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Foreign Policy

  • Mexican Drug Lord’s Killing Sparks Widespread Violence

    2026-02-23

    Mexican authorities are rushing to restore order after the killing of a notorious cartel leader by the country’s special forces. U.S. and Iranian officials are set to hold another round of nuclear talks in Geneva on Thursday. The International Criminal Court kicked off five days of pretrial hearings on Monday for former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.

  • Trump Loves Golden Dome. His Own White House Is Slow-Rolling Spending

    2026-02-23

    As much as $14 billion in spending for space capabilities relevant to Golden Dome are “pending approval” from the Office of Management and Budget. The Defense Department has also made the acquisition of drones a major priority. The funding holdup could delay fielding Golden Dome on the ambitious schedule proposed by Trump. At least one of the lines that is currently pending approval is a $2 billion allocation for an “air moving target indicator” satellite system. Golden Dome has previously come under public scrutiny over a bid by SpaceX, Anduril, and Palantir.

  • Trump’s Cuba Policy Is Backing Mexico Into a Corner

    2026-02-23

    President Donald Trump declared a national emergency over what he called an “unusual and extraordinary threat” posed by Cuba. Mexico has offered to host negotiations between Cuba and the United States.

  • What’s Next for Trump’s Trade War

    2026-02-23

    The U.S. Supreme Court struck down a global 10 percent tariff on every country. The administration immediately responded with a new 15 percent tariff. The question is whether these backup tariffs are legal or unlawful. Thousands of companies have already filed for relief.

  • Cuba Isn’t Headed for Collapse

    2026-02-23

    Cuba is enduring its worst economic crisis since the early 1990s. Tourism has failed to recover fully from the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 2021, roughly a tenth of the country’s population have left the island.

  • For the Gulf States, Investment in AI Is Partly About U.S. Protection

    2026-02-23

    Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar are investing hundreds of billions in artificial intelligence. The three countries want to become players in the AI race by partnering with the likes of Google, Microsoft, OpenAI, and others.

  • South Korea Shows Justice Can Protect Democracy

    2026-02-23

    Former South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol was sentenced to life in prison. The way in which a democracy handled the threat of authoritarianism should be a lesson for democracies everywhere. The massive protests outside of the Constitutional Court were not signs of bloodlust or mob rule.

  • The United States Is Dangerously Misreading Iran

    2026-02-23

    U.S. President Donald Trump keeps warning Iran that it has only days to make a deal before military action begins. Wars are not bound by plans; they are limited only when both sides want to keep them contained. A strike meant to weaken hard-liners could actually speed up the uniting of leaders around a wartime mindset.

  • Elbridge Colby and the Reordering of the Indo-Pacific

    2026-02-23

    The 2026 National Defense Strategy places Taiwan at the center of the regional balance. The strategy does not treat the region as an institutional anchor deterrence. The document had to reassure allies and signal prioritization without fully embracing its consequences.

  • Little Clarity on Legality of Trump’s Foreign Aid Shutdown One Year After

    2026-02-23

    There are more than half a dozen related lawsuits winding their way through the judicial system. With Democratic lawmakers effectively sidelined until they can wrest back control of one or both chambers of Congress, legal defense of the congressional power of the purse appears likely to be left to an array of groups.

  • Trump’s Midterm Threats Recall a Bleak Chapter in American History

    2026-02-23

    Julian Zelizer: Democracy has never come easily, and it can be taken away. He says the potential for democratic backsliding remains very real. Zelizer says that history should motivate Americans across the political spectrum to push back.

Politico

LRT

  • Former PM’s party reaffirms Skvernelis as leader despite corruption probe

    2026-02-23

    Saulius Skvernelis said only a party congress can decide on changing the chairman. He was questioned last week as a special witness in a corruption probe. A December Vilmorus poll commissioned by Lietuvos Rytas showed 8.2% support for the party.

  • Vilnius police test drones to replace live patrols amid staffing pressure

    2026-02-23

    Police in Vilnius have launched a pilot project to respond to certain incidents by deploying drones instead of sending patrol officers to the scene. Police Commissioner General Arūnas Paulauskas said Monday that the project is being tested in cooperation with the city municipality. Seventy-three people were killed in Lithuania last year, compared with roughly three times as many a decade ago. “We have not recorded contract killings for many years. Most homicides are domestic,” commissioner general said.

  • Lithuania warns against travel to several Mexican states after cartel leader killed

    2026-02-23

    Violence flared after Mexican soldiers killed Nemesio Oseguera (El Mencho), the 59-year-old leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. He was wounded during a clash in the city of Tapalpa and died while being flown to Mexico City. The United States had offered a $15 million reward for information leading to his capture.

  • Lithuanian PM wants renewed talks with Taiwan on investment

    2026-02-23

    Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė says she will seek to renew discussions with Taipei on securing greater Taiwanese investment in Lithuania. Comment comes amid discussions about whether Lithuania should change its policies and seek to improve relations with China.

  • Poland detains Belarusian man on suspicion of spying for Minsk, including in Lithuania

    2026-02-23

    Poland has detained a Belarusian citizen suspected of spying. The man is accused of carrying out activities in Poland, Germany and Lithuania. He faces a minimum sentence of five years in prison if convicted.

  • Lithuanian FM says EU must not become ‘hostage’ to Hungary over Russia sanctions

    2026-02-23

    Lithuanian foreign minister says EU must not become a 'hostage' to Hungary. Budapest threatens to block the bloc's latest sanctions against Russia. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said Budapest would block sanctions unless Ukraine reopens a major oil pipeline.

  • Lithuanian language watchdog reports spike in complaints against foreign service providers

    2026-02-23

    The State Language Inspectorate has received about 60 complaints in the first two months of this year. The most frequent complaints concern service providers who do not communicate in Lithuanian. Last November, the government decided that foreigners working in customer service – including the self-employed – need to pass level A1 Lithuanian proficiency test.

  • EUROVIZIJA.LT: final qualifying show completes Lithuania’s Eurovision shortlist

    2026-02-23

    Viewers tuned in to the fifth and final broadcast of national selection before the Lithuanian final set for February 27. The winner of EUROVIZIJA.LT will be decided during the final at Twinsbet Arena. The victor will represent Lithuania at the international Eurovision Song Contest.

  • President Gitanas Nausėda hospitalised after arm injury

    2026-02-23

    Gitanas Nausėda was hospitalised Sunday after suffering an injury at home. The Lithuanian head of state sustained what it described as a household accident. He was to undergo surgery for a laceration to his left forearm.

  • Centenarian gender gap: over 100, Lithuanian women outnumber men six-to-one

    2026-02-23

    Lithuania was home to 428 centenarians at the start of the year. 368 women and 60 men, according to data from the Centre of Registers. Research suggests that only about 20% of longevity is determined by genetics. Scientists are also developing specialised technologies aimed at slowing aging processes. In Lithuania, healthy life expectancy currently exceeds 60 years. The number of years lived without serious chronic illness or disability could increase in the future.

📊 VoxEU

  • Export bans that weren't really bans: How Russia kept importing military goods

    2026-02-24

    Despite sanctions, Western components continue to appear in Russian weapons. Intermediary firms operating outside EU jurisdiction can purchase goods in the EU, re-export them to Russia for a profit. While EU export bans prohibit both direct and indirect exports, proving intent to circumvent sanctions is difficult.

  • The work-from-home wage premium

    2026-02-24

    Work from home (WFH) has become a fixture of the labour market in many countries. In France, remote work is far more common in higher-paid occupations. Higher-paid workers are also more likely to receive the amenity of being able to work from home.

✍ Blogs

Paul Krugman

  • Day 1461 of Putin’s Three-Day War

    2026-02-23

    Putin's dream of a short, victorious war has turned into a long nightmare of blood, destruction and humiliation. Ukrainian courage and Russian incompetence ensured that the attempt to seize Kyiv became an epic debacle. The future of the war will depend greatly on Europe’s ability to provide Ukraine with the support it needs. The U.S. government is de facto backing the tyrannical monster in Ukraine, writes David Frum. Frum: It is a betrayal of everything America used to stand for. Europe has for the most part stepped up to the plate, replacing most of the lost aid, he says.

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