Author: Rachel Maddow

Governments Seek Stability Ahead of 2028 Rollout European Union governments have agreed to strengthen a financial safeguard designed to prevent sudden spikes in carbon prices, as the bloc prepares to expand its carbon market to cover road transport and buildings. The updated system — often referred to as ETS2 — will place a carbon price on fuels used for cars, vans and heating. Once fully in force in 2028, households and businesses that rely on fossil fuels are expected to face higher costs. That prospect has triggered growing political tension across the EU. To ease concerns, member states decided to…

Brussels Willing to Act Without Full G7 Unity The European Union is prepared to move ahead with a sweeping ban on maritime services for Russian oil tankers, even if it fails to secure full backing from its G7 partners. Valdis Dombrovskis said a joint decision would be ideal but stressed that it is not an “absolute precondition” for action. His comments come as EU member states negotiate a 20th package of sanctions against the Kremlin, which Brussels hopes to finalise by 24 February — the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. If approved, the proposed ban would effectively…

A Personal Message from Washington U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio brought a clear message to Budapest: President Donald Trump wants Viktor Orbán to succeed. Standing alongside Orbán after the Munich Security Conference, Rubio emphasized the close personal relationship between the Hungarian leader and Trump, calling it a key factor in strengthening ties between the two countries. He said Trump is “deeply committed” to Orbán’s success, arguing that Hungary’s prosperity aligns with American interests. Rubio pointed to Hungary’s recent one-year exemption from U.S. sanctions on importers of Russian oil as an example of how that relationship has paid off. According…

Competing Visions of What the West Stands For This year’s Munich Security Conference put the state of the transatlantic alliance under a harsh spotlight. Senior officials from the United States, Europe and Ukraine gathered for three days of talks, but beneath the formal speeches lay a clear divide over what the West represents — and where it is headed. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio argued that Western civilisation is in decline by choice and needs to be revitalised. He said Washington has “no interest in being polite and orderly caretakers” of what he described as a fading status quo.…

Europe Must Be at the Table Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized the limited involvement of European leaders in U.S.-led negotiations aimed at ending the war with Russia, calling their absence a “big mistake.” Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, Zelenskyy said any lasting peace must reflect the security concerns of the whole continent, not just Kyiv and Washington. He noted that next week’s trilateral talks with the United States and Russia must be “serious and constructive,” but expressed frustration that discussions often feel disjointed, with different parties “talking about completely different things.” Zelenskyy also warned that negotiations too often focus…

The United Nations has approved the creation of a new 40-member scientific panel to examine the risks and opportunities posed by artificial intelligence, marking a major step in global AI oversight efforts. The move passed the General Assembly by a vote of 117–2, with the United States and Paraguay opposing the measure, and Tunisia and Ukraine abstaining. Russia, China and several European nations backed the initiative. António Guterres, the UN secretary-general, described the panel as a “foundational step toward global scientific understanding of AI,” saying it will provide independent expertise at a time when the technology is advancing rapidly. A…

NATO’s future appears to be entering a new phase, with both the United States and its European allies acknowledging that the alliance must evolve. At talks in Brussels on Thursday, defence ministers signaled broad agreement that Europe needs to shoulder more responsibility for its own security — even if Washington and European capitals are motivated by slightly different concerns. US Under Secretary of War Eldridge Colby, attending in place of Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, described the moment as a turning point. He argued that the alliance must transform into what he called “NATO 3.0,” where European nations assume primary responsibility…

At least nine people have died following a devastating shooting at a secondary school in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia. The suspected gunman was also found dead at the scene, and several others were injured in what authorities describe as one of the deadliest school attacks in Canada in decades. Police said six victims were discovered inside Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. Another person later died while being transported to hospital. Two additional bodies were located at a nearby residence believed to be connected to the incident. The suspected shooter was found deceased inside the school with what investigators believe to be…

Silent in Congress Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted former associate of Jeffrey Epstein, declined to answer questions from the US House Oversight Committee on Monday, invoking her Fifth Amendment rights. Maxwell, serving a 20-year sentence in a federal prison camp in Texas for sex trafficking, appeared via video call and refused to comment on her connections or knowledge of individuals linked to Epstein. Lawmakers are trying to identify anyone who may have facilitated Epstein’s abuse, with both Donald Trump and Bill Clinton appearing frequently in recently released documents from the 1990s and early 2000s. Clemency Conditional on Testimony Through her attorney,…

Melting Ice Opens New Routes — and New Risks As global temperatures climb, Arctic sea ice is disappearing faster than ever, opening shipping routes that were once locked in ice year-round. Cargo vessels, fishing boats and even cruise ships are now moving through parts of the Arctic Ocean that were previously inaccessible. But this surge in traffic comes with a serious environmental downside: black carbon, or soot, released from ship exhaust. When that soot settles on ice and snow, it darkens the surface, reducing its ability to reflect sunlight and causing it to absorb more heat. The result is a…