I hope I brought out the frozen beef for lunch. “Ma’am … “ I can’t imagine the extra hours I would have to put into our dinner had I not. “Sorry, excuse me ma’am…” Wait, what about the frozen vegetables? I worry, gently rubbing my fingertips against my forehead, smoothing the lines that are starting to form. Voices begin to resound around me, but I can't seem to find where it's coming from. With my hands over my ears, the sounds become muffled. But it’s not enough. I need i

Or: A Letter of Thanks to the Maastricht Diplomat Part 1: 16th September, 2023 On the 29th of August, 2023, 14:30, in the Franz Palmzaal of the Maastricht University School of Business and Economics, Dr. Sascha Hardt briefly mentioned a list of books that first-year students of the LLB in European Law had to acquire for the first period of their studies. A very prepared student asked Dr. Hardt to reiterate the titles, and she took note of them. Many of us took a picture of th

“They made us burn everything we had… documents, clothes, even family photos.” South African recruit on arrival in Russia The recruit had left South Africa months earlier after responding to what he assumed was a legitimate security training offer in Russia. Instead, he was forced into a paramilitary unit and sent to the front lines in Ukraine. He was not alone. Dozens of South Africans, Zimbabweans, and Kenyans described the same manipulation tactics by the Russian milita

Across Europe, undocumented people are increasingly framed as a problem of control, with the discussion often turning into talk about borders and returns. Political discourse often suggests that if reception is reduced, access is restricted, or financial support is withdrawn, undocumented people will simply leave. However, the reality described by social workers in Dutch night shelters tells a different story. When the state withdraws, people do not simply disappear. They bec

Are you a fan of crime series, perhaps even true crime stories? Have you ever watched “True Detective”, “Sherlock”, or maybe even glanced at an episode of “Mindhunter”? If you have, have you ever considered what originally drew you to these shows? These series offer insight into human nature and societal norms, which can change over time. The crime stories depicted often date back decades, making them fascinating to explore. They frequently are modern echoes of past injustic

Forty years Todya is January 1, 1986. Spain joins the European Economic Community (EEC) and becomes its twelfth member, joining alongside Portugal. These two countries, barely out of the shadow of dictatorship, integrate into the alliance with the promise of long-lasting democracy. Forty years after the Mediterranean enlargement, Spain is at a crossroads, led by its socialist Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez (image). Between the regularization of 500,000 migrants and its high-

Music and Politics have one essential thing in common: they both permeate and affect our lives every single day. Yet their connection runs deeper than shared ubiquity. My argument here is that listening itself, the act that music trains and politics so often abandons, is a fundamental civic practice. Before one can agree, resist, vote, or dissent, one must first tune in. In an era defined by noise, reaction, and polarization, the most radical act available to us may be the si

In Europe’s eastern periphery, beyond the checkpoints and Soviet monuments of Transnistria, another kind of battle is unfolding: not one fought on front lines by armed adults, but one taking shape in classrooms, youth camps, and spaces meant for education and play. For nearly three decades, the territory temporarily occupied by Russia along Moldova’s eastern border has existed under the effective control of Russia-backed authorities. While the conflict itself, a long-running

Art law is quite an interesting multidisciplinary field. Although it seeks to regulate the protection and sale of artworks, many other branches of the law intervene to facilitate that, such as IP, contract, tax and criminal law. In my previous article A Beginner's Guide to Buying Art, another Maastricht Diplomat exclusive, I have already touched upon the dangers of the art market, which arise from its mystique and its proneness to anonymity: coming across looted art and art m

After days of negotiations in the European Council, the heads of state or government have agreed to base future cooperation on the existing Security Action for Europe governance framework (SAFE), rather than adopting an entirely new one. Over the course of the summit, discussions were rocky. Whilst European Council president António Costa was pressing on discussing a governance framework, the majority of the politicians much rather preferred to discuss “European” Security and

During the afternoon session at APEC, the delegate of Australia received an urgent call from their grandfather. The delegate was heard frantically referring to a farm and asking about their grandfather's safety. The call was then cut abruptly. AP reached out to Australia to get more information on the situation. The safety of Australia’s grandfather is unknown at this time. This caused commotion in the otherwise peaceful committee, sparking conversation about the individual

The NATO committee closed on Sunday afternoon with their communiqué and draft resolutions amended. The delegates found common ground in partnership, expanding their presence in the Arctic. Albania Albania led with a controversial take: proposing a subpoint to have an open dialogue on reinstating Russian membership in UNCLOS. “Albania wants negotiation with Russia and this UN body seems relevant…using a UN institution to ensure smooth sailing between Russia and NATO to pre

Yesterday, in the ICC, as the case against Tony Blair soldiers on, the prosecution began bringing in their expert witnesses for rounds of cross-examination and testimony. The prosecutions’ witnesses included: (1.) Lt. Col. Nicholas Mercer, the Chief Legal Officer for the British Forces during the invasion and whistleblower of torture; (2.) Wolfgang Kaleck, General Secretary, Co-Founder and Representative of the ECCHR; and (3.) Sir William Gage, the Chairman of the Baha Mousa

On Saturday, the APEC committee continued their diplomatic amendments to the resolution sponsored by Singapore, Canada, and the United States. The main points of discussion concern vague phrasing, feasibility and implementation for lower-income economies present. Notably, these points were raised by The Philippines, New Zealand and Peru, who seemed pleased with the sponsors' clarification. All points to a successful majority agreement once needed amendments are made.

Following the seizure of Batista drug vessel off the coast of Florida yesterday evening, FBI investigators have disclosed Andrés Rivero Agüero, current Head of Senate, complicit with the illegal movement of the narcotics. In the investigation of crew members manning the ship, they admitted to being contacted by American financier and tourism investor Meyer Lansky, who although now has a tumultuous relationship with Agüero has been in their long-term cohort and favor. In a st

Lafufus continue to flood the European Union and the United Kingdom, seriously risking the safety of children and adult Labubu enthusiasts. An anonymous tip tells the ONION that most politicians in the European Council feel too important to address this issue in their conclusion on EU-UK relations. Labubu dolls allegedly make up 90% of fake toys seized at the UK border, with three out of four of these fakes failing safety tests, containing banned chemicals, and posing severe

The United Nations Security Council in the early days of the summit, voted to invoke Article 27(3) of the UN Charter, stripping China of its right to vote on the Taiwan Strait crisis. The provision, which bars parties directly involved in a dispute from casting a substantive vote, was put forward by Taiwan. It passed with exactly nine votes in favour, the bare minimum required for a procedural motion of this nature. For delegates unfamiliar with the committee's backdrop: th

Saturday evening in the UNHCR, Xi Jinping arrived with a translator and delivered remarks through a theatrical back-and-forth, denying opposition to climate refugees while reaffirming China’s friendship with Pakistan. When questioned by Costa Rica about accepting UN oversight to prevent corruption, China rejected the premise outright, insisting corruption “does not exist” in China. They then responded to the UK’s request to cease the nations illegal surveilliance by asking, “

On Saturday afternoon in the DISEC Summit, heads of state and government continue work on their JCPOA Draft. Saudi Arabia and Yemen explain they are adding a completely new withdrawal clause and a monitoring mechanism, Yemen stating, “the withdrawal clause is especially important to prevent political opportunism.” Iran also told AP reporters that the new draft will include IAEA inspections and allow video surveillance and recording on its grounds from “friendly countries,” t

In a brazen display of proficiency and expertise, the Russian Federation representative in the WHO made an ill-example of a U.S. politician and member of the U.S. President’s Intelligence Advisory Board, Brad Wenstrup. Invited to the World Health Organization (WHO) on Saturday to speak about a prospective bill by the State of California, the lack of attention and knowledge on global affairs was apparent. The bill proposed would largely cut university funding for work with fo