Macron warns Europe ‘can die’ in alarmist speech on protectionism, geopolitical threats (www.politico.eu)
French President Emmanuel Macron warned Thursday that Europe faces possible demise if it does not take bold action to tackle U.S. and Chinese protectionism, amid serious geopolitical threats from authoritarian regimes....
The Latest | Israeli strikes in Rafah kill at least 5 as ship comes under attack in the Gulf of Aden (apnews.com)
Palestinian hospital officials said Israeli airstrikes on the southern city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip killed at least five people....
U.S. Secretly Shipped New Long-Range Missiles to Ukraine (www.nytimes.com)
The United States last week secretly shipped a new long-range missile system to Ukraine, and Ukrainian forces immediately used the weapons to attack a Russian military airfield in Crimea last Wednesday and Russian troops in the country’s southeast overnight on Tuesday, according to a senior U.S. official....
Iran: Rapper Toomaj Salehi sentenced to death, says lawyer (www.dw.com)
Popular rapper Toomaj Salehi wrote songs in support of the protest movement in Iran following the death of Jina Mahsa Amini in 2022. He has been in jail for over a year....
US plans for Gaza aid pier branded ‘smokescreen’ to allow Israeli invasion of Rafah (www.independent.co.uk)
Moscow pressured Nicaragua to file genocide case against Germany, intel sources say (www.politico.eu)
The Kremlin may have been trying to undermine the ICJ’s authority by making it a venue for specious legal arguments, say authorities....
France's air traffic control strikes ground flights across Europe (www.reuters.com)
Espionage in the EU: Is the bloc ready to ward off spies? (www.dw.com)
After a spate of foreign influence scandals at the European Parliament and in national capitals, EU officials are scrambling to get a handle on suspected Russian and Chinese espionage ahead of the June elections....
Spain: PM Sanchez suspends public duties as wife probed (www.dw.com)
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Wednesday he will suspend public duties until next week to decide whether he wants to continue leading the government after a court launched a probe of his wife....
Ukraine pressures military age men abroad by suspending their consular services | CNN (edition.cnn.com)
Afghan Asylum Seekers Are Being Denied Their Religious Rights in ICE Prisons (truthout.org)
Turncoat warlord at centre of Myanmar drama (www.bangkokpost.com)
Childbirths in Korea hit another low in February (www.koreatimes.co.kr)
The number of babies born in Korea fell below the 20,000 level for the first time for any February this year, data showed Wednesday, amid deepening woes about the country’s demographics amid rapid aging and the ultra-low birthrate....
Athens turns orange, Helsinki goes white as Europe’s weather springs a surprise (edition.cnn.com)
A yellow-orange haze of dust from the Sahara desert has blanketed parts of Greece, creating spectacular scenes and prompting authorities to issue health warnings.
Senate passes $95 billion package sending aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan after months of delay (www.cnn.com)
The Senate on Tuesday passed a long-delayed $95 billion package with wide bipartisan support after both sides of Capitol Hill have struggled for months to send aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan....
How a second Trump presidency could tear Europe apart (www.politico.eu)
The former president’s return would cement a shift in the U.S. as a fact that can no longer be ignored....
China decries fresh US military aid for Taiwan (www.dw.com)
US lawmakers have voted for fresh assistance for Taiwan, allowing the island to upgrade its military hardware. Taiwan’s president-elect says it will “safeguard peace,” but China says it raises the risk of war....
Will Taiwan abolish death penalty this year? (www.dw.com)
A Taiwanese court ruling could lead to the island’s abolition of capital punishment. But, given strong public support for the death penalty, the court may have to sail against the wind to reach a consensus....
TikTok ban in US is in motion as Senate passes bill to TikTok (townflex.com)
Senate passes bill to TikTok: The Senate passed a bill on Tuesday that could compel ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, to sell the platform or face a US ban.
‘Can you catch it as well?’: bird stunt causes flap in European parliament (www.theguardian.com)
Direct link to video...
What Ukraine lost while waiting for the US aid bill to pass (kyivindependent.com)
The long-awaited passing of the U.S. aid bill in the House of Representatives over the weekend was swiftly followed by a collective sigh of relief in Ukraine and among the country’s allies....
U.S. unveils $1 billion Ukraine weapons package (www.washingtonpost.com)
The United States will send a substantial security package to Ukraine, including badly needed air defense systems and artillery rounds, the White House said Wednesday, as the administration — its war chest replenished after months of gridlock in Congress — moves quickly to help Kyiv counter a resurgent Russian campaign....
Hamas releases video of injured Israeli-American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin (www.cbsnews.com)
Germany to resume funding of Unrwa aid operations in Gaza (www.theguardian.com)
Germany has said it will restore cooperation and funding to Unrwa operations in the Gaza Strip after an independent review said Israel had not provided evidence to back up claims that hundreds of employees of the UN agency for Palestinians were members of terrorist organisations....
