Trump threatens to up sanctions as Iran reportedly tries to block U.K. tanker
U.S. President Donald Trump warned Tehran on Wednesday that sanctions would soon be "increased substantially," as armed Iranian boats reportedly attempted to block a British oil tanker in Persian Gulf waters. The British government said its navy intervened to stop Iran from preventing a commercial ...
Voters' confirmation of support for the European project echoes Tokyo's own sentiment.
Hungary will not soften laws to allow George Soros college to stay
Hungary will not relax rules for international universities despite pressure from the European Union and offers from Germany to mediate in a row over a college founded by U.S. billionaire George Soros, the government spokesman said on Wednesday. Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a nationalist ...
Google fined $1.7 billion for blocking rival online search advertisers, in third EU sanction
Google was fined €1.49 billion ($1.7 billion) on Wednesday for blocking rival online search advertisers, in the third large European Union antitrust penalty for the Alphabet business in two only years. The European Commission, which said the fine accounted for 1.29 percent of Google's turnover ...
Japan and France agree to hold new maritime dialogue by year-end
The foreign and defense ministers of Japan and France affirmed on Friday the launch of a new bilateral framework to discuss maritime security and environmental issues amid China's growing assertiveness, with the first meeting likely to be held by the end of the year. In ...
EU parliament approves Japan trade deal, dubbed world's largest
The agreement will go into effect in February, and has been celebrated as a victory for Europe as a free trade champion.
May takes a gamble that running down the Brexit clock will focus political minds
Faced with a Brexit vote she cannot win, Prime Minister Theresa May appears to be gambling that running down the clock to a no-deal departure might change the arithmetic in Parliament. Less than 24 hours after Environment Secretary Michael Gove insisted the vote on May's ...
Germany urges France to turn permanent U.N. Security Council seat into EU one
German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz on Wednesday proposed that France give up its permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council and turn it into an EU seat to allow the bloc to speak with one voice on the global stage. "I realize this will take ...
Europe finally pulls the trigger on a military force
After two years of US President Donald Trump treating European allies as if they were adversaries, France and Germany have finally committed to the creation of an EU-wide army under a central command.
EU trade commissioner expresses support for Japan's goal to reform WTO
European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmstrom says she will support Japan’s efforts to reform the World Trade Organization when the Group of 20 meets in Japan next June.
Fishing nations fail in bid to cut quotas for depleted bigeye tuna
Dozens of nations on Monday failed to agree on measures to preserve one of the planet's most valuable fish: the bigeye tuna, backbone of a billion dollar business that is severely overfished. Some 50 countries as well as European Union member states wrapped up a ...
Time for Europe to step up its China game
The EU must form stronger political and economic alliances with Asia's top liberal economies.
