Author: Trevor Arthur Martinez

Did NATO enlargement trigger Russia’s invasion of Ukraine? This has long been the official Kremlin narrative, with Moscow portraying the decision as a direct response to decades of NATO expansion into Central and Eastern Europe. Since the invasion, many outside Russia have also pointed the finger at NATO, with U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump and Reform UK party leader Nigel Farage recently becoming the latest high-profile personalities to echo these claims. It’s easy to understand why significant numbers of Western politicians, academics and commentators find Russia’s NATO narrative so persuasive. After all, NATO’s growth following the collapse of the Soviet…

Tesla boss Elon Musk says he opposes US tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs), just days after President Joe Biden quadrupled levies on EVs imported from China. “Neither Tesla nor I asked for these tariffs”, the multi-billionaire told a technology conference in Paris via video link. Mr Musk’s comments are at odds with a warning he made in January that Chinese car makers would “demolish” competitors from other countries if there were no trade barriers. Last week, the White House said new measures, including a 100% tariff on EVs from China, were a response to unfair policies and intended to protect…

China has started two days of military exercises around Taiwan, with its military calling them “strong punishment” for the self-ruled island’s “separatist acts”. The drills come three days after the inauguration of President William Lai, who called on China to stop threatening the island and accept the existence of its democracy. China sees Taiwan as a breakaway province that will eventually be under Beijing’s control, but the island sees itself as distinct. Taiwan’s defence ministry condemned the Chinese drills as “irrational provocations”. Taipei dispatched naval, air, and ground forces to “defend the [island’s] sovereignty”, its defence ministry said. Thursday’s drills…

Shares in Donald Trump’s media company soared as the firm made its formal debut on the stock market. Shares surged past $70 in early trade, giving the firm a market value of more than $9bn. They ended the day at about $58, still up more than 16%. The long-awaited moment will inject more than $200m into Trump Media & Technology Group and hands the former president a stake worth more than $4bn. Analysts say that is far more than the firm’s performance warrants. Trump Media’s Truth Social, a Twitter-like service, brought in just $3.3m in revenue in the first nine…

The Czechs have never forgotten that allies handed over their Sudetenland Province to Hitler in 1938 after the German dictator promised it would be “last territorial demand I have to make in Europe.” The Czechs have never forgotten that allies handed over their Sudetenland Province to Hitler in 1938 after the German dictator promised it would be “the last territorial demand I have to make in Europe.” Months later, Nazis occupied their country and waged war in Europe and around the world for seven more years, killing tens of millions. To many today, Ukraine is the next Sudetenland as it…

His Highness Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, has met with President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedow at the Cabinet’s headquarters in Ashgabat. Sheikh Mansour conveyed to the Turkmen President the greetings of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and his sincere wishes for Turkmenistan, its leadership, government and people, for further progress and prosperity in light of the keenness of His Highness to develop bilateral relations between the two friendly countries and to boost them to broader horizons that contribute to achieving development, prosperity and progress for their…

Berlin (06/12 – 67.67) Asliddin Sherzamonov, an activist from Tajikistan, strongly believes that the United Nations (UN) should assess the actions of the Central Asian country’s security forces during the events of 2021 and 2022 in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO). Speaking at the UN session on minorities held in Geneva on December 1, Asliddin said that an independent international commission should be established to evaluate the activities of Tajikistan’s security forces. In the operations carried out by security forces in 2021 in Roshtkala and Khorog, three people died. In another operations in the spring of 2022 by the security…

Tens of thousands of people honored members of the armed forces that have been laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery with Wreaths Across America on Saturday. This annual event would not have been started without a surplus of wreaths back in 1992. “We bought too many wreaths and it was at the end of the season and there was no market for them,” said Wreaths Across America founder Morrill Worcester. Worcester said he and his family tried to figure out “where they would do the most good, and we decided on Arlington National Cemetery.” Making this an annual event…

China and the United States have been urged to work together and lead the way on global ocean governance. An event held on the Chinese island of Hainan earlier this month heard that progress will not be possible without cooperation between the two superpowers, who were urged not to let regional maritime disputes overshadow efforts to address issues such as piracy, climate change and other environmental threats. China is embroiled in a number of territorial disputes with neighbouring countries, including the Philippines, and coastguard and other ships from the two countries have been involved in a series of confrontations recently. “Ocean governance … cannot…

Nyon, Manchester, Milan (19/12 – 31) The group phase of the 2023-2024 UEFA Champions League is to conclude this month. Names of the sixteen clubs who will compete in the knock-out phase have been released. On Monday, 18 December 2023, UEFA conducted the draw for the last-16 round, at their headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland. Defending champion Manchester City came out from the draw with the biggest smile as they will face off with the arguably easiest opponent. Pep Guardiola’s team will Danish champion Copenhagen, who were down at 37th in the UEFA club coefficient ranking. As the current title holder,…