Saudi Arabia’s Red-Carpet Welcome

This post was originally published on here President Donald Trump is going all-in on Saudi Arabia, lavishly welcoming Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman yesterday in his first White House visit since the 2018 assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The trip was big on pageantry, pomp and splashy announcements, and it portends a reshaped Middle East.…

Did Russia Blow Up a Polish Train Line?

This post was originally published on here On Sunday, an explosion damaged a railroad leading from Poland’s capital of Warsaw toward Ukraine. Yesterday, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called it “an unprecedented act of sabotage targeting directly the security of the Polish state and its civilians.” Though no one was injured, Tusk said the explosion…

Germany Courts Two Gulf States

This post was originally published on here German Economics Minister Katherina Reiche is on her most important trip since taking office. She and 20 representatives of key German industries departed Sunday on a quest to establish strategic economic partnerships with the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. Before departing, she said: In a world of increasing…

EU’s New Censorship Platform

This post was originally published on hereThe European Union announced a new censorship initiative, the European Democracy Shield, last week. Its press release is heavy on word salads and light on details, but it’s another step in the EU’s attempts to police and control what is said online. For example, the EU says: An independent…

Corruption Scandal Rocks Ukraine

This post was originally published on here A 15-month investigation by Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau led to the resignations of two high-profile ministers on Wednesday: the energy minister and the justice minister. The investigation’s full scope is yet undisclosed and is likely more complex than it appears, but the implications for Ukraine could be grave.…