China's Commerce Minister to Advocate EV Sector in Europe Amid Subsidy, Tariff Probe 
US and Japan Boost AI, Semiconductor Alliance; EU Eyes Reduction in China Dependence 
Liberalism is in crisis. A new book traces how we got here, but lets neoliberal ideologues off the hook 
Turkey’s suppression of the Kurdish political movement continues to fuel a deadly armed conflict 
South Korean President Yoon faces foreign policy challenges after the National Assembly election 
US election: turning off TikTok is a big risk for the Democrats 
US Finalizes Ban List for Chinese Chipmakers; Boosts Mexico Semiconductor Ties 
US election: two graphs show how young voters influence presidential results as Biden gets poll boost 
How will US foreign policy affect Joe Biden’s chances of re-election in November? 
US Commerce Secretary Asserts Huawei Chip Lag, Affirms Export Control Success 
Even presidents need a touch of madness − in March 
Vladimir Putin’s gold strategy explains why sanctions against Russia have failed 
SpaceX Builds Spy Satellites for US; Russia Warns of Military Response 
Georgia is sliding towards autocracy after government moves to force through bill on ‘foreign agents’ 
The British opposition Labour Party secured a vote to demand the government to release documents of COVID-19 contracts given to a firm with a connection to a Conservative member of the Upper House. The vote was secured after the lawmakers of the governing Conservative Party abstained from the opposition’s motion.
The Labour Party won a vote that would allow them to demand that the government release documents of the COVID-19 contracts to a firm. The firm in question has ties to a Conservative member of the Upper House, with Labour winning the vote after Conservative lawmakers were told they could abstain from the motion. The contracts involve $244 million of personal protective equipment to firm PPE MedPro.
It remains to be seen whether the government would turn in the documents and Conservative lawmakers said there was no deadline in the motion to be able to force the government to release the documents as soon as possible.
“Ministers must now confirm when, where, and how this information will be released. This cannot be yet another Tory whitewash,” said deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner, referring to the Conservative Party.
This comes as opposition lawmakers have accused the government of running a “chumocracy” by giving deals to those with family or business links to people in authority, including what would end up being unusable PPE in some cases. Local media reported that Conservative lawmaker Michelle Mone in the House of Lords brought attention to MedPro in a ministerial meeting at the start of the pandemic.
Mone has since faced accusations of profiting from the business, which her lawyers have denied. On Tuesday, Mone was reportedly going on a leave of absence from the Upper House.
The governing party is widely predicted to lose power in the next general elections, with the Labour Party set to take over. The prediction appears to grow more evident as 14 Conservative lawmakers have announced that they will not return to parliament, with the Conservative Party fearing that the departure of younger lawmakers is a sign of its collapse in public support polls among young voters.
Two senior Conservatives said Prime Minister Rishi Sunak would have to come up with a good policy to attract young voters by next year or risk losing even more lawmakers in the party.
