All posts tagged: Geopolitical

Paris and Athens exchange mutual defense pledges amid geopolitical turmoil – POLITICO

Paris and Athens exchange mutual defense pledges amid geopolitical turmoil – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

“France is Greece’s true ally,” Mitsotakis said, adding that “the highlight of the Greece-France agreements is the commitments to mutual assistance.” On top of a broader “enhanced comprehensive strategic partnership,” the two governments signed agreements in areas from education to scientific research to nuclear energy. During the visit, French defense giant MBDA also signed a contract to continue support for the Greek army’s Mica missiles. In parallel, the two leaders insisted on the need to clarify how the EU’s mutual defense clause — Article 42.7 of the Treaty on the EU — would work in practice, while stressing that the clause should not be seen as a replacement for NATO’s Article 5 security guarantee. Earlier on Saturday, at the Piraeus port, Macron and Mitsotakis visited a Greek frigate built by France’s Naval Group with French Defense and Armed Forces Minister Catherine Vautrin and the company’s CEO Pierre-Eric Pommelet. Source link

A New Geopolitical Reality Is Here

A New Geopolitical Reality Is Here

Published by José Betancourt

The E-3 Sentry, with its distinctive rotating radar dome, is a flying command center that allows American forces to see and coordinate the battlefield. In recent weeks, Iran destroyed one on a runway in Saudi Arabia and reportedly damaged another. The United States has only a handful of E-3s deployed to the Middle East and a limited global fleet, making the aircraft one of the country’s most strategically valuable assets. Iran probably did not act alone. A Chinese satellite firm, MizarVision, published imagery of U.S. military movements that could have aided targeting. The Daily Telegraph also reported that China provided Iran with sodium perchlorate, a precursor used for solid missile propellant. And China isn’t the only power that assisted Iran. U.S. intelligence assessments indicate that Russia supplied Iran with intelligence to target U.S. forces and advanced drone capabilities. The Trump administration has not commented on China’s support for Iran. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News that Russian assistance “does not really matter,” and on another occasion said that it “is not making …

Geopolitical drama reportedly stalls IPO of SoftBank-backed PayPay

Geopolitical drama reportedly stalls IPO of SoftBank-backed PayPay

Published by skeptic

PayPay, Japan’s leading mobile payment app, has reportedly postponed its U.S. IPO due to market volatility and recent conflict in the Middle East. The company was planning to release its IPO price range on Monday, March 2. PayPay aimed for a valuation of at least ¥1.5 trillion ($10 billion), Bloomberg reported. PayPay was founded in 2018 as a joint venture between SoftBank and Yahoo Japan, with technical collaboration from India’s Paytm. In late 2024, Paytm sold its remaining stake to SoftBank for approximately $279 million. While 2026 opened with high expectations for tech IPOs, several companies withdrew or delayed their listing plans following a sell-off in software stocks, fueled by fears that AI could eventually render traditional software obsolete. Markets have been further shaken by U.S. strikes on Iran and the related upheaval of other countries in the region. In January, Kleiner Perkins-backed Motive Technologies, which develops dashboard cameras for long-haul trucks, postponed its IPO, The Information reported. Additionally, Clear Street, a tech brokerage, withdrew its IPO plans last month. While the market for smaller …

How the U.S. military is preparing for growing geopolitical tensions in the Arctic 

How the U.S. military is preparing for growing geopolitical tensions in the Arctic 

Published by Sam Flores

IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Trump awards Medal of Honor to pilot in Maduro raid 06:45 Now Playing How the U.S. military is preparing for growing geopolitical tensions in the Arctic 04:16 UP NEXT U.S. military boards another oil tanker in the Indian Ocean 00:32 Trump administration fails to indict Democrats involved in ‘illegal orders’ video 04:25 El Paso Airport Closure Was Due to US Military Testing: Sources 00:32 US Launches Airstrikes Against 35 ISIS Sites Across Syria 01:32 U.S. military captures Venezuela’s Maduro after criminal indictment 05:04 Hegseth says Maduro ‘effed around and found out’ 01:35 Department of Defense video shows a missile being launched after Nigeria strikes 00:15 Supreme Court Blocks National Guard Deployment to Chicago 00:41 U.S. actively pursuing sanctioned oil tanker 01:55 US Intercepts Second Oil Tanker off the Venezuelan Coast 03:44 U.S. forces strike dozens of ISIS targets in Syria 01:46 Dave Price talks entertaining U.S. troops during the holidays 05:17 New images show oil tanker seized by U.S. off …

Macron tells Munich conference that Europe must become geopolitical power in its own right

Macron tells Munich conference that Europe must become geopolitical power in its own right

Published by Sam Flores

Europe must turn its focus to long-term strategic thinking, including creating deep-strike capabilities and assessing how France’s nuclear deterrent can fit into the bloc’s ​future security ‌architecture, France’s president said on Friday. Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, ⁠President Emmanuel Macron dismissed accusations that Europe was decaying and defended its push to tackle disinformation and the excesses of social media ‌that were harming Western democracies. “This is the right time for audacity. This ⁠is the right time for a strong Europe,” Macron said. “Europe has to learn to become a geopolitical power. It was not part of our DNA.” “Everyone should take their cue from us, instead of criticising us,” he said. Read moreUS defence plan prioritises deterring China, limits support for allies Macron, who ​is set to enter his final year in office, said Europe would ‌still face an aggressive Russia even if there were a deal on the Ukraine war and that it could not cave into Russian demands or allow a short-term accord that would not resolve ‌core issues. “The Europeans must …

Time for Europe to Become Geopolitical Power, France’s Macron Says

Time for Europe to Become Geopolitical Power, France’s Macron Says

Published by Sam Flores

(Corrects to Merz in last paragraph) By John Irish ⁠and ⁠Sudip Kar-Gupta MUNICH, Feb 13 (Reuters) – Europe ⁠must turn its focus to long-term strategic thinking, including creating deep-strike ​capabilities and assessing how France’s nuclear deterrent can fit into the bloc’s future security architecture, France’s president ‌said on Friday. Speaking at the Munich ‌Security Conference, President Emmanuel Macron dismissed accusations that Europe was decaying and defended its ⁠push to ⁠tackle disinformation and the excesses of social media that were harming Western ​democracies. “This is the right time for audacity. This is the right time for a strong Europe,” Macron said. “Europe has to learn to become a geopolitical power. It was not part of our DNA.” Macron, ​who is set to enter his final year in office, said Europe would still face ⁠an ⁠aggressive Russia even if there ⁠were a ​deal on the Ukraine war and that it could not cave into Russian demands or ​allow a short-term accord ⁠that would not resolve core issues. “The Europeans must start this work with their own thinking …

2026 Winter Olympics open amid geopolitical and climate tensions

2026 Winter Olympics open amid geopolitical and climate tensions

Published by Sam Flores

The San Siro stadium, which will host the Olympic opening ceremony, in Milan, Italy, on January 29, 2026. GABRIELE MICALIZZI/CESURA FOR LE MONDE In just a few hours, the Olympic cauldron will be lit at San Siro stadium, and the Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics will officially be underway. For the next two weeks, from February 6 to 22, the event will deliver a rich showcase of athletic achievements, emotional highs and global spectacle. Expect stunning footage from the Alps, the birthplace of winter sports, after four editions of the Winter Olympics were held far from this traditional mountain setting. Northern Italy promises to give spectators a feast for the eyes. From Milan’s renovated areas, where the ice events will be staged, to the Antholz-Anterselva biathlon arena, a high-altitude marvel perched on the heights near the Austrian border, as well as Bormio, with its legendary Stelvio alpine ski course and Cortina d’Ampezzo, the “Queen of the Dolomites,” with its crown jewel, the Olimpia delle Tofane, a legacy of the 1956 Games. This opulent region will showcase its …

Gold prices hit record high as investors seek safe bet amid geopolitical turmoil

Gold prices hit record high as investors seek safe bet amid geopolitical turmoil

Published by Sam Flores

Gold surged to a record high above $5,100 an ⁠ounce on Monday, extending a historic rally as investors piled into the safe-haven asset amid rising geopolitical uncertainties. Spot gold were up 2.2 percent at $5,089.78 per ounce by 0656 GMT, after earlier touching an all-time high of $5,110.50. US gold futures for February delivery also gained ​the same amount to $5,086.30 per ounce. The metal soared 64 percent in 2025, its biggest annual gain since 1979, driven by ‍safe-haven demand, US monetary policy easing, robust central bank purchases including China’s fourteenth straight month of buying in December, and record inflows into exchange-traded funds. Prices have set consecutive record peaks ​over the past week and have already risen more than 18 percent this year. The latest catalyst “is effectively ​this crisis of confidence in the US administration and US assets, that was set off by some of the erratic decision-making from the Trump administration last week”, said Kyle Rodda, a senior market analyst at Capital.com. Read moreAcquire territory, export culture wars: How to make sense of …

Global growth to slow in 2026 as tariffs and geopolitical tensions rise, UN says

Global growth to slow in 2026 as tariffs and geopolitical tensions rise, UN says

Published by Sam Flores

The United Nations is forecasting that the global economy will grow by 2.7% this year, slightly lower than last year’s estimate, citing the impact of higher US tariffs, economic uncertainties and geopolitical tensions. UN economists predicted that growth would edge up to 2.9% in 2027. That’s still well below the average 3.2% growth between 2010 and 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic hurt economies around the globe. The estimate for 2025 is 2.8%. “A combination of economic, geopolitical and technological tensions is reshaping the global landscape,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Thursday in a statement, “generating new economic uncertainty and social vulnerabilities”. But the UN economists said there was “unexpected resilience” to the sharp increases in US tariffs last year. This was supported by solid consumer spending and easing inflation, which helped sustain growth, but they cautioned that underlying weaknesses persist.  According to the UN’s World Economic Situation and Prospects report, growth in Europe, Japan and the United States is projected to hold broadly steady. To display this content from YouTube, you must enable advertisement tracking …

Energy Levers Shift As US Strikes A Geopolitical Blow With Maduro Arrest

Energy Levers Shift As US Strikes A Geopolitical Blow With Maduro Arrest

Published by Jenni Sidey

Submitted by Thomas Kolbe The new year begins with a geopolitical thunderclap. With the arrest of Venezuela’s dictator Nicolás Maduro, the U.S. positions itself as a decisive player in the global energy market. This move has far-reaching consequences for the balance of power. Peering through the dense fog of leftist crocodile tears following the arrest of Venezuela’s dictator Nicolás Maduro, one can conclude: the U.S., with its intervention in Venezuela, has removed a key piece from the geopolitical chessboard. This step marks a turning point in a conflict that has long transcended regional boundaries, revealing the tectonic tensions of the international order. The Caracas Breakpoint  Everything that can be said about Nicolás Maduro has essentially been said. A communist dictator, an individual who pursued his policies through systematic human rights suppression—in the name and interest of his allies. Whether it was China’s energy hunger or functioning as South America’s resource hub, which for years primarily operated on Beijing’s behalf. Since the mid-2000s, there has also been military cooperation between Iran’s mullah regime and Venezuela, with Iran …