Yannis Palaiologos

Τεράστιος.

News article that reads: Canadian passport holders can travel to China visa-free starting this week

We’re renewing Canada’s relationship with China.

As part of our new strategic partnership, China is granting visa-free travel for Canadians.

The beatings will continue until the prospects of the European far-right improve.

Photo of Prime Minister Carney with President von der Leyen of the European Commission and President Costa of the European Council.

Canada is now the first non-European country to be granted a membership in SAFE. This is a gamechanger program that means Canada can rearm our Canadian Armed Forces members more effectively and scale up our defence industries with more contracts overseas.

210. The President's Lack of Power Over Elections President Trump keeps insisting that he can unilaterally change the rules for voting in the midterms. It's not just that he's *wrong*; it's that there's no mechanism through which he could even *try.*

President Trump keeps threatening to unilaterally impose rules (like voter ID requirements) on upcoming elections.

Today's "One First" explains why, whether as a matter of constitutional law, existing federal statutes, or simple, practical logistics, his (ominous) threats are ultimately empty ones:

Germany says talks with France on nuclear deterrence are at an early stage Talks between German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron over creating a joint European nuclear deterrent are at an early stage and not aimed at diminishing the role of the United States, a German government spokesperson said on Monday.

Germany says talks with France on nuclear deterrence are at an early stage reut.rs/4rw7hbe

Greece signs more energy deals with the US | eKathimerini.com Greece will sign four hydrocarbon exploration agreements with US energy giant Chevron on Monday, sealing a deal aimed at unlocking vast offshore gas potential south of Crete and the Peloponnese.

Greece signs more energy deals with the US
And everything else on the political agenda this week

www.ekathimerini.com/politics/129...

«Τι μπορεί να κάνει η Ιστορία;» – Πέντε βιβλία για όσα φέρνει το 2026 «Πότε πέρασαν τόσα χρόνια μέσα σε ενάμιση μήνα;», αναρωτιόμαστε μεταξύ σοβαρού και αστείου. Στην εποχή του απρόβλεπτου, του παράδοξου και του δυσεξήγητου, πέντε προσωπικότητες χαρτογραφούν το έτος 202...

Έγραψα για αυτό το αφιέρωμα που επιμελήθηκε ο Θοδωρής Λέννας για το "Before the Storm" του @rickperlstein.bsky.social και τις μεταλλάξεις της αμερικανικής Δεξιάς:
www.kathimerini.gr/culture/book...

U.S. Deports Nine Migrants in Secret, Ignoring Legal Protections

NYT: Trump secretly deported 9 migrants despite court orders to not remove them to their home nations. So, he sent them to prison in Cameroon: www.nytimes.com/2026/02/14/w...

Weekend Update #172: Is Ukraine Causing More Russian Losses Than Putin Can Replace? Rubio, Russia, Ukraine And The European Reaction: A Notable Ukrainian Reaction To Developments In The War

Free weekend update is out. The leading story is Ukrainian claims that for two months now Russian losses have significantly exceeded replacements. If that is happening, it will prove a major problem for the Russian military going forward. Armies rarely tread water. open.substack.com/pub/phillips...

Ελληνική δύναμη στη Γάζα Το σχέδιο για την ανάπτυξη ενός «τάγματος μειωμένης σύνθεσης» και η αποστολή του.

Το σχέδιο για την ανάπτυξη ενός «τάγματος μειωμένης σύνθεσης» και η αποστολή του.

‘Unfortunately, I think the desire is the same.’ Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said she believes that US President Donald Trump still wants to own Greenland despite dialing back his recent threats to seize it by force.
u.afp.com/S6SW

Rubio’s Munich Civility Is a False Dawn for Europe The European audience for US Secretary of State Marco Rubio drew a collective sigh of relief at the reassuring message he delivered at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday — at least according to his German host and moderator, Wolfgang Ischinger. If that was indeed the response, it would be a mistake.

Marco Rubio was more polite than JD Vance in his Munich speech, but there's no relief here for Europe

The Ugly Deportation Case of Rumeysa Öztürk  | National Review The administration may appeal the latest decision and might well win. But its conduct has conveyed weakness in several respects.

Andrew McCarthy on the DHS's policy of being brutal so as to encourage self-deportation: "In terrorem policies can be very effective — they’re why the Romans crucified lawbreakers along the Appian Way. But the American way is to promote the rule of law, not to intimidate by the rule of cruelty."

Kristi Noem actually saying what is driving the extraordinary elections maneuvers. Flag this one.

The Rubio speech was not a detente.

It was the JD Vance message delivered with velvet rather than boxing gloves (h/t @fbermingham.bsky.social)

He signalled 0 actionable compromises to the EU other than implicitly asking Europe to close its borders / round up migrants (and then the US offers what?)

Ζελένσκι: Οι ΗΠΑ ζητούν συχνά παραχωρήσεις από την Ουκρανία και όχι από τη Ρωσία «Οι Αμερικανοί επανέρχονται συχνά στο θέμα των παραχωρήσεων και πολύ συχνά αυτές οι παραχωρήσεις συζητούνται μόνο στο πλαίσιο της Ουκρανίας και όχι της Ρωσίας», τόνισε ο Ουκρανός πρόεδρος σε ομιλία του στη Διάσκεψη Ασφαλείας του Μονάχου.

«Οι Αμερικανοί επανέρχονται συχνά στο θέμα των παραχωρήσεων και πολύ συχνά αυτές οι παραχωρήσεις συζητούνται μόνο στο πλαίσιο της Ουκρανίας και όχι της Ρωσίας», τόνισε ο Ουκρανός πρόεδρος σε ομιλία του στη Διάσκεψη Ασφαλείας του Μονάχου.

Navalny Was Poisoned With Frog Toxin, European Governments Say

Navalny was most likely killed by a poison drawn from toxin found in a South American frog not natural to Russia, European governments conclude, debunking Moscow's story that he died in prison of natural causes. @lynseychutel.bsky.social Anton Troianovski www.nytimes.com/2026/02/14/w...

Rubio skips Ukraine meeting with European leaders in Munich US secretary of state cancels attendance at last minute in move that EU official calls ‘insane’

He skipped the Ukraine meeting in order to be able to travel to Budapest to see Viktor Orban.

giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...

Quite the chart

I agree with this analysis. Trump’s America is not Europe's friend, and European leaders mustn't kid themselves that Rubio's speech is a valentine message from Washington. He's less strident than Vance last year, but he's still telling Europe to be Trumpian - or else.

More epic reporting by the @wsj.com.

Venezuela frees 17 political prisoners, opposition movement says Venezuela on Saturday freed 17 political prisoners, the human rights committee of opposition movement Vente Venezuela said in a post on X.

Venezuela frees 17 political prisoners, opposition movement says reut.rs/4ayTrhm

Μετρό – Γραμμή 4: Η «Αθηνά» έφθασε απέναντι από τον Ευαγγελισμό Παρά τους πανηγυρισμούς, το χθεσινό «break through» άργησε τουλάχιστον μία διετία λόγω διαδοχικών καθυστερήσεων σε διάφορα στάδια των εργασιών.

Προχθές λοιπόν ο πρώτος μετροπόντικας ολοκλήρωσε την αποστολή του, φτάνοντας στον Ευαγγελισμό. Το χαρμόσυνο γεγονός ωστόσο επισκιάζεται από τις ευρύτερες καθυστερήσεις στο έργο, κατ' ελάχιστο μια τριετία... και βλέπουμε.

Kyle Cheney @kyledcheney X.com BREAKING: ICE director Todd LYONS says the two officers involved in the Jan. 14 chase/ shooting incident appear to have lied under oath and are being investigated by DOJ. This comes after DHS Secretary Kristi Noem defended them as firing in self-defense. politico.com/news/ 2026/02/1... Attributable to Todd Lyons: Today, a joint review by ICE and the Department of Justice (DO) of video evidence has revealed that sworn testimony provided by two separate officers appears to have made untruthful statements. Both officers have been immediately placed on administrative leave pending the completion of a thorough internal investigation. Lying under oath is a serious federal offense. The U.S. Attorney's Office is actively investigating these false statements. Upon conclusion of the investigation, the officers may face termination of employment, as well as potential criminal prosecution. The men and women of ICE are entrusted with upholding the rule of law and are held to the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and ethical conduct. Violations of this sacred sworn oath will not be tolerated. ICE remains fully committed to transparency, accountability, and the fair enforcement of our nation's immigration laws.

WOW. Incredible. This is the case in which DHS claimed that ICE officers had been attacked with a shovel and fired back in self-defense. Evidence since suggests an ICE officer fired through a closed door and struck someone on the other side.

Will DHS retract the prior claims?

🙏

Finland’s president steps to the forefront of European affairs | eKathimerini.com It’s a sunny morning in freezing Helsinki, -17 degrees Celsius at 8.30 a.m., -22 if you factor in the wind chill. President Alexander Stubb’s adviser says it’s been like this for several weeks, with t...

My recent @kathimerini.gr interview with the President of Finland, Alexander Stubb, now available in English: www.ekathimerini.com/politics/for...

ICE’s operation in Minneapolis is about to wind down Donald Trump’s administration claims mission accomplished

No one knows which Democratic city will be next to receive the ICE treatment. But the withdrawal from Minnesota seems to be real

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Gabbard Whistleblower Complaint Based on Intercepted Conversation About Jared Kushner The substance of the conversation, which covered in part issues related to Iran, isn’t known.

The highly classified whistleblower complaint against Tulsi Gabbard is related to a foreign conversation about Jared Kushner that was intercepted last spring.