The Budapest Loophole: Viktor Orbán’s Corrupt Empire and Russia’s Backdoor into Europe
Orbán is no longer just a problematic EU member—he has emerged as a direct agent of the Kremlin, wielding bribery and institutions to destabilize the bloc from within. His strategic alignment with Moscow undermines EU solidarity, sanctions policy, and financial security—and demands urgent European scrutiny. In recent years, Hungarian Prime…
Investigating Europe’s water pollution crisis: Blame it on industrial farming
Despite comprehensive regulations, around 60 percent of Europe’s surface water and a quarter of its groundwater do not meet “good” standards. Agriculture bears most of the responsibility. First part of an in-depth investigation on our most precious resource. From the beaches in Brittany, France, to the groundwater of Aragon, Spain;…
Closing NATO’s Indo-Pacific Gap
European allies should strengthen NATO’s Indo-Pacific ties as Washington wavers. The much-anticipated NATO summit in The Hague in late June accomplished its core objectives: securing a 5 percent defense pledge, managing U.S. President Donald Trump, and reaffirming a commitment to collective security. But the summit also drew criticism for sidestepping…
France and U.K. Sign Key Deals on Migration, Nuclear Weapons
The agreements signal a new chapter of post-Brexit Anglo-French cooperation. Welcome back to World Brief, where we’re looking at France and Britain’s migration and nuclear weapons deals, U.S. tariff threats against Brazil, and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to Asia. Anglo-French Deals British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and…
Chinese Bankers Are at the Center of Global Crime
China’s underground financiers have specialized in international money laundering. Three separate police investigations in Italy recently uncovered around 1 billion euros in proceeds from drug trafficking of the Calabrian ‘Ndrangheta, Colombian drug cartels, and Albanian organized criminal groups. The more important finding may have been who it was determined had laundered the…