In response to recent political upheavals across various member states, EU leaders chose Ursula von der Leyen for a second term as president of the European Commission. Gains for the far right in EU elections led to changes in political landscapes, most notably in France, which influenced summit deliberations. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron expressed support for von der Leyen during the G7 meeting in Italy, indicating a consensus in advance of the official endorsement at the summit on June 27–28. The elections were most beneficial to von der Leyen's Eu
On Wednesday, U.S., Japanese, and South Korean trade and commerce ministers met in Washington, DC, and pledged to work together to strengthen strategic cooperation. Protecting AI, regulating exports, renewable energy, and semiconductor supply chains were some of the main points covered. According to U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, "We're doubling down our efforts to work together," praising the partnership between the world's top tech and industrial economies. The gathering, which began following a conference in August at Camp David, brought together South Korean Trade, Industry, an
Tuesday marked the start of Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako's three-day state visit to London, hosted by King Charles and Queen Camilla of Britain. A state banquet, military display, and carriage procession are all part of the visit. The imperial couple were greeted ceremoniously at Horse Guards Parade by Prince William, the heir apparent after they had met at their hotel. The two chiefs of state inspected the Guard of Honour before boarding a horse-drawn carriage with a gold trim to journey to Buckingham Palace. Postponed from 2020 owing to the epidemic, this visit is intended
Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar and his UAE counterpart, Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, met to discuss current and future cooperation and ties in fields such as education, finance, and trade. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, Jaishankar's visit, which came shortly after his reappointment, shows how committed India is to its relations with the UAE. The ministers discussed unexplored potential areas and regional and global concerns and expressed delight over the progress made in many industries. Additionally, they talked about the Israel-Hamas war and how it affecte
The foreign minister of Papua New Guinea (PNG), Justin Tkachenko, has confirmed a firm security alliance with Australia in response to China's growing regional influence. Seven ministers and the Australian police chief held discussions with Papua New Guinea about security and trade. Defence Minister Richard Marles highlighted that this delegation was the largest ever sent to any country. On Thursday, the group is scheduled to visit the location of the catastrophic landslide that occurred in Enga province last month. Australia pledged its support for stability programmes in the highlands of
National security advisers Ajit Doval and Jake Sullivan met in New Delhi on Monday, during which they promised to remove obstacles to bilateral strategic commerce, technology, and industrial collaboration. The two-day visit by Sullivan coincided with a strengthening of ties between the United States and India in response to growing concerns over China's influence in the Indo-Pacific. In January 2023, the India-US effort on critical and emerging technology was launched, and Sullivan and Doval presided over the second meeting of the initiative. Initiating a new strategic semiconductor collab
Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) has announced the completion of joint naval exercises with the United States, the Philippines, and Canada in the South China Sea. During Sunday's manoeuvres, ships from the Royal Canadian Navy, the Philippine Navy, the United States Navy, and the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force all participated. Collectively, these four nations have never before participated in "Maritime Cooperative Activity" like this. The participating vessels were put through their paces in a series of training exercises designed to test their coordination skills, particul
After 30 years of ANC control in South Africa, Friday marked a momentous shift as the African National Congress (ANC) and the Democratic Alliance (DA) agreed to form a new national unity government. With 283 legislative votes, President Cyril Ramaphosa was able to achieve a second term. Since Nelson Mandela's election win in 1994, which abolished apartheid, no political shift has been as dramatic as this cooperation between the two formerly antagonistic parties. "It will once again be a privilege and pleasure to serve this great nation," Ramaphosa, 71, told parliament, praising the new adm
On June 17, a historic nature restoration bill was agreed upon by EU member states, marking the first major environmental policy to be passed since the recent elections to the European Parliament. To comply with the law, member states must restore 20% of their land and sea by 2030. At a summit in Luxembourg, EU environment ministers gave their stamp of approval to the strategy, clearing the road for its implementation. Environmental Minister Leonore Gewessler of Austria played a crucial role in getting the legislation passed since she backed it even though her conservative coalition allies
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met in New Delhi to review the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership. After meeting with S Jaishankar, India's minister of external affairs, and Ajit Doval, his Indian counterpart, Sullivan briefed Modi on the status of bilateral cooperation under the iCET initiative. These include developments in the fields of semiconductors, artificial intelligence, telecommunications, defence, and space. The increasing cooperation and harmony on regional and international matters has pleased PM Modi. The