Global

The European Union in a statement issued on Monday has accused China of being responsible for a massive cyber attack earlier this year. The attack targeted Microsoft Exchange servers, affecting over a quarter of a million servers around the world. The statement said the malicious cyber activities "significantly affected our economy, security, democracy and society at large. The EU and its member states assess these malicious cyber activities to have been undertaken from the territory of China." The statement appears to take EU-China relations to a new low not seen for decades.

Speaking at the start of one of the largest international events to take place in the Uzbek capital for decades, the president of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, spoke of the need for the revival of mutual ties in Central and South Asia, where about two billion people live today. Regional and world leaders are attending the International Conference “Central and South Asia: Regional Interconnectedness. Challenges and Opportunities”, including high level officials from the EU and the US, the President of Afghanistan, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, the foreign ministers of the Central and South Asian countries, and delegations from 44 countries and about 30 international organisations.

The 74th Cannes International Film Festival opened yesterday (06 July) after being cancelled last year due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The festival, held in Cannes, France, previews films of all genres, including documentation from all over the world.  This year the festival had a remarkable Arab presence despite the pandemic both at the level of films participating in the official competition or at the level of competition juries.

Oil prices jumped to a new high after a disagreement between Saudi Arabia and the UAE about oil production quotas. West Texas Intermediate crude advanced to $76.98 a barrel, the highest since November 2014, as the OPEC+ talks are postponed indefinitely. Meanwhile, Brent crude, the global benchmark, maintained its three-year high of about $77 a barrel. 

China was on everyone's lips at numerous summits and international gatherings in the last days and weeks, writes Benyamin Poghosyan in this op-ed for commonspace.eu. "China will be among the key world players throughout the 21st century; it will be the number one economic power, and all have to accept and adapt to this reality. No one has the necessary capacity to contain China, despite the fact that many want to, for the moment for doing that has passed." 

The Council of the European Union on Monday (21 June) approved conclusions welcoming the EU Concept on cultural heritage in conflicts and crises, which enhances the EU's approach to peace, security and development. The conclusions recognise that cultural heritage can play a key role in promoting peace, democracy and sustainable development by fostering tolerance, inter-cultural and inter-faith dialogue and mutual understanding