Berlin accuses Russia of attempted attack as India and China resist Iran isolation

Berlin has formally accused the Kremlin of attempting an attack, after an armed drone was found at Leipzig airport. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said Russian services were responsible for the incident.

Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul announced plans to close Russia’s consulate in Bonn and its cultural center in Berlin. Germany also intends to tighten border checks on Russian citizens and increase pressure on Russia’s so-called shadow fleet.

On the same day Berlin issued its first official accusation over an alleged attempted attack, a substation near the Jänschwalde power plant in Brandenburg was attacked. The Märkische Allgemeine Zeitung reported that improvised rockets carrying explosives were used, temporarily taking a 500-megawatt unit offline. The growing number of hybrid actions targeting European countries is presented as a threat to both security and the economy.

The podcast also examines the possible effect of artificial intelligence on tax systems. Eleven of 15 economists surveyed by Rzeczpospolita agreed that governments may eventually shift some taxation from labor toward the income or profits of companies using AI. VeloBank chief economist Piotr Arak said productivity gains and automation could direct more of the benefits toward capital owners.

Efforts to isolate Iran economically face resistance from China, India, Russia and Pakistan, according to discussions Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian held at a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit. The lack of support from Iran’s largest trading partners could limit the effectiveness of the U.S. strategy. Meanwhile, bond yields have climbed globally. Ten-year Japanese yields topped 3%, their highest level since 1996, while U.S. ten-year yields exceeded 4.8%, their highest since January. The Bloomberg global government bond index reached a 3.72% yield, its highest since 2008.