Serbia to Host Specialised EXPO 2027

Member States of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) elected Serbia as host country of Specialised Expo 2027. After four rounds of voting during the BIE’s 172nd General Assembly, a majority of Member States voted for Serbia’s project to organise the next Specialised Expo in the city of Belgrade under the theme “Play for Humanity: Sport and Music for All”, between 15 th May and 15 th August 2027. This will be the first time that a BIE Expo is being held in Southeast Europe. According to the Serbian President, the total estimated financial gain from hosting Expo 2027 will be €1.1 billion and the direct economic benefits will amount to €600 million.

Belarus offers Wagner forces a new home

Turning point For EU and UK?

The European Union and the United Kingdom signed an agreement that’s been long-awaited by London to boost cooperation on financial services. The agreement will establish a forum through which the two sides will discuss voluntary regulatory cooperation on financial services issues. Jeremy Hunt, the British finance minister and Mairead McGuinness, European Commissioner for financial services, signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Brussels. McGuinness told reporters that although the UK is no longer in the EU, “we still share many of the same issues and challenges, like fighting financial crime, supporting sustainable finance and enabling digital finance. So, it’s really positive that we’ve had this structured cooperation in place.”

Following Wagner fighters capture of the city of Rostov on the Ukraine border, they raced in convoy through the country on their way to Moscow. The fighters, led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, a former Putin ally, founder of the Wagner army and a former convict, and his troops comprising ex-prisoners from Russian jails, Wagner forces decided to change the route and suddenly arrived in Belarus. The office of president Lukashenko explained that the decision to halt further movement of Wagner fighters was brokered with Putin’s approval, in return for guarantees for their safety. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the move to Belarus was made under the deal. Peskov said Lukashenko had offered to mediate because he had known the mercenary leader personally for around 20 years.

ARE WE AWAITED BY A SWELTERING POLITICAL SUMMER?