Eurotopics.net

International Women's Day is celebrated in cities around the world on 8 March, with people taking to the streets to demonstrate for greater equality. Commentators reflect on the state of gender equality today.

The Swiss referendum on reducing broadcasting licence fees has been defeated by a clear margin: around 62 percent of voters rejected the "200 francs is enough!" initiative. Households currently pay 335 francs per year to finance the public broadcaster SRG SSR, which produces radio and television programmes in the four national languages.

The Israeli and US airstrikes against Iran have gone on for almost a week now. Tehran has responded with strikes against Israel and neighbouring Gulf states. The US Senate and House of Representatives have endorsed US President Trump's actions. Meanwhile, oil prices have risen significantly, causing turbulence across the global economy. Commentators in Europe try to predict what course the war will take.

Tensions are rising in the row between Kyiv and Budapest. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has sharply condemned Hungary's ongoing blockade of a 90-billion-euro loan, and ironically warned he would give the contact details of this "one person" to the Ukrainian military "so that they can call him and speak to him in their own language".