POLITICS

French luxury group LVMH posted a 1% increase in third-quarter sales, driven by improving demand in China and steady performance in Europe and the U.S. The company’s shares rose between 7% and 12%, lifting the broader European luxury sector. Executives pointed to innovation and craftsmanship as competitive advantages, while reiterating calls for stable trade relations between major Western economies and Asian markets.

A European Central Bank report concluded that recent U.S. tariff increases have eroded business confidence and raised job-security concerns among EU manufacturing workers. The study found the impact concentrated in high-value export industries such as machinery and automotive parts. While the direct economic effect remains moderate, officials said prolonged uncertainty could possibly discourage investment.

The International Monetary Fund urged the European Union to adopt structural reforms that could lift annual GDP growth from roughly 1% to 3% over the next decade. Key recommendations include reducing energy costs, improving labor mobility, and harmonizing insolvency and investment rules. The IMF estimates that internal EU trade barriers equate to tariffs of 44% for goods and 110% for services. European Commission officials welcomed the findings but warned of political resista

The U.S. administration announced 25% tariffs on imported medium and heavy trucks and 10% tariffs on buses, effective 1 November 2025. At the same time, it extended a 3.75% production credit for vehicles assembled in the U.S. through 2030 and expanded eligibility to engines and components. Officials said the measures aim to “protect national security and manufacturing capacity.” Trade partners in Europe and North America expressed concern about potential ripple effects of the

Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey said the UK’s exit from the EU will leave the economy around 4% smaller in the long term than it would have been inside the single market. Bailey cited persistent trade frictions and reduced labor mobility as major factors. Business groups in both London and Brussels are urging renewed cooperation on research, financial services, and standards alignment to stabilize cross-Channel trade.

Germany’s Bundesbank President Joachim Nagel called for a more “assertive and coordinated” European response to China’s industrial and export policies. Speaking in Frankfurt, Nagel warned that state subsidies and rare-earth controls from Beijing could distort competition and weaken Europe’s manufacturing base. He said the EU should diversify supply chains and deepen cooperation with the U.S. and like-minded partners to reduce dependency on Chinese critical materials.

The European Union began deploying its Entry/Exit System (EES) on 12 October 2025, digitizing border checks for non-EU travelers. The system, which records fingerprints and facial images, will replace passport stamps by April 2026. Officials describe the project as a tool to enhance security and streamline border management. Transport agencies warned of possible delays at busy crossings during the adjustment period. European policymakers emphasized that the system aims to pre

The European Commission presented four major defense initiatives aimed at strengthening border protection and counter-drone capabilities. The proposed programs — including a Drone Defense Initiative  and Eastern Flank Watch  — would be jointly funded and implemented between 2026 and 2030. Officials say the projects are designed to complement NATO frameworks and reduce reliance on external suppliers. Several EU defense ministers have urged accelerated timelines and stronger pr

Austria announced it would finally support the European Union’s 19th round of sanctions against Russia, enabling foreign ministers to approve the measures at their upcoming meeting in Luxembourg. The package reportedly advances a gradual ban on liquefied natural gas imports by 2027 and tightens financial restrictions on Russian firms. While the decision unblocks policy action, it also exposes the EU’s slow internal process. Austrian officials said Vienna’s initial hesitation

Left-wing activists in the US seem to tremble at the sight of strong leadership — and that may be their greatest weakness. In the US, movements like “No Kings” seem to fill the streets, denouncing "authority". Yet perhaps the problem in Western countries is not too much power, but too little conviction. In a world defined by ruthless competition, hesitation is no virtue. Maybe the West does not need fewer kings — maybe it needs more of them and better ones. History reminds us

The global West stands at a crossroads of history. Once the undisputed driver of global progress, it now faces a world where rival blocs are trying to rewrite the rules of power. China builds influence through dependency, Russia through military power, and others silently align. Meanwhile, too much of the Western world hesitates, trapped in guilt, indecision and the submission to self-harming political and social "progressive" views. But the global West’s crisis is not one of

Donald Trump's announcement of a 100% tariff on imported brand-name drugs is clearly aimed at protecting the American industry. By forcing pharmaceutical giants to establish or expand production on American soil, Donald Trump is seeking to bring jobs back to the US, reduce dependence on foreign supply chains and strengthen domestic production capacity. At a time of growing global uncertainty, this industrial instinct is understandable: every Western nation wants to protect it

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s defiant UN address underscores a painful paradox for the West. On one side, Israel faces an existential fight against Hamas, a terrorist organization armed and financed, amongst others, by Iran, whose clear aim is not compromise but Israel’s destruction. On the other, the people of Gaza are enduring catastrophic suffering — displacement, shortages of food and medicine and the trauma of war.   The West must acknowledge both realities. To ign

The Kremlin has described NATO's plan to shoot down Russian aircraft that violate the Alliance's airspace as ‘dangerous’. In reality, what is dangerous is that Moscow continues to test the West's resolve. Every intrusion, whether by fighter jets, bombers or drones, is a calculated act of intimidation against the West. It aims to weaken deterrence, normalise aggression and project Russian power at the expense of Western security.   Let us be clear: defending NATO airspace is n