Washington clashed with Brussels over the role of Christian Schmidt, the international High Representative, who enforces the laws under the provisions of the Dayton accord

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European policymakers are seeking to reduce dependence on American technology due to concerns over the unpredictability of U.S. President Donald Trump and the risks of relying on foreign companies for critical infrastructure.

The European Commission proposed reserving part of the two gigahertz frequency band, which allows smartphones to connect directly to satellites, for European companies, limiting available spectrum for U.S. and Chinese operators.

The European Commission stated that its frequency proposal incentivizes market entry and supplier diversification for EU companies while remaining open to operators from outside the EU.

U.S. Ambassador to the EU Andrew Puzder warned that European companies could face devastating retaliatory measures from Washington if Brussels restricts American competitors like SpaceX from parts of the European market.

U.S. Ambassador Andrew Puzder questioned whether the EU's enforcement of the Digital Markets Act is intended to improve competition or to generate revenue from American tech companies through fines to benefit the European budget.

U.S. Ambassador Andrew Puzder urged Europe to abandon its regulatory mindset and join forces with the United States to compete against China in artificial intelligence and quantum computing.

Downing Street reaffirmed on October 19, 2026 that the UK's support for Ukraine remains unwavering following U.S. policy shifts regarding Russian sanctions and intelligence-sharing.

Lawyers for former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak requested a sentence stay citing his declining health and an inability to pay the $2.8 billion fine.

High Court Judge Noor Ruwena Md Nordin ruled that former Prime Minister Najib Razak failed to establish special circumstances justifying a suspension of his 15-year jail sentence.

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak set up the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) state investment fund shortly after taking office in 2009.

In September 2026, King Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar granted former Prime Minister Najib Razak a conditional pardon allowing him to serve the remainder of his initial sentence under house arrest until August 2028.

U.S. investigators determined that approximately $4.5 billion was siphoned from the 1MDB state fund, with over $1 billion reaching accounts linked to Najib Razak.

Defense attorney Muhammad Shafee Abdullah stated that former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak will appeal the High Court stay refusal at the Court of Appeal.

High Court Judge Noor Ruwena Md Nordin stated that the gravity of former Prime Minister Najib Razak's corruption offense was the primary public interest consideration in denying a sentence stay.

In January 2024, Malaysia's Pardons Board reduced former Prime Minister Najib Razak's initial prison sentence to six years and lowered his fine to 50 million ringgit.

In December 2025, former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak was convicted of abuse of power and money laundering in a second 1MDB trial, receiving a 15-year jail term and an 11.4 billion ringgit fine.

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak's 15-year sentence from his second 1MDB conviction is scheduled to take effect after his initial prison term ends in August 2028.

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak must pay a 50 million ringgit fine before his transfer to house arrest can proceed, prompting a fundraising drive by his political party UMNO.

Democratic Action Party leader Anthony Loke offered to resign as transport minister following the September 2026 royal pardon granted to former Prime Minister Najib Razak.

On October 14, 2026, the Kuala Lumpur High Court denied former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak's application to suspend his 15-year jail term in his second 1MDB graft case.