The General Court of the EU revoked on Wednesday the restrictive measures imposed on Mikhail Fridman and Petr Aven, two Russian billionaires, between February 2022 and March 2023. The two were originally sanctioned in connection with Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. Mikhail Fridman and Petr Aven are significant shareholders of Alfa Group, a cooperation that [...]
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US lawmakers announce draft bipartisan bill to address digital privacy rights
US Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and US Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) announced on Sunday draft legislation to “establish a national data privacy and security standard.” In the joint statement, the two lawmakers said that they plan to submit the bill, which will eliminate the “patchwork” of state regulation in favor of a federal law [...]
Rafael Grossi, Director General of the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), condemned on Sunday a drone strike on one of the six nuclear reactors at the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP) in Ukraine, warning against the risk of a major nuclear accident. According to Grossi, the IAEA has confirmed at least three direct [...]
Sweden expels journalist from China for being a threat to national security
Sweden expelled a Chinese journalist on Monday due to concerns over national security, as reported by Swedish media. The name of the Chinese journalist remains undisclosed. However, it is known that she is 57 years old, has lived in Sweden for nearly two decades, has family in the country, and has been under police custody [...]
UN Human Rights Council calls for aviation fuel embargo against Myanmar
The UN Human Rights Council adopted resolutions Thursday to call on UN member states to refrain from supplying jet fuel to the Myanmar military. The council also extended the mandates of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran and Myanmar and the independent international fact-finding mission on Iran. All members from [...]
EU condemns Georgia ruling party for reintroducing foreign-agents law
The EU condemned on Thursday Georgia’s ruling party, Georgian Dream, for reintroducing a controversial foreign-agents law. If the law is adopted, civil organizations that receive over 20 percent of their funding from abroad must register as “agents of foreign influence.” Georgia’s parliament had previously adopted the law in February 2023. That sparked national and international [...]
Finland extends closure of crossing stations on Russian border until further notice
The Finnish Ministry of Interior announced on Thursday that it will extend the closure of crossing stations on its land border with Russia until further notice. In addition, it will also close the water traffic border crossings at Haapasaari, the port of Nuijamaa and Santio, on April 15. The Thursday decision extends the closure of [...]
UK government faces growing calls to suspend arms sales to Israel following aid workers attack
Leader of the UK’s Liberal Democrat Party Sir Ed Davey called upon the UK government on Wednesday to suspend arms sales to Israel. This follows the deaths of British aid workers John Chapman, James Kirby and Jim Henderson, who were among the seven World Central Kitchen (WCK) workers killed in an “unintended strike” by the [...]
Latvia foreign minister resigns in wake of criminal probe and corruption allegations
Latvian Foreign Minister Krisjanis Karinš announced his resignation this week, following the initiation of a criminal investigation into his excessive use of private jets and alleged misconduct by his office during his tenure as the Baltic country’s prime minister from 2019-2023, according to local media. Latvian public broadcaster LSM reported Karinš’s resignation following a meeting [...]
Netherlands court asks EU Court of Justice for clarification on Ukraine refugee protection
The Hague District Court of the Netherlands on Friday called on the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) to give a preliminary ruling on questions regarding the extension of the Temporary Protection Directive (TPD) under Article 267 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). TPD entitles the CJEU the [...]