EU gets an uncomfortable reality check – POLITICO

• Eleven EU member states, including France, Germany, and Spain, are urging the European Union to reform its veto rules regarding foreign and security policy. • The group argues that the current system allows individual nations to block critical decisions, hindering the bloc's ability to respond rapidly to geopolitical crises.

• Eleven EU member states, including France, Germany, and Spain, are demanding an end to the requirement for unanimity in foreign policy decisions. • The group is pushing to transition toward a "qualified majority" voting system to prevent individual countries from using vetoes to obstruct collective action.

• Iceland has opted not to hold a referendum on joining the European Union, a decision that differs fundamentally from the UK's Brexit-style rejection. • Because Iceland is already a member of the European Economic Area (EEA), it already enjoys unrestricted access to the EU's trading bloc and freedom of movement for its citizens.

• Iceland held a referendum regarding EU membership, resulting in a "snub" that signals the limits of the bloc's current appeal. • Icelandic Foreign Minister Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir noted that the global landscape has shifted drastically over the last decade, impacting the decision.

• Iceland held a referendum in which 52.8% of voters rejected the proposal to resume accession talks with the European Union. • The EU maintained a largely silent stance throughout the campaign, a strategy that mirrors its muted response during the UK's Brexit vote a decade ago.

• A judge has ruled that a U.S. policy halting visa issuance for citizens of 75 countries was illegal. • The U.S. government had previously stopped issuing these visas based on the claim that applicants from these nations were likely to require public assistance.

• The Supreme Court issued a ruling regarding a White House ballroom dispute that centers on federal appropriations and spending authority. • Georgetown Law professor Stephen Vladeck notes that the case raises critical separation-of-powers questions, as only Congress has the legal standing to litigate such appropriations disputes.

• A U.S. Postal Service whistleblower has warned that the development of a new mail ballot system is being handled in a "rushed" and "sloppy" manner. • The system is being implemented to comply with an executive order issued by former President Donald Trump.

• Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong, 29, has pleaded guilty to charges of colluding with foreign entities. • Prosecutors alleged that Wong and the now-disbanded party Demosisto led an international campaign in 2019 and 2020 to pressure foreign governments into imposing sanctions on China and Hong Kong.

• Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong has pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces. • This marks Wong's second conviction under the Beijing-imposed national security law, following a previous conviction related to landmark protests.

• Thailand will officially end its 60-day visa exemption scheme on September 15, reducing visa-free stays to 30 days for travelers from 60 countries and territories. • Specific regions including China, Hong Kong, Russia, Vietnam, and Singapore will now be limited to 30-day stays, while Argentina, Brazil, Chile, South Korea, and Peru will maintain 90-day exemptions.