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Die ZKB überweist viel Geld an einen Kryptohändler – im Auftrag des Sohnes einer betagten Kundin. Jetzt wehrt sich die Mutter.

Les Socialistes et Démocrates européens (S&D) devraient se concentrer sur l’unité et la « pertinence » pour contrer leur influence déclinante à Bruxelles et au-delà, a affirmé mercredi Frans Timmermans, leur ancien chef de file.

Ending the fentanyl crisis won’t be easy. The U.S. has an addiction problem that spans decades – long predating the rise of fentanyl – and countless attempts to regulate, legislate and incarcerate have done little to reduce drug consumption. Credit: Shutterstock

By External Source
Feb 5 2025 (IPS)

Americans consume more illicit drugs per capita than anyone else in the world; about 6% of the U.S. population uses them regularly.
One such drug, fentanyl – a synthetic opioid that’s 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine – is the leading reason U.S. overdose deaths have surged in recent years. While the rate of fentanyl overdose deaths has dipped a bit recently, it’s still vastly higher than it was just five years ago.

Ending the fentanyl crisis won’t be easy. The U.S. has an addiction problem that spans decades – long predating the rise of fentanyl – and countless attempts to regulate, legislate and incarcerate have done little to reduce drug consumption. Meanwhile, the opioid crisis alone costs Americans tens of billions of dollars each year.

With past policies having failed to curb fentanyl deaths, President Donald Trump is turning to another tool to fight America’s drug problem: trade policy.

During his presidential campaign, Trump pledged to impose tariffs on Canada and Mexico if they didn’t halt the flow of drugs across U.S. borders, and on China if it didn’t do more to crack down on the production of chemicals used to make fentanyl. Trump reiterated his plan on his first day back in office, and on Feb. 1, he made good on that threat, imposing tariffs on all three counties and citing fentanyl as a key reason.

Speaking as a professor who studies social policy, I think both fentanyl and the proposed import taxes represent significant threats to the U.S. While the human toll of fentanyl is undeniable, the real question is whether tariffs will work – or worsen what’s already a crisis.

 

Fentanyl: The ‘single greatest challenge’

In 2021, more than 107,000 Americans died from overdoses – the most ever recorded – and nearly seven out of 10 deaths involved fentanyl or similar synthetic opioids. In 2022, fentanyl was killing an average of 200 people each day. And while fentanyl deaths declined slightly in 2023, nearly 75,000 Americans still died from synthetic opioids that year. In March of that year – the most recent for which full-year data on overdose deaths is available – the then-secretary of homeland security declared fentanyl to be “the single greatest challenge we face as a country.”

But history shows that government efforts to curb drug use often have little success.

The first real attempt to regulate drugs in the U.S. occurred in 1890, when, amid rampant drug abuse, Congress enacted a law taxing morphine and opium. In the years that followed, cocaine use skyrocketed, rising 700% between 1890 and 1902. Cocaine was so popular, it was even found in drinks such as Coca-Cola, from which it got its name.

This was followed by a 1909 act banning the smoking of opium, and, in 1937, the “Marihuana Tax Act.” The most comprehensive package of laws was instituted with the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, which classified drugs into five categories based on their medical uses and potential for abuse or dependence. A year later, then-President Richard Nixon launched the “War on Drugs” and declared drug abuse as “public enemy No. 1.” And in 1986, Congress passed the Anti-Drug Abuse Act, directing US$1.7 billion for drug enforcement and control.

 

President Richard Nixon declared drug abuse “Public enemy No. 1” at this 1971 press conference.

 

These policies have generally failed to curb drug supply and use, while also causing significant harm to people and communities of color. For example, between 1980 and 1997, the number of incarcerations for nonviolent drug offenses went from 50,000 to 400,000. But these policies hardly put a dent in consumption. The share of high school seniors using drugs dipped only slightly over the same period, from 65% in 1980 to 58% in 1997.

In short, past U.S. efforts to reduce illegal drug use haven’t been especially effective. Now, it looks like the U.S. is shifting toward using tariffs – but research suggests that those will not lead to better outcomes either, and could actually cause considerable harm.

 

Why tariffs won’t work

America’s experiments with tariffs can be traced back to the founding era with the passage of the Tariff Act of 1789. This long history has shown that tariffs, industrial subsidies and protectionist policies don’t do much to stimulate broad economic growth at home – but they raise prices for consumers and can even lead to global economic instability. History also shows that tariffs don’t work especially well as negotiating tools, failing to effect significant policy changes in target countries. Economists generally agree that the costs of tariffs outweigh the benefits.

Over the course of Trump’s first term, the average effective tariff rate on Chinese imports went from 3% to 11%. But while imports from China fell slightly, the overall trade relationship didn’t change much: China remains the second-largest supplier of goods to the U.S.

The tariffs did have some benefit – for Vietnam and other nearby countries with relatively low labor costs. Essentially, the tariffs on China caused production to shift, with global companies investing billions of dollars in competitor nations.

This isn’t the first time Trump has used trade policy to pressure China on fentanyl – he did so in his first term. But while China made some policy changes in response, such as adding fentanyl to its controlled substances list in 2019, fentanyl deaths in the U.S. continued to rise. Currently, China still ranks as the No. 1 producer of fentanyl precursors, or chemicals used to produce illicit fentanyl. And there are others in the business: India, over that same period, has become a major producer of fentanyl.

 

A question of supply and demand

Drugs have been pervasive throughout U.S. history. And when you investigate this history and look at how other nations are dealing with this problem rather than criminalization, the Swiss and French have approached it as an addiction problem that could be treated. They realized that demand is what fuels the illicit market. And as any economist will tell you, supply will find a way if you don’t limit the demand. That’s why treatment works and bans don’t.

The U.S. government’s ability to control the production of these drugs is limited at best. The problem is that new chemical products will continually be produced. Essentially, failure to restrict demand only places bandages on hemorrhaging wounds. What the U.S. needs is a more systematic approach to deal with the demand that’s fueling the drug crisis.

This article was updated to include details of the tariffs once they were imposed.

Rodney Coates, Professor of Critical Race and Ethnic Studies, Miami University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

A leaked document lists all the new EU initiatives slated for 2025, with the final version landing next week.

Sonne, südliche Lebensfreude und weltbekannte Festivals: Das Tessin ist eine Traumdestination. Besonders malerisch sind seine Dörfer und Städtchen. Die schönsten unter ihnen stellen wir hier vor.

Under current rules, harming animal species or destroying their habitat is punishable by up to three years in prison and a €150,000 fine.

Es rumort im Vulkan bei der Ferieninsel Santorini. Zwei Drittel der Inselbewohner sind bereits evakuiert. Experten suchen indes nach der Ursache für die Beben.

Neue Ermittlungen im mysteriösen Vierfachmord von Chevaline deuten auf einen Elitesoldaten als möglichen Täter hin. Denn: Die bei der Tat verwendete Schusstechnik wird nur von Spezialeinheiten trainiert.

585370 Maid Konjhodžić Edita Buçaj

In its continuous efforts to improve digital efficiency, transparency, and integrity of the election management in Kosovo, the OSCE Mission, alongside the German Embassy, handed over three servers to the Central Election Commission (CEC) today.

The servers follow last year’s handover of the election software to the CEC, and complete the process of digitalizing the election management. They come at a crucial time ahead of the upcoming elections on 9 February.

“For more than a year, the OSCE Mission in Kosovo has been working with the CEC to digitalize key steps of the electoral process, in accordance with new obligations introduced by the recently amended Law on Elections,” said Cornelia Taylor, Acting Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, at the handover ceremony.

“The three servers we are handing over today, purchased with generous support from Germany, are the last missing piece that completes the puzzle. They will enable the CEC to establish a reliable technological infrastructure that ensures the seamless functioning of digitalized election processes and counting. A well-equipped server room is the backbone of modern election administration, ensuring operations meet the highest standards of accuracy, security, and transparency,” Taylor added.

The CEC Chairperson, Kreshnik Radoniqi, thanking the OSCE Mission in Kosovo and the German Government for the donation, said that the handover ceremony marks an important moment for the CEC, electoral processes and Kosovo.  “This donation is a big investment in the integrity of the electoral process and in the public’s trust in the electoral process.”

In his address, German Ambassador Jörn Rohde said that the donation will help the CEC continue its outstanding work and ensure that both current and future elections process remain efficient, transparent and secure, adding, “Our common goal is to support Kosovo’s election bodies in safeguarding the integrity of elections and strengthening public trust in the electoral process in Kosovo.”

The donation funded by Germany is part of a wider project supported by Norway, The US, Poland and France. It is a testament to the ongoing commitment of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, the CEC, and international partners to strengthen the democratic process and ensure the integrity of elections in Kosovo.

A German Heron TP drone flew in military- and civilian-controlled airspace between Germany and the Netherlands on 3 February 2025, marking another step towards remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) being allowed to fly safely alongside commercial airlines and other manned aviation. 

The round-trip test flight built on previous work by the European Defence Agency (EDA), which has been supporting its Member States in the safe integration of RPAS into general air traffic (GAT) airspace. It follows a similar milestone flight between France and Spain in December 2021. But this year, the flight took place in upper airspace for the first time.  

EDA initiated the project through a call for tender, which was awarded to a consortium led by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) together with the Netherlands Aerospace Centre (Royal NLR) and the German armed forces. The German air force provided the Heron TP drone for testing and the project also received the support of the German military aviation authority. 

The Heron TP, which with its 26-metre wingspan can fly for more than 24 hours, took off from Schleswig in northern Germany, initially climbing in military-controlled airspace. From there, it was handed over to German air traffic control and EUROCONTROL Maastricht Upper Area Control Centre, before transitioning into Dutch airspace at more than 8,500 metres (28,000 feet) above sea level, a region primarily occupied by commercial aircraft. 

The German Heron TP drone is a joint Israeli-German project developed by Airbus and Israel Aerospace Industries, designed for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR). 

More test flights planned 

One of EDA’s goals, along with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), is to enable the full integration of large RPAS into general air traffic airspace. By testing, evaluating, and refining the procedures, the project is helping to bridge the gap between ‘accommodation’ or ‘mitigation’ measures and full integration. EDA, working closely with EASA and EUROCONTROL, as well as national aviation authorities, is laying the foundation for a more secure and efficient airspace across Europe. 

The German-Dutch mission implemented lessons learned to further refine the procedures to make such cross-border flights more commonplace. With two more test flights planned in the coming weeks, the focus is on demonstrating that mitigation measures developed so far are ‘aircraft agnostic’ — meaning that they work across different RPAS platforms, including civilian drones. The aim is that the full integration of RPAS into shared airspace will soon be possible. Unlike the previous mission between France and Spain, which used a different drone model, February's test helped confirm that integration procedures work across various aircraft, not just a single RPAS design. 

Another objective of the test flights is to trial procedures in the event of a loss of communication between the remote pilot and the aircraft and to operate the drone at its maximum altitude. These flights are planned to take place over the coming weeks.  

EDA’s broader role 

Founded in 2004, the Agency helps foster defence cooperation across Europe. It serves as the central hub for EU countries aiming to develop their defence capabilities together. EDA’s activities span from harmonising requirements and developing operational capabilities to research, technology, innovation, training, and supporting Common Security and Defence Policy operations. The agency also works closely with the European defence industry to strengthen Europe’s technological and industrial base. 

Au réveil ce mercredi matin, les dirigeants européens ont pu découvrir la proposition discutable de Donald Trump pour résoudre le conflit israélo-palestinien : déporter les Palestiniens, « prendre le contrôle » de la bande de Gaza et en faire « la Côte d’Azur du Proche-Orient ». 

Das Auto-Jahr 2025 hat mit dem schwächsten Januar des laufenden Jahrtausends begonnen. Die Importeure führen den Fehlstart auf die «politisch geschürte Unsicherheit» bei der neuen CO₂-Verordnung zurück – diese könnte sie schlimmstenfalls Milliarden kosten.

Quatre favoris à la succession de Viola Amherd ont renoncé en invoquant des raisons familiales. Un argument qui est récent en politique suisse.

Tausende haben die griechische Insel Santorini wegen der anhaltenden Beben verlassen. Wohnungen und Geschäfte stehen leer, was ungebetene Gäste anziehen könnte. Die Polizei zeigt Präsenz.

24 Athletinnen und Athleten nimmt Swiss-Ski mit an die WM in Saalbach. Das Team ist gespickt mit Medaillenhoffnungen.

Nach den USA hat auch Argentinien den Austritt aus der Weltgesundheitsorganisation (WHO) angekündigt. Dies gab der Regierungssprecher auf einer Pressekonferenz bekannt.

Der Amerikaner Ryan Cochran-Siegle überzeugt in Saalbach-Hinterglemm mit der Bestzeit im ersten Abfahrts-Training. Im Schweizer Lager bahnt sich ein Gewitter zwischen einem Athleten und der Teamleitung an.

Le 2 février 2025, après la décision du président Abdelmadjid Tebboune de mettre fin aux fonctions de Laaziz Faid en tant que ministre des Finances, […]

L’article Nouveau ministre des Finances : les grands chantiers qui attendent Abdelkrim Bouzred est apparu en premier sur .

In nur wenigen Jahren hat die französische Armee den Großteil ihrer Militärbasen in Afrika verloren. Während die Beziehungen zu einigen ehemaligen Kolonien weiterhin angespannt sind, hoffen die meisten auf eine neue Beziehung – ohne militärische Präsenz.

La colère redouble en Serbie. D'abord porté par les étudiants, le mouvement s'étend à toute la Serbie, alors que de nombreuses professions sont entrées en grève générale. Suivez les dernières informations en temps réel et en accès libre.

- Le fil de l'Info / Courrier des Balkans, Vucic, Serbie, Politique, Société, Gratuit