Month: July 2023

Let it Flow: EU, U.S. Reach Deal Over Private Data Exports

Citing concerns about U.S. intelligence agencies accessing EU citizens’ private data, the Austrian non-profit group NOYB will legally challenge the agreement in the European Court of Justice, where it saw off two previous incarnations of the transatlantic deal.

NATO Vilnius Summit: Sparks Fly on Day One

Ukraine gets no NATO invitation, but is allowed to skip the waiting list in the future while allies pledge billions of military aid; France commits long-range monster missiles; Turkey bags fighter jet sales; and the U.S. explains morally questionable choices.

New Cardinals To Be Created in September 2023

There is a certain ideological uniformity among Pope Francis’ selections, in contrast to those of the previous pontificates of John Paul II and Benedict XVI who took care in their appointments to give the College of Cardinals a certain diversity.

Spanish Elections: Centre-Right Bets on Winning 

Spanish Elections: Centre-Right Bets on Winning 

Regional elections in May signalled a deep concern in Spanish society about not only the social policies of Sánchez’s government but also its authoritarian slide.

July 8, 2023
EUAA: Nearly 1 Million Asylum Applications in 2022; Highest Since 2016 Crisis

EUAA: Nearly 1 Million Asylum Applications in 2022; Highest Since 2016 Crisis

Nearly three-quarters (71%) of those who filed asylum applications in the 27-member bloc, with the addition of Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, and Lichtenstein, were men.

July 8, 2023
Germany: €31 Billion Budget Cut Sparks Disagreement in ‘Traffic Light’ Coalition

Germany: €31 Billion Budget Cut Sparks Disagreement in ‘Traffic Light’ Coalition

The proposed budget cuts would affect all government departments except defense, labor, and welfare.

July 8, 2023
Conflicting Geopolitical Concerns Hamper EU-Mercosur Talks

Conflicting Geopolitical Concerns Hamper EU-Mercosur Talks

Europe’s attempts to get its way have been complicated by the election of left-wing and Peronist governments across South America, most notably Lula da Silva’s Workers Party in Brazil and Alberto Fernández’s Justicialist Party in Argentina.

July 8, 2023
Austrian, Hungarian, and Serbian Ministers Gather in Vienna for 3rd Migration Summit

Austrian, Hungarian, and Serbian Ministers Gather in Vienna for 3rd Migration Summit

The end result of the tripartite meeting was the signing of a “Memorandum of Understanding,” in which the countries agreed to set up a joint task force to bolster border protection and stem the flow of illegal mass migration.

July 8, 2023
The 9th Art: The Captivating Style of <em>Blake and Mortimer</em>

The 9th Art: The Captivating Style of <em>Blake and Mortimer</em>

The series, which focuses on the adventures of the daring duo of Francis Blake and Phillip J. Mortimer, has a feeling, a style, all its own. Edgar P. Jacobs and his successors craft fully fleshed-out worlds that draw readers in, making us sad to leave at the end of each work.

Dutch Government Falls, PM Resigns

Dutch Government Falls, PM Resigns

Rutte’s four-party coalition government had been teetering on the brink over its failure to agree on measures to curb the influx of asylum seekers. This Friday, negotiations finally broke down.

Le Pen Must Prove Mightier Than Le Sword

Le Pen Must Prove Mightier Than Le Sword

The death of Nahel Merzouk draws attention to the major dichotomy afflicting Western nations: the lie that diversity is our strength, rather than our downfall.

July 7, 2023
German Investment Plummets As Industrialisation Falls

German Investment Plummets As Industrialisation Falls

German industry is leaving en masse for other countries in the EU.

July 7, 2023
Bremen ‘Fridays For Future’ Disbands After Racism Claims

Bremen ‘Fridays For Future’ Disbands After Racism Claims

After accusing Germany’s Fridays For Future climate activist group of “structural racism,” the Bremen branch of the movement founded by Swedish activist Greta Thunberg has called it quits and dissolved.

July 7, 2023
EU Court: Conviction of “Serious Crime” Is Not Enough for Stripping Asylum 

EU Court: Conviction of “Serious Crime” Is Not Enough for Stripping Asylum 

The refugees must also be deemed dangerous to society, independent of their crime, creating a labyrinth of red tape for European countries looking to deport foreign criminals.

July 7, 2023
The Price Of Order

The Price Of Order

French enthusiasm for the fund launched to support the policeman who shot young Nahel is not a sign to be taken lightly.