EUROPE

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Germany, known for its preference for cash payments, has become a prime target for a surge in violent ATM bombings. Organized crime networks, primarily based in the Netherlands, have exploited this trend, conducting highly coordinated heists that are wreaking havoc across the country. German ATMs—over 55,000 in total, more than any other European nation—attract criminals who have found these machines to be lucrative, with payouts reaching up to 100,000 euros per heist. This preference for cash, paired with Germany’s dense ATM network, has made it a hotspot for these attacks, which involve sophisticated tactics, like using heavy-duty explosives derived from fireworks.

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Late Tuesday, Italian lawmakers approved a draft budget for 2025, which is partially funded by banks and insurance companies. The plan also includes tax cuts for low-income families, a key priority for far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

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In a continued effort to tackle overcrowding, Venice has announced plans to increase the number of days on which it charges an entry fee for tourists. Starting in 2025, tourists visiting on specific days between April and July will be required to pay €5 ($5.41) if booked in advance or €10 for last-minute bookings. The city's mayor, Luigi Brugnaro, emphasized that this fee aims to discourage excessive visits on particular days and ensure that Venice receives the respect it deserves.

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On Tuesday, the Turkish government delayed a parliamentary discussion on a proposed credit card tax until 2025. The tax was intended to finance the arms industry amid ongoing conflicts in the region.

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Fethullah Gulen, the influential Turkish cleric who Turkey accused of orchestrating the 2016 failed coup attempt, died Sunday evening in a Pennsylvania hospital, according to Herkul, the website that published his sermons. He was 83.

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Spain's escalating housing crisis is casting a long shadow over Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and his Socialist government. Despite efforts to address the issue, frustration is mounting among citizens struggling to find affordable housing.

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Thousands of Stellantis workers went on strike Friday and protested in Rome over temporary layoffs and production stoppages by the maker of Fiat and Jeep in Italy.