EU external relations, diplomacy, and security
US and Iranian forces have exchanged deadly strikes for a second straight week, killing hundreds of civilians and knocking out critical infrastructure across the region. The UN is calling urgently for de-escalation, but diplomacy remains stalled.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed to have destroyed a US radar system in Kuwait as explosions lit up the skies over Bahrain’s capital Monday night. Gulf air defenses scrambled across the region in one of the most dramatic escalations in months.
President Trump presented Spain with the World Cup trophy after its 2-1 victory over Argentina at MetLife Stadium, declaring the US had become ‘a soccer country.’ The historic final drew over 82,000 fans and set new American viewership records.
Donald Trump and Pedro Sánchez came face to face at the 2026 World Cup final, their first direct encounter after nearly two years of diplomatic friction over defence spending and Middle East policy. The brief sideline meeting drew intense scrutiny from officials on both sides of the Atlantic.
The US launched a new wave of strikes on Iran, killing at least 50 people in retaliation for a deadly attack on a Jordan military base. Israel has simultaneously vowed a powerful response to Tehran, raising fears of a wider regional conflict.
A Malian army convoy was ambushed by rebels in the remote northern Gao region, with both JNIM and the separatist FLA claiming joint responsibility for the strike. The Malian military confirmed the attack Saturday but declined to release a casualty count.
A new EU sanctions package is stuck in Brussels because Greece is blocking one Greek oligarch’s designation, sources say. The standoff has already blown past two internal deadlines and is frustrating member states pushing for urgent action.
The UN’s human rights chief has appealed for calm in Pakistan-Administered Kashmir as election tensions spill into the streets. This week’s global briefing also covers a worsening Ebola outbreak, new migration data on women, and the 12th anniversary of the MH17 disaster.
Xi Jinping and Kazakhstan’s President Tokayev signed more than 70 deals worth €11.4bn in Shanghai, including Central Asia’s first CATL battery plant. The agreements mark a sharp deepening of ties as Beijing expands its economic footprint across the region.
Trump has revived claims that the 2020 election was stolen, accusing China of a massive data breach in a primetime address. Intelligence officials say the newly released documents offer no proof of foreign interference.
