All posts tagged: War in Iran

Europe’s race to secure its energy supplies — live updates – POLITICO

Europe’s race to secure its energy supplies — live updates – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

The fallout from the U.S.-Israel war in Iran is already rippling through global markets. But the worst may still lie ahead for Europe. As oil and gas supplies tighten and prices spike, the shock is seeping into every corner of the economy, from manufacturing to borrowing costs to demand shifts. Against this gloomy backdrop, how can policymakers contain the damage to avoid a deeper economic impact? And beyond the short term, what will this energy shock mean for Europe’s households and its industrial competitiveness? The crisis is also accelerating another shift: Europe’s clean transition. It’s no longer seen predominately as a climate imperative, but a question of economic security. Which policy moves will help safeguard the bloc’s sovereignty while reducing its emissions? Follow all the discussions and news from POLITICO’s Energy & Climate Forum as we unpack these hot-button issues with the policymakers, industry leaders and policy experts shaping Europe’s response. See the full program here and follow along here from 9 a.m. Source link

Rule of law – POLITICO

Rule of law – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

And on that front, Europe has an advantage. Speaking at a global real-estate conference recently, I was struck by a recurring theme: the European continent as a safe haven. Real estate is, of course, a long-term kind of business. Real-estate investors have to have faith in the neighborhoods, cities, countries they’re buying properties in. And as the conference went on, executive after executive returned to Europe as a safe place to do business in because — well, because it’s true. Rule of law is regressing all over the world. According to the World Justice Project’s Rule of Law Index, nearly seven in 10 countries saw a decline in rule of law in 2025. This, the World Justice Project notes, is connected to growing authoritarianism. Europe, though, is standing strong: Denmark leads the ranking, followed by Norway, Finland, Sweden, New Zealand, Germany, Luxembourg, Ireland, the Netherlands and Australia. Places 11 through 20 are also occupied by European countries, along with Canada, Japan, Singapore and South Korea. The U.S. comes in 27th. For businesses, rule of law …

Cyprus seeks to Farage-proof its UK military bases – POLITICO

Cyprus seeks to Farage-proof its UK military bases – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Following the strike, President Nikos Christodoulides called for talks on the future of the “colonial” bases, with Cypriot diplomats expressing “disappointment” at the lack of information-sharing around the incident. It also reopened the issue of how Britain should be allowed to use the bases, with Cyprus calling on the support of fellow EU countries. In March, the European Council gathering EU leaders said it “acknowledges the intention of Cyprus to initiate a discussion with the UK on the UK bases in Cyprus and stands ready to provide assistance as needed.” Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides speaks to the media ahead of a European Council summit in Ayia Napa on April 23, 2026. | Nicolas Tucat/AFP via Getty Images Marc Weller, director of the international law program at Chatham House, said: “Cyprus argues that the U.K. only retained more limited authority relating to defense. While the U.K. view [of full sovereignty] is legally correct, the Iran episode will offer an opportunity for Cyprus to reignite this debate.” The Farage factor Cypriot concerns worsened after Farage initially backed …

Malta’s prime minister declares historic victory in snap election – POLITICO

Malta’s prime minister declares historic victory in snap election – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Abela called a snap election in April, four years into his five-year term, amid fears the war in Iran and the ensuing economic shock could erode support for his government. Alex Borg, leader of the opposition Nationalists Party, appeared to concede defeat on Sunday, saying the outcome was “not the result we wanted, but it’s a very clear message.” Abela’s victory was widely expected, with polling ahead of Saturday’s vote showing his Labour Party on top. Still, the Labour Party’s majority appeared to be considerably smaller than its last victory in 2022, with around 18,000 votes separating the government from the opposition. The election was fiercely fought and drew some surprise interventions from Brussels, with Malta’s EU Commissioner Glenn Micallef, who was Abela’s chief of staff, controversially endorsing the prime minister in a campaign speech, and European Parliament President Roberta Metsola appearing at campaign stops alongside Borg. Source link

Zelenskyy pleads with Trump for Patriots to fight Russian bombardment – POLITICO

Zelenskyy pleads with Trump for Patriots to fight Russian bombardment – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

U.S.-made PAC-3 interceptor missiles used in the American Patriot system are currently the country’s best defense against Russian ballistic missiles, although it hopes to develop its own ballistic missile defenses. The second Trump administration has dragged its feet on providing Kyiv with Patriot missiles, leaving Kyiv in a bind as its supplies dwindle. The U.S.-Israeli war in Iran has further threatened Ukraine’s supply, as the two countries and other U.S. allies in the region burn through hundreds of PAC-3 interceptors. In Monday’s letter, the Ukrainian leader acknowledged the “high demand” for Patriot missiles in other regions, and accedes to the longtime Trump position that Europe must “take on a greater role” in its own security. He praised U.S. weapons systems and jets in glowing terms and expressed gratitude for their delivery to Ukraine. Over the weekend, more than 90 missiles were launched at Ukraine, and on Monday, the Kremlin warned foreign diplomats that it would continue bombing Kyiv. Russian ballistic missiles are Putin’s “last major advantage on the battlefield,” Zelenskyy wrote. “They can be intercepted. …

America’s way of war isn’t working – POLITICO

America’s way of war isn’t working – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Decades later in Afghanistan, U.S. officials marveled at their own ingenuity — special forces on horseback, precision bombs and a regime toppled in mere weeks. Yet it was only days before the bombing started that Bush asked “who will run the country” once the Taliban was toppled — a fair question no one thought to ask before fueling the B-52s. The men on horseback were brilliant, but there was no theory as to what came next. Moreover, al Qaeda’s longtime leader Osama bin Laden remained at large. Then came Iraq, with the war’s architects predicting a cakewalk in which U.S. troops would be greeted as liberators. But the occupation disbanded the Iraqi army, sending hundreds of thousands of armed, humiliated men into the streets with no jobs or prospects. The insurgency that followed should have surprised no one, and yet it surprised everyone. The logic collapsed even faster in Iran. The strategy, such as it was, amounted to this: Kill the country’s supreme leader and hope for a more moderate successor. According to the New …

America’s faith in war is a spiritual crisis — not just a political one 

America’s faith in war is a spiritual crisis — not just a political one 

Published by Sam Flores

(RNS) — We need to talk about war. The United States is back at war, this time in Iran, and as the war plays out, we will be having important and necessary conversations about the ongoing conflict. These conversations will happen in churches and schools, around dinner tables and at places of employment, and every one of them will be important. But the current and ongoing war in Iran is not being fought by otherwise irenic nations in a world generally marked by peace. The bombing of Iran — and the inevitable Iranian retaliations against targets in Israel and elsewhere in the Middle East — is taking place in the context of a global landscape marked by wars in places like Ukraine, Gaza, Venezuela, Somalia and Yemen. This means we have to look beyond Iran or any other individual conflict and talk about war itself. We need to ask if military violence is ever justifiable, if militarism is ever reasonable and if warfare ever brings healing and peace. With clear-eyed honesty we need to reckon …

The winners and losers from the UK’s trade deal with the Gulf – POLITICO

The winners and losers from the UK’s trade deal with the Gulf – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Meanwhile, the UAE opted out of environmental commitments in the FTA altogether, leaving those discussions to separate bilateral talks. Human and labor rights campaigners Campaigners have long raised concerns about the Gulf states’ human rights record, with organizations including the Trade Justice Movement, Amnesty International UK, Human Rights Watch urging the prime minister in a joint letter last year to incorporate “strong human rights conditions” before the deal is signed.  Reacting to the details of the deal released on Wednesday, the Trade Justice Movement said it  “looks to be silent” on human and labor rights “in return for minimal economic benefit.”  “By failing to negotiate any enforceable human rights protections within the deal, the U.K. has taken a moral step backwards and undermined the government’s own commitments on democracy, women’s rights and workers’ rights,” said Trade Justice Movement Director Tom Wills. The government has contested that trade agreements are not the forum to directly address human rights issues, while arguing that the deal contains provisions that can contribute to the protection and promotion of human …

UK deputy ambassador leaves Washington amid security leak probe – POLITICO

UK deputy ambassador leaves Washington amid security leak probe – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson confirmed that Roscoe has left his post but did not immediately respond to further questions. Two people briefed on the matter told POLITICO that Roscoe had faced questions as part of an inquiry into leaked details from an NSC meeting about the war in Iran. A third person, a U.K. official, described the matter as “extremely serious.” His involvement in the inquiry was first reported by The Times. The Spectator reported in March on splits in Keir Starmer’s Cabinet at the top secret meeting over allowing the U.S. to use British bases for the strikes against Iran — a confidence breach described by Deputy PM David Lammy as an “absolute travesty.” Roscoe’s departure comes shortly before another potentially embarrassing release of files relating to Mandelson’s time as top envoy to the U.S., and deals yet another blow to Britain’s damaged diplomatic service. Source link

EU looks to cow manure to keep food prices down

EU looks to cow manure to keep food prices down

Published by Sam Flores

Brussels’ answer to a looming fertilizer crisis is to make more use of cow dung. Grocery price spikes are on the horizon amid the unending war in Iran and the rising cost of fertilizer. Yet the European Commission’s plan to shore up Europe’s supply, due out Tuesday, centers around a long-term regulatory push to recycle more manure and farm waste into fertilizer.  It’s not the quick fix some were hoping for. Farmers “expected bold action,” said MEP Veronika Vrecionová, who helms the European Parliament’s agriculture committee. “Roadmaps don’t pay the bills. Farmers need action, not intentions.” Farm lobbies are pushing the same line. “European farmers cannot wait for another long-term roadmap while production costs continue to rise and European fertilizer capacity keeps disappearing,” said José María Castilla of ASAJA, Spain’s largest farmers’ organization. “The current crisis is not only about prices, it is about strategic autonomy, food security and the survival of European agriculture.” Europe makes most of its own fertilizer from imported gas. When the Strait of Hormuz closed at the end of February, gas prices …