A German led group has so far blocked movement on this issue.

The EU has to find a way to change the unanimity rule for defence, security, foreign policy, & accession voting. Otherwise, it will be paralyzed in the never-ending Kremlin veto.

Preliminary results of Bulgaria's elections show a landslide victory of the pro-russia #Radev's Progressive Bulgaria

India Trade

In April India is kicking off a busy round of trade negotiations with the US and South Korea.
Plus, India is expected to sign a free trade agreement with New Zealand on April 27.

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Source:
www.newsbytesapp.com/news/busines...

Pentagon says Ukraine support can’t rely on American contributions At Ukraine’s latest support meeting, Elbridge Colby pushed Europe to shoulder more of Ukraine aid as allies unveiled new pledges.

A nice summary here of what the much cited "security dimension" of the 🇪🇺🇺🇸 Turnberry trade deal effectively amounts to.

www.politico.eu/article/pent...

🇺🇦 We need to create our own anti-ballistic system within a year so as not to depend on the Patriot. It is difficult, but possible, - Zelensky.

Spain pushes to end EU-Israel association agreement Madrid will propose the measure at a meeting of EU foreign ministers on Tuesday, said Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.

The European voice of reason nowadays speaks Spanish.

www.politico.eu/article/spai...

For a country that "has no cards" and is "going to lose anyway", Ukraine's ambassador to the USA is hardly managing Donald's delicate ego here.

"Cracks are appearing in the Council, meanwhile, with France aligning more closely with the European Parliament. Germany, meanwhile, opposes both the sunrise and sunset clauses called for by MEPs."

At least 22 killed, 131 injured in Russian strikes across Ukraine over past day A mass Russian missile and drone attack early on April 16 struck major Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, Odesa, and Dnipro.

⚡️At least 22 killed, 131 injured in Russian strikes across Ukraine over past day

Russian forces launched 18 ballistic missiles, 20 Kh-101 cruise missiles, five Iskander-K cruise missiles, and 659 drones against Ukraine overnight.

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Chart: Rooftop Solar Surges in Trump's State Under Republican Law Applications for permission to build home solar in Florida Three separate lines, one for each year of 2024, 2025 and 2026. The 2024 line tops out at about 200 megawatts through the first 13 weeks of the year. the 2025 line tops out at about 100 in the same time period. The 2026 line is already pushing 500 mW. Source: Bloomberg NEF

This must be an accident: Rooftop solar is straight up booming in Florida after a GOP bill removed hurdles to installations, per BNEF. The state's on track to install 700 mw of panels, about 2x last year.

Trump's self-made energy emergency means he'll be surrounded by solar panels

Some heroes don’t wear capes.

This is big.

“The provisional deal introduces lower import quotas by limiting tariff-free import volumes to 18.3 million tonnes a year: a 47% reduction compared with 2024 steel quotas. It would also apply a 50% customs to imports above the quota and to steel goods not covered by it.”

Kick-Off Trilogue @inta.europarl.europa.eu on implementation of EU-US Deal with @cy2026eu.bsky.social
@marossefcovic.bsky.social. My message: EP wants to adress shortcomings with multi-layered safety net, clear conditions, enforcement tools&possibility to suspend the deal if US fails to comply!

Spain's Sanchez calls China trade imbalance with EU 'unsustainable' Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called China's trade imbalance with the European Union "unsustainable" on Monday, as he began a three-day visit to Beijing where he hopes to strengthen economic ties.

First updates from Sanchez's trip to China are trickling in - from a speech at Tsinghua Uni today

AFP: "We need China... to open up so that Europe does not have to close itself off"

Said the EU trade deficit with China is "unsustainable"

You misspelled Israel.

Hungary, List vote, 95.2% counted:

Seat projection national parliament

TISZA-EPP: 138
Fidesz/KDNP-PfE: 55 (+1)
MH-ESN: 6 (-1)

+/- vs. 90.9% counted

➤ europeelects.eu/hungary

Regret to inform everyone that Peter Magyar beat the world’s smartest illiberal populist in large measure by working incredibly hard for 2 straight years, meaning the rest of us are just going to have to get off our asses and do shit rather than just complaining.

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That's three birds with one stone, as they say. 🇷🇺🇨🇳🇺🇸

🇪🇺🇭🇺

Källor: Wallenberg tar över Stegra Familjen Wallenberg blir ny största ägare i stålbolaget Stegra.Det uppger flera källor för Di som förklarar att bara formalia återstår innan finansieringen är…

Seems like Swedish green steel company #Stegra will survive. www.di.se/nyheter/kall...

Stegra Secures Crucial Funding as Wallenbergs Step Up, DI Says Ailing Swedish startup Stegra AB has secured funding commitments from the influential Wallenberg family in a rescue package that will help the company complete the world’s biggest green-steel plant an...

Europe’s first commercial green steel producer set to survive due to Wallenberg capital infusion. 🥳

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Thoughts and prayers for the news anchors who have to report this with a straight face.

France doubles electrification aid to cut fossil fuel dependency France will double state support to 10 billion euros ($12 billion) a year through to 2030 to help its switch to electricity from oil and gas and their derivative ​fuels, its Prime Minister Sebastien L...

"France will double state support to 10 billion euros ($12 billion) a year through to 2030 to help its switch to electricity from oil and gas and their derivative ​fuels [...] Measures including boosting the use of ​electric vehicles and modernising home heating..."

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez speaks at the European Pulse Forum 2026, in Spain. (Photo By David Zorrakino/Europa Press via Getty Images)

Spain PM Pedro Sánchez: "We cannot depend on the electoral cycles of the U.S. to know whether we will be protected or not — that is why the creation of a common European army must become a reality. Not in 10 years, not in 2 years, but tomorrow”

None of which could possibly outweigh the suffering inflicted through the butchering of civilians in Lebanon and elsewhere in the region. So there’s that.

Asked myself the same question, with a focus on Europe: if there was any benefit to Europe, it is Iran’s diminished Shaheed drone production capacity and Ukraine’s stronger standing in the region due to its assistance with air defence, in addition to a weakened rogue US admin at home and abroad.

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