South Korea Unveils Record $597 Billion 2027 Budget to Boost AI and Chips 
Pacific Islands Forum Seeks Unified Condemnation of China Missile Test 
US Strikes Iran IRGC Targets as Conflict Escalates 
Texas Republicans Turn Against AI Data Centers as Election Backlash Grows 
Australia, US Move to Expand Defence Ties in Indo-Pacific 
US-Iran Exchange Strikes as Hormuz Tensions Escalate 
Nicaragua Congress Backs Reform Banning Opposition Parties 
US Approves $800 Million Helicopter Sale to Iraq 
US, Australia Pledge $580 Million for Pacific Islands 
China Warns Over Taiwan’s Pacific Islands Forum Presence 
Putin Says Russia Is Winning Ukraine War 
Honduras Court Drops Charges Against Ex-President Juan Orlando Hernandez 
Augusto Cury Surges in Brazil Presidential Polls 
U.S., New Zealand Fund $60M Cook Islands Port Upgrade 
Iran Strikes U.S. Bases in Kuwait as Hormuz Tensions Rise 
Lula Runs Cautious Brazil Election Campaign as Bolsonaro Narrows Poll Gap 
Greenland Says US Talks Remain Ongoing 
Add as a preferred source on Google
Interior ministers of the European Union are looking to ease tensions on the issue of migration following the clash between France and Italy. The clash followed the fate of a boat that had rescued migrants on board in the Mediterranean.
During an emergency meeting of the bloc Friday last week, the ministers sought to ease tensions on the long-debated issue following the clash between France and Italy. Tensions over migration flared when France accepted the Ocean Viking vessel that carried 234 rescued migrants on board. Italy turned away the boat before it turned up in France.
“Everyone agrees not to repeat this kind of situation,” said European Commissioner Margaritis Schinas following the meeting.
During the meeting, the ministers agreed on a 20-point action plan proposed by the bloc’s executive branch to address migration in the central Mediterranean. One particular point in the plan involved strengthening cooperation with third countries, including steps to prevent departures from regions such as Northern Africa. The plan also sought greater coordination in the bloc of search and rescue, including in coastal and flag states.
The French and Italian ministers welcomed the plan. However, Schinas stressed that the EU must agree on a legal, overall framework to tackle migration.
“We cannot and should not work on a crisis-by-crisis situation, ship-by-ship, incident-by-incident. We need one single framework based on EU law,” said Schinas.
This year, over 90,000 migrants and refugees have arrived in the EU through the central Mediterranean route, marking a 50 percent increase from the numbers in 2021.
“It is only as Europeans that we can tackle these very difficult questions of irregular immigration,” said French interior minister Gerald Darmanin.
Also on Friday, the bloc warned that time is running out when it comes to changing Washington’s mind over its plans to grant consumer tax credits for US-made electric vehicles and other such products. The EU said that the $430-billion Inflation Reduction Act, which was already signed into law, would make the United States a leader in producing electric vehicles at the regional grouping’s expense.
The bloc has sought for an exception for EU products, as was agreed on Canadian and Mexican products.
