During a government statement in the Bundestag on 29 January, German Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz firmly outlined Berlin's position on the United States amid escalating transatlantic tensions. ‘As democracies, we are partners and allies, not subordinates,’ Merz said, responding to recent harsh statements and actions by the American administration. The...
More than half of Hungarians believe that Orbán is ‘tired’ and no longer suitable for the post of prime minister
According to a recent representative survey conducted by the Publicus Institute on behalf of the Népszava newspaper, 55% of Hungarians believe that Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is ‘tired’ and no longer fit to lead the country. The poll was conducted by telephone between 21 and 24 January 2026 among 1,001...
The European Union has officially recognised the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation
At a meeting of the Council of the European Union on 29 January, the foreign ministers of the European Union countries unanimously decided to include the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in the European Union's list of terrorist organisations. This was announced by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and...
The political crisis in the Conservative Party deepens
The Conservative Party is going through one of the most difficult periods in its modern history. Over the past two weeks, the party has lost several high-ranking figures who have defected to Nigel Farage's right-wing populist Reform UK, causing a sharp split and calling into question the future of the...
The UK launches AI assistants in the police force
UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has announced a major technological reform of the police force, centred on the active introduction of artificial intelligence. A key element of the reform is the creation of a national Police.AI centre with a budget of £115 million, which will develop, test and distribute AI...
Switzerland plans to temporarily raise VAT for large-scale army rearmament
The Swiss Federal Council has officially proposed a temporary increase in the value added tax rate by 0.8 percentage points, from the current 8.1% to 8.9%. The additional revenue is to be used exclusively to strengthen the country's defence capabilities and rearm the army. According to the plan, the VAT...
Europe could significantly reduce Ukraine’s dependence on US intelligence within months
European countries are ready to significantly reduce and, in the long term, largely replace US intelligence support for Ukraine within a few months. This was reported by the Financial Times, citing Western and European officials. According to the publication, in the year since Donald Trump returned to the White House...
Germany begins work on its own satellite missile detection system
Germany is accelerating work on its own satellite early warning system for missile launches, seeking to reduce its dependence on American data and strengthen European defence in the face of growing threats from ballistic and hypersonic missiles. In November 2025, the German Ministry of Defence presented the country's first ever...
Keir Starmer arrives in China: first visit by a British leader in eight years
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has arrived in Beijing for a four-day official visit to China — the first visit by a British prime minister to the country since 2018, when Theresa May visited China. Starmer landed in the Chinese capital on 28 January, where he was met by Chinese...
France abandons Zoom and Microsoft Teams in favour of a national platform
The French government has announced that it will completely abandon the American video conferencing services Microsoft Teams and Zoom in government agencies. By 2027, they will be completely replaced by domestic platform Visio, developed as part of a digital sovereignty strategy. Minister for Public Service and Reform David Amiel said...