The threat comes as Marines sail toward the region amid widespread speculation that U.S. soldiers could be called on to deploy.

The move comes six years after police shot and killed Taylor inside her Louisville apartment.

The demand comes after Rep. Jim Jordan, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, opened an inquiry into Parisa Dehghani-Tafti, Arlington County’s lead prosecutor.

The Supreme Court ruled an antiabortion activist can challenge a law blocking protests outside of a designated area.

The president wants to grant an exclusive broadcast window for the game, which faces scheduling pressure.

White House advisers aim to codify policies to protect AI companies’ interests, despite past opposition from many Republican governors and influencers.

This IA accompanies three proposals designed to support the establishment of the savings and investment union, as well as the EU's efforts to deepen capital market integration, strengthen supervision and foster innovation. Overall, the IA is meaningful, but could have been shorter, in line with the Better Regulation Guidelines. The IA identifies three problems and two drivers. While the consequences are well-defined across the different stakeholder groups, the scale and scope of the problem remain difficult to assess due to the limited quantification provided. The principles of subsidiarity and proportionality are respected. The IA defines one general objective, which it breaks down into three specific objectives, but does not provide operational objectives. The European Commission has presented two policy packages: one for reducing barriers to cross-border operations and innovation and another for addressing supervisory divergence. Each package includes two policy options. These options are based on previous research and stakeholder consultation; however, the choice of options is quite limited, even though the IA specifies which options were discarded at an early stage and why. The IA only assesses the economic impact of the proposed legislation, omitting impacts on citizens. It would have been relevant to include a wider range of impacts such as territorial or digital effects. Additionally, the costs and benefits are mainly discussed qualitatively. The IA includes an SME test and a competitiveness check. The Commission consulted a broad range of stakeholders and included their views in the IA. In addition, the IA uses robust data sources, provides a clear monitoring plan and is transparent about its limitations. The IA openly knowledges that it did not address all the Regulatory Scrutiny Board's comments, due to time and data constraints. Finally, the legislative proposals are aligned with the IA. Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

European political parties ('europarties') emerged in the 1970s, preceding the first direct elections to the European Parliament in 1979. The Maastricht Treaty of 1992 granted them legal recognition; however, it was only in 2004 that EU law defined their status, set establishment criteria, and provided independent funding. The most recent regulatory change in 2025 emphasised protecting EU values, strengthening safeguards against foreign interference, and updating transparency and financing requirements. Europarties' influence depends on balancing European and national interests. Ongoing deliberations seek to enhance europarties' resilience, and their independence from national politics, reflecting the broader debate on the balance of power between Member States and EU institutions. This search for equilibrium continues to drive significant academic and political discussion. Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

The purpose of this study is to enhance the evidence base on how organised crime groups (OCGs) have evolved into transnational geopolitical actors, to evaluate the suitability of international legal frameworks for holding them accountable, and to offer policy recommendations to strengthen this accountability. The study finds that international law fails to adequately define or reflect the transformation of OCGs into geopolitical actors. Instead, it relies on outdated conceptions of criminal hierarchies, which confine organised crime to the transnational rather than international legal domain . International law is therefore restricted in its ability to categorise these groups as legal entities, even where their actions resemble crimes against humanity in their intent and scale . This definitional oversight has practical consequences: EU external action efforts generate relatively little information on geopolitical threats tied to OCGs, and the international criminal, humanitarian, and human rights infrastructure is unable to directly confront the actions of these groups. The study calls for the redefinition of OCGs as part of a new Directive, as well as practical measures to refine criminal justice mechanisms, improve cross-border cooperation, update EU external action threat assessments and support existing international legal frameworks to more effectively account for the geopolitical behaviours and impacts of OCGs. Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

A Washington Post review found at least 16 D.C. police officers who faced the violent mob are omitted from a personnel list displayed at the U.S. Capitol.

The proposal had been rejected by members of a separate federal coin committee — and panned by former member Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Brandon Herrera, the de facto Republican nominee after Rep. Tony Gonzales exited amid a scandal over an affair, has been criticized for videos on his gun-focused YouTube channel.

President Donald Trump joked about Pearl Harbor in a meeting Thursday with the Japanese prime minister.

Against the backdrop of a rising U.S. federal deficit and increasing geoeconomic tensions, understanding who holds U.S. debt instruments could have important policy implications, including for the EU. This briefing provides an overview of the size and ownership structure of U.S. public debt and assesses the extent of Europe’s exposure. It further considers whether such exposure could translate into potential political leverage. The first part of the briefing outlines recent developments in the evolution of U.S. public debt, including its size, trajectory, and changing composition. The second part analyses EU Member States’ exposure to U.S. Treasury instruments. It further discusses the implications and limits of potential political leverage arising from Europe’s significant holdings of U.S. assets, highlighting the dominant role of private investors and the constraints on coordinated policy action. Finally, it considers how a possible gradual portfolio adjustment, including a gradual reduced accumulation of U.S. assets, and stronger home bias, could shape future financial flows, and how initiatives such as the Savings and Investment Union (SIU) may support a greater reallocation of European savings toward euro-denominated assets. Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

People close to JD Vance concede that a long conflict will be a challenge for the next GOP nominee but say the vice president hasn’t made up his mind about running.

The proposal has already been rejected by members of a separate federal coin committee — and panned by former member Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Past GOP leaders, including George W. Bush, spoke out against Islamophobia. Now it is going unchallenged.

This study examines the WTO’s economic and legal value for the European Union and draws policy implications for the European Parliament ahead of MC14. Economically, it shows how MFN non‑discrimination and bound tariffs reduce transaction costs and uncertainty for EU exporters – especially SMEs – and warns that a two‑tier system of bilateral ‘deals’ would fragment markets and penalise EU high‑value trade. It reviews recent quantitative evidence on the welfare and export gains from GATT/WTO Membership and assesses early findings on the Trade Facilitation Agreement, noting that trade‑cost reductions abroad can benefit EU firms via supply chains. Legally, it maps how WTO disciplines shape EU legislation and how EU FTAs both embed WTO rules (‘WTO‑plus‘) and pioneer ‘extra‑WTO‘ and sustainability provisions. It also tests the available policy space to design ‘buy European‘ procurement measures consistently with WTO/GPA commitments. On reform, the study analyses pragmatic pathways for integrating new plurilaterals, improving disciplines on State interventions (including transparency), addressing non‑market practices (subsidies and public bodies), refining Special and differential treatment (SDT), and restoring a functioning dispute settlement system. Key recommendations urge Parliament to champion WTO stability, support integration of plurilaterals, help broaden participation in the Multi-Party Interim Appeal Arbitration Arrangement (MPIA), and ensure credible use of EU enforcement tools against ‘appeal into the void‘ tactics. Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

Erasmus for All is a pilot initiative implemented by the European University Foundation in cooperation with participating higher education institutions and funded under the Erasmus+ programme. The initiative explored whether city-based top-ups to Erasmus+ student mobility grants could improve affordability in high-cost destinations. The pilot’s outcomes indicate that additional support can reduce perceived financial pressure during mobility in higher-cost cities. However, it does not address the main barriers to equal access to mobility, notably upfront costs, liquidity constraints and institutional and administrative pressures. There is no evidence that the approach influences students’ destination choices or the overall distribution of mobility. As the pilot allocates resources based on destination characteristics and adds administrative complexity without means to process these, it should be seen as an affordability adjustment rather than a solution to unequal participation. Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

The case, which explored questions about free speech and the limits of artistic criticism, has also catapulted the rapper back into pop culture’s lexicon.

Lockdowns at U.S. bases and a global security alert underscore concerns that Iranian retaliation could extend to officials on American soil.

Sen. Markwayne Mullin isn’t backing down from mass deportations.

The Strategic Compass, adopted by the 27 EU Member States in March 2022 – only weeks after the onset of Russia's unjustified and unprovoked aggression against Ukraine – emphasised the need for robust partnerships in order for the EU to be able to achieve its objectives in the area of security and defence. Alongside 'acting' (operations), 'securing' (resilience) and 'investing', 'partnering' is one of the four main pillars of the Compass. The document itself outlines specific targets and deadlines against which to measure progress in this area. While the EU has partnered with other security and defence actors (essentially states and international organisations) in the past, a new model of tailored security and defence partnership was launched shortly after the Compass was adopted, as a framework for enhanced partnership. To date, the EU has signed nine such partnerships – with (by date of signature) Moldova, Norway, Japan, South Korea, North Macedonia, Albania, the United Kingdom, Canada and India – and more are envisaged. While the partnerships vary in content, depending on the assessed mutual interests of the EU and each individual partner, around 10 areas of cooperation are common to all nine. The European Parliament has highlighted the significance of the Strategic Compass's partnership dimension and, in particular, the value of security and defence dialogues with partners from the Western Balkans and the Eastern Partnership, as well as with key partners in strategic maritime areas such as the Southern Neighbourhood and the Indo-Pacific. Parliament has also underlined that cooperation with countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Norway, Ukraine, Georgia, Western Balkan countries, Japan, Australia and certain African countries serves as a key element of the common security and defence policy. In 2023, it called for deeper military and defence cooperation with Japan and South Korea, and for closer cooperation with partners in Latin America and the Caribbean. This briefing updates an earlier one from January 2025, drafted by Elena Lazarou with Panagiotis Politis Lamprou. Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

The director of national intelligence provided the Senate Intelligence Committee with mixed messages about the state of Iran’s nuclear program before the war began.

The Save America Act’s effects are unpredictable, but changes in voting patterns could make more stringent requirements a problem for Republicans.

The Save America Act’s effects are unpredictable but changes in voting patterns could make more stringent requirements a problem for Republicans.

The win capped a mixed night for AIPAC and crypto, which spent heavily in Illinois’ primary elections.

John Cornyn casts himself as one of the president’s biggest supporters in the Senate, and Ken Paxton is running ads in the Florida region that includes Mar-a-Lago.

Administration officials argue they are working to compromise with Democrats to unlock DHS funding and end the partial shutdown.

The planned $400 million project has been a top priority for the president. Judge Richard Leon said he hopes to rule this month on whether to halt construction.

The attorney general is slated to appear before a congressional committee to address DOJ’s handling of its investigation into Jeffrey Epstein.

The Save America Act does not have the support of the 60 senators needed to overcome a filibuster — but Republicans are set to debate it at length under pressure from President Donald Trump.

The world has changed since the European Union adopted its first economic security strategy in 2023. An increasingly confrontational geopolitical environment and the possibility of coercive behaviour from both China and the United States require a longer term strategy to reduce dependencies as well as a short-term ability to react swiftly to threats. On 3 December 2025, the European Commission adopted its new communication on economic security aiming to switch up a gear, from finding ad-hoc responses to crises based on risk identification, to proactive risk anticipation and mitigation. This new approach also focuses on providing clarity on the strategic and coherent use of the many instruments already available in the EU toolbox. Aiming for a safer and more resilient EU economy, the Commission's communication proposes ways to protect and develop strategic industries and reduce the EU's vulnerabilities to coercion and other disruption. To build a solid knowledge base for informed decision-making and common understanding of risks and responses, the approach seeks to strengthen data gathering, analysis and overall economic security policy governance, with increased public and private stakeholder participation. To boost coherence, the Commission wants to adapt existing policy tools to deployment with a clear aim of managing economic security risks, taking possible impacts across policies into account. The Commission will seek to close existing security gaps with new instruments, such as the revised Blocking Statute. The communication met with mixed reactions from the expert community, with both praise for taking the much needed step in the right direction, as well as criticism for its insufficient response to the stark challenges facing the EU. The European Parliament is preparing its opinion on the role of trade in strengthening the EU's economic security, to be adopted in the coming months. Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

The European Union's competitiveness and prosperity depends on an optimal allocation of private capital; however, although free circulation of capital is guaranteed by the Treaties, the EU's capital markets remain fragmented due to 'technical barriers' and legal uncertainties falling on cross-border investors and institutions. A major reason for that is that EU rules are mostly set out through directives, leaving Member States' supervisory authorities latitude in their interpretation and application of the rules. Therefore, the European Commission considers the use of regulations instead of directives, as well as the establishment of EU-level single supervision, as two policy instruments to 'integrate' – i.e. 'defragment' – the EU's capital markets. On 4 December 2025, the Commission issued a package of three proposals to address this situation (the 'market integration package'), as part of its savings and investments union strategy. One of the three proposals would be a regulation on the settlement finality, thereby converting and replacing the existing directive. The directive establishes the finality and irrevocability of transfer orders once entered, even in the event of a participant's insolvency, with the aim of reducing stability risks in the payment and settlement systems. Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

Cyberattacks are rising in frequency and complexity, and no sector is immune to malicious intrusions. Cybercriminals are increasingly leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to exploit vulnerabilities in digital infrastructure, compromising security systems and inflicting damage. Addressing this growing threat requires a clear understanding of the nature of cyber incidents. The most effective way to develop this understanding is for affected entities and companies to systematically report cyber incidents and in accordance with predefined protocols. These reports help identify and patch vulnerabilities, share security alerts proactively and prevent further attacks. Accordingly, European regulators have incorporated mandatory reporting requirements into legal frameworks to harness the full potential of incident reporting and counter the escalating threat of cyberattacks. These legal provisions have been designed to safeguard critical entities, infrastructure and internet-connected devices. However, the distinct protections created for each category have resulted in separate legal acts, each with its own reporting procedures, notifying authorities and deadlines. This fragmented approach has created significant administrative challenges for companies. To address this complexity, the Digital Omnibus – a legislative initiative that amends several existing EU digital rules to harmonise requirements and reduce the regulatory burden in digital governance – proposes the implementation of a Single-Entry Point (SEP) mechanism. SEP aims to streamline compliance by allowing companies to fulfil multiple mandatory reporting obligations under various EU laws through a unified process. SEP is a cornerstone of the broader Digital Omnibus regulation proposal. Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP