Every Monday, the Research Trainees of the CERESE assess the news of the previous week. You can read their opinions below:

I like…

…that the European Parliament has approved a series of measures that will make it possible to harmonize the Pact on migration and asylum. Until now, quota allocation had divided Europe and led to the rise of populist and ultraconservative beliefs. The adoption of common rules to deal with the immigration crisis can lead to the acceleration of asylum procedures. However, the return of applicants to a third country deemed safe opens the way for the process to be outsourced and will depend on the political will of member-states to take up their responsibilities.

...the news that India is building the world’s largest wind and solar park. Specifically, the park will be five times the size of Paris and will be visible from space. This is the world’s largest investment, worth $20 billion. It will be completed in about five years and is expected to generate enough clean electricity to power 16 million homes in India. And all this is within the world’s most populous country, where coal still accounts for 70% of the electricity generated.

I dislike…

…the strong risk of an escalation of war in the Middle East. Specifically, in retaliation for the airstrike that destroyed the Iranian embassy building in Damascus, Syria on April 1, late Saturday night (4/13), Iran attacked Israel with explosive drones and fired missiles. So far, no human casualties have been reported, as the vast majority of the explosives were intercepted before they landed on Israeli soil. Numerous world leaders have condemned Tehran’s actions, while the US has declared that it will not engage in or support offensive actions against Iran. Yet, there is no way of knowing what the Israeli response will be.

...the news about the possible involvement of Russia in European election campaigns. According to the announcement by the Prime Minister of Belgium, Alexander De Croo, the purpose of this tactic is to promote candidates friendly to the Russian Federation. After the country’s intelligence services raised their suspicions on the matter, the Belgian judicial authorities launched an investigation. Many European countries have similarly accused Russia in the past, as it is not uncommon for Russian agents to use social media platforms to spread misinformation.