The Brief — France’s pension reform mess is all Macron’s doing
The French Constitutional Court’s ruling on the pensions reform on Friday (14 April) will mark the end of a long, winding and bumpy road for a piece of legislation most…
April 2023
The threat from Russia’s fleet of ‘ghost tankers’
An oil tanker. Over 400 'ghost' or 'shadow�
Finns show support for increased labour migration
Over half of Finns would favour Increasing work-based immigration, a survey published by Ilta-Sanomat on Wednesday, ahead of Friday’s upcoming coalition talks reads. Labour shortages and a low birth rate…
UK sanctions ‘enablers’ accused of helping Russian oligarchs
New Russian sanctions target those who knowingly assisted sanctioned oligarchs in hiding their assets in complex financial networks, the UK Foreign Office announced on Wednesday. Demetris Ioannides and Christodoulos Vassiliades…
Qatargate: MEP Kaili released from jail but Belgian justice still concerned
Following four months of imprisonment after the Qatargate scandal was revealed, Belgian justice decided on Wednesday to release Greek MEP Eva Kaili on bail but with an electronic bracelet as…
Portuguese minister: Offshore wind, hydrogen will create energy autonomy
The development of hydrogen and offshore wind energy will lower the country’s energy dependence, said Portuguese Environment And Climate Action Minister Duarte Cordeiro on Wednesday. The government is speeding up…
Polish politicians bicker over grain crisis
The Polish opposition is helping the Kremlin by touting media reports that companies connected to the ruling camp participated in importing Ukrainian grain to Poland, causing huge disruptions in the…
‘Feels like home’: Biden on nostalgia tour of Ireland
US President Joe Biden on Wednesday (12 April) began a nostalgia-filled tour of the Republic of Ireland, jetting in from Northern Ireland where he pushed for an end to political…
Slovakia’s Slovnaft says new windfall tax may end domestic fuel production
Oil refinery Slovnaft has taken aim at the 70% windfall tax for 2022-2023 that was signed into law by President Zuzana Čaputová on Wednesday, even though it was previously set…
US concerned over Hungary’s close relations with Russia
The US is worried about Hungarian leaders seeking closer ties with Russia, as close economic cooperation with Russia feeds the Russian war machine and threatens the security of the transatlantic…