Domestic Politics Archives

EU Advances Bosnia And Herzegovina Membership Request

14Oct

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Europe, EU, Eurozone, and United Kingdom, Geopolitics, Human rights, Types of News: Brief

EU Advances Bosnia And Herzegovina Membership Request

European Commission Demands Candidate Countries Provide Stronger Human Rights Protections October 14, 2022—The European Commission gave the green light to Bosnia and Herzegovina on its candidacy to join the 27-member European Union. The decision, which comes with stipulations, moves to the European Council. EU leaders are aspiring to expand their bloc as a way to spread their perspective on the world stage. Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi called the enlargement policy a "geostrategic investment" in the continent's peace and stability. Candidates for the EU Line Up Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia are the latest countries to request membership. The bloc already has many countries waiting to get in, including Turkey, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, and Kosovo. "The Western Balkans are ...

NATO Reaffirms Support For Ukraine, Strengthens Air Defense

13Oct

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Arms Sales, Military Industry, Eastern Europe, Geopolitics, Organizations, IMF, WTO, G7, UN Security Council, Types of News: Brief

NATO Reaffirms Support For Ukraine, Strengthens Air Defense

Photo by Kongsberg October 13, 2022—As NATO ministers met in Brussels yesterday and today, Russia's bombardment of Ukraine's capital and nine other cities was fresh on their minds. The war intensified, and NATO and the G7 nations of Western countries strengthened their support for Ukraine. Ukraine has asked the military alliance of 30 countries to fast track its request for membership. Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that would lead to World War II. And many NATO-member leaders took heed. "We do not want world war," French President Emmanuel Macron said on Twitter. Germany, meanwhile, is leading the effort to strengthen Europe's military defense. Air Defense System While NATO treads lightly on expansion. Today, 14 NATO members agreed to jointly develop an air de...

10Oct

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Globalization, Disintegration, Nationalism, Populism, Types of News: Analysis, United States

The End Of A Laissez-Faire Economy?

Photo by Yibei Geng October 10, 2022—Free-market economies where business drives decisions based on supply and demand is still a concept. But many analysts are now asking how diligently is that concept being followed in practice? 'New Rules' for Business? Writing for the Financial Times, columnist Rana Foroohar says business leaders now have new rules to follow to succeed. For one, they need to cozy up to political bigwigs in Washington, D.C. It is not just that President Joe Biden and the Democratic-led Congress are enacting industrial policies, it is also a time of where the global economy is getting more competitive. Supply chains are regrouping and former trading partners are breaking up, or "decoupling." Ms. Foroohar says the U.S. government is not "yet in the business ...

Latin American Politics: Another Country Shifts Left

29Jun

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Domestic Politics, Types of News: Videos

Latin American Politics: Another Country Shifts Left

Columbia Elects Gustavo Petro As Next President, Marking A Significant Shift In The Status Quo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hLUn0rdhsM On June 19, Columbia completed its presidential election, and a man named Gustavo Petro won decidedly. It marks the first time the country elected a left-wing politician. Petro says he'll bring in a new "capitalism" and at the same time "redistribute the economy." Furthermore, he is a former guerilla fighter in the M-19 militant movement. What kind of Left will Petro represent? Will he strengthen the communist countries of Venezuela and Cuba and the dictatorship in Nicaragua? Or will he represent a populist Left that is ultimately accountable to the people? The shift in the political pendulum will likely present challenges to the United St...

23Jun

By No Comments

Domestic Politics

France Elects A Divided Government

Macron addressed the country after the vote. June 23, 2022--In April, French President Emmanuel Macron defeated right-wing candidate Marine Le Pen in the presidential election. As the GER noted at the time, the run-off election showed that populism is still alive and well in the heart of Europe. This week, Macron lost control of the French National Assembly. In the second round of the parliamentary elections on Sunday, Macron's centrist coalition lost dozens of seats, leaving the political situation fragmented. The coalition still won 246 seats, but they lost an absolute majority of 289. Like Germany, the French multiparty system requires coalition building. "We must collectively learn to govern and regulate differently," Macron said as he addressed the nation after the vote. ...

As Nicaragua Invites Russian Troops To Central America, U.S. Responds

17Jun

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Communism, Dictatorship, authoritarian, Geopolitics, Sanctions, Types of News: Brief

As Nicaragua Invites Russian Troops To Central America, U.S. Responds

U.S. Treasury Sanctions State-Owned Gold Mining Firm June 17, 2022—Citing Nicaragua's closer ties with Russia and political oppression at home, the U.S. Treasury issued new sanctions today targeting a Nicaraguan mining company and a government official. Specifically, it targets Empresa Nicaraguense de Minas (ENIMINAS), a state-owned gold-mining company, and Ruy Lopez Delgado, the head of the enterprise. Nicaragua Welcomes Russian Military The sanctions action comes just days after Nicaragua's parliament approved a decree to allow Russian troops to enter the Central American country. Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega invited Russian troops into his country to carry out law enforcement duties and conduct joint military exercises, ABC News reported earlier this month. On J...

Path To Normal For ECB Poses Challenges To High Debt Countries

15Jun

By No Comments

Europe, EU, Eurozone, and United Kingdom, Finance, Currency, Debt, National Budgets & Interest Rates

Path To Normal For ECB Poses Challenges To High Debt Countries

June 15, 2022— As the central bank for the Eurozone pursues a path to normal policies, the risk it now faces is uneven impact among the 19-member countries. Borrowing costs in so-called vulnerable countries like Italy, Greece, and Spain are soaring in response to monetary tightening last week by the European Central Bank (ECB). Now fragmentation of the Eurozone is a concern. As a result, the ECB announced today it is adjusting its plans. For one, the ECB will consider the vulnerabilities when reinvesting payments maturing from its pandemic relief program, known as PEPP. Those reinvestments of maturing PEPP payments are scheduled to continue through 2024. The program's worth is estimated at 1.85 trillion euro ($1.9 trillion), according to the New York Times.

Venezuela’s Communist Control Of The Economy Cracks Open An Inch

10Jun

By Ernesto RodriguezNo Comments

Communism, Dictatorship, authoritarian, Types of News: Analysis

Venezuela’s Communist Control Of The Economy Cracks Open An Inch

Editor's Note: The Venezuelan economy is one of the most repressed in the world. In fact, the country ranks next to last on the Heritage Foundation's 2022 Economic Freedom Index. The only country with worse rankings is North Korea. But there are a few signs the country's leaders are seeing at least some value in the capitalist model. Even as Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro courts despots in Iran and Algeria, he is opening up the government's ownership of some parts of the economy, at least a crack. The story below is by Ernesto Rodriguez. Source: My Expat Diary June 10, 2022—If you’ve been following Venezuela’s and Latin America’s news, you might have seen something extremely curious: Predictions of growth from the Venezuelan economy. They come from various places: the Intern...

EU Moves One Step Closer To Forcing Standard Phone Cords

7Jun

By No Comments

Big Tech, Digital Economy, Climate Action, ESG, Sustainable Finance, Europe, EU, Eurozone, and United Kingdom

EU Moves One Step Closer To Forcing Standard Phone Cords

June 7, 2022—The European Union is moving one step closer to forcing tech companies to standardize cords charging cell phones. Today, the European Parliament and EU Member States agreed on a plan to require tech companies to make it easier for consumers to use a uniform charger, USB-C as it's known, for mobile phones and other portable electronic devices. The European Commission developed the plan for a common charger last September. The commissioners have been working on the issue since 2009, to the chagrin of Apple and other firms who prefer to sell consumers multiple cords for multiple devices. Common Charger The 2021 plan is to make the USB-C "the standard port for all smartphones, tablets, cameras, headphones, portable speakers and handheld videogame consoles." Supporters sa...

U.K’s Johnson Wins Confidence Vote With 211 Tory MP Support

6Jun

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Europe, EU, Eurozone, and United Kingdom, Types of News: Brief

U.K’s Johnson Wins Confidence Vote With 211 Tory MP Support

June 6, 2022--While 148 Conservatives vote to oust British Prime Minister Boris Johnson from his leadership role today, 211 Tory MPs voted to keep him. "I think it's a convincing result, a decisive result," Johnson said in a media interview after the vote. "Of course, I understand what we need to do now is come together as a government and as a party, and that is exactly what we can now do." The vote of 59 percent support for Johnson is less than the 63 percent support than former Prime Minister Theresa May received just six months before she resigned over a stalemate on Brexit, the BBC reported today. The action came as a result of a request for a no-confidence vote by at least 15 percent of Conservative MPs.