Columbia University students heckled House Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday (24 April) as he visited the flashpoint of nationwide student demonstrations over the Israeli war in Gaza.

In today’s edition of the Capitals, find out more about Italy’s new controversial law giving pro-lifers access to abortion clinics, Polish president insisting on NATO allies to spend 3% of GDP on defence, and so much more.

The Ukrainian government, further tightening regulations as it seeks to address a shortage of troops, approved rules temporarily barring military-age men from applying for passports abroad.

Europe’s Critical Medicines Alliance launches today. This is an occasion to reflect on the policy measures that can further enhance access to critical medicines across the EU.

Thousands are expected to take to the streets to celebrate the 50th anniversary on Thursday (25 April) of Portugal's "Carnation Revolution" that toppled the longest fascist dictatorship in Europe and ushered in democracy.

The battle for second place in Bulgaria's upcoming early parliamentary elections in June will be tough, with the pro-European coalition of We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (PP-DB), the party of the Turkish minority DPS, and the pro-Russian nationalist Vazrazhdane party appearing to be close, while GERB, the party of long-ruling ex-prime minister Boyko Borissov remains far ahead in top spot.

The government of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico approved a controversial law aiming to tighten state control over public service broadcaster RTVS on Wednesday – a move that critics say is still a threat to media freedom in Slovakia, despite minor changes to the final proposal.

All eyes are on Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez (PSOE/S&D), who will decide whether to resign on Monday (29 April), with the EU's Socialists and centre-right (EPP) nervously awaiting a move that could reshuffle the cards in Brussels ahead of June's EU elections.

North Macedonia's nationalist candidate Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova claimed victory in the first round of presidential elections on Wednesday (24 April) -- the first in a series of votes that could decide whether the Balkan country will join the EU.

Anti-abortion groups were granted access to facilities where women can terminate pregnancies following a vote from Italian senators on Tuesday, reigniting a debate on abortion despite Italy legalising the procedure 46 years ago.

The European Parliament has adopted by a large majority a new directive on packaging and packaging waste. The text includes measures to prevent the production of waste, but also to promote the reuse and recycling of certain types of packaging.

French socialists’ lead candidate Raphaël Glucksmann set out his vision for the future of the EU at a political rally in Strasbourg on Wednesday, hoping to pull the rug under Emmanuel Macron’s ‘Sorbonne II’ speech the next day and establish himself as the only credible left-wing force ahead of June’s EU elections.

The centre-right European People’s Party (EPP), the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) and the Identity and Democracy (ID) groups at the European Parliament voted against a proposal to introduce mandatory anti-harassment training for parliamentarians.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez will likely be forced into another difficult government reshuffle, as Ecological Transition Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Teresa Ribera was appointed to lead his socialist party’s list for the European elections.

Shortly after the leadership of the German far-right AfD party reconfirmed Maximilian Krah as their lead EU candidate despite the arrest of his aide on espionage charges, new media reports have revealed that the authorities are looking into Krah himself.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak underlined the urgency of continued close collaboration on European security despite Brexit as they announced steps towards further alignment on Wednesday (24 April).

Polish President Andrzej Duda has urged other NATO countries to increase their respective defence spending to 3% of GDP, arguing that the security situation has changed and previous decade-old agreements lack ambition.

In this episode of our daily podcast ‘Today in the EU’, we talk about Fratelli d'Italia, whose most influential members are gathering at a two-day conference in central Italy that begins tomorrow.