To be clear: “NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg announced on Monday that 23 of its 32 member states were expected to meet the alliance’s defense spending commitments this year. That is 13 countries more compared to last year’s data, and five more than an earlier estimate in February.”

"According to the commission’s economic forecast, France is at -5.5%, Italy is at -4.4% and Belgium is at -4.4% and will breach this deficit limit in 2024.

Spain is at exactly -3.0%. Austria, Finland, Estonia, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia also have deficits that are too high according to the rules."

Ed:

The department said it made its finding based on the group’s history of violence rooted in “its openly racist, anti-immigrant, antisemitic, anti-LGBTQI+ platform”. The United States remains deeply concerned about the racially or ethnically motivated violent extremist threat worldwide and is committed to countering the transnational components of violent white supremacy,” a department statement said.

Thx alot, it’s way more complex than I thought. So getting a stream will be difficult too, as it’s not public anymore. Will try check and see what can be found. Sounds interesting

Before checking this doc out; could you pls give more context?

Under the plan, the EU will apply five levels of tariffs. EV manufacturers that cooperated with Brussels investigators will face a tariff of 21%, while those who did not will be hit with the top tier of 38.1%.

SAIC faces the top tariff, Geely faces a tariff of 20%, while a 17.4% duty will be applied to BYD brands, which include the Dolphin and Seal cars launched in the EU last year.

It is understood that Tesla cooperated with the EU and may initially face the 21% tariff. The EU indicated this could be revised next month to its own individually calculated duty rate after assessing evidence submitted by the US company.

Explainer abbreviation: NCSC (Dutch) National Cyber Security Centre

" Thousands of people rallied in Budapest on Saturday as a political newcomer led a push to mobilise voters against Hungary’s populist prime minister, Viktor Orbán, ahead of European elections on Sunday.

“We defeated apathy,” declared Péter Magyar, a former government insider who switched sides and launched an opposition movement, as he stood in front of a vast crowd which filled the capital’s Heroes’ Square."

"Thousands of people rallied in Budapest on Saturday as a political newcomer led a push to mobilise voters against Hungary’s populist prime minister, Viktor Orbán, ahead of European elections on Sunday.

“We defeated apathy,” declared Péter Magyar, a former government insider who switched sides and launched an opposition movement, as he stood in front of a vast crowd which filled the capital’s Heroes’ Square.

“Recently, the challenges and risks related to the rise of China as a dominant actor in many economy and technology areas have become more and more apparent in Latin America as well,” Christian Hauser, an expert on Latin America at the University of Applied Sciences in Graubünden, Switzerland, told DW.

Various Latin American societies are increasingly feeling that it’s predominantly Beijing which has profited from the region’s economic relations with China, said Hauser. Therefore, he said, current criticism of China’s trade practices could become even more pronounced."

According to national polls, the PVV would have now ca. 48 out a total of 150 seats in the Dutch House of Representatives; so a 32%.

In this exit poll, PVV won 7 out of a total of 31 European Parliament seats, or 22,5%.

On the other hand PVV went from 1 to 7 seats in the EP. A huge far-right surge was/ is expected for the EP election. But in the Netherlands, it didn’t turn out as high as was predicted.

This whole “thing” is one giant rabbit hole. Getting from bad, worse and then ,“the worst”. I hope we near the end of it, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we are we only halfway establishing the ammount of foreign infiltrations and influences. Good they’ve gotten busy with it, finally.

Yes, I forgot Germany has a “diehard” constitution. Tnx for explaining this aspect. That would make it a third argument, or need of an " extra A-okay" mandate.

I also remembered, that big eavesdrop hack scandal while the Taurus issue was internally being discussed with the military brass and ministers. Having that scandal and the discussion " in the open" hasn’t helped either.

Their basis for holding back was Ukraine might use them to strike targets in Russia, and that cannot be allowed…

That was one argument, the other one was that a (German) ground force maintainance crew & training & encoding experts and stuff would be needed. Regarding sending maintainance crews, the opinions seem more and more positive of late. I’ll reckon we’ll might see Taurus , and hopefully more of it’s friends, being send. Then again, it will also depend on the outcome of the ( EU) elections this year.

Ofc Ukraine may defend itself! Anyway, here their quote:

“We think that we should allow them to neutralize military sites where missiles are fired, from where … Ukraine is attacked,” Macron said at a joint press conference alongside the German chancellor following talks at Schloss Meseberg near Berlin, the official state guest house of the German Federal Republic.

At the same time, he stressed that “we should not allow them to touch other targets in Russia, and obviously civilian capacities.”

TLDR(Long article);

Now, an investigation by the Guardian and the Israeli-based magazines +972 and Local Call can reveal how Israel has run an almost decade-long secret “war” against the court. The country deployed its intelligence agencies to surveil, hack, pressure, smear and allegedly threaten senior ICC staff in an effort to derail the court’s inquiries.

Israeli intelligence captured the communications of numerous ICC officials, including Khan and his predecessor as prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, intercepting phone calls, messages, emails and documents.

The joint investigation draws on interviews with more than two dozen current and former Israeli intelligence officers and government officials, senior ICC figures, diplomats and lawyers familiar with the ICC case and Israel’s efforts to undermine it.

Unlike the international court of justice (ICJ), a UN body that deals with the legal responsibility of nation states, the ICC is a criminal court that prosecutes individuals, targeting those deemed most responsible for atrocities.

Probably, but that’s the problem right? Even if you could, it’s about sustainability. But also that’s there isnt very much . And, it’s a complete inventory chaos, because of different specs. And ofc, there’s always political reasons and what nots. Generally, that’s what’s being said anyway.

This deal will allow Ukraine to boost its capabilities, including its essential air defence systems to protect its civilians, cities and infrastructure, which are still suffering indiscriminate attacks as seen this weekend in Kharkiv,” Sánchez told a press conference after the signing.

He said Spain had already pledged to supply Patriot missiles and said it would also send “another batch of Leopard tanks and above all ammunition”.

The Spanish government said the agreement would also include other areas, such as intelligence, training, de-mining, reconstruction and humanitarian assistance.

This deal will allow Ukraine to boost its capabilities, including its essential air defence systems to protect its civilians, cities and infrastructure, which are still suffering indiscriminate attacks as seen this weekend in Kharkiv,” Sánchez told a press conference after the signing.

He said Spain had already pledged to supply Patriot missiles and said it would also send “another batch of Leopard tanks and above all ammunition”.

The Spanish government said the agreement would also include other areas, such as intelligence, training, de-mining, reconstruction and humanitarian assistance.

That would be great if economies would chip in. Idk, USA, EU has some plans iirc, Saudi, Chinese , India etc.

And the Billionaires worldwide as well , they pack a wallet the size of some countries.