The European Parliament has passed new legislation making it easier to suspend visa-free travel for nationals of third countries found to violate human rights or ignore international court rulings.
The reform aims to strengthen the current visa suspension mechanism, which covers 61 countries whose citizens can enter the Schengen Area visa-free for up to 90 days within any 180-day period. Under the revised rules, the European Commission will have broader powers to reintroduce visa requirements for countries that pose security risks or fail to comply with key international obligations.
For the first time, breaches of the UN Charter, international human rights or humanitarian law, and non-compliance with international court rulings can trigger the reinstatement of visa requirements. The updated mechanism also addresses hybrid threats, including the misuse of migrants and so-called “golden passport” investor schemes, which may raise security concerns.
The law further allows the EU to impose targeted visa restrictions on government officials deemed responsible for serious violations, including human rights abuses.
Currently, according to Annex II of the EU Visa Regulation, Israel is among the countries whose citizens enjoy visa-free travel.
However, the situation in Gaza has escalated dramatically. Since October 2023, Israeli military operations have killed more than 67,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children. The bombardment has left the enclave virtually uninhabitable, with widespread starvation and disease.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant over war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice.
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A solemn signing ceremony for the United Nations Convention on Countering Cybercrime was held on 25–26 October 2025 in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam...
A man accused of fatally shooting former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe admitted to murder on Tuesday in the first hearing of the case, media said, three years after the assassination of Japan's longest-serving premier stunned the nation.
Talks between Afghanistan and Pakistan in Istanbul to broker a long-term truce have ended without a resolution, two sources familiar with the matter said on Tuesday, a blow for peace in the region after deadly clashes this month.
A Brussels conference has called for the right of return for Western Azerbaijanis, citing international law and historic displacement.
A solemn signing ceremony for the United Nations Convention on Countering Cybercrime was held on 25–26 October 2025 in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, according to Azernews.
At least 69 people have died and almost 150 injured following a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Cebu City in the central Visayas region of the Philippines, officials said, making it one of the country’s deadliest disasters this year.
A tsunami threat was issued in Chile after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the Drake Passage on Friday. The epicenter was located 135 miles south of Puerto Williams on the north coast of Navarino Island.
The war in Ukraine has reached a strategic impasse, and it seems that the conflict will not be solved by military means. This creates a path toward one of two alternatives: either a “frozen” phase that can last indefinitely or a quest for a durable political regulation.
A shooting in Nice, southeastern France, left two people dead and five injured on Friday, authorities said.
Snapchat will start charging users who store more than 5GB of photos and videos in its Memories feature, prompting backlash from long-time users.
A man accused of fatally shooting former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe admitted to murder on Tuesday in the first hearing of the case, media said, three years after the assassination of Japan's longest-serving premier stunned the nation.
Talks between Afghanistan and Pakistan in Istanbul to broker a long-term truce have ended without a resolution, two sources familiar with the matter said on Tuesday, a blow for peace in the region after deadly clashes this month.
A Brussels conference has called for the right of return for Western Azerbaijanis, citing international law and historic displacement.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for 28 October, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Lawyers for former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro on Monday filed an appeal to reduce his 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup to remain in power after the 2022 presidential election.
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