The 83rd anniversary of Nazi Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union was tragically echoed in Kharkiv, Ukraine, as Russian forces unleashed a devastating bombardment on the city centre using precision-guided munitions. On June 22nd, guided aerial bombs once again fell on Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second most populous city. The Russian Armed Forces dropped four such bombs,…
The growing popularity of Columbia University professor Jeffrey Sachs in Europe is causing mixed feelings in political circles. His most recent appearance was in Rome, 20 June. He presented his views to a group of Italian MPs and a group of observers on the war in Ukriane at a conference entitled “The European and Italian…
Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash Campaign groups New Europeans UK and Unlock Democracy have teamed up with the British Overseas Voters Forum for an investigation into how well the postal system will perform for Britons abroad voting in the UK General Election on 4 July. It comes after the head of the British Overseas Voters Forum, Bruce…
Photo by Saif71.com on Unsplash New laws to combat violence against women have now entered into force. Violence against women and domestic violence affect an estimated one in three of the 228 million women in the EU. However, a new EU wide law aims to offer much needed help and support to victims. It seeks to criminalised certain…
Photo by Phil Scroggs on Unsplash One in three residents in Brussels are not Belgian and, in some areas of the city, it is almost half. But up to 285,000 in Brussels could vote in the 2024 municipal elections which are important as they dictate how local policies are enforced in the coming years. Now a campaign has…
Veteran German MEP Manfred Weber has again been elected as leader of the biggest group in the EU parliament. Weber is a long serving German deputy from the CSU – Christlich Soziale Union – political party and a well known figure in EU circles. He was re-elected chairman of the EPP Group in the European…
Photo by Caroline Hernandez on Unsplash The number of attacks on Sinti and Roma registered in Germany nearly doubled in 2023, according to a new report. The Antiziganism Reporting and Information Center (MIA), a federal data tracking agency in Germany, recorded 1,233 such cases — up from 621 in 2022. In all, authorities recorded 50 violent attacks, 10 of which…
On June 18th, for the first time in 24 years, Russian President Vladimir Putin embarked on a two-day visit to North Korea. This move, which has stirred concerns among the global community and democratic nations, was anticipated. The Russian leader chose a strategic moment to expand military and economic ties with Pyongyang, using the recent…
Photo by Manson Yim on Unsplash The EU’s outgoing foreign affairs chief says there has been a “continuous erosion of the rights and freedoms” of people in Hong Kong. Josep Borrell was reacting to the release of the EU’s 2023 annual report on Hong Kong. The former Spanish MEP said the report “illustrates in great detail the continuous…
Photo by Ben White on Unsplash The EU is stepping up its ongoing efforts to protect children from potentially harmful online porn sites. It is asking online platforms to spell out what measures they are taking about the dissemination of “illegal and harmful” content. The sites have until early next month to respond. Failure to do so could…
