New documents from the so-called ‘Epstein files’ published by the US Department of Justice have caused a huge stir in Britain. According to the documents, Lord Peter Mandelson, former Business Secretary in Gordon Brown's government and former British Ambassador to the US, passed confidential information about sensitive economic discussions within...
Beijing has officially announced its intention to make the yuan a global reserve currency
Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for the Chinese yuan to become one of the world's leading reserve currencies, according to the Financial Times, citing a publication in the Chinese Communist Party's theoretical journal Qiushi. An article based on Xi Jinping's 2024 speech to provincial and ministerial officials emphasises the...
Starmer initiates a reset of UK-EU defence relations
The UK is considering joining the EU's new defence funding program, Security Action for Europe (SAFE), in its potential second iteration. Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that the government is ready to explore the option of participating in an updated version of this multi-billion-pound mechanism. He made this announcement on...
The EU has officially added Russia to its list of countries with a high risk of money laundering and terrorist financing
On January 29, 2026, the European Commission's decision to add the Russian Federation to its list of countries with a high risk of money laundering and terrorist financing (AML/CFT) came into effect. Russia became the 30th jurisdiction on this EU "blacklist," which already includes North Korea, Iran, Syria, Afghanistan, Yemen,...
A major strike paralyzed public transportation in Germany
On Monday, municipal public transportation came to a near-complete halt across Germany. The ver.di union organized a nationwide warning strike involving approximately 100,000 employees of approximately 150 municipal transport companies and bus companies. Buses, trams, and U-Bahn (subway) services are suspended in most regions of the country. Transportation is completely...
Lord Peter Mandelson has left the Labour Party amid new revelations in the Epstein case
Lord Peter Mandelson, a former British government minister, ex-ambassador to the United States and one of the most influential figures in the history of the Labour Party, has announced his resignation from the party. The decision comes amid a new wave of publications related to his long-standing contacts with the...
Trump threatens the whole world with new tariffs
US President Donald Trump continues to escalate trade conflicts, threatening countries around the world with new tariffs. In recent weeks, the Trump administration has announced potential tariffs on imports from at least ten countries, raising concerns about the isolation of the United States on the global stage and the formation...
Chancellor Merz in the Bundestag: ‘Europeans are partners of the United States, not their subordinates’
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...