
EU Can Offer Trump Methane Help to Spur LNG Trade, Minister Says
The European Commission should work on reducing some of the 'technical burdens' under the bloc's methane regulation that may hamper US LNG purchases, Zygimantas Vaiciunas said in an interview. Such a move should be combined with a strong roadmap to phase out Russian gas, with US supplies filling the shortfall, he added.

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USA Today
a minute ago
- USA Today
These Asian nations have the most powerful passports. Here's where the US falls
In an updated ranking of the world's most powerful passports, the U.S. dropped to its lowest position ever. According to the latest Henley Passport Index released on Tuesday, July 22, Singaporeans continue to hold the most powerful passport for visa-free access to 193 out of 227 global destinations – the most of any citizenship. For more than 20 years, investment firm Henley & Partners has ranked passport strength based on how many destinations its holders can enter without a visa, based on data from the International Air Transport Association. This year, filling out the top three most powerful passports are those issued by Japan and South Korea, followed by those in the European Union. However, both the U.K. and U.S. fell several spots, continuing downward trend. This year, the U.S. landed in 10th place. It was first in 2014. Some passports made significant leaps in the index, such as India jumping from 85th to 77th in just six months for visa-free travel to 59 destinations. Over the past decade, more than 80 passports have risen at least 10 spots – showcasing a global shift in mobility and openness, according to Henley & Partners, which specializes in obtaining residency and citizenship through investment. "The consolidation we're seeing at the top underscores that access is earned – and must be maintained – through active and strategic diplomacy," said Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, inventor of the passport-index concept, in a statement. "Nations that proactively negotiate visa waivers and nurture reciprocal agreements continue to rise, while the opposite applies to those that are less engaged in such efforts." How powerful is the US passport? Tied with Lithuania and Iceland for 10th place, the U.S. passport offers visa-free access to 182 out of 227 destinations. Over the past decade, its strength has declined, making it the second-biggest faller on the index after Venezuela. A quickly changing political landscape, including policies like more restrictive entry, has contributed to the U.S. passport's loss of power, especially as more Americans seek citizenship elsewhere. "Americans are now leading the demand worldwide for alternative residence and citizenship options, with British nationals also among the top five globally," said Dr. Juerg Steffen, CEO at Henley & Partners, in a statement. "As the U.S. and U.K. adopt increasingly inward-looking policies, we're witnessing a marked rise in interest from their citizens seeking greater global access and security." Most powerful passport ranking Here are the most powerful passports in the world, according to the Henley Passport Index:


The Hill
a minute ago
- The Hill
Ukrainians are protesting a law targeting anti-corruption agencies. Here's why
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainians are taking to the streets to protest a new law they worry will undermine the work of two key anti-corruption agencies, by eroding the independence of bodies meant to provide a check on power. Discontent over the law led to the first major demonstration against the government in more than three years of war, marking the most serious fracture yet in the national unity that has helped Ukraine resist Russia's invasion. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy defended the law as necessary to remove 'Russian influence' from the fight against corruption, though he didn't provide examples of such interference. The law adds new oversight for anti-corruption agencies Ukraine's parliament passed a bill on Tuesday that brings the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) under the authority of the prosecutor general, who is a presidential appointee. Zelenskyy signed it into law, even as thousands took to the streets asking him to scrap it. Critics say it could give Zelenskyy's circle greater influence over investigations. It comes after Zelenskyy carried out a reshuffle of his wartime Cabinet, a move also widely viewed as consolidating power with his inner circle. Before the bill was signed, the agencies warned that, if it took effect, 'the head of SAPO will become a nominal figure, while NABU will lose its independence and turn into a subdivision of the prosecutor general's office.' NABU investigates corruption cases involving top officials, while SAPO supervises these investigations and prosecutes cases in court. The law has unleashed criticism of the government Ukraine has a robust tradition of pro-democracy protests, with street demonstrations twice resulting in political upheavals. In fact, the two agencies in question were established after the 2014 Maidan revolution, which ousted then-President Viktor Yanukovych, Ukraine's pro-Moscow leader who was accused of corruption on a massive scale, stealing hundreds of millions of dollars from the government. His corruption was so vast that ordinary Ukrainians were aghast when they toured the grounds of his lavish mansion and discovered his collection of expensive cars and even a private zoo. Since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, however, rallies have largely focused on the return of prisoners of war or missing people. But Tuesday's demonstrations trained public outrage on the government, with some calling the law a greater blow to morale than even routine Russian drone and missile attacks. A mood of anger and frustration among the war-weary Ukrainians prevailed in the crowd. Some protesters accused Ukraine's leadership of prioritizing loyalty and personal connections over the fight against corruption. 'Ukraine has far fewer resources than Russia in this war,' said Ihor Lachenkov, a blogger and activist who urged people to join the protest through his social media platforms, which reach more than 1.5 million followers. 'If we misuse them, or worse, allow them to end up in the pockets of thieves, our chances of victory diminish. All our resources must go toward the fight.' The protests have raised questions about the state of democracy in Ukraine — one of the values it is fighting for in the war with Russia. 'When a spectacle is staged and pushed through in 24 hours for everyone to swallow, that is not justice,' former Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba wrote on Instagram. The government defends the move In his address Tuesday night, Zelenskyy insisted that the country's anti-corruption infrastructure 'will continue to function' after it is 'cleansed of any Russian influence.' He alleged that some cases had been allowed to languish and the targets of some investigations never brought to justice. 'For years, officials who have fled Ukraine have been casually living abroad for some reason — in very nice countries and without legal consequences — and this is not normal,' he said in a Telegram post. On Wednesday, he gathered the heads of law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies and the prosecutor general. He announced that a detailed action plan will be developed within two weeks to ensure the system is more effective and fair. 'We see what people expect from state institutions to ensure justice and the effectiveness of each institution,' he said on Telegram. Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko dismissed concerns about the agencies' independence. 'I can promise that I will not misuse these rights,' he said. 'I could sign this promise in blood, if necessary.' Fighting corruption is crucial to Ukraine's future The Ukrainian branch of Transparency International criticized the law, saying it undermines one of the most significant reforms since the 2014 uprising and that it damages trust with international partners. Fighting entrenched corruption is crucial to Ukraine's bid to join the European Union and maintain access to billions of dollars in Western aid. In a post on X, EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos called the new law 'a serious step back.' The action against the agencies comes only a month after the NABU launched a criminal investigation into then–Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Chernyshov — one of the highest-profile corruption cases since Zelenskyy took office. Chernyshov has denied the allegations but was removed from his post during last week's government reshuffle. It also follows the arrest of two NABU officials on suspicion of having ties to Russia by Ukraine's Security Service.


The Hill
a minute ago
- The Hill
Trump reacts to Tulsi Gabbard reveal: ‘Irrefutable proof of Obama coup'
President Donald Trump is furious with former President Barack Obama, whom he is accusing of participating in a 'coup' against him in 2016. Trump is referring of course to recent disclosures from Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who has released documents showing it was Obama who encouraged intelligence officials to reach stronger conclusions about Russia's alleged meddling in the 2016 election. According to Gabbard, the intelligence community was well aware that Russia did not hack voting machines, nor did the country have much impact on the outcome, but Trump's enemies in the Democratic Party wanted to paint him as a Russian collaborator, and so they overreached. The media, of course, followed suit, publishing headline after headline suggesting that Trump was a Russian stooge. Here is President Trump reacting to the latest news: 'We found absolute — this isn't like evidence, this is like proof, irrefutable proof, that Obama was seditious. That Obama was trying to lead a coup. And it was with Hillary Clinton and with all these other people, but Obama headed it up. And, you know, I get a kick when I hear everyone talks about people I never even heard of. […] It was Obama, he headed it up. And it says so right in the papers.' These allegations are extremely serious. Now, it's far too premature to throw around the word treason; in fact, I don't like when anybody, Democrat or Republican, starts accusing their opponents of treason. This reads less like treason to me and more like political weaponization of national intelligence for partisan purposes, which has become a recurring theme. Make no mistake: There was an effort to de-legitimize Trump's election to the presidency, and the argument was made by mainstream media mouthpieces leveraging the expertise of deep-state spymasters. Hillary Clinton and Jimmy Carter both said that Trump was an illegitimate president, in response to media reporting on Russia's meddling. This was the original 'stolen election' theory, and it's only been overshadowed because Trump's false contention that the 2016 election was stolen has subsequently received much more media coverage and much more vigorous pushback. Let me be perfectly clear: Trump should have never claimed that the 2020 election was stolen from him. But he's in good company: Look at the Democrats who said the same thing about 2016! And their main theory backing that up was Russian malfeasance — something intelligence officials privately discounted, until they went to the White House and had a chat with outgoing President Barack Obama.