Maros Sefcovic on two/three day trip to Washington. Met Howard Lutnick last night and will meet Grierson and Bessent Friday. On agenda - desire to stick with current tariff deal; threat of backdoor tariffs through section 301 and continuing 232 steel derivative tariffs (reformed but not gone)
Trump’s ‘one-man WhatsApp group’ diplomacy derailing Iran peace talks
This appeared in the Guardian yesterday but the headline in Irish Times compelling enuf for 2nd look 😉
www.irishtimes.com/world/2026/0...
Scott Bessent rejects argument that US has boosted Russian and Iranian coffers
Sen. Chris Coons expressed concern that Iran has gained $14bn since war began while Russia handed and extra $150m a day.
Bessent: $14bn fig was a "myth" Argued the relaxation of sanctions prevented a global price surge
NEW: ECJ rules against Victor Orban's laws restricting rights of LGBTQi persons.
- the laws wrongly "stigmatise"
- also against the EU "prohibition on discrimination based on sex or sexual orientation"
- laws wrongly put them "as a threat to society"
-are discriminatory
NEW: Hungary has breached EU law by "adopting a law which stigmatises and marginalises LGBTI+ persons"
European Court of Justice.
Second ECJ ruling against Orbán in a week
Sounded very much the lawyer to me, putting this facts before the court
Iran war petrol prices accelerate EV sales - up 51% in March across Europe.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Following publication of this story in the Guardian and contact by the German embassy in London, the Home Office has corrected a simple error that its "resolution centre" originally said could take up to three weeks to do, leaving this German mother separated from her two year old back in Edinburgh.
As Pippa said on Radio 4 a little while ago, Olly Robbins appearance at the powerful foreign affairs select committee could be a perilous moment for Starmer and turn into a de facto judgment day.
Garda auctions €1.4m gold bullion seized from Kazakhstani drug gang in Dublin
www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/20...
I must listen to that track… he’s missus also ran fabulous restaurant in Crouch End -
More than 50% British voters support rejoining EU - rising to more than 80% of Labour, LibDem and Green supporters.
Research says Labour’s current half way house is politically risky. Anti labour sentiment in Reform growing but among those who voted for Brexit
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
I did this podcast this week.
Why labour’s laundry list of small things to reset relationship with the EU could risk the liberal left voter support
www.theguardian.com/news/audio/2...
German woman living in UK with settled status prevented from returning to Edinburgh from
Düsseldorf after Home Office error . The3million says UK decision to issue digital only status after Brexit is to blame
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Jacob Alon - heard them two years ago on Cerys Mathews - sensational performance in Dublin tonight.
Trump says he is opening the Strait of Hormuz for China…. And Xi will hug him
Is it because China accusing the US of “dangerous and irresponsible” behaviour re the strait of Hormuz, and has vowed to retaliate against the threat of US tariffs.
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a...
I've reported on several people stranded abroad because the Home Office did not communicate effectively a border change rule in February. Bar one case, there is universal fear, of border officials/home office even for British citizens.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...
Eurofer, european steel association, says radical new measures to double tariff and half import quotas will help pull the industry “back from the brink”. Quotas will apply to non Eu or EEA countries from China to UK where unions have previously decried measure
www.theguardian.com/business/liv...
Eu has formally agreed steel
Safeguard measures proposed by Commission in Oct after in late night talks. Doubles tariffs and reduces quotas but no decision on country allocations. So UK has to wait for news on quota. Uk has adopted similar position so deal expected
ec.europa.eu/commission/p...
Record turnout shows the democratic spirit of the Hungarian people. They have spoken—and their will is clear.
I look forward to working closely with Péter Magyar to make Europe stronger and more prosperous.
A sobering and detailed read. Inside the situation room: Netanyahu and Mossad briefing on 11 Feb to the green light to a war that has not gone as planned
www.nytimes.com/2026/04/07/u...
And just to note, that outside cities there is no alternative to oil. One TD at beginning of crisis, spoke, as temperatures remained around 3 to 10 degrees, of potential help for rural communities when it comes to winter, as if spring in Ireland was toasty....
No let up for rural communities in Ireland who rely on oil for heating and hot water.
28 Februaray 300 litres of oil cost €326. At height it went up to around €584. Today it is €573.98.
Always a puzzling divide between Dublin politics and country in Ireland.
Most focus has been on petrol pumps.
Bono-style, Vance also made phone call to Trump on stage - initially it went to voice mail.
Trump says Orbán is “a fantastic man,” who “did not allow people to storm your country and invade your country like the people have and ruined other countries.”
www.theguardian.com/world/live/2...
Do read @jakubkrupa.bsky.social updates and analysis of Vance's speech, which seems to be taken from the Trump post election playbook but with a nationalist Christian misting.
Chief among the culprits for Europe's said woes are radical left and "feminists".
www.theguardian.com/world/live/2...
Vance" "my president has done more to help Europe out" with energy like LNG so that when there is a conflict Europe can rely on US.
Note: the EU agreed to uy $750bn of energy from the US over three years as part of the trade/tariff deal last summer
Vance does not mention that Hungary relies on Russia, which trump had sanctioned, for energy.
Recent report show its use of 93% of Hungary's oil imports came from Russia in 2025, up from 61% before Ukraine war
Nor does he mention renewables
www.dw.com/en/report-hu...
Vance says there are "plenty of people" in Europe that do not understand what it is that UKraine needs to achieve piece. Viktor Orban has been the best at this. "We need people in Europe who understand the stakes and how to get this [peace] done'.
"you do it thru suustained diplomacy" Vances says
