Watched a popular Italian TV show where a well-known commentator insisted Russia would never invade Europe and argued against defense spending. This view is widespread in Italy. If you don’t think the Baltics, Poland, the Balkans, and East Germany are Europe, you’re delusional.
He was accused of helping orchestrate the Iranian drone strike in Jordan that killed three U.S. soldiers. Days after her visit, both Sala and Abedini were released. What Italy promised in return remains unclear—but we may soon find out.
She asked Trump for a favor that may now put her in a difficult position: the release of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala in exchange for Mohammad Abedini Najafabadi, an Iranian national detained by Italy at the request of the U.S.
In January, shortly after Trump’s victory but before his swearing-in, Meloni made a dramatic and unexpected move: she flew to Mar-a-Lago to consult with the former president. The decision defied internal institutional procedures, as she didn’t even notify her inner circle of advisers.
What comes next may shape both her standing at home—where she’s obsessed with maintaining support, now well over 30% (a massive margin for a parliamentary system)—and her geopolitical alignment. Will she lean toward the 🇬🇧🇫🇷🇩🇪 axis or double down on her ties to Trump?
Most EU countries have expressed solidarity with Ukraine by now, but one remains conspicuously silent: PM Meloni’s Italy. She is in a weak position, caught between her strong support for Ukraine and her efforts to stay in Trump’s good graces.
Would be nice if @POTUS occasionally held Netanyahu and Al Sisi to the same standards as Zelensky—especially given how much U.S. aid they've received over the past 70 years:
On the other hand, this could be a good wake-up call for the IMF to reevaluate its austerity measures for less advanced economies, given the ripple effects this move will have on the region (increased migration to Europe, escalating tensions with Libya, etc).
Important news on the Tunisia front: it cut all ties with the IMF after 3 years of stalled talks, citing threats to its economic sovereignty. Hard to see how Tunisia will be able to finance its debt and recover economically w/out IMF support.
shorturl.at/cqUdn
The decision by the UN HR Council over Tunisia's ongoing crackdown on political opponents should come as no surprise. Forty people will face trial in less than two weeks, many of whom have been detained arbitrarily without proper trial.
I spoke to i24 news about Tunisia's ongoing crackdown on opposition figures and political opponents and why the UN Human Rights Council's condemnation shouldn't come as a surprise.
The UAE, on its part, continues to channel capital into these sectors in an apparent attempt to diversify its economy away from oil and reinforce its global economic stature.
This is a big win for PM Meloni, who, since taking office in 2022, has worked to deepen ties with the UAE and shift Italy’s priorities toward long‑term economic and geopolitical gains—a clear departure from Draghi’s focus on human rights.
Italy and the UAE just signed a "historic" agreement worth $40 bill. to expand their "strategic axes" in areas "such as artificial intelligence, data centers, space research, renewable energy, and rare earth."
Saudi Arabia is slated to disburse an additional $10bill. to Italy.
The state must be large in territory and self-sufficient in economics, with a balance between industry and agriculture (..)” - Timothy Snyder
“How could a large land empire thrive and dominate in the modern world without reliable access to world markets and without much recourse to naval power? Stalin and Hitler had arrived at the same basic answer to this fundamental question.
Couldn’t think of a better time to be reading this
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■ Red Cross vehicles arrive in central Gaza for expected release of hostages Omer Shem Tov, Omer Wenkert and Eliya Cohen
■ Hostage Hisham al- Sayed is expected to be released in Gaza City
(Credit: Al Jazeera)
www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...
If true, this could pose a serious dent in the Egyptian-Turkey rapprochement. Regardless, all the more reason for the US to ramp up its presence in Syria
Few pay attention to North Africa, yet Western Sahara remains locked in a decades-long fight over sovereignty. As the region stagnates, some have faith that "King" Trump will broker a deal here, too. But at whose expense is the big question?
carnegieendowment.org/research/202...
