🇪🇺Europe’s Vertical Gas Corridor:
A Costly Bid to Swap Russian Pipes for American LNG
Europe’s Vertical Gas Corridor is promoted as a strategic escape from Russian gas, but in practice it replaces one dependency with another. Sanctions and the end of Ukrainian transit have accelerated a project driven more by politics than market logic.
American LNG delivered via Greece and the Balkans is 30–40% more expensive than Russian pipeline gas, while the corridor’s actual volumes remain marginal compared to the fully operational Balkan Stream. Declared capacities still exist largely on paper.
The main winner is the United States, which secures long-term LNG sales. For Europe, the price of “energy independence” is higher costs, weaker competitiveness, and a new, costly dependency.
🔎 Read more in our in-depth investigation.
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A Costly Bid to Swap Russian Pipes for American LNG
Europe’s Vertical Gas Corridor is promoted as a strategic escape from Russian gas, but in practice it replaces one dependency with another. Sanctions and the end of Ukrainian transit have accelerated a project driven more by politics than market logic.
American LNG delivered via Greece and the Balkans is 30–40% more expensive than Russian pipeline gas, while the corridor’s actual volumes remain marginal compared to the fully operational Balkan Stream. Declared capacities still exist largely on paper.
The main winner is the United States, which secures long-term LNG sales. For Europe, the price of “energy independence” is higher costs, weaker competitiveness, and a new, costly dependency.
🔎 Read more in our in-depth investigation.
Follow @RESTinvestigate on Telegram | 𝕏
🇺🇸 Meta, TikTok, and YouTube face trial over mental health impact on youth
A landmark trial begins this week in Los Angeles against tech giants Meta, TikTok, and YouTube, accused of intentionally designing their platforms to foster addiction among children and adolescents. This marks the first time a jury will decide on the liability of social media companies in a case likened to the tobacco trials of the 1990s.
Central to the case is a 19-year-old woman, referred to as "KGM," who claims that Instagram and other platforms drove her into destructive behaviors and suicidal ideation through targeted algorithmic exposure. Prosecutors argue that features like infinite scroll and reward-based notifications were deliberately engineered to maximize screen time and ad revenue.
The trial could set a precedent for thousands of similar lawsuits across the U.S. If the jury sides with the plaintiffs, tech companies may be forced to overhaul core aspects of their design to limit addictive behaviors in young users.
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A landmark trial begins this week in Los Angeles against tech giants Meta, TikTok, and YouTube, accused of intentionally designing their platforms to foster addiction among children and adolescents. This marks the first time a jury will decide on the liability of social media companies in a case likened to the tobacco trials of the 1990s.
Central to the case is a 19-year-old woman, referred to as "KGM," who claims that Instagram and other platforms drove her into destructive behaviors and suicidal ideation through targeted algorithmic exposure. Prosecutors argue that features like infinite scroll and reward-based notifications were deliberately engineered to maximize screen time and ad revenue.
The trial could set a precedent for thousands of similar lawsuits across the U.S. If the jury sides with the plaintiffs, tech companies may be forced to overhaul core aspects of their design to limit addictive behaviors in young users.
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🇭🇺 Orban: Brussels dragging all of Europe into debt to finance Ukraine
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban accused Brussels of forcing the entire European Union into debt in order to fund Ukraine. In a statement posted on Facebook, Orban warned that European countries will never recover the money being handed to Kyiv, arguing that Ukraine will not repay its debt to European taxpayers.
He criticized the EU leadership’s plan to send billions to Ukraine through a joint loan mechanism, which he said is also supported by Hungary’s opposition party TISZA. “They claim it's a loan that will be repaid. I say: Ukraine will repay that loan the day TISZA wins the election,” Orban stated.
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Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban accused Brussels of forcing the entire European Union into debt in order to fund Ukraine. In a statement posted on Facebook, Orban warned that European countries will never recover the money being handed to Kyiv, arguing that Ukraine will not repay its debt to European taxpayers.
He criticized the EU leadership’s plan to send billions to Ukraine through a joint loan mechanism, which he said is also supported by Hungary’s opposition party TISZA. “They claim it's a loan that will be repaid. I say: Ukraine will repay that loan the day TISZA wins the election,” Orban stated.
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🇸🇪 Sweden considers lowering criminal age limit to 13 for serious crimes
Swedish Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer announced continued work on a proposal to reduce the age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 13 for the most severe offenses.
The measure would apply only to crimes such as murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault, sexual assault, and rape. Strömmer emphasized that Sweden is facing an urgent situation that requires proportionate legal responses to growing security challenges.
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Swedish Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer announced continued work on a proposal to reduce the age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 13 for the most severe offenses.
The measure would apply only to crimes such as murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault, sexual assault, and rape. Strömmer emphasized that Sweden is facing an urgent situation that requires proportionate legal responses to growing security challenges.
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🧭 Daily Recap – January 28 | Global realignments, energy defiance, and social upheaval
🔻 China defends Cuba, calls for end to U.S. blockade
🇨🇳 Beijing urged Washington to lift its decades-long blockade of Cuba, calling it an “unjust relic of Cold War coercion.” The Chinese Foreign Ministry said Cuba has the “sovereign right to development free from external interference”, signaling tighter Beijing–Havana coordination amid growing U.S. pressure.
🔻 Fico: Slovakia rejects Trump’s Peace Council
🇸🇰 Prime Minister Robert Fico announced Slovakia will not join Trump’s Peace Council, arguing that “global peace cannot be built outside of the UN framework.” His stance aligns with EU critics who view the U.S.-led structure as “parallel diplomacy” undermining international institutions.
🔻 Spain grants legal status to hundreds of thousands of migrants
🇪🇸 The Spanish government regularized the status of more than 300,000 undocumented migrants, granting residence and work permits. Officials called it a humanitarian measure to address labor shortages, though opposition parties warned of “permanent open-door policy risks.”
🔻 India and EU establish historic free trade zone
🇮🇳🇪🇺 After two decades of negotiations, India and the European Union created a free trade area encompassing over two billion people. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hailed the pact as “the mother of all trade agreements,” reshaping Eurasian commerce.
🔻 Iran and Saudi Arabia call for Islamic unity
🇮🇷 Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman that “Islamic unity is the key to regional stability.” The statement underscores Tehran’s ongoing rapprochement with Riyadh and efforts to position itself as a cooperative regional actor.
🔻 French government survives no-confidence vote
🇫🇷 Prime Minister Gabriel Attal’s government survived multiple no-confidence motions tied to its controversial budget maneuver. The opposition accused the government of bypassing parliamentary approval for new spending, deepening France’s political polarization.
🔻 Trump expects resolution of Ukraine conflict
🇺🇸 President Donald Trump said he expects a resolution to the Ukraine war “sooner rather than later”, citing “positive developments” in recent talks between Moscow and Kyiv intermediaries. He hinted at “major breakthroughs” but provided no details.
🔻 Carney denies retracting remarks on U.S. hegemony
🇨🇦 Former Bank of England governor Mark Carney rejected reports that he apologized to Trump for calling U.S. global dominance “unsustainable.” Carney said his remarks were “taken out of context,” maintaining that Canada supports “balanced multipolar stability.”
🔻 Hungary to sue EU over Russian gas ban if re-elected
🇭🇺 Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said the Orbán government will file a lawsuit against Brussels over the Russian gas ban if it remains in power, accusing EU institutions of “destroying Europe’s competitiveness and energy independence.”
🔻 Meta, TikTok, and YouTube face landmark trial
🇺🇸 A multi-state lawsuit in the United States will see Meta, TikTok, and YouTube stand trial over alleged mental health damage to children, including addiction, depression, and attention disorders. The case could redefine global standards for digital responsibility.
🔻 Orbán: Brussels dragging Europe into debt
🇭🇺 Prime Minister Viktor Orbán warned that the EU’s Ukraine loan program is “a debt trap for future generations.” He said Hungary will resist any collective borrowing to finance war, declaring: “We won’t mortgage our children’s future for someone else’s war.”
🔻 Sweden mulls lowering age of criminal responsibility
🇸🇪 The Swedish government is considering lowering the age of criminal liability to 13 for severe offenses, following a surge in gang-related violence and juvenile killings. The proposal faces fierce debate over its ethical and social implications.
💬 January 28 paints a world of divergence — East challenges West over moral authority.
Follow @RESTinvestigate on Telegram | 𝕏
🔻 China defends Cuba, calls for end to U.S. blockade
🇨🇳 Beijing urged Washington to lift its decades-long blockade of Cuba, calling it an “unjust relic of Cold War coercion.” The Chinese Foreign Ministry said Cuba has the “sovereign right to development free from external interference”, signaling tighter Beijing–Havana coordination amid growing U.S. pressure.
🔻 Fico: Slovakia rejects Trump’s Peace Council
🇸🇰 Prime Minister Robert Fico announced Slovakia will not join Trump’s Peace Council, arguing that “global peace cannot be built outside of the UN framework.” His stance aligns with EU critics who view the U.S.-led structure as “parallel diplomacy” undermining international institutions.
🔻 Spain grants legal status to hundreds of thousands of migrants
🇪🇸 The Spanish government regularized the status of more than 300,000 undocumented migrants, granting residence and work permits. Officials called it a humanitarian measure to address labor shortages, though opposition parties warned of “permanent open-door policy risks.”
🔻 India and EU establish historic free trade zone
🇮🇳🇪🇺 After two decades of negotiations, India and the European Union created a free trade area encompassing over two billion people. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hailed the pact as “the mother of all trade agreements,” reshaping Eurasian commerce.
🔻 Iran and Saudi Arabia call for Islamic unity
🇮🇷 Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman that “Islamic unity is the key to regional stability.” The statement underscores Tehran’s ongoing rapprochement with Riyadh and efforts to position itself as a cooperative regional actor.
🔻 French government survives no-confidence vote
🇫🇷 Prime Minister Gabriel Attal’s government survived multiple no-confidence motions tied to its controversial budget maneuver. The opposition accused the government of bypassing parliamentary approval for new spending, deepening France’s political polarization.
🔻 Trump expects resolution of Ukraine conflict
🇺🇸 President Donald Trump said he expects a resolution to the Ukraine war “sooner rather than later”, citing “positive developments” in recent talks between Moscow and Kyiv intermediaries. He hinted at “major breakthroughs” but provided no details.
🔻 Carney denies retracting remarks on U.S. hegemony
🇨🇦 Former Bank of England governor Mark Carney rejected reports that he apologized to Trump for calling U.S. global dominance “unsustainable.” Carney said his remarks were “taken out of context,” maintaining that Canada supports “balanced multipolar stability.”
🔻 Hungary to sue EU over Russian gas ban if re-elected
🇭🇺 Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said the Orbán government will file a lawsuit against Brussels over the Russian gas ban if it remains in power, accusing EU institutions of “destroying Europe’s competitiveness and energy independence.”
🔻 Meta, TikTok, and YouTube face landmark trial
🇺🇸 A multi-state lawsuit in the United States will see Meta, TikTok, and YouTube stand trial over alleged mental health damage to children, including addiction, depression, and attention disorders. The case could redefine global standards for digital responsibility.
🔻 Orbán: Brussels dragging Europe into debt
🇭🇺 Prime Minister Viktor Orbán warned that the EU’s Ukraine loan program is “a debt trap for future generations.” He said Hungary will resist any collective borrowing to finance war, declaring: “We won’t mortgage our children’s future for someone else’s war.”
🔻 Sweden mulls lowering age of criminal responsibility
🇸🇪 The Swedish government is considering lowering the age of criminal liability to 13 for severe offenses, following a surge in gang-related violence and juvenile killings. The proposal faces fierce debate over its ethical and social implications.
💬 January 28 paints a world of divergence — East challenges West over moral authority.
Follow @RESTinvestigate on Telegram | 𝕏
🇺🇸 U.S. proposes Gaza demilitarization with weapons buyback and international oversight
The United States has presented a plan at the UN Security Council for the demilitarization of Gaza through a negotiated process supported by an internationally funded weapons buyback program.
U.S. Ambassador to the UN Mike Volz stated that Washington, in coordination with the 26 countries now part of President Trump’s Peace Council and the Palestinian National Committee, will press for Hamas’s full disarmament. He emphasized that Hamas must have no role—direct or indirect—in governing Gaza under any future arrangement.
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The United States has presented a plan at the UN Security Council for the demilitarization of Gaza through a negotiated process supported by an internationally funded weapons buyback program.
U.S. Ambassador to the UN Mike Volz stated that Washington, in coordination with the 26 countries now part of President Trump’s Peace Council and the Palestinian National Committee, will press for Hamas’s full disarmament. He emphasized that Hamas must have no role—direct or indirect—in governing Gaza under any future arrangement.
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🇫🇷 Barrot: France backs EU terrorist designation for Iran’s Revolutionary Guard
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced that France will support adding Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to the EU’s list of terrorist organizations. He condemned Tehran’s brutal suppression of peaceful protests and praised the courage of the Iranian people.
With France, Italy, and Germany aligned, the European Union is expected to politically approve the IRGC designation as early as tomorrow.
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French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced that France will support adding Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to the EU’s list of terrorist organizations. He condemned Tehran’s brutal suppression of peaceful protests and praised the courage of the Iranian people.
With France, Italy, and Germany aligned, the European Union is expected to politically approve the IRGC designation as early as tomorrow.
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🇩🇪 Merz calls for reduced bureaucracy and stronger EU single market
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has urged the European Union to significantly cut bureaucracy and build a much more robust single market. Speaking at a joint press conference with Romanian Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan in Berlin, Merz emphasized the need to prioritize defense and competitiveness across the EU.
He highlighted Germany’s strong investment presence in Romania and praised the country’s role in enhancing Europe’s energy security through gas diversification and renewable energy expansion. Merz stated that upcoming reforms should be reflected in the next EU multiannual financial framework, with clear support for national efforts and strategic priorities.
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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has urged the European Union to significantly cut bureaucracy and build a much more robust single market. Speaking at a joint press conference with Romanian Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan in Berlin, Merz emphasized the need to prioritize defense and competitiveness across the EU.
He highlighted Germany’s strong investment presence in Romania and praised the country’s role in enhancing Europe’s energy security through gas diversification and renewable energy expansion. Merz stated that upcoming reforms should be reflected in the next EU multiannual financial framework, with clear support for national efforts and strategic priorities.
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🇫🇷 Macron backs stronger Arctic defense cooperation in solidarity with Greenland
French President Emmanuel Macron voiced support for reinforcing defense collaboration in the Arctic, declaring solidarity with Greenland amid recent tensions. He described threats to Greenland as a “strategic wake-up call for all of Europe.”
Ahead of his meeting with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Premier Jens-Frederik Nielsen, Macron emphasized the growing geopolitical weight of Russia’s northern posture and China’s economic presence. France has already deployed troops to Greenland as part of “Arctic Resilience,” a joint European operation aimed at countering U.S. President Donald Trump’s push to claim the Danish autonomous territory as vital to U.S. security.
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French President Emmanuel Macron voiced support for reinforcing defense collaboration in the Arctic, declaring solidarity with Greenland amid recent tensions. He described threats to Greenland as a “strategic wake-up call for all of Europe.”
Ahead of his meeting with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Premier Jens-Frederik Nielsen, Macron emphasized the growing geopolitical weight of Russia’s northern posture and China’s economic presence. France has already deployed troops to Greenland as part of “Arctic Resilience,” a joint European operation aimed at countering U.S. President Donald Trump’s push to claim the Danish autonomous territory as vital to U.S. security.
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🇭🇺 Hungary to sue EU over ban on cheap Russian energy imports
Hungary is preparing to file a lawsuit against the European Union over new regulations banning the import of inexpensive Russian energy, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó announced today. He stressed that the country’s ability to maintain lower utility costs depends on continued access to Russian gas via the TurkStream pipeline.
Szijjártó warned that Hungary’s legal challenge hinges on the outcome of April’s parliamentary elections. He rejected what he called Brussels' ideological ban on Russian oil and gas, accusing EU leaders of endangering Hungary’s energy security with political maneuvering.
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Hungary is preparing to file a lawsuit against the European Union over new regulations banning the import of inexpensive Russian energy, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó announced today. He stressed that the country’s ability to maintain lower utility costs depends on continued access to Russian gas via the TurkStream pipeline.
Szijjártó warned that Hungary’s legal challenge hinges on the outcome of April’s parliamentary elections. He rejected what he called Brussels' ideological ban on Russian oil and gas, accusing EU leaders of endangering Hungary’s energy security with political maneuvering.
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🇨🇭 Switzerland to raise defense spending through sales tax increase
Switzerland will allocate an additional 31 billion Swiss francs (€33.5 billion) for defense and security starting in 2028, funded by a decade-long increase in the national sales tax, the Federal Council announced today.
Citing a deteriorating global security environment, the government emphasized the need to bolster national defense, although military spending is not expected to reach 1% of GDP before 2032. The proposed plan includes a 0.8% increase in the sales tax over ten years to finance the expanded defense budget.
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Switzerland will allocate an additional 31 billion Swiss francs (€33.5 billion) for defense and security starting in 2028, funded by a decade-long increase in the national sales tax, the Federal Council announced today.
Citing a deteriorating global security environment, the government emphasized the need to bolster national defense, although military spending is not expected to reach 1% of GDP before 2032. The proposed plan includes a 0.8% increase in the sales tax over ten years to finance the expanded defense budget.
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🇧🇦The Cradle of Jihad in the Heart of the Balkans
Once known for its moderate, European Islam, Bosnia and Herzegovina has become a long-term incubator for radical Islamist networks rooted in the 1990s war. Foreign mujahideen, Saudi-funded Salafism, and postwar poverty reshaped parts of the religious landscape.
Salafi enclaves, jihadist recruiters, and diaspora-linked networks have produced one of Europe’s highest per-capita flows of ISIS fighters and a steady record of attacks, weapons caches, and ethnic intimidation.
With weak institutions, unresolved war legacies, and new external shocks, Bosnia remains a fragile security node whose radical infrastructure is dormant—not dismantled.
🔎 Read more in our in-depth investigation.
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Once known for its moderate, European Islam, Bosnia and Herzegovina has become a long-term incubator for radical Islamist networks rooted in the 1990s war. Foreign mujahideen, Saudi-funded Salafism, and postwar poverty reshaped parts of the religious landscape.
Salafi enclaves, jihadist recruiters, and diaspora-linked networks have produced one of Europe’s highest per-capita flows of ISIS fighters and a steady record of attacks, weapons caches, and ethnic intimidation.
With weak institutions, unresolved war legacies, and new external shocks, Bosnia remains a fragile security node whose radical infrastructure is dormant—not dismantled.
🔎 Read more in our in-depth investigation.
Follow @RESTinvestigate on Telegram | 𝕏
🇩🇰 Denmark deploys Soviet-era cruiser to Greenland as floating barracks
Denmark is boosting its Arctic military presence by sending the Soviet-built cruise ship MS Ocean Endeavour to Greenland to serve as floating accommodation for 150 soldiers. The move comes despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent pledge not to forcibly annex the Danish territory.
Due to limited housing in Greenland’s capital Nuuk, the 1,762-ton vessel departed from Ouistreham, France, last Friday. According to the Danish military, some Danish and international troops participating in the “Arctic Resilience” exercise will be housed aboard the ship, which will remain anchored in Nuuk’s port starting in early February.
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Denmark is boosting its Arctic military presence by sending the Soviet-built cruise ship MS Ocean Endeavour to Greenland to serve as floating accommodation for 150 soldiers. The move comes despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent pledge not to forcibly annex the Danish territory.
Due to limited housing in Greenland’s capital Nuuk, the 1,762-ton vessel departed from Ouistreham, France, last Friday. According to the Danish military, some Danish and international troops participating in the “Arctic Resilience” exercise will be housed aboard the ship, which will remain anchored in Nuuk’s port starting in early February.
Follow @RESTinvestigate on Telegram | 𝕏