Russia Intensifies Hybrid War Against EU

The EU has voiced fresh concern about what it says is Russia’s intensifying campaign of hybrid activities against the EU, its Member States and partners. The warning comes on the same day that the head of MI5 in the UK warned the UK faces the most complex and interconnected threat it has ever seen. Its…

Stopping the Spread of Polio in Gaza

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  Photo by Kristine Wook on Unsplash   The EU has called for an “immediate humanitarian pause” to enable the vaccination of all children in Gaza against the poliovirus. The demand comes as it emerged that the Gaza Strip has been hit by its first outbreak of polio in over two decades. The area had been polio-free…

Kyrgyzstan Cooperation

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  Photo by Irene Strong on Unsplash   The EU and the Kyrgyz Republic signed an Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA). This, say both sides, represents an “important milestone” in the strengthening bilateral relations. The Agreement will provide a new legal basis for reinforced political dialogue and deepening cooperation in “many mutually beneficial areas.”…

Hong Kong: Erosion of Rights and Freedoms

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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…

Europe’s Declining Influence in Africa

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Photo by Thomas Bennie on Unsplash Europe is retreating from Africa in what seems likely to be the greatest shift of all in the 21st century’s new era of tectonic geo-political change, writes Giles Merritt. It is five hundred years since Henry the Navigator’s explorers set up Portuguese trading posts that eventually led to European colonialism. Africa was…

Russia Weaponises Hunger

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 Photo by Tim Krauss on Unsplash Russia’s decision to halt an agreement that allows grain to flow from Ukraine to countries in Africa where hunger is a growing threat has been condemned. Russia’s announcement on Monday that it would end the agreement on the export of Ukrainian grain, also to the Middle East and Asia, has provoked a…

EU Tightens Russian Sanctions

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Photo by Nikolay Vorobyev on Unsplash EU member states have adopted an eleventh package of economic and individual restrictive measures against Russia. A statement on Friday said they are “intended to strengthen existing EU sanctions and crack down on their circumvention.thereby further eroding Putin’s war machine and his revenues.” Josep Borrell, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy “Our sanctions are already…

Extra Sanctions on Russia

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Photo by Ehimetalor Akhere Unuabona on Unsplash EU member states have decided to impose restrictive measures on an additional 87 Russian individuals and 34 entities.  This was decided in response to the gravity of what the EU calls the “continued Russian full-scale invasion and military aggression against Ukraine” which was launched on 24 February. A statement by Josep Borrell, High Representative for…