MEPs and High Representative/Vice President Josep Borrell will discuss the latest report by the European External Action Service about disinformation on COVID-19, tomorrow 30 April. The aim of the report published by the European External Action Service (EEAS) on 24 April, is to provide a snapshot overview of the current trends and insights into disinformation…
Year: 2020
Russia resumes overseas assassinations
This article first appeared in the online journal of the IGTDS, the Institute for Global Threats and Democracies Studies, and is reproduced here with their permission. Russia keeps practicing political terrorism by murdering foreign political figures and Russian citizens with the help of poison. The situation in the Czech Republic indicates that the motives for…
Making Business More Climate Friendly
A total of 68 large German and international companies from all sectors of the economy call upon politicians on the occasion of the Petersberg Climate Dialogue to combine economic measures to deal with the Corona crisis with ambitious climate policy. At yesterday’s launch of the 11th edition of the Petersberg Climate Dialogue, a broad alliance…
Dancing despite the distance
Today 29th April is International Dance Day and a Finnish folk dance group is showing how you can fight COVID-19 with polka. At the moment most of the world is in lockdown mode, but the Finnish folk dance group Polokkarit has found a way to combine dancing and social distancing. Ever since Finland introduced official…
The 3 Amigos’ Box
Are you among the many who are getting restless with the seemingly never-ending confinement? If so, that is perfectly understandably and a feeling that will be shared by people everywhere. But spare a thought also for those whose jobs are directly on the line during the terrible health crisis. One of the sectors worst hit by…
Application to Delay Assange Hearing
On Monday, counsel for WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange will applyfor his main extradition hearing to be delayed. The hearing, whichopened for a week of legal argument at the end of February, iscurrently scheduled to resume on 18 May at Woolwich Crown Court. Julian Assange has been charged in the Eastern District of Virginiawith 17 counts…
WHO advice on response to COVID-19
The WHO has published guidance on adjusting public health and social measures for the next phase of the COVID-19 response. Some governments have suggested that the detection of antibodies to the SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, could serve as the basis for an “immunity passport” or “risk-free certificate” that would enable individuals to travel…
Preserving Europe’s Heritage
Several European initiatives have been developed to promote cultural sites. But their coordination with funding arrangements is too limited and EU investments lack focus on the preservation and financial sustainability of cultural sites, according to a new report from the European Court of Auditors. In addition, cultural investments are not treated as a priority, but…
10 Years of Orban makes Hungary’s Democracy pear-shaped
A new survey finds 50% of Hungarians think democracy and press freedom has worsened in the last 10 years Conducted by the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung and Policy Solutions it revealed that 50% of Hungarians think that democracy and freedom of the press have worsened under Viktor Orban’s rule. Only 16% and 17% of respondents respectively said the situation…
EU Belarus Co-operation
Civil Liberties MEPs have backed two agreements with Belarus to facilitate the return of persons without the right to stay and the issue of visas for short trips. These texts have been under negotiation for 5 years. In a remote voting session, the Civil Liberties Committee endorsed the readmission agreement with 54 votes to 13….