Russia’s Nuclear Leverage: Power, Partnerships, Influence

In the wake of Russia's war in Ukraine, the West has moved to cut off Moscow's oil and gas revenues — from US President Donald Trump hitting India with tariffs for buying Russian oil to the European Union vowing to phase out Russian gas imports "once and for all" by November 2027. But one Russian

Passenger Attacks ICE Conductor on Train to Berlin

Skip next section Interior Minister Dobrindt says waiting on final AfD verdict February 26, 2026 Interior Minister Dobrindt says waiting on final AfD verdict Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said that the federal government had taken note of Thursday's initial ruling on the AfD.  "Now it's time to wait for the main hearing," Dobrindt, a member

France pushes back on US courting of Europe’s far right

US President Donald Trump and his allies have long expressed their support for the right and far right of the European political spectrum. This was made official in the United States National Security Strategy (NSS) published in December 2025. The document suggests that there is a real risk of Europe facing "civilizational erasure" because of

Orban Accuses Ukraine of Plot to Disrupt Hungary’s Energy

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Wednesday poured oil on the fire in a dispute with neighboring Ukraine by ordering tighter security at critical energy infrastructure sites, while accusing Kyiv of seeking to disrupt the Hungarian energy system. His actions come as Hungary and Slovakia — both of which have maintained ties with Moscow despite its

Nickolay Mladenov: Bulgaria’s Appointee to Lead Gaza Peace Effort

Throughout his career, Nickolay Mladenov has often found himself in the eye of the storm. A former Bulgarian foreign minister and United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process from 2015 to 2020, the Bulgarian diplomat earned the trust of both Israeli and Palestinian leaders by acting as an honest broker who was

Pentagon Presses Anthropic for Full AI Access

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's threat to cut AI group Anthropic from government supply chains, or possibly compel it to prioritize government orders, raises several serious questions. It's the latest example of Washington's strong-arm tactics in the corporate sector, while it also shows how control over AI models is becoming a new battleground. According to

Merz’s China Visit: Cooperation, Commerce and Strategic Friction

Skip next section Closing summary: Takeaways from Merz's trip to China February 26, 2026 Closing summary: Takeaways from Merz's trip to China Friedrich Merz tours Siemens Energy facility (German manufacturer that works on energy technology) in HangzhouImage: Michael Kappeler/dpa/picture alliance German Chancellor Friedrich Merz Thursday completed his inaugural trip to China with a host of business

Plug‑In Solar: The DIY Trend Reaching US Homes

DIY solar systems have boomed in Germany and across Europe in recent years, with solar panels showing up on balconies and in backyards.  Now, with energy costs rising and the price of wind and solar power plummeting worldwide, Americans are also looking to generate their own electricity and save money —  despite Donald Trump's anti-renewables

New head of German Catholics vows reform

The new chairman of the Catholic German Bishops Conference, Heiner Wilmer, is four days older than his predecessor, Georg Bätzing: almost 65 years old. This is not what one would call a generational handover. But Bishop Wilmer of Hildesheim, a town in northern Germany known for its historic churches, is different from most of the 55 German

Can Responsible Travel Thrive Amid Mass Tourism?

Travel can sometimes place us in a moral dilemma. A sense of unease may arise from everyday realities — the carbon emissions caused by flying, for example, or the broader consequences of modern mass tourism. Is this simply something to accept? Should we simply stop traveling or are there better ways to do it? For Wolfgang
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