spending

Germany will try tempt Trump into WHO U-turn

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U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order to withdraw from the World Health Organization.

Ukraine war briefing: โ€˜Conflict will not end tomorrow or day after,โ€™ says Macron as Trump takes office

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French president tells Europe to โ€˜wake upโ€™ and spend more on defence; captured North Korean soldier says many casualties. What we know on day 1,063 The French president, Emmanuel Macron, warned that Russiaโ€™s war against Ukraine would not end โ€œtomorrow …

Global leaders join the show as Trump promises US domination

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Historians say this is the first time foreign heads of state or government attended a US presidential swearing-in ceremony.

As Trump arrives, Macron hints NATO spending target is too low

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The French president warned Europe should prepare for a U.S. withdrawal from Europe.

Norway cool on Trumpโ€™s demand for a massive defense spending increase

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The country aims to raise its military budget to 3 percent of GDP by the end of the decade, well short of Trump’s call for 5 percent.

What Trumpโ€™s exit from the climate deal really means

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Quitting the Paris Agreement triggers a cascade of real-world impacts and signals the beginning of an aggressive agenda to undo U.S. climate policy.

Italian journalist Cecilia Sala reveals horror of captivity in Iranian jail

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“I was being interrogated for 10 hours straight, hooded and with my face to the wall,โ€ says now-freed reporter.

EU industry chief warns Trump: Trade war wonโ€™t let us hit defense spending target

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Stรฉphane Sรฉjournรฉ said Europe needs to invest more in defense but that it would be impossible to do so amid a trade war.

Austriaโ€™s central bank chief: Donโ€™t fear the far right

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ECB rate-setter also warns that inflation risks are on the rise and that a January rate cut is not a done deal.

Leaked memo reveals alarming German warnings over Trump

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Trump’s second term will bring a โ€œmaximum concentration of power with the president,โ€ Germany’s ambassador to the U.S. warns in confidential document obtained by Reuters.

Franceโ€™s Bayrou gets spending plan approved by EU

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Endorsement in Brussels is major boost to new prime minister after 2025 budget toppled his predecessor.

Defiant Starmer declares he wants 10 years as UK PM

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After Elon Musk’s call for him to be ousted, Britainโ€™s prime minister reveals his thinking on the next election date and vows to complete a full second term in No. 10.

Germanyโ€™s Baerbock hammers own government for faltering on Ukraine aid

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“Germany as a whole isnโ€™t currently seen as a driving force for peace policy in Europe, and honestly that pains me,” Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock told POLITICO.

Germanyโ€™s Scholz ignites fierce debate by making Ukraine aid contingent on borrowing

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Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s latest demand is likely to stall a โ‚ฌ3 billion aid package to the war-ravaged country as Russian forces continue their advance.

French PM Bayrou thrown surprise lifeline by Socialists

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The center-left party’s decision augurs well for Bayrou, but looming budget talks could prove tricky.

Crisis? What crisis?ย Fico ally brushes off threat to bring down Slovak government

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The opposition in Bratislava is angling to topple the prime minister’s Russia-friendly administration.

EU goes easy on Franceโ€™s Bayrou as he tries to plug โ‚ฌ53B black hole

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The fledgling Paris government is “trying their best” to get a budget through parliament after a previous version sunk its predecessor.

Germanyโ€™s Scholz under political pressure over โ‚ฌ3B Ukraine aid package

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Beleaguered chancellor says more aid to Ukraine could mean cuts to pensions and local government funding.

Spend more on arms to keep Trump sweet, say Poland and Ukraineโ€™s leaders

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Ukraine and Poland heal their own relationship in face of Russian aggression.

France eyes โ‚ฌ32B in spending cuts and โ‚ฌ21B in tax hikes

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Paris plans to cut the budget of all public agencies by 5 percent.

Knives are out for Britainโ€™s boxed-in finance minister

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If Rachel Reeves succumbs, “the wolves” are likely to turn on embattled PM Starmer.

Tuesday briefing: What Ukraine might gain from two North Korean captives

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In todayโ€™s newsletter: Kyivโ€™s interrogation footage of captured North Korean soldiers leads to questions about what it might do with the soldiers โ€“ and what the PoWs might do for themGood morning. In a grinding war where significant changes at the fron…

Pay for weapons to keep your freedom, warn Europeโ€™s big five defense spenders

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Europeโ€™s five biggest defense spenders want to boost defense production and slash regulations.

Rethink welfare to finance military splurge, NATO boss tells European Parliament

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If spending doesn’t rise, then MEPs should “get out your Russian language courses or go to New Zealand.”

Less health, more defence spending, NATO chief says

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Reallocating money from welfare to security has already raised eyebrows from senior EU politicians.
The post Less health, more defence spending, NATO chief says appeared first on Euractiv.

Macronโ€™s conservative allies warn against diluting pension reforms in 11th hour talks

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The French government has shown openness to revisiting the 2023 law changing the retirement age in exchange for tacit support from the center-left.

French minister sees Germanyโ€™s likely next chancellor as positive for EU

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Christian Democrat Friedrich Merz hopes to revive talks on a broad trade deal with the U.S.

Forget Elon Musk โ€” hereโ€™s whatโ€™s really terrifying the UK government

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A return to austerity was not in Keir Starmer’s plans โ€” and it risks shredding Labour’s credibility while populists snap at its heels.

4 things to watch for as French PM Bayrou faces first big test in parliament

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Bayrou will lay out how he plans to navigate the same fragmented legislature which brought down his predecessor.

Trumpโ€™s โ€˜51st stateโ€™ comments a distraction from tariffs, Canadaโ€™s retaliation plans, Trudeau says

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says heโ€™s ready to respond with tariffs on US products.

Poland backs Trump push for NATO to boost defense spending to 5 percent of GDP

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It “will take another decade” to reach Trumpโ€™s proposed goal, Polandโ€™s defense minister tells the FT.

Germany reportedly boosting domestic defense with new division

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The reorganization will take effect on April 1 and will bring the number of German army divisions to four, according to the reports.

โ€˜Reengagement with Chinaโ€™ to boost British economy by up to ยฃ1B, Reeves says in Beijing

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British chancellor touts ยฃ600M in deals as she defends move to improve relations with China.

Olaf Scholz blocked โ‚ฌ3B Ukraine aid proposal, German report says

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German chancellor grapples with Ukraine issue as election campaign heats up.

Trumpโ€™s invasion of Greenland would be โ€˜the shortest war in the worldโ€™

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The main protector of Greenland against an attack is … the United States.

Wales trails behind most European countries in arts and sports funding, report finds

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Cross-party Senedd report finds Wales is third from bottom in spending on culture and sports, with Iceland biggest spenderIt is known as the land of song and as one of the worldโ€™s most passionate sporting nations.But a report has concluded that despite…

French defense minister calls for scrapping EU arms cash fund if it canโ€™t be fixed

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Sรฉbastien Lecornu warned that if the program opens the door to non-EU arms producers, “it’s better to do nothing.”

11 deadly trip wires for Keir Starmer as UK politics roars back

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MPs are returning to parliament afresh in 2025. But numerous dangers lurk for the British government.

Franceโ€™s Sarkozy to face trial over accusations that Gaddafi funded his first presidential run

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The former French president faces up to 10 years in prison if found guilty.

What California can learn from the place that invented the initiative

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Our California ballot-measure reporter heads to Switzerland on the 150th anniversary of its first federal referendum to see what a state mad about direct democracy can take away from the country that devised i

Greenlandโ€™s leader wants independence from Denmark as Trump hovers over Arctic island

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โ€œIt is now time to take the next step for our country,โ€ Greenlandic Prime Minister Mรบte Egede says in hinting at 2025 referendum.

Musk likely to host German far-right leader for online chat on X

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Musk, the world’s richest man, has become vocal in his support for far right and anti-establishment parties in Europe since spending a quarter of a billion dollars to help secure Donald Trump’s return to the White House.
The post Musk likely to host Ge…

The finance policy battles shaping 2025

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Expect a rerun of the same old fights โ€” from green rules to defense spending.

French government to copy-paste budget that led to predecessorโ€™s downfall

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But finance ministry officials insist it’s just a time-saving move, not an endorsement of Michel Barnier’s plans.

Trump spurs red tape bonfire for EU finance rules. Just donโ€™t call it deregulation.

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The vogue term is “competitiveness.”

The biggest battles headed for Brussels

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What the EU will be squabbling about in VDLโ€™s second term.

Romaniaโ€™s new government hikes taxes, caps public sector wages and pensions

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The prospect of presidential and parliamentary elections in Romania in November and December had triggered a spending surge that was expected to push the 2024 budget deficit to 8.6% of GDP.
The post Romania’s new government hikes taxes, caps publ…

37 words that sum up a wild 2024 in British politics

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From Elon to sausages, it’s been … a lot.

Jimmy Carter: The last progressive evangelical

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The former president embodied a strain of Christianity that emphasized caring for those on the margins โ€” but was eclipsed by the Religious Right.

Meloniโ€™s 2025 budget appeases Brussels but raises specter of austerityย 

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Critics complained that the spending plan prioritizes political concerns over desperately sought funds for strained public services.

German president fires starting gun for Feb. 23 election

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Dissolving of parliament sets the stage for what could be Germanyโ€™s sharpest swerve to the right in decades.

Trump wants Greenland (and its 55,000 EU citizens). EU says โ€˜no commentโ€™.

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Greenland says island’s fate must lie with Greenlanders, but EU declines to “comment on comments.”

Estoniaโ€™s city at the โ€˜end of the free worldโ€™ stares across a frozen border at Russia

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Estonia’s third-largest city is struggling to face off threats from Russia.

Thereโ€™s nothing very new about the new French government

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The prime minister has failed his first big test. Despite another bunch of ministers, he hasnโ€™t built a broader political base.

In Arizona speech, Trump jokes Musk is โ€˜not going to be presidentโ€™

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โ€œAll the different hoaxes, and the new one is, โ€˜President Trump has ceded the presidency to Elon Musk,โ€™โ€ Trump said.

Post-Brexit Britain has a new best friend: Brazil

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The love-in between Keir Starmer and Lula centers on climate and trade. Just don’t mention Ukraine.

EU leaders committed to increasing NATO defense spending, Greek PM says

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A new spending target “will become clear” next year after talks among NATO allies, Greek leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis said.

โ€˜The most powerful weapon in the world is a camera,โ€™ says anti-whaling activist Paul Watson

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Anti-whaling activist Paul Watson arrived in France on Friday after spending five months in detention in Greenland based on an extradition request filed by Japan. He spoke to FRANCE 24 about his time in detention and his plans for the future.ย 

โ€˜The most powerful weapon in the world is a cameraโ€™, anti-whaling activist Paul Watson says

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Anti-whaling activist Paul Watson arrived in France on Friday after spending five months in detention in Greenland based on an extradition request filed by Japan. He spoke to FRANCE 24 about his time in detention and his plans for the future.ย 

German troops must be โ€˜fitโ€™ for war if Putin attacks, Defense Minister Pistorius says

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Pistorius wants a reform of Germany’s debt brake to allow for more military spending.

Trump reportedly wants NATO members to boost defense spending to 5 percent of GDP

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Trump’s request would involve more than doubling NATO’s current spending target.

Russiaโ€™s central bank stops raising interest rates as political opposition mounts

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The central bank’s governor is going to rely on more subtle tools to stop runaway inflation next year.

Bulgarian healthcare system inaccessible for vulnerable people, says new report

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Bulgaria has the highest level of catastrophic health expenditures in the EU, a hurricane of limited financial protection and excessively high household spending on health.
The post Bulgarian healthcare system inaccessible for vulnerable people, says n…

Starmerโ€™s bungled reset is fitting way to end 2024

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Five months after winning a landslide victory in the U.K. general election, the PM is struggling to find his voice.

Europeโ€™s economic apocalypse

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Stagnation, flagging competitiveness, Donald Trump โ€” the continent is facing “an existential challenge.”

Pentagon report: China boosts nuclear stockpile

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Beijing has added at least 100 nuclear warheads to its arsenal this year, according to the Pentagonโ€™s annual report on Chinaโ€™s military might.

EU to Germany: Your lack of investment isnโ€™t our fault

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European economy chief says Berlin’s debt rules constrain spending more than the EU’s own restrictions.

How you gonna fix Germany?

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Ahead of the Feb. 23 election, German parties have wildly different plans to repair the country’s sputtering economy.

EUโ€™s moment of truth on Ukraine is fast approaching

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The blocโ€™s biggest concern is that negotiations over Ukraineโ€™s future might turn into a โ€œmini Munich,โ€ inviting further Russian aggression.

FIFA chief Infantino warned by EU lawmakers over Saudi Arabia World Cup

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Members of the European Parliament say they have “grave concerns” about the 2034 tournament.

Britainโ€™s Baltic defense club falls flat on military spending pledge

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U.K. leader Keir Starmer says talking about extra defense spending is tough at the moment.

How Trump divided Trudeau and Freeland

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As she quit Cabinet, the finance minister sounded the alarm about Canadaโ€™s preparedness for Trump 2.0.

New PM faces three steep hurdles to deliver a budget and stabilize France

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Will Franรงois Bayrou’s government collapse over a budget vote, just as his predecessor’s did?

Meloni to EU: We must be friends with Trump

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The Italian leader is a potential bridge between Europe and the incoming right-wing U.S. administration.

Starmer wants to โ€˜double downโ€™ on Russia sanctions โ€” but wonโ€™t spell out defense hike

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“We have to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position whether or not there are negotiations,” says UK prime minister.

Germanyโ€™s Scholz loses historic confidence vote

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Lawmakers paved the way for an early election on Feb. 23 by withdrawing their confidence in the center-left chancellor.

Germany: parliament to declare no confidence in chancellor Olaf Scholz โ€“ live

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Chancellor triggered path to elections, due to take place on 23 February, by firing finance minister Christian Lindner last monthScholz, who has campaigned on a pledge of being a โ€œpeace chancellorโ€ against frontrunner Merzโ€™s more hawkish approach to Ru…

Eurozone faces no 2010 wildfire, but a slow-burn decline

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The firefighters who put out the blaze a decade ago argue that fears of a eurozone implosion are overblown โ€” but admit that that may not stop a slow and painful European economic demise.

How Trump is already driving Congressโ€™ China legislation

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As negotiations intensified in recent weeks on a bill to restrict U.S. investment in China, recent versions have shown deference to the incoming administration.

Europe must adopt โ€˜wartime mindsetโ€™ to stop Putin, says Nato chief

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Russian president wants to โ€˜wipe Ukraine off the mapโ€™ and could target other European countries next, says Mark RutteThe Nato secretary general, Mark Rutte, has said that Vladimir Putin wants to โ€œwipe Ukraine off the mapโ€ and could come after other par…

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