Find Luke‘s other articles On Brussels here There are no two ways about it: the EU has had a rough few weeks. It has come within a whisker of triggering a major diplomatic incident with the UK, has faced the wrath of…
On Brussels: The Reconfiguration Can (Tentatively) Begin
Find Luke‘s other articles On Brussels here After the UK’s departure a year ago, the EU hoped that then would be the time for a period of reflection, of soul-searching and potentially even reform. But a pandemic, economic crises, a belligerent UK…
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On Brussels: Fighting the Curve
Find Luke‘s other articles On Brussels here Across the EU, the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine is being rapidly rolled out. Many EU members, including France, Germany, Spain and Sweden, will begin vaccinating en masse on 27 December. After a foul year, the end of…
South Dakota: Anatomy of a Covid Disaster
The United States is by far the country worst hit by the Covid-19 pandemic. It has recorded about a fifth of all cases globally, as well as a little over one-in-six deaths. As the winter deepens and courts in some…
On Brussels: The Light at the End of the Tunnel
Find Luke‘s other articles On Brussels here To say that 2020 has not been the best year is an understatement. This is particularly true for the EU. Even the most pro-union of leaders and officials would have to concede that it has…
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On Brussels: A Troublesome Autumn Brews
Find Luke‘s other articles On Brussels here Across most of the world, cases of Covid-19 are surging. Some of the worst surges are in the EU. Germany, France, Spain, Belgium and The Netherlands are all struggling to contain the virus. Germany has…
On Brussels: The Brexit Beast Roars Back
Find Luke‘s other articles On Brussels here Now more than four years old, the Brexit process has surprised, astonished and confounded throughout its existence. So it seems fitting that, as it reaches its ignoble end, some of the more jaw-dropping…
On Brussels: Bracing for the Second Wave
Find Luke‘s other articles On Brussels here. It seemed as though a sense of normality was returning to the EU. In June and July, the EU was able to reopen many of its internal borders and thrash out a new budget and…
In Beirut, the Damage is Far More Than Material
The way forward for Lebanon is unclear. It is also unclear how Beirut can be returned to its former glory, if it even can be at all. But one thing is certain: the explosion may just prove to be the final straw for an already vulnerable country.
The Road to Beijing
The world is watching on agog as China removes Hong Kong’s special status bit by bit, quashing any dissent as it does so. China is a superpower. It is one of the world’s foremost economic and military powers. It is also an expansionist power, with its influence being felt ever more keenly the world over. But how did Hong Kong get here? Why is Beijing behaving as it is? What, if anything, can the world do to help Hong Kong? The answers to these questions lie, not in Hong Kong, but in Beijing.