Latest news with #MiddleEast-related
Euronews
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Euronews
EU summit: Leaders meet to talk Israel, Gaza, Ukraine and sanctions
The 27 leaders of the European Union have arrived in Brussels for what is expected to be a one-day summit with a heavy geopolitical flavour, covering the Israel-Iran conflict, the humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip, Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the battered state of the transatlantic alliance in the new Donald Trump era, all of which have compounded the sense of alarm and uncertainty across capitals. Tariffs, migration, competitiveness and the 2040 target under the Green Deal are also set to make an appearance during the closed-door discussions on Thursday. The summit comes two days after Trump announced a tentative ceasefire between Israel and Iran, which appears to be holding despite high tensions between both sides. The announcement was warmly welcomed by Europeans, who had worried about a dangerous spillover effect with unpredictable consequences. The cessation of hostilities will allow greater focus on another Middle East-related issue that continues to divide the bloc: Israel's war on Gaza. Last week, the European External Action Service (EEAS) presented its much-anticipated review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, finding "indications" that the country had breached its human rights obligations under Article 2. Building upon the work of international organisations, the seven-page review provides an extensive list of violations, including the blockade of humanitarian assistance, military attacks against hospitals, the forced displacement of the Palestinian population, mass arrests, arbitrary detentions and violent acts committed by Israeli settlers. Member states are split on what to do next, however: some countries advocate a concrete response, while others would prefer to take no action. The latest version of the conclusions, seen by Euronews, reflects the internal dilemma: the text simply "takes note" of the review and "invites" foreign ministers to a "follow-up" discussion in mid-July. "There has been a review that is undeniable," said a senior diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity. "There will never be a consensus in the European Union to suspend the agreement. But you need to do certain things because there is a problem. There are 55,000 people dead." A diplomat from another country urged Brussels to engage in dialogue with Israel to find ways to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza, but warned that "measures" might be taken in mid-July if there is no tangible progress on the ground. Orbán and Fico team up Russia's invasion of Ukraine will also occupy a great share of the political debate on Thursday, even if the Middle East has lately shifted the bloc's geopolitical focus. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is scheduled to address leaders in the room via video conference to discuss the latest developments on the battlefield, his country's financial health and the urgency to step up military support. Another high-priority issue that Zelenskyy is likely to raise in his intervention is Ukraine's EU candidacy, which remains virtually frozen due to Hungary's unassailable veto. The stalemate is set to worsen after Prime Minister Viktor Orbán presents the results of a controversial national consultation that his government launched to gauge the opinion of Hungarian citizens regarding Ukraine's accession. The consultation was preceded by an incendiary campaign led by the premier himself, replete with accusations directed at "bureaucrats" of Brussels. At the same time, Orbán, together with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, his increasingly close ally, will make the case against the European Commission's proposed roadmap to phase out all imports of Russian fossil fuels by the end of 2027. Both landlocked countries still rely on Russian energy and warn that the phase-out risks endangering their energy security and raising consumer prices. Slovakia has asked for unspecified "guarantees" to cope with potential "negative impacts", a wording that some in Brussels interpret as a request for money or exemptions – or both. Complicating matters, Orbán and Fico have linked the phase-out with the approval of the next package of sanctions against Russia, which is ready to go after days of intense negotiations. Should the two prime ministers feel satisfied at the end of Thursday, ambassadors could formally approve the restrictions as early as Friday. "We want this (package) to have a direct, more decisive impact. Not just on how to put pressure on Russia's revenues and access to products, but on our immediate objective, which is a ceasefire," said a third diplomat. The sanctions, though, are all but guaranteed to lose an important element: a revision of the price cap on Russian oil from $60 to $45 per barrel. After the US refused to endorse the initiative at the G7 summit and the Middle East crisis caused turbulence in the oil markets, some member states got cold feet about the prospect of going it alone. As a result, the $45 cap is considered effectively dead.
Time of India
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Donald Trump government's funding cut hurts, Columbia to lay off 180 researchers: 'We have had to make difficult choices and ...,' says in open letter
Columbia University has been one of the institutions criticized by Trump What's behind the funding cut: Anti-Israel protests and ... Columbia University has announced that it was laying off dozens of researchers whose work was funded by the US government grants and contracts that President Donald Trump's administration canceled in March, citing antisemitic harassment on and near campus. The terminations will affect about 20 percent of Columbia researchers funded by canceled grants."We have had to make difficult choices and unfortunately, today, nearly 180 of our colleagues who have been working, in whole or in part, on impacted federal grants, will receive notices of non-renewal or termination," Columbia's interim president and other officials said in an open letter, citing an "intense" strain on the university's will keep trying to persuade the government to restore the funding, according to the letter. It did not specify which departments would lose researchers and infrastructure.'Moving forward, we will be running lighter footprints of research infrastructure in some areas and, in others, maintaining a level of research continuity as we pursue alternate funding sources,' the statement reads. 'In some cases, schools and departments are winding down activity but remain prepared to reestablish capabilities if support is restored.'The open letter also introduced a research stabilization fund to 'navigate these future funding risks and lend support to our scientific community in multiple forms.' The fund will be application-based and will award internal short-term grants to scientists 'as they seek alternate sources of funding or complete the components of their research to enable publication of results.'In March this year, the Trump administration canceled $400 million in grants and contracts to Columbia and threatened to withhold billions more because of what it described as antisemitic harassment around the school's New York City campus. The funding cuts stem from Columbia's role as a focal point for pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel student protests, which have disrupted U.S. campuses amid Israel's ongoing war in Gaza. Columbia has complied with several Trump administration demands to restore funding, including reforming its disciplinary process, hiring security with arrest powers, and appointing an official to oversee Middle East-related a related development, the Trump administration warned Harvard University this week that it faces a similar funding freeze unless it meets government demands on addressing campus antisemitism. Harvard, which has sued to block the freeze, rejected these demands, citing threats to its Secretary Linda McMahon sent the university a letter warning that access to additional federal funding would not be possible until 'they demonstrate responsible management.'
