World

Emmanuel Macron has canceled a planned trip to Germany to deal with the biggest crisis of his presidency to date. A social explosion has erupted across France, with demonstrations, riots, fires and mass arrests. Concerts, Pride marches, school plays and other events have been suspended after five days of anger and violence. The young protesters, who make up the majority, express their anger at the death of a 17-year-old boy by police bullets. The victim’s mother’s statement that she sees only the policeman responsible did not prevent the social explosion. Thousands of cars and shops have been burned, and more than 1,300 protesters have been arrested. Macron, who tried to calm down by attending an Elton John concert on the second night of the incidents, is facing a backlash from the public. The government and security authorities are trying to prevent a repeat of the events of 2005. That year, the deaths of two teenagers who were hidden by police led to three weeks of intense unrest and the declaration of a state of emergency. The reflection on the French identity Going back to 2005 brings to mind the reflection on French identity. 18 years ago, we were again talking…

China: Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin on Tuesday urged the G7 to think about its own problems, discard Cold War mentality and ideological biases and stop meddling in other countries’ internal affairs. Wang made the remarks at a daily press conference in response to a question about a joint communique issued after a G7 foreign ministers’ meeting in Japan on the issues of Taiwan, the East China Sea, the South China Sea, Xinjiang and Tibet. The Summit urged China to ensure transparent, predictable and fair business environments. Wang said that regardless of China’s strong position and existing facts, the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Summit blatantly interfered in China’s internal affairs and maliciously slandered and defamed China. “The communique shows the group’s arrogance, prejudice and deliberate desire to block and contain China. We deplore and reject this behavior and have taken a strong step toward the host, Japan,” the spokesman said. Wang said Taiwan is part of China’s sacred territory, and the one-China principle is what underpins peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. In order to ensure real peace in the Taiwan Strait, it is absolutely necessary for the relevant parties to categorically oppose and stop any action towards “Taiwan…

Russia, through its new “Foreign Policy Concept” for 2023, is drawing the “map” of a world where a competitive but peaceful coexistence with the West will prevail. The text includes the priorities and goals of Russia’s foreign policy activities and forms a blueprint for a new world order thru BRICS+ The main vehicle for the development of the project is the BRICS Plus group of states, which is expected to claim its emancipation from the economic and military dominance of the West. BRICS Plus includes the original BRICS member countries Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, as well as other states that are already members or in the process of joining. By implementing the plan, Russia seeks to create a multipolar world where a balanced distribution of power and the promotion of mutual Also, Russia will seek to strengthen its cooperation with the countries of Eurasia, with the aim of creating an economic zone from Berlin to Vladivostok, which will include all countries located on the Asian continent and have an efficient energy system , transportation and communication. Russia will also continue to strengthen its strategic relations with China, India and Iran. This strategic choice is based on Russia’s…

Fears of riots and riots gripped Manhattan as protesters gathered outside the courthouse chanting in support of the former US president. In his first public appearance on Truth Social shortly before the court ruling, the former US president commented that the district where the trial is being held is the district where 1% of Republicans voted. Referring to the Judiciary, he spoke of it being “very partisan” and of people who “hate Trump”. Hours before he was due to appear in a Manhattan court, the former president suggested that the trial be moved to another location. In his post on Truth Social, Trump specifically suggested moving the case to nearby Staten Island, a “very fair and safe location” that is friendlier to the Republican Party. He also launched a scathing attack on the “judge and his family” who “hate Trump”, commenting that his daughter worked on the campaign of current Vice President Kamala Harris. “A mock trial,” the post concludes. A handful of Trump supporters and critics had gathered outside the Manhattan courthouse, awaiting his arraignment amid tight security. In a video posted on Twitter by a BuzzFeed reporter, two Trump supporters – one of them wrapped in an American…

Maldives is scheduled to hold parliamentary and presidential elections in September 2023. In the previous parliamentary election held in 2019, the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) won a historic 65 out of 87 seats, with the remaining seats held by other parties and independents. The main electoral issues in the country include development, corruption, the environment, and violent extremism, but political discourse is largely dominated by anti-India and anti-China campaigns. The ruling MDP is facing a growing rift between former President Mohamed Nasheed and incumbent President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. Nasheed announced his candidacy for the MDP’s presidential primary, accusing Solih of rigging votes and bribery. Solih won the primary and urged for unity within the party, but the split could lead to a divided vote in the upcoming elections. Meanwhile, former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Qayyoom, the opposition coalition’s candidate, was sentenced to 11 years in prison on charges of money laundering and bribery, barring him from running for president. India and China’s activities in the country have further exacerbated political divisions and polarization. The opposition has urged the government to reconsider its close ties with India, while Nasheed criticized China’s Belt and Road Initiative, saying that Beijing intentionally inflated the…

Issued on: 24/03/2023 - 18:51 Talking Europe speaks to the European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, Nicolas Schmit. With anger growing in France about the government's push to increase the retirement age from 62 to 64, and the EU facin..

The action was co-financed by the European Union in the frame of the European Parliament's grant programme in the field of communication. The European Parliament was not involved in its preparation and is, in no case, responsible for or bound by..

China’s reaction to the recent announcement of Australia’s acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines through AUKUS was highly critical. China accused the three AUKUS members of “completely disregarding the concerns of the international communities and are walking further and further down the path of error and danger.” Not surprisingly, China’s view of the recently announced expansion of military ties between the United States and the Philippines was also overwhelmingly negative. The news of the largest-ever joint army exercises between the U.S. and the Philippines was labeled by China as “part of U.S. efforts to encircle and contain China through its military alliance.” In recent years, there has been a noticeable increase in the formation of multilateral groupings and informal minilaterals in the Indo-Pacific. States with existing defense-strategic partnerships are increasing cooperation and strengthening these relations. Several scholars and observers have argued that one common factor behind these developments is the rise of China and its implications for the regional architecture in the Indo-Pacific. Yet China’s reaction to these developments is almost invariably hostile, as the statements in relation to AUKUS and Philippine-U.S. ties demonstrate. China’s wolf warrior diplomacy is well documented. Claims that the U.S. is interfering in China’s sphere of influence…