🇺🇸🇪🇺American by birth, European by choice Buy my book: www.TheOwnedContinent.eu Read my Substack: https://DaveKeating.Substack.com/ Watch my reporting: www.DaveKeating.net
There's growing evidence the surge into Ceuta (🇪🇸PM Sanchez has called it an "attack") has, like in 2021, been orchestrated by the Moroccan government in retaliation for Sanchez visiting Algeria Yet it's Spain being criticised by European politicians, not Morocco. So much for solidarity.
About 60,000 migrants arrive in Ceuta in 24 hours, Spanish territory's leader saysThe estimated number of arrivals is more than 70% of the population of the city, which is about 83,600.www.bbc.comTony Blair's foolish decision to emulate the American target of sending half of citizens to four-year universities has driven up costs while degrading the value of degrees. This week Prime Minister Burnham announced he's ending that policy.
Burnham is right: less people should go to universityThe American obsession with sending everyone toward liberal arts drove up the costs of degrees while degrading their value. Britain has been unwisely following the same road.davekeating.substack.comFor the past 5 years after #Brexit, the rate Europeans pay to attend 🇬🇧universities has increased by up to £50,000 per year. Understandably, this has made the number of 🇪🇺citizens studying in🇺🇸 plummet - down to just 2% of students. As part of 🇬🇧 reset deal to reestablish cross-educational ties...🧵
EU pitches Brexit reset tuition fees compromiseNegotiations between London and Brussels are continuing ahead of a summit, which has yet to be rescheduled after Britain’s change of government.www.politico.euNorthern leaders are asking the EU to do more but with less resources. They're incompatible demands. If you believe the EU must be stronger, then you need to be willing to pay for it. But Brussels-bashing is the easiest lever to pull for unpopular politicians like Merz. My take:
Northern leaders want to cut an EU budget already on a shoestringEU national leaders keep saying they want a union that “does more.” Then they show up in Brussels asking it to spend less.davekeating.substack.comPubAffairs EU Debates, News & Opinions 🇪🇺#EUbudget: Merz rules out company tax and joint borrowing in EU budget. EU “must basically make do with the money it has available,” German chancellor says, by Nette Nöstlinger | Politico
"No European studio could have funded The Odyssey‘s $250 million budget, so the tellings of European stories end up being American by default. Those with the gold not only make the rules; they tell the stories."
Who owns Homer? | EuractivSocieties that outsource their self-narration lose a key layer of resiliencewww.euractiv.comThis is how Brazil handles US attempts to interfere in their elections. Very different from the European approach.
Brazil Blocks Visit by U.S. Delegation Seeking to Question Election SystemBrazilian authorities refused to grant visas to two senior U.S. officials out of concern they planned to sow doubt about the security of the country’s voting systems.www.nytimes.comSunday long read: EU institutional names and job titles are long-winded and confusing by design - national leaders did not want anything that gives the appearance of a state. But this does a disservice to citizens because it masks what they really are.
The five name changes that would make the EU more honestSylvain Kahn's book "Europe: A State Unaware of Itself" describes all the ways European leaders have used confusing language to hide the fact that the EU is a federal state.davekeating.substack.comChecking in on what's been happening at CBS News since MAGA took it over.
Fired ‘60 Minutes’ Correspondent Says She Was Pushed to Report on Events ‘That Never Happened’ Under Bari Weiss’ Leadership at CBS NewsFired '60 Minutes' correspondent Cecilia Vega said the 'new administration' at CBS News -- indicating Bari Weiss -- asked her to report on events that 'never happened.'variety.comMy piece on why the US State Department's "Political Terrorism" event for foreign diplomats last week actually had a domestic audience in mind. There is a reason it came on the same day as President Trump's primetime address alleging election interference. davekeating.substack.com/p/american-d...
Trump's damp squib speech last week may have been overlooked because of its incoherence. But meanwhile, a State Department event about left-wing "political terrorism" on the same day clearly spelled out the plan of attack for the next months.
American democracy may die in four monthsWith a series of speeches, the Trump administration has laid the groundwork for refusing to accept the results of the midterms in November - and refusing to seat the winners.davekeating.substack.comI'll definitely be reading this book by Sylvain Kahn this summer. europemorningpost.substack.com/p/the-eu-a-s...
When talking of a federal EU, people often use the "United States of Europe" comparison. But this is looking in the wrong direction. A better comparison, and inspiration, would be the multilingual, multiethnic and multiconfessional union of India. My piece:
Europe should draw inspiration from the Indian unionThe subcontinent was also once split into small states speaking different languages, but the Indian union has brought great success. As the EU and India strike a trade deal, there are wider lessons.davekeating.substack.comThe 🇪🇺Commission has just announced a €890m fine against Google, one day before an expected announcement of new Trump tariffs against the EU. Could the fine antagonise the US president into levying fines above the agreed 15% baseline?
EU issues rash of anti-competition fines against US tech giantsThe fines are not, as claimed by US politicians, about censorship. But despite the small size of the punishments, Brussels is now bracing for US government retaliation tomorrow.davekeating.substack.com🇪🇺Commission just fined #Google €890m for anti-competitive practices under DMA. But tech sovereignty advocates aren't impressed by the amount. "Plenty of people would dodge the fare if the fine were cheaper than the ticket" says Green MEP Alexandra Geese. "The size of this fine is disappointing...🧵
EU fines Google €890m for competition breaches over search and appsFirm told to treat third-party services that appear in its results in ‘fair and non-discriminatory manner’theguardian.comGreat article on the confusing & controversial language situation in Brussels, referencing a 2024 VUB study about what residents speak: 80% can speak French 47% can speak English 22% can speak Dutch For native speakers, Dutch is tied with Arabic at 12%
How Brussels became a French-speaking cityThe Francisation of Brussels is known as the "oil slick effect" in Flanders, but how did French really take root in the Belgian capital?www.brusselstimes.comAndy Burnham has just taken over as the new UK prime minister. And already, UK media is fretting over his relationship with Donald Trump. The country gets a do-over now after Starmer's humiliation. But are they just going to repeat the same mistake twice?
Can Burnham avoid the Trump trap that ensnared his predecessor?Starmer's grovelling to the US president did not spare Britain from Trump's attacks. But as the new UK prime minister takes office today, he's hamstrung by the same "special relationship" albatross.davekeating.substack.com🇪🇺President von der Leyen’s proposal to weaken the #EUETS, the bedrock of EU climate action, sends a signal to companies and foreign governments that the Commission will easily cave before EU law might inconvenience them. My piece: davekeating.substack.com/p/faced-with...
🇪🇺President von der Leyen has today proposed to pull the rug out from under EU climate policy, watering down the EU ETS which underpins all European climate efforts. Did she do it for 2024 election voters, for businesses, or for Trump?
Faced with US hostility, EU hits the brakes on its climate plansToday President von der Leyen proposed to massively water down EU emissions trading, the bedrock of Europe's climate policy that was originally meant to partner with a US system.davekeating.substack.com"The Israeli government did not immediately respond to Vance's comments." Can you imagine if a Democrat or a European leader said this? Israel would be screaming and cutting off diplomatic relations.
JD Vance accuses Israel of 'manipulating' US public opinion to prolong Iran warThe US vice president says he thinks some Israeli politicians are trying to detail efforts to end the conflict.www.bbc.com