European Council President António Costa has called on China to use its influence over Russia to compel it to respect the UN Charter and end its full-scale war against Ukraine. His remarks come amid growing Western concerns about China’s ongoing exports of dual-use goods that could be employed in Russia’s...
The EU will merge two packages of retaliation measures against U.S. tariffs into a single one that will be ready to use if trade negotiations with the Trump administration go sour, a European Commission spoke
“To make our countermeasures clearer, simpler, and stronger, we will merge lists 1 & 2 into a single list,” the bloc’s spokesperson for trade Olof Gill told journalists. The first list is currently paused until Aug. 6 and the second awaits a vote by the EU’s 27 member countries. The...
French president and wife sue rightwing US commentator Candace Owens for defamation
Owens has claimed that France’s first lady, Brigitte Macron, is a man, and that French president is controlled by CIA. The French president, Emmanuel Macron, and his wife, Brigitte Macron, are suing the rightwing commentator Candace Owens for defamation. In a suit filed on Wednesday in Delaware against Owens and...
EU Sanctions: First Tanker Refuses to Deliver Russian Oil to Indian Refinery
European Union sanctions against Russia's largest oil refinery, operated by Rosneft in India, have led to tankers beginning to refuse the transport of oil products banned from being supplied to the EU. According to reports, the first tanker has already declined to carry such cargo, signaling the growing impact of...
Germany Plans to Build Europe’s Strongest Army by Attracting Volunteers
Germany is aiming to create the most powerful army in Europe by annually increasing the number of trained reservists through a volunteer-based system. The FT reports that by the end of August, the German government will be presented with a draft law supporting this initiative. The proposed legislation includes a...
UK does not need to hold inquiry into Russian disinformation, ECHR rules
Strasbourg court rejects attempt to force government to investigate impact of Kremlin interference on elections An attempt by three former MPs to force the UK government to hold an inquiry into the impact of Russian disinformation on the Brexit vote and other recent elections has failed at the European court...
House approves $832 billion Defense funding bill
The House early approved legislation early Friday allocating roughly $832 billion in funding for defense programs for fiscal 2026, just weeks after Republicans approved a separate $150 billion plan to advance President Trump’s defense priorities. The GOP-led chamber approved the bill 221-209, mostly along party lines; five Democrats voted in...
Europe Is Building a New Security Architecture Without the U.S.
Two key initiatives support this claim: the groundbreaking agreement between France and the United Kingdom to coordinate nuclear deterrence, and the establishment of a multinational operations headquarters for a 32-country coalition in support of Ukraine. These steps mark a fundamental shift toward strategic autonomy for Europe, as the continent increasingly...
China deploys former dissidents as spies to infiltrate overseas activist groups, as authorities struggle to maintain control
Jian took notes as Khenpo Sonam Tenphel, speaker for the Tibetan parliament-in-exile, met with pro-democracy activists in 2017 in Dharamshala, India, and discussed China’s repressive policies against the Tibetan minority. A naturalized German, Guo, then 36, wearing glasses and a traditional white khata scarf, his hair in a buzz cut,...
Corruption and governance risks threaten a just energy transition
A landmark report has thrown light on corruption and governance risks facing the renewables sector. It urges industry-led collective action to develop effective safeguards and ensure a just energy transition for all. In a Working Paper published by the Basel Institute on Governance, Maja de Vibe of Statkraft and Mark...