EU weighs defence and governance reforms amid geopolitical pressures
As global diplomatic dynamics continue to evolve, the European Union is reassessing its ability to respond effectively to major international developm...
The United States is pulling out of UNESCO once again under President Donald Trump, citing anti-Israel bias, rising Chinese influence, and what the White House calls a 'woke agenda.'
President Donald Trump has announced that the United States will withdraw from UNESCO, accusing the UN cultural agency of promoting 'anti-American, anti-Israel views and a woke agenda.'
The decision follows a 90-day internal review and reverses President Biden’s 2023 move to rejoin the organization and repay more than $600 million in back dues.
White House deputy spokesperson Anna Kelly stated, “President Trump has decided to withdraw the United States from UNESCO — which supports woke, divisive cultural and social causes.”
UNESCO chief Audrey Azoulay said she deeply regretted Trump's decision, but that it was "expected, and UNESCO has prepared for it".
The agency had diversified its sources of funding, receiving only about 8% of its budget from Washington, she said.
The administration also objected to initiatives like the 2023 'anti-racism toolkit' and the 2024 'Transforming MEN’talities' campaign, which they claimed “promote divisive social causes.”
Concerns were also raised about China’s growing influence within UNESCO. “China has leveraged its influence over UNESCO to advance global standards that are favorable to Beijing’s interests,” an official said, pointing to Chinese nationals in senior leadership and funding contributions.
This marks the third U.S. exit from UNESCO, following previous withdrawals under Ronald Reagan in 1983 and Donald Trump in 2017, both times citing politicization and anti-Western bias.
Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry says 19 citizens have been repatriated following a deadly drone attack on two cargo ships in the Sea of Azov on 5 June.
A Sudanese man has been arrested over a knife attack in Belfast that left a man seriously injured and prompted calls online for a protest after footage of the incident circulated widely on social media.
Iran and Israel said on Monday (8 June) they had halted attacks on each other following an appeal from U.S. President Donald Trump, as Axios reported that Trump had privately told Benjamin Netanyahu “be careful, or you will be on your own very soon”.
Ukraine's military said it struck a Russian "shadow fleet" tanker in the Black Sea as part of ongoing efforts to disrupt Moscow's energy and logistics networks. The move underscores Kyiv's focus on targeting maritime assets it says are used to bypass sanctions on Russian oil exports.
Armenia’s parliamentary election has strengthened Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s mandate, with analysts linking the result to his post-Garabagh agenda and pro-Western direction. However, constitutional constraints remain a key obstacle to peace efforts with Azerbaijan.
As global diplomatic dynamics continue to evolve, the European Union is reassessing its ability to respond effectively to major international developments, prompting renewed debate over defence coordination, foreign policy decision-making and institutional reform.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 is set to be one of a kind when it kicks off on 11 June, as it brings with it a slew of firsts ahead of co-hosts Mexico taking on South Africa in the opening match.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has warned that Israel’s military operations in Syria and Lebanon have escalated to a point where they could threaten Türkiye, describing Israel’s actions as “aggression” that poses a broader global risk.
More than 1,300 migrants died or went missing while attempting to reach Spain between January and May 2026, according to Spanish NGO Caminando Fronteras, highlighting the continuing dangers of one of the world's deadliest migration corridors.
Rescuers searched the rubble of a collapsed building in the southern Philippine city of General Santos on Tuesday after a powerful earthquake killed at least 37 people and injured hundreds across the country.
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