foster, Press Association

Many of us have toyed with the idea of a digital detox or stepping back from social media, but several countries could turn that idea into reality for many teenagers.

After Australia led the way with its age threshhold, many countries are debating a ban on teenage use of social media. We spoke to some experts about what surprising benefits stepping away from social media could offer children and families.

1. Help improve children’s attention span and focus

“The fast-moving swipe culture of social media speeds up the world, and can have a big impact on children’s attention spans, make them feel very overstimulated and can make offline content, such as reading a book, seem quite dull by comparison,” highlights Liat Hughes Joshi, author of How To Unplug Your Child.

“It’s a highly stimulating world, so to cut that from their life returns them to a simpler environment and helps slows everything down, which I think is only a good thing for children.”

Dr Hannah Sugarman, a clinical psychologist at Central Health London, agrees and adds: “There’s lots of research on what constantly switching between phones, social media and different stuff on our devices does to our sustained attention skills, and I would anticipate that training yourself out of that is going to leave you much better equipped to pay attention in a sustained way.”

2. Could help ease anxiety levels

“These algorithms are designed to keep us in loops that might be emotive in some way, and the constant comparisons on social media to other people’s curated lives tends to fuel things like anxiety,” says Sugarman. “It’s incredibly unhealthy to spend a lot of your time in that space because it’s not real, and it’s warping your view of what you should be or what other people are.”

Hughes Joshi notes that many studies highlight this association with anxiety and social media, particularly in girls.

“These anxiety levels are shaped in part by the over-stimulation of social media, but I think is also impacted by things like body image comparisons and inappropriate content that they’re seeing,” says Hughes Joshi.

They both agree that a detox from social media can have a positive impact on these feelings of anxiety.

“When we’re out in the real world, we’re getting a more balanced and healthy input from the world, which has such a huge impact on self-esteem, mood and even anxiety in children and adults,” says Sugarman.

3. Improves sleep

“Social media is addictive, so if a young person or an adult has unrestricted access to a device that wants to keep them engaged and keep their brain stimulated, they’re going to keep engaging rather than go to sleep,” reflects Sugarman.

“In addition, if someone is spending loads of time on social media throughout the day and is watching extreme, harmful content, that will fuel things like low mood and anxiety, which will all have a negative impact on sleep.”

Hughes Joshi adds: “If a child is exhausted from looking at social media, it might also impact their learning and concentration levels at school.”

Therefore, taking a break from social media is likely to improve a child’s sleep, which will have ripple effects the next day.

“I think every parent knows that a well-rested child tends to be easier to be around, and that’s true with adults too,” says Hughes Joshi.

4. Removes the pressure to ‘keep up with the Joneses”

“In some families where parents are on social media and are posting everything, it can create a feeling for children that their family life is for public show,” says Hughes Joshi.

She reflects how social media also can fuel unhealthy comparison, which affects both older kids and parents.

“I think we’ve ended up in this bizarre extreme ‘Keeping Up with the Joneses’ world of competitive parenting which is fuelled by social media, where there is constant comparisons with others of who has got the coolest trainers or who has got the flashiest birthday cake etc, which is quite unhealthy,” says Hughes Joshi.

“If you are comparing your child’s birthday party with influencers and celebrities that you see on social media, for example, you’re often going to feel like you’re short-changing your child.”

The author highlights how stepping away from this can help parents become less performative, and more present.

“If you come off social media, you may still be vaguely aware of what’s going on from general media, but it can be much less prevalent in your life and make you less conscious of comparisons with others,” says Hughes Joshi.

5. Enhances family quality time

“So much of healthy child development happens during in-person interactions between parents and their child, and a digital detox widens the opportunities for that essential in-person connection,” says Sugarman.

Hughes Joshi agrees and adds: “Having time away from social media can help make the time you have together more present, rather than your brain being half distracted by what’s going on on social media, or what you’re going to post.

“It can help provide space for better conversations which overtime is going to have a big impact on your relationships.”

The author adds it’s a good idea to think about what to replace the endless scrolling with.

“Consider what you’re going to do with some of the time you’re freeing up together as a family,” recommends Hughes Joshi. “Think about a potential activity that you can do together, such as a board game night, a family book club, or a new sport.”

Jury of the Venice Biennial resigns

01.05.2026, DPA

Photo: Robert Messer/dpa

The international jury of the Venice Art Biennale resigned on Thursday, just days before the exhibition was due to open.

There has been controversy for months over Russia’s participation in the Biennale despite its war against Ukraine.

Furthermore, the jury came under fire last week for excluding Russia and Israel from the Biennale awards.

"As of 30 April 2026, we, the international jury selected by Koyo Kouoh, Artistic Director of the 61st edition of La Biennale di Venezia In Minor Keys, have resigned. We do so in acknowledgment of our Statement of Intention issued on 22 April 2026," the five jury members said in a joint statement.

It was signed by jury president, Solange Oliveira Farkas, an art historian from Brazil, as well as Zoe Butt, Elvira Dyangani Ose, Marta Kuzma and Giovanna Zapperi. The jury did not initially provide any further explanation.

The six-month exhibition will officially open next Saturday. Before this, the pavilions, designed by artists from various nations, will be open to the art world.

Venice Biennale visitors to decide on prize winners after jury spat

01.05.2026, DPA

Photo: Robert Messer/dpa

Visitors to this year's Venice Art Biennale can now decide on the best pavilions themselves, with two new prizes created after a spat that saw the international jury walk out days before the exhibition opens.

La Biennale di Venezia has shifted its awards ceremony to November, allowing members of the public to award two Visitors’ Lions.

The six-month exhibition opens next Saturday, when visitors can explore pavilions designed by artists from different nations.

The Venice Biennale, one of the world’s oldest, largest and most prestigious international cultural shows, focuses on contemporary art and architecture.

Dubbed the "Olympics of the art world," the Biennale opens to the public for six months every year and alternates between art and architecture.

This year it is set to open on May 9 and to run through to November 22.

The Biennale also presents awards, with the most well-known the Golden Lion. These are among the highest honors in contemporary art, architecture, film, and theatre.

But after controversy over Russia’s participation in the show, the jury faced further criticism for excluding Russia and Israel from the Biennale awards.

The jury has now resigned. Initially due to announce a series of prizes at the inauguration on May 9, the ceremony has been cancelled.

Visitors may instead vote on their favourite pavilions.

If you are planning a trip to Venice, the Biennale is held in two venues, the Giardini and the Arsenale, in the eastern part of the lagoon city.

Visitors need a ticket to enter the Venice Biennale. A standard ticket costs €35, with discounts available for concessions.

That ticket makes you eligible to vote for winners of the Lion this year, say the Biennale organizers.

"Visitors eligible to vote for the Visitors’ Lions are ticket holders who have visited both exhibition venues during the opening period of the 61st Exhibition, from May 9 to November 22," say the organizers.

Each ticket holder may cast one vote for each of the two awards, in one single session.

Pope Leo calls for worldwide abolition of death penalty

25.04.2026, DPA

Photo: Vatican Media/IPA via ZUMA Press/dpa

Pope Leo XIV called for the worldwide abolition of the death penalty on Saturday, a day after the US administration mulled expanding the penalty.

"The dignity of the person is not lost even after very serious crimes are committed," Leo said in a video message marking the 15th anniversary of the abolition of the death penalty in his home state of Illinois.

"The Catholic Church has consistently taught that each human life, from the moment of conception until natural death, is sacred and deserves to be protected," said Leo, who succeeded Francis last year to become the first pontiff from the United States.

"Indeed, the right to life is the very foundation of every other human right," he argued. "For this reason, only when a society safeguards the sanctity of human life will it flourish and prosper."

Leo further offered his support "to those who advocate for the abolition of the death penalty in the United States of America and around the world."

The death penalty is permitted in more than two dozen of the 50 US states, although in several states it is no longer carried out in practice.

Leo’s video message was made public shortly after a new push for the death penalty in the US.

The Department of Justice under Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche is calling for criminals sentenced to death to be executed by firing squad at federal executions in future.

Relations between US President Donald Trump and Leo have recently become very strained.

Trump attacked Leo in several posts on his platform Truth Social, claiming the pope was "weak on crime."

Leo rejected Trump’s unusual public criticism and made it clear that he would not be intimidated. However, he later emphasized that he had no interest in a confrontation with the US president.

Survey: Fewer young people in Germany worried about climate change

01.05.2026, DPA

Photo: Sven Hoppe/dpa

Climate change has become less important to young people in Germany than it was a few years ago, according to a survey.

In 2025, only around four in 10 young people said the issue was very important to them, compared with around six in 10 in 2021, according to a survey carried out by the Sinus Institute for the health insurer Barmer and seen by dpa.

The share of respondents who said climate change was unimportant rose from 9% in 2021 to 17% in 2025.

For the study, 2,000 young people aged 14 to 17 were surveyed online across Germany between October 16 and November 20.

Strong fear of climate change has also become less common among young people. In 2025, just under a third of respondents, or 31%, said they were personally very afraid of climate change, down from 39% in 2021.

The proportion who said they were not afraid rose from 14% to 22%, while almost half, or 47%, described having mixed feelings, unchanged from 2021.

Even if the issue appears to be losing importance among young people, the situation has not eased in any way.

On the contrary, climate change is becoming increasingly visible in Europe. The continent has been warming twice as fast as the world as a whole since the 1980s, World Meteorological Organization chief Celeste Saulo said while presenting a report on the state of the climate.

Europe experienced a massive decline in snow and ice cover in 2025, as well as droughts, heatwaves, wildfires and marine warming, much of it at record levels.

Netherlands request European assistance to contain wildfires

01.05.2026, DPA

Firefighters from Germany, Belgium and France have been deployed to the Netherlands on Friday to assist in efforts to contain a number of fires that broke out on military training grounds.

This marks the first time that the Netherlands has requested foreign assistance for combating wildfires, according to local authorities.

Some 30 firefighting vehicles from France and Germany are to be mainly deployed in the south-eastern region near Eindhoven, while 67 special firefighting forces have been sent from Germany.

A major fire broke out on Wednesday at a military training ground near the town of t'Harde, some 80 kilometres east of Amsterdam.

The flames spread quickly and are still not under control, according to police. Further fires have since broken out at other military training sites, including in the south of the country.

The cause of the fires remains unclear, with experts assuming that exercises involving explosives may have sparked the fires due to the dry conditions.

Firefighting efforts have been hampered by severe drought and unusually high temperatures, according to the authorities. So far, no one has been harmed and there is no risk to the population at present.

Thousands evacuated as forest fire rages in Italy's Tuscany region

01.05.2026, DPA

Photo: -/Vigili del Fuoco/dpa

More than 3,500 people have been evacuated from their homes in Italy as a forest fire continues to rage between the cities of Pisa and Lucca in the picturesque Tuscany region.

The municipality of San Giuliano Terme near the Monte Faeta mountain has been particularly affected, with the situation worsening overnight.

On Thursday evening, local authorities ordered all residents to leave the area, with gymnasiums converted into shelters.

The area around Monte Faeta, just outside Pisa, is popular with holidaymakers, particularly hikers.

Regional President Eugenio Giani described the situation as "very difficult."

Soldiers have been deployed to aid the efforts to combat the fire, which broke out a few days ago.

Attempts to bring the blaze under control have proven difficult, as wind continued to fan the flames, according to local authorities.

Dozens of emergency forces are at the scene, supported by firefighting aircraft and helicopters, according to the fire brigade.

Income gap widens as executive pay soars, Oxfam says

01.05.2026, DPA

Photo: Marcus Brandt/dpa

Executive pay around the world has risen sharply in recent years, while all other workers have had less and less money at their disposal, according to an analysis by Oxfam released on Friday.

The 1,500 highest-paid corporate executives received an average of around $8.4 million last year, Oxfam, an international confederation of aid and development organizations, said.

Adjusted for inflation, that amounted to an 11% increase in executive pay compared with 2024 and a 54% rise compared with 2019, according to Oxfam.

The calculations were based on data from 1,500 companies in 33 countries from the S&P Capital IQ database, which contains information on listed and private companies worldwide.

By contrast, the inflation-adjusted average income of the global workforce stood at $17,156 last year, Oxfam said. That was 0.5% higher than in 2024, but 12% lower than in 2019.

The figures are based on data from the UN's International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Gulf crisis could push millions into poverty

The decline in the number of people living in extreme poverty despite having work has also slowed significantly in recent years.

So-called working poverty fell by an average of 7% a year between 2000 and 2019. Since 2020, that rate has more than halved to 3%.

The current crisis in the Gulf could make the situation worse, the study's authors warned.

According to the report, the UN Development Programme has warned that, in a worst-case scenario, 32 million more people could fall into poverty as a result of the Iran war.

To address the problems, Oxfam called for countries to draw up realistic, time-bound plans to reduce inequality. These should include clear targets and regular reviews.

The organization also called for taxes on the super-rich, as well as stricter rules on lobbying and the financing of political campaigns by wealthy individuals.

Greenpeace slams German fuel tax cuts as new measures take effect

01.05.2026,

Photo: Christoph Reichwein/dpa

By Sascha Meyer, dpa

Greenpeace has strongly criticized a fuel tax cut that took effect in Germany on Friday, arguing the measure is too expensive and will boost revenue for oil companies, while consumers continue to struggle with high energy prices caused by the Iran war.

Greenpeace mobility expert Marissa Reiserer called for the €0.17 ($0.19) tax cut per litre of petrol and diesel to be reversed as "quickly as possible."

She described the cap as a step in the wrong direction as it is likely to line the pockets of oil companies and benefit commuters with "gas-guzzling cars."

Instead, Reiserer urged for fuel consumption to be brought down permanently, arguing that this could be achieved by improving public transport and boosting electric vehicles.

The tax cut, which took effect at midnight, was approved by German lawmakers last month, as part of measures to ease the burden on consumers due to the Iran war. The cap is set to last until the end of June.

Oil prices have risen sharply because of the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz off the Iranian coast, which is crucial for the global oil trade. This has caused prices at the pump to surge across the world, reaching record highs in Germany last month.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz's government subsequently passed a law to ban petrol stations from raising prices more than once a day, but the restrictions failed to bring down prices.

On the first day of the new measures on Friday, the German automobile association ADAC's petrol station app showed prices below €2 in many places early on Friday, especially for E10 and in some cases for diesel.

It is not yet clear whether the full tax rebate of about €0.17 will be passed on to consumers. Experts expect the rebate to appear at the pumps gradually, as the tax benefit only applies to fuel that left tank farms or refineries after midnight, not to the stocks already held by petrol stations.

A similar temporary cap was introduced in Germany following the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, though the government at the time, which included the Green Party, also introduced a monthly €9 rail pass that could be used on local transport nationwide, in a bid to incentivize motorists to switch to public transport.

The pass garnered widespread attention and popularity even beyond Germany.

Reiserer criticized the current conservative-led government for opting against reviving the concept, and instead returning to a fuel tax cut that she said had failed before.

She also pointed to the current Deutschlandticket rail pass, which applies on the same routes as the €9 pass but, at €63 a month, is considerably more expensive.

The ticket helps to bring down car trips, eases the burden on roads and consumers, supports the climate and helps to make Germany less dependable on oil imports, according to the expert.

Armand Zorn, a senior lawmaker from the Social Democrats, which are the junior partner in Merz's coalition, called on oil companies to pass on the tax cuts to consumers and bring down prices at the pump accordingly.

"This rip-off must stop, and quickly," he said, adding that the temporary tax cut lays the groundwork for providing targeted relief to commuters and businesses.