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Experts and Former Officials Warn of Cuban Intelligence Penetration in the U.S.

Experts and Former Officials Warn of Cuban Intelligence Penetration in the U.S.

A forum in Washington D.C., titled 'The Enemy Within? Cuban Intelligence Penetration in the United States,' brought together investigators, former Cuban intelligence officers, and ex-FBI agents to discuss the Cuban regime's extensive influence and espionage operations within the U.S. The event, organized by the Adam Smith Center for Economic Freedom, highlighted Cuba's ability to infiltrate institutions, cultivate influence networks, and conduct long-term operations. Speakers emphasized that Cuba's international influence far exceeds its economic, demographic, and military size. Maria Werlau, executive director of Cuba Archive, stated that the regime maintains over 4,500 'intelligence relationships' in the U.S., including contacts in business, government, academia, and journalism. Gelet Martinez Fragela, executive director of ADN Cuba, presented findings from a two-year investigation into Cuban regime-related networks in the U.S., identifying 1,583 entities. These networks, often operating openly, include ...
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French President Macron Calls for 'Shared Governance' of Space at Paris Summit

French President Macron Calls for 'Shared Governance' of Space at Paris Summit

French President Emmanuel Macron advocated for 'shared governance' of outer space during the International Space Summit in Paris. He emphasized that outer space is a major global commons lacking adequate regulations to address current challenges. Macron highlighted the fragility of Europe's space sector and urged European nations to collaborate in developing joint sovereign space capabilities, including a crewed spaceflight program within a decade. He announced approximately €20 billion in investments for Europe's space industry. The call for increased European autonomy in space comes in the wake of Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, which underscored the critical role and potential vulnerabilities associated with services like Elon Musk's Starlink satellite communications. Josef Aschbacher, Director General of the European Space Agency (ESA), stressed the daily utilization of satellites as critical infrastructure for citizens. The United States remains a global leader in the space sector, with NASA's Arte...
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Exclusive-UK deepens reliance on Musk's SpaceX, spending nearly $40 million on satellite services

Exclusive-UK deepens reliance on Musk's SpaceX, spending nearly $40 million on satellite services

By Cassell Bryan-Low LONDON, Sept 10 (Reuters) - Britain has spent nearly $40 million on SpaceX satellite services, deepening its reliance on Elon Musk's company for military communications despite growing European concerns about dependence on U.S. security infrastructure.
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ECB to hike rates as Iran war fuels fresh inflation fears

ECB to hike rates as Iran war fuels fresh inflation fears

By Francesco Canepa and Balazs Koranyi FRANKFURT, Sept 10 (Reuters) - The European Central Bank looks set to raise interest rates on Thursday for the second time this year, seeking to head off an energy-driven surge in inflation triggered by the Iran war.
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U.S. Interagency Irregular Warfare Efforts Face Structural Challenges, Not Just Language Barriers

U.S. Interagency Irregular Warfare Efforts Face Structural Challenges, Not Just Language Barriers

A recent discussion in the Small Wars Journal, following articles by Brigadier General Russell Howard and Chad Machiela, questions the effectiveness of a 'whole-of-government' approach to irregular warfare within the American constitutional system. The core argument is that while shared language and understanding are important, the fundamental structure of the U.S. government, with its separation of powers, statutory agency mandates, and routine political leadership changes, inherently prevents the sustained, centralized coordination required for such an approach. Past attempts, like President Clinton's Presidential Decision Directive 56 (PDD-56) and similar directives from subsequent administrations including Bush, Obama, and President Trump, have shown temporary success but ultimately failed to create lasting structural changes, often expiring with changes in political leadership. The author suggests that the American system is not designed to produce a single, coordinated entity for long-term irregular ...
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Carnegie Endowment Report Details U.S. Retreat from Global Democracy Support Under Trump Administration

Carnegie Endowment Report Details U.S. Retreat from Global Democracy Support Under Trump Administration

A report from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, authored by Thomas Carothers, a senior fellow in its Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program, outlines a significant shift in U.S. foreign policy under the Trump administration. The report, titled 'America Walks Away from Global Democracy,' details eight major reductions or reversals in U.S. pro-democracy diplomacy and aid. These include the removal of democracy support from the overall narrative of U.S. foreign policy, discounting shared democratic values in alliances, and a reluctance to criticize or pressure democratic backsliders. Furthermore, the administration has shown diminished support for democratic governments facing external or domestic anti-democratic pressures, and has not actively supported democratic breakthroughs in other nations. The report also highlights the shrinking U.S. institutional capacity for democracy promotion, a drastic reduction in U.S. democracy aid, and a lack of backing for international and regional organiz...
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Xi urges BRICS peace role in Middle East, courts Modi on India visit

Xi urges BRICS peace role in Middle East, courts Modi on India visit

BEIJING, Sept 12 (Reuters) - Chinese President Xi Jinping urged the BRICS bloc to be a peacemaker in the Middle East conflict, in an address to a summit of member countries in New Delhi on Saturday.
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BRICS agrees on joint declaration before New Delhi summit, sources say

BRICS agrees on joint declaration before New Delhi summit, sources say

By Sarita Chaganti Singh, Shivangi Acharya and Saurabh Sharma NEW DELHI, Sept 12 (Reuters) - The BRICS group of emerging economies has agreed on a joint declaration, sources told Reuters on Saturday, hours before its leaders began a summit in New Delhi, aiming to boost the bloc's global clout.
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ECB raises interest rates as Iran war fuels inflation fears

ECB raises interest rates as Iran war fuels inflation fears

By Francesco Canepa and Balazs Koranyi FRANKFURT, Sept 10 (Reuters) - The European Central Bank raised interest rates on Thursday for the second time this year, seeking to quell an energy-driven rise in inflation triggered by the Iran war.
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Modi holds talks with Putin and Iran's president before BRICS summit of 11 nations

Modi holds talks with Putin and Iran's president before BRICS summit of 11 nations

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi have held talks before a BRICS summit in New Delhi
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U.S. Pizza Box Producers File Petitions Against Unfairly Traded Imports from China, Malaysia, and Turkey

U.S. Pizza Box Producers File Petitions Against Unfairly Traded Imports from China, Malaysia, and Turkey

U.S. Pizza Box Producers File Petitions Against Unfairly Traded Imports from China, Malaysia, and Turkey