João
@euroconcern.bsky.social
International relations with an EU angle, videogames, space and other musings. Posts in EN, PT, FR, plus other languages if I feel brave enough.
Pinned
Reposted by João
National leaders have been blocking an EU anti-discrimination law for seventeen years. You read that right: for SEVENTEEN YEARS they cannot agree that EU citizens should have equal rights.
Progress report on negotiations on a general EU anti-discrimination directive (outside employment) - still no unanimity on this - data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document...
data.consilium.europa.eu
November 11, 2025 at 5:49 PM
National leaders have been blocking an EU anti-discrimination law for seventeen years. You read that right: for SEVENTEEN YEARS they cannot agree that EU citizens should have equal rights.
Reposted by João
That’s a lot.
67% of Germans say that “When in doubt, we can and should no longer rely on military assistance from the US.”
Study: www.moreincommon.de/wp-content/u...
67% of Germans say that “When in doubt, we can and should no longer rely on military assistance from the US.”
Study: www.moreincommon.de/wp-content/u...
November 11, 2025 at 6:39 AM
That’s a lot.
67% of Germans say that “When in doubt, we can and should no longer rely on military assistance from the US.”
Study: www.moreincommon.de/wp-content/u...
67% of Germans say that “When in doubt, we can and should no longer rely on military assistance from the US.”
Study: www.moreincommon.de/wp-content/u...
Reposted by João
So here's the first part of something that I've been working on for the last twelve months.
Not every day I get to say that.
www.rand.org/randeurope/r...
Not every day I get to say that.
www.rand.org/randeurope/r...
Innovation and adaptation at war: Supporting Ukraine’s digital transformation
RAND Europe authored a series of reports on how to optimize Kyiv’s technological and policy advantages as Ukraine defends its sovereignty.
www.rand.org
November 10, 2025 at 6:10 PM
So here's the first part of something that I've been working on for the last twelve months.
Not every day I get to say that.
www.rand.org/randeurope/r...
Not every day I get to say that.
www.rand.org/randeurope/r...
Yet more attempts at transnational repression and political interference.
The BBC says it received a letter from President Trump threatening legal action over the editing of his Jan. 6, 2021, speech.
BBC faces leadership crisis after news bosses quit over Trump speech edit and bias claims
Britain’s biggest and most important media organization, the BBC, is facing turmoil after its top executive and head of news resigned.
bit.ly
November 10, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Yet more attempts at transnational repression and political interference.
Reposted by João
The blogfather @armscontrolwonk.bsky.social and I sat down to talk about the potential for a return to nuclear testing and what we think it may mean -
www.armscontrolwonk.com/archive/1220...
www.armscontrolwonk.com/archive/1220...
A Return to Nuclear Testing
Donald Trump directed “the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis” with other countries. The Department [...]
www.armscontrolwonk.com
November 4, 2025 at 1:12 AM
The blogfather @armscontrolwonk.bsky.social and I sat down to talk about the potential for a return to nuclear testing and what we think it may mean -
www.armscontrolwonk.com/archive/1220...
www.armscontrolwonk.com/archive/1220...
Reposted by João
Pour ce nouvel épisode du "Fil de l'épée" #LeCollimateur se penche sur les relations entre Staline, Roosevelt et Churchill à travers le contenu des trois grandes conférences de la Seconde guerre mondiale, avec Guillaume Piketty (@sciencespo.bsky.social) préfacier de "Verbatim" aux BellesLettresEd
Vodka, frontières et mauvaise foi : les discussions Staline-Roosevelt-Churchill (1943-1945) [Le Fil de l'épée #43]
Pour ce nouvel épisode du "Fil de l'épée" le Collimateur se penche sur les relations entre Staline, Roosevelt et Churchill à travers le contenu des trois grandes conférences de la Seconde guerre mondi...
lerubicon.org
November 9, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Pour ce nouvel épisode du "Fil de l'épée" #LeCollimateur se penche sur les relations entre Staline, Roosevelt et Churchill à travers le contenu des trois grandes conférences de la Seconde guerre mondiale, avec Guillaume Piketty (@sciencespo.bsky.social) préfacier de "Verbatim" aux BellesLettresEd
36th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, and of the uninformed answer by an East German official that potentially started the human wave which led to the dismantling of GDR's authoritarian regime.
November 9, 2025 at 5:03 PM
36th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, and of the uninformed answer by an East German official that potentially started the human wave which led to the dismantling of GDR's authoritarian regime.
Reposted by João
November 9, 2025 at 12:11 AM
In such troubled times, this feels heart warming. Like eating an ice-cream that was discontinued 20 years ago and brings you back to *that* summer.
Half-Life fans believe they've worked out a possible announcement date for Half-Life 3 - and it's very, very soon
www.eurogamer.net/half-life-fa...
www.eurogamer.net/half-life-fa...
November 8, 2025 at 10:12 PM
In such troubled times, this feels heart warming. Like eating an ice-cream that was discontinued 20 years ago and brings you back to *that* summer.
Look away, arachnophobes!
An extraordinary spider colony was found in a cave on the Albania-Greece border. Comprising over 100,000 spiders, the network spans a surface area of over 100 m².
This discovery was published in our journal Subterranean Biology: doi.org/10.3897/subt...
Video by @vrenozina.bsky.social
This discovery was published in our journal Subterranean Biology: doi.org/10.3897/subt...
Video by @vrenozina.bsky.social
November 8, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Look away, arachnophobes!
Reposted by João
This, to me, is Blueskyism
November 8, 2025 at 10:17 AM
This, to me, is Blueskyism
I had no idea about this but it checks out. Ultimately... yeah, Howard Shore was definitely the right choice.
Blind Guardian would be much more suitable for the soundtrack of a Tolkien-inspired rock opera, whether on television or film.
Blind Guardian would be much more suitable for the soundtrack of a Tolkien-inspired rock opera, whether on television or film.
That in early days of production Blind Guardian won the fan poll on Peter Jackson's website to do the score and Jackson's people actually reached out to the bards to discuss it. Ultimately, it didn't work out and they went with Howard Shore
And thank god they did, tbh, Howard Shore's work is tops
And thank god they did, tbh, Howard Shore's work is tops
what’s your favorite “did you know” moment from lotr besides the one we’re all thinking of
November 7, 2025 at 7:17 PM
I had no idea about this but it checks out. Ultimately... yeah, Howard Shore was definitely the right choice.
Blind Guardian would be much more suitable for the soundtrack of a Tolkien-inspired rock opera, whether on television or film.
Blind Guardian would be much more suitable for the soundtrack of a Tolkien-inspired rock opera, whether on television or film.
Reposted by João
What makes a satellite a legitimate military target? Fascinating ICRC analysis. "a particular location in the GEO belt may have strategic significance during an armed conflict, as GEO facilitates continuous coverage over a particular area on earth" international-review.icrc.org/articles/hum...
November 7, 2025 at 1:44 PM
What makes a satellite a legitimate military target? Fascinating ICRC analysis. "a particular location in the GEO belt may have strategic significance during an armed conflict, as GEO facilitates continuous coverage over a particular area on earth" international-review.icrc.org/articles/hum...
A Chinese film festival in the US was suspended after Chinese authorities harassed and intimidated the families & friends of participants, an act of transnational repression from Beijing.
www.hrw.org/news/2025/11...
www.hrw.org/news/2025/11...
China: Authorities Shut Down Film Festival in New York
Chinese authorities harassed several dozen Chinese film directors and producers, as well as their families in China, causing them to pull films from the inaugural IndieChina Film Festival in New York ...
www.hrw.org
November 7, 2025 at 1:23 PM
A Chinese film festival in the US was suspended after Chinese authorities harassed and intimidated the families & friends of participants, an act of transnational repression from Beijing.
www.hrw.org/news/2025/11...
www.hrw.org/news/2025/11...
Reposted by João
Greek Coast Guard Chief charged for #Pylos shipwreck that left some 600 people dead. But there should also be political accountability for the migration policies and rhetoric that led to this disaster. Both at Greek and EU level
Among the charges cited by the court of appeal: manslaughter by negligence in international waters but within Greece's rescue zone, exposure by negligence with legal obligation to rescue people that resulted in death & repeated exposure by omission of other people to danger bbc.com/news/article...
Greek coastguard chief to be prosecuted over deadly migrant shipwreck
Vice Adm Tryfon Kontizas is one of four senior coastguard figures to face manslaughter charges over the 2023 disaster.
bbc.com
November 7, 2025 at 6:50 AM
Greek Coast Guard Chief charged for #Pylos shipwreck that left some 600 people dead. But there should also be political accountability for the migration policies and rhetoric that led to this disaster. Both at Greek and EU level
Only learning now that Kim Yong Nam died. A veteran of North Korean politics, he served under Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il and Kim Jong Un, and held several high level positions which included leading diplomatic missions & negotiating with the US. He also received accreditations of foreign diplomats.
North Korea says its longtime ceremonial head of state Kim Yong Nam has died. The Korean Central News Agency said Tuesday Kim Yong Nam, former president of the Presidium of North Korea’s rubber-stamp Supreme People’s Assembly, had died on Monday at the age of 97.
North Korea says its longtime ceremonial head of state Kim Yong Nam has died
North Korea says its longtime ceremonial head of state Kim Yong Nam has died. The Korean Central News Agency said Tuesday Kim Yong Nam, former president of the Presidium of North Korea’s rubber-stamp Supreme People’s Assembly, had died on Monday at the age of 97.
bit.ly
November 6, 2025 at 6:14 PM
Only learning now that Kim Yong Nam died. A veteran of North Korean politics, he served under Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il and Kim Jong Un, and held several high level positions which included leading diplomatic missions & negotiating with the US. He also received accreditations of foreign diplomats.
Chrono Trigger, please.
"IP holders are sitting on a wealth of content" - Data and analytics firm Ampere Analysis has identified 18 games that it says are "ripe" for a successful remake or remaster, based on its research.
www.videogameschronicle.com/news/ip-hold...
www.videogameschronicle.com/news/ip-hold...
‘IP holders are sitting on a wealth of content’: Analytics firm lists 18 games ripe for remake or remaster success | VGC
Ampere has identified titles likely to succeed based on its data and research…
www.videogameschronicle.com
November 6, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Chrono Trigger, please.
"Every person has the right to a dignified burial. For victims of totalitarian regimes — who were not allowed that right — it is absolutely justified.
It's also the duty of the state to honor people who resisted totalitarianism and to show, through their stories, what that regime was really like"
It's also the duty of the state to honor people who resisted totalitarianism and to show, through their stories, what that regime was really like"
Czechs begin exhumation of notorious mass grave site
Czechs begin exhumation of notorious mass grave site – DW – 11/06/2025
Archaeologists in Prague have begun exhuming bodies of political prisoners executed by Czechoslovakia's communist regime. Activists hope it will help unravel the fate of those whose final resting place remains unknown.
www.dw.com
November 6, 2025 at 4:14 PM
"Every person has the right to a dignified burial. For victims of totalitarian regimes — who were not allowed that right — it is absolutely justified.
It's also the duty of the state to honor people who resisted totalitarianism and to show, through their stories, what that regime was really like"
It's also the duty of the state to honor people who resisted totalitarianism and to show, through their stories, what that regime was really like"
It's utter bullshit that they can manufacture devices that record images which already exist in the physical realm but they can't come up with a way for us to take mental screenshots from our own minds.
Why do the images have to fade? The ones I get in my mind when I'm inspired? That's so annoying that they can't just stay until I've drawn them. Bullshit.
November 6, 2025 at 2:59 PM
It's utter bullshit that they can manufacture devices that record images which already exist in the physical realm but they can't come up with a way for us to take mental screenshots from our own minds.
Reposted by João
Suspicious drone activity over Belgian Military Bases since October 2025 (approximate list and locations)
November 5, 2025 at 11:40 PM
Suspicious drone activity over Belgian Military Bases since October 2025 (approximate list and locations)