Belgium must pay compensation of around 100,000 euros to convicted terrorist Nizar Trabelsi for the damage he has suffered by being extradited to the United States, an appeals court in Brussels ruled on Tuesday. The court also ruled that the Belgian government should ask the US authorities to return Trabelsi. Trabelsi, a Tunisian former professional … Read more
Europe’s right wing is celebrating Giorgia Meloni’s expected victory in Italy’s election. Everyone else watches anxiously to see what happens next. Meloni is set to lead Italy’s most right-wing government since Benito Mussolini after the coalition led by her Brothers of Italy party won about 44 percent of the vote on Sunday. On Monday morning, … Read more
President Biden’s Sept. 1 speech in Philadelphia on “unity” is a poignant example of the confusion surrounding the concept of democracy. Mr. Biden declared that MAGA Republicans threaten “the very foundation of our republic.” The phrase a “threat to American democracy” is so common these days that it has almost no meaning—except that it encapsulates … Read more
Foreign Minister Antony Blinken flew to Mexico last week for a closed-door meeting with President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. A statement from the State Department said the two discussed fentanyl production and trafficking, migration and “shared economic interests.” Mr. Blinken “noted its continued appreciation for the cooperation with Mexico” on these and other issues. Such … Read more
European media could be subject to new rules aimed at protecting journalism from state influence and snooping, according to a draft EU law seen by POLITICO. The European media freedom law, scheduled to be published this week, could give Brussels new tools to strengthen protections against state control of public and commercial media through political … Read more
By John Tinder and Susan Brooks Aug. 10, 2022 1:24 pm ET We are confident in the ability of Americans to work through the issue of abortion now that the Supreme Court has returned it to the democratic process. But it is crucial for law enforcement to stay above the partisan battle. A case in … Read more
Iván Velásquez, a guerrilla sympathizer, is Colombia’s new defense minister.
The European Commission on Friday formally recommended EU candidate status for war-torn Ukraine, giving a huge moral boost to the country as victims rise from Russia’s ongoing military aggression and while Kiev waits for desperately needed weapons. “We all know that Ukrainians are ready to die for the European perspective,” said Commission President Ursula von … Read more
Announcing their support for Ukraine and Moldova becoming official candidates for EU membership, the leaders of France, Germany and Italy on Thursday sent an unequivocal message to Vladimir Putin: The Soviet sphere of influence is dead – and it will not be revived by force. The leaders – French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf … Read more
Tap play to listen to this article For two weeks, diplomats and officials in Brussels have struggled without success to reach an agreement between 27 EU countries to stop buying Vladimir Putin’s oil. For two weeks, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has stood in the way. And while some diplomats are still hoping for a … Read more