🌍 Helsinki+50 Conference to Commemorate 50 Years of the Helsinki Final Act

HELSINKI, 21 July 2025 — Finland will host the Helsinki+50 Conference on 31 July 2025 at Finlandia Hall, marking the 50th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act, a landmark agreement that laid the foundation for European security cooperation during the Cold War. The event is organized under Finland’s 2025 OSCE Chairpersonship and will be led […]

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Secretary Rubio’s Meeting with Philippine President Marcos, Jr.

The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce: Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., today in Washington, DC, ahead of the meeting between Presidents Marcos and Trump. Secretary Rubio and President Marcos underscored the importance of the ironclad United States-Philippines Alliance to maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific […]

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Terror and chaos for Gaza’s people now entering the ‘death phase’

In an alert, the UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, relayed desperate testimonies from its colleagues who are also struggling to survive in the war-torn enclave. “We’re in the death phase,” one UNRWA worker said. “Everything around people at the moment is death, whether it’s bombs or strikes, children wasting away in front of their […]

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🛡️ Switzerland Revives Wartime Bunkers Due to Rising Security Threats

In response to escalating global tensions—particularly Russia’s war in Ukraine—the Swiss Armed Forces have launched a nationwide initiative to modernize and repurpose thousands of wartime bunkers as part of a renewed national defence strategy. 🏔️ Historical Infrastructure Reimagined Switzerland’s bunker network, comprising an estimated 8,000 sites, dates back to 1886 and was central to the […]

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🛢️ Poland Unveils One of Europe’s Largest Oil Reserve Discoveries in a Decade

On 21 July 2025, Central European Petroleum (CEP) announced the discovery of what may be Poland’s largest conventional hydrocarbon deposit and one of the most significant in Europe in the past ten years. The breakthrough was made at the Wolin East 1 (WE1) well, located approximately 6 kilometres off the coast of Świnoujście, in Poland’s […]

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Why the Nazis stole a fragment of the Bayeux tapestry

There was great excitement at the news this month that the Bayeux tapestry – the 11th-century embroidered epic depicting the conquest of England by William the Conqueror in 1066 – will go on display at the British Museum in 2026. However, the tapestry had already been in the news earlier this year, admittedly to much […]

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Doha agreement brings DR Congo government and M23 rebels a step closer to peace

In a statement released on 19 July, MONUSCO said that the Declaration of Principles, signed in Doha under the mediation of Qatar, “reflects the parties’ resolve to prioritise peaceful means, establish a ceasefire, and set up a joint mechanism to define its practical implementation.” “This important declaration marks a shift towards easing tensions and protecting […]

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AFRICAN CONTINENTAL BRIEF: Security, Governance, Human Rights, Business…

Week of July 21, 2025 1. Conflict & Peacebuilding DR Congo and M23 Rebels Sign Ceasefire Agreement Location: Doha, Qatar | Date: July 19, 2025The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group have signed a preliminary ceasefire deal in Doha following three months of negotiations. This deal, brokered with Qatari and […]

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Taking and giving evidence by video link from abroad in UK court cases and tribunals

If you are involved in a UK court case or tribunal hearing and you are based abroad, your involvement may need to be via a video link. You may be: taking a complaint to a UK court or tribunal, sometimes known as making an appeal submitting evidence in a case or hearing that you or […]

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President al-Sharaa Reaffirms Syria’s Unity says No Place for Separatist Agendas following Unrest in Sweida Province

On 19 July 2025, Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa declared that Syria will not serve as a platform for separatist projects, responding to escalating tensions in the southern Sweida province, home to the country’s Druze minority. 🗣️ Presidential Statement In a televised address, al-Sharaa emphasized: 🤝 Regional and International Support 🔍 Context: Sweida Unrest Recent clashes […]

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