Echoes of Conflict and Political Tremors: A Global Perspective

The global news brief highlights significant events including Russian advances in Ukraine, Macron's call for snap French elections, the rise of euro-sceptic parties in the EU, North Korean tensions, far-right gains in Belgium, and the ongoing Israeli-Gaza conflict. These developments have broad implications for international politics and security.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Russia appears to make headway in key Ukrainian town of Chasiv Yar

Russian forces appear to be making headway towards their longstanding goal of capturing the strategic Ukrainian town of Chasiv Yar, according to reports on Sunday from both sides of the more than two-year-old conflict. Chasiv Yar stands on high ground about 20 km (12 miles) to the west of Bakhmut, a town Russian forces seized a year ago after months of battles that flattened nearly all its buildings. It is seen by both sides as a potential staging point for Russia to advance on the key cities of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk.

Macron calls shock French elections after far-right rout

French President Emmanuel Macron rolled the dice on his political future on Sunday, calling snap legislative elections for later this month after he was trounced in the European Union vote by Marine Le Pen's far-right party. Macron's shock decision set off a political earthquake in France, offering the far-right a shot at real political power after years on the sidelines and threatening to neuter his presidency three years before it ends.

Analysis-Euro-sceptic gains in EU election complicate von der Leyen's Commission bid

The rise of euro-sceptic nationalist parties in the European election is likely to complicate Ursula von der Leyen's bid to get a second term as president of the powerful European Commission, though she remains the front-runner for the job. To secure another five years as boss of the EU's executive arm, von der Leyen needs a "qualified majority" of the 27 European Union leaders and also a majority in the 720-seat European Parliament.

Explainer-From trade to climate, five takeaways from the EU election

The European Parliament took a shift to the right after a four-day election concluded on Sunday, with more eurosceptic nationalists and fewer mainstream liberals and Greens. The parliament's most important role is reviewing and approving new legislation and it generally comes up with amendments on which it and EU governments need to agree before EU regulations or directives can enter force.

Benny Gantz, man in the middle squeezed out by Israel's Netanyahu

In the traumatic aftermath of the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, as hundreds of thousands of Israeli reservists rushed to join the ranks to fight Hamas, Benny Gantz said he felt it was his duty to join the war effort. "This is not a political partnership I am in," the centrist former general told a group of reporters, shortly after agreeing to join Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in an emergency wartime government of unity. Instead, it was "destiny".

North Korea leader's sister warns of new response against S.Korean loudspeakers, leaflets

The influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un warned of a new response against South Korea if the South kept on loudspeaker broadcasts and scattering leaflets amid simmering tensions. "If the ROK simultaneously carries out the leaflet scattering and loudspeaker broadcasting provocation over the border, it will undoubtedly witness the new counteraction of the DPRK," Kim Yo Jong said in a statement late on Sunday carried by state news agency KCNA, using the official names of South and North Korea.

Flemish nationalists to retain lead in Belgian parliament, far right gains

Flemish nationalist party N-VA (New Flemish Alliance) was on course to remain the largest party in Belgium's parliament on Sunday, holding off a bigger rise of far-right party Vlaams Belang (Flemish interest) which made the biggest gain. The Flemish liberals of Prime Minister Alexander De Croo slumped, while the French-speaking liberal party Mouvement Reformateur was the biggest in Brussels and French-speaking Wallonia, setting the country on course for months of challenging coalition talks.

Far-right advances in EU election, France calls snap national vote

Gains by the far-right in voting for the European Parliament on Sunday prompted a bruised French President Emmanuel Macron to call a snap national election and added uncertainty to Europe's future political direction. While the centre, liberal and Socialist parties were set to retain a majority in the 720-seat parliament, the vote dealt a domestic blow to the leaders of both France and Germany, raising questions about how the European Union's major powers can drive policy in the bloc.

Israel keeps pounding central Gaza as Palestinian death toll in hostage rescue raid rises to 274

Israeli forces pounded central Gaza anew on Sunday, a day after killing 274 Palestinians during a hostage rescue raid, and tanks advanced further into Rafah in an apparent bid to seal off part of the southern city, residents and Hamas media said. Palestinians remained in shock over Saturday's death toll, the worst over a 24-hour period of the Gaza war for months and including many women and children, Palestinian medics said.

Israeli centrist minister Gantz quits Netanyahu government

Israeli minister Benny Gantz announced his resignation from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's emergency government on Sunday, withdrawing the only centrist power in the embattled leader's far-right coalition amid a months-long war in Gaza. The departure of Gantz's centrist party will not pose an immediate threat to the government. But it could have a serious impact nonetheless, leaving Netanyahu reliant on hardliners, with no end in sight to the Gaza war and a possible escalation in fighting with Lebanese Hezbollah.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)