The Maastricht Treaty altered the former European treaties and created a European Union based on three pillars: the European Communities, the common foreign and security policy (CFSP) and cooperation in the field of justice and home affairs (JHI). With a view to the enlargement of the Union, the Amsterdam Treaty made the adjustments needed to enable the Union to function more efficiently and democratically. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

As part of the wider Indo-Pacific, South Asia has vital geostrategic importance for the EU, facing significant challenges. The Indo-Pacific is rapidly evolving and becoming the most important geostrategic region, being home to more than 50% of the global population. The EU strategy for cooperation in the Indo-Pacific was adopted in September 2021 to increase the EU’s presence in the region, build partnerships and reinforce the rules-based international order. The EU is adapting its current instruments as part of its strategic autonomy amid growing geostrategic challenges. The EU’s Strategic Compass for Security and Defence, formally approved by the Council in March 2022, promotes an open and rules-based regional security architecture, including secure sea lines of communication, capacity-building and enhanced naval presence in the Indo-Pacific. The EU is forging closer ties with countries in South Asia, as a strong economic player and a major development and aid donor. The EU is working to foster institution-building, democracy, good governance and human rights, while it also has security concerns, such as the Kashmir conflict, Afghanistan, maritime security and terrorism. Parliament has supported the EU’s cooperation and assistance in South Asia, with targeted support for the most vulnerable population groups. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Digital service platforms and emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, are profoundly reshaping our society. They have transformed how we communicate, shop and access information online, making them integral to daily life. The European digital agenda for 2020-2030 responds to these changes by seeking to establish secure digital spaces, ensure fair competition in digital markets and enhance Europe’s digital sovereignty, in line with both the digital and green transitions. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

'Securitisation' is the process of pooling financial assets (such as loans, mortgages and consumer credit) and turning them into tradable securities. This process allows banks to transfer the risk of some loans to other banks or long-term investors, such as insurance companies and asset managers. Banks are then allowed to use the capital which was set aside to cover the risk of those same loans to create and sell new loans. In the European Union (EU), the space freed up in banks' balance sheets through the securitisation process can be used to support the Union's priorities, such as the green and digital transitions. However, if left unregulated, the process of securitisation can increase vulnerabilities across the financial system, as it did in the United States with the subprime mortgage crisis which began in 2007. As part of its Capital Markets Union initiative, launched in 2015, the EU relaunched the framework establishing an EU securitisation market, helping the development of finance and the economy without creating risks to financial stability; this is the securitisation framework, which came into force in 2019. According to the Commission's 2022 review report, while the EU's current securitisation framework has made the EU's market safer, it has also resulted in higher costs for issuers and investors, preventing the development of the EU's securitisation market. The capital requirements it introduced may have reduced incentives to participate in or issue securitisations, and some stakeholders have stated that the EU's due diligence requirements have created entry barriers or disincentives for participation by some investors. With the start of the 10th legislative term, the intention of accelerating work on all European savings and investments measures, including securitisation, was confirmed in Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's political guidelines of July 2024; in the mission letter of the Commissioner for Financial Services, Maria Luís Albuquerque, of September 2024; and in the 2025 Commission work programme. The European Parliament has remained supportive of securitisation as a tool for funding the EU's economy but has remained critical of any dilution of regulatory standards that could raise systemic risk. This briefing focuses on the two legal acts of the securitisation framework that the Commission proposes to review in June 2025: the Securitisation Regulation and the Capital Requirements Regulation. These two regulations govern the general rules for securitisation, and the capital requirements for banks and investment firms that hold securitisation positions, respectively. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has reiterated his hope for a lasting peace between Russia and Ukraine Read Full Article at RT.com

The Saulos Klaus Chilima (SKC) Foundation on Tuesday donated medical items worth K16.7 million to Ntcheu District Hospital on the first death anniversary of the fallen Vice President Saulos Chilima. The donation included hospital beds, suction machines, and other medical equipment and were donated as part of the activities to honour Chilima, who died along […] The post SKC Foundation aids Ntcheu Hospital with K16 million medical supplies appeared first on Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi.

National Bank of Malawi (NBM) plc has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing digital financial services in the country by donating K5 million to the Association of Digital Finance Services (ADFS). Speaking in Lilongwe during a symbolic cheque presentation, NBM plc Card Services Manager, Stewart Tepelunde said the sector plays a pivotal role in the ongoing digitalisation […] The post NBM plc supports Digital Finance Association launch with K5 Million appeared first on Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi.

Claim: The claim that Malawi lost 59,000 football fields’ worth of forests (archived here) between 2015 and 2020 was made in a news piece published by the NyasaTimes online daily on April 16, 2025. The argument equates the loss of forests to football fields, a frequent statistic used to demonstrate catastrophic environmental repercussions.   According to […] The post Fact-Check: The claim about Malawi deforestation data is false. appeared first on Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi.

Blantyre-based youth-led organization Forum for AIDS Counselling and Training (FACT Malawi) has announced a one-day workshop on Organisational Development and Management, set to take place on Saturday, June 28, 2025, at Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS). The event, held in partnership with other civil society actors, aims to empower students, graduates, and professionals with […] The post FACT Malawi to Host Capacity-Building Workshop for Aspiring NGO Leaders in Blantyre appeared first on Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi.

The United Democratic Front (UDF) has said it will reveal its position on electoral alliances only after all ongoing negotiations are concluded, as speculation swirls over a possible partnership with the ruling Malawi Congress Party (MCP). The speculation was reignited after UDF president Atupele Muluzi attended a state-organised memorial service for late Vice President Dr. […] The post UDF Plays It Cool on Alliances as Muluzi’s Appearance Fuels MCP Rumours appeared first on Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi.

What was meant to be a dream «French cream style» makeover for a Sentosa flat has turned into a costly nightmare for a homeowner.Luo now finds himself dealing with uneven cabinetry, long delays, the lingering smell of formaldehyde and his daughter's bedroom looking like what he describes as «tombstone style».He told Shin Min Daily News he paid $55,000 to a Malaysian contractor he found on Facebook to renovate the unit at Ocean Way. He also spent an additional $18,000 on electrical wiring and $22,000 on Ziptrak blinds.His decision to go with a Malaysian company stemmed from previous experiences with Singapore-based firms that outsourced work across the Causeway.«I thought it would be more straightforward to deal with them directly,» he said.Instead, the project dragged on for nearly a year and remains incomplete. Construction officially began only after Chinese New Year this year, despite an original move-in date set for November.«There was delay after delay,» he said. «Once, we agreed to meet at 10am and I waited until 5pm. He didn't show up.»

Rental costs are often a major deterrent to aspiring entrepreneurs, especially for young business owners who often opt to run home-based businesses in order to avoid the financial burden of paying rent.Reports emerged last week that I-Health Medical Holdings had successfully bid $52,188 for a unit at Block 954C Tampines Street 96 in March — the highest per square foot rent HDB has ever received for a clinic of that size.Cases of skyrocketing rental fees are becoming an increasing concern for young business owners with physical stores, and Cakeinspiration, a specialty cake shop, is facing the same challenge.Speaking to AsiaOne, 25-year-old Chan Kai Yang, the second-generation owner of Cakeinspiration, said that they'd recently renewed their lease and now have to fork out 40 per cent more in rent to keep their store, located in the heart of Joo Chiat.

Public transport operator SMRT has lodged a police report after a video showing an individual filming on the train tracks was widely circulated on social media.The video was taken in dimly lit conditions, and minimal footsteps can be heard as a train was passing by.It is not sure when the video was recorded, but it has been making the rounds across multiple social media platforms, drawing increasing public attention.It garnered 28.2k views on TikTok as at Thursday (June 12) afternoon, while a version posted on the Facebook page Complaint Singapore has received 9.4k views.The Instagram account Singapura Legends has recorded the highest traction, with 28.6k views. The footage has sparked widespread concern among netizens, many of whom expressed shock over the individual’s actions.One user questioned, “How on earth (did) he access that in the first place?” while another asked, “Why did he do such dangerous things?” Another netizen described the incident as a “life-endangering action”. 

[Independent (Kampala)] Entebbe, Uganda -- The Ministry of Works and Transport has announced that it has suspended the automated Express Penalty System (EPS Auto), «following a comprehensive review.»

[allAfrica]

[allAfrica] A decade after the adoption of the 2030 agenda, a measly 17% of the Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs, are on track. If we were in a classroom, the international community would fall into the category of «ungraded.» This is devastating, but unsurprising: a huge financing gap stands in the way of achieving the Goals. In Africa, an additional $1.3 trillion in financing is needed every year to achieve the SDGs by 2030 - a figure that represents about 42 percent of the

Serbia’s Aleksandar Vucic has said that his trip to Ukraine was not aimed against Russia Read Full Article at RT.com

Ils sont de plus en plus gros pour pouvoir transporter toujours plus de marchandises. Mais les cargos qui arrivent à Papeete sont encore limités par les dimensions de la passe de Papeete. Le plus imposant à pouvoir pénétrer dans la rade est le Seattle Express. Avec près de 300 mètres de long, il ne peut néanmoins être totalement chargé.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) said the White House appears to be retaliating against him for breaking with the president’s agenda at a high-stakes moment.

The 12-person board that oversees the Fulbright Program accused the White House of denying a “substantial” number of scholarship recipients.

The president’s attendance was meant as a fundraiser for the cash-strapped arts center, which has seen a decline in ticket sales since he took control.

The US is partially evacuating its embassies and military outposts in the Middle East Read Full Article at RT.com

Russian Ambassador Alexander Darchiev has met with US President Donald Trump Read Full Article at RT.com

The Princess of Wales cut a very trendy figure as she visited the new V&A East Storehouse in London yesterday - but one aspect of her outfit appeared to break the dress code. 

The home in Birmingham had been swallowed up by nature after trees, weeds, and ivy had grown out of control for the last four decades

Ukraine's former foreign minister has starkly warned that British mothers must accept their sons have to die defending Europe, otherwise there is no NATO.   

Following outrage over substandard train coaches provided to BSF personnel en route to Amarnath Yatra duty, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw swiftly suspended four officials. The ministry emphasized the paramount importance of security force dignity, initiating an inquiry to prevent future negligence. An alternative train was arranged for the BSF personnel after the initial coaches sparked criticism.

India and the US are aiming to finalize an initial trade deal by July 9, but a comprehensive agreement may take longer due to the Trump administration's evolving trade policies. Key issues include tariff implementation, competitiveness for Indian exporters, and protecting sensitive sectors like agriculture.

Enforcement Directorate officials searched eight locations, including the houses of Ballari MP E Tukaram and four MLAs. The searches related to the alleged Valmiki scam-linked money laundering case. Officials gathered evidence on the alleged misuse of funds during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Patriotic business communities are gaining strength in Russia – and attracting unwanted attention from abroad Read Full Article at RT.com

A court in Estonia has sentenced journalist Svetlana Burtseva to six years in prison for treason and sanctions breaches Read Full Article at RT.com

The arsenal ensures the country’s sovereignty and the global balance of power, according to the Russian president Read Full Article at RT.com

Western states are seeking to “sacrifice” Ukraine for their own gain, the leader of Republika Srpska told RT Read Full Article at RT.com