Threads

The ageing Union's economy

Eurogroup finance ministers fail to agree on the scale and governance of new EU-level funding for competitiveness, with a split between fiscally conservative states and those demanding a sizeable common fiscal capacity.

Sources: weforum.org

The ageing Union's economy

The European Central Bank holds interest rates steady, citing a growth recovery but flagging persistently weak productivity and demographic headwinds. The ECB reiterates its call for structural reforms and progress on Capital Markets Union to mobilise private investment.

Sources: brookings.edu

European democracies and populism

Romania's far-right AUR party is excluded from a grand coalition government formed after a prolonged post-election crisis, highlighting the continued capacity of mainstream parties to block radical-right access to executive power.

Sources: populismstudies.org, institutmontaigne.org

European democracies and populism

In eastern German states of Thuringia and Saxony, mainstream parties form complex coalitions and minority governments to exclude the AfD from power, despite it emerging as the strongest party in state elections.

Sources: atlanticcouncil.org

AI: capabilities, regulation, labour

The UK AI Safety Institute reports that the length of cyber operations frontier models can autonomously execute with high reliability is now doubling every 4–5 months, an acceleration from its previous estimate of an 8-month doubling time.

Sources: aisi.gov.uk

The war in Ukraine and its limits

The Kremlin stated the missile flew 14,000 km, with President Putin framing it as a demonstration of readiness. The test drew condemnation from Ukraine and warnings from the U.S. and NATO about escalating strategic risks.

Sources: news.az