NATO Safeguarding EU Borders

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Photo by Robert Linder on Unsplash For the first time ever, the NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control Force (NAEW&CF) conducted command and control  operations with an all-female aircrew composition. The flight was a regular mission sortie for the multinational crew in support of NATO’s enhanced Vigilance Activities (eVA). NATO says the flight highlights the work of women…

Computer Games Attract Russian Propaganda

Cybersport is not out of politics: “Games of the Future” as a way of spreading propaganda messages to young people. Russia has repeatedly used sports and art for political purposes. Cybersport is no exception. By organising cybersport events, the Russian authorities not only want to show the world that they are not internationally isolated but…

Energy and Climate Plans Tracker

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Photo by Karsten Würth on Unsplash Climate action Network (CAN Europe) has launched a  national energy and climate plans tracker tool which,it says, highlights “disparities” between national climate and energy commitments and the actual emission reductions and energy transition at country level. In the aftermath of the European Commission’s announcement of intending to set a 90% net greenhouse…

€453 Billion to Rebuild Ukraine

The total cost of reconstruction and recovery in Ukraine in the next ten years is $486 billion (€452.8 billion), a new report says. This is up from $411 bn (€383 billion) estimated one year ago. This comes after almost two years of Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine. This damage is the assessment by the Government of Ukraine, the World Bank Group, the European Commission, and the United Nations, all known as RDNA3. In 2024 alone, Ukrainian authorities estimate the country will need around $15 billion (€14 billion) for immediate reconstruction and recovery priorities at both the national and community level. The focus is on supporting and mobilizing the private sector alongside restoration of housing, soft infrastructure and services, energy, and transport. The RDNA3 highlights that while some $5.5 billion (€5.1 billion) of this funding has been secured, from both Ukraine's international partners and its own resources, about $9.5 billion (€8.9 billion) is currently unfunded. Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal said,"Despite the ongoing full-scale war, the Ukrainian government, with the support of international partners, continues to implement a rapid recovery programme. “The execution of the Third Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA3) allows us to approach this process more systematically. We are grateful to the World Bank and other partners for this work. "We see that the needs for reconstruction have continued to grow over the past year. “The main resource for Ukraine's recovery should be the confiscation of Russian assets frozen in the West. We need to start this process already this year. “Concurrently, the Ukrainian government is creating conditions to attract private investments, which will accelerate the reconstruction process and transform our country on its path to the EU."

Photo by Robert Anasch on Unsplash The total cost of reconstruction and recovery in Ukraine in the next ten years is $486 billion (€452.8 billion), a new report says. This is up from $411 bn  (€383 billion) estimated one year ago. This comes after almost two years of Russia’s full scale invasion of Ukraine. This damage is the assessment…

Combatting Child Abuse

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Photo by Jeffrey Riley on Unsplash New rules are set to be introduced with the aim of combating the scourge of child abuse. This comes after the European Parliament and the Belgian Presidency reached an agreement that extends a temporary derogation to EU ePrivacy rules by 20 months to allow the detection of Child Sexual Abuse Material online.  The…

EU Paper Industry Decreases

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Photo by Thomas Charters on Unsplash Production in the paper and board industry suffered a second consecutive year of contraction, decreasing by 12.8%, a new report says. After a year 2022 marked by sky high energy prices, the decrease in production in 2023 continues to be more pronounced even than it was during the Covid-19 crisis (-4.7% in…

Protecting Children from Unsafe Toys

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Photo by Nong on Unsplash MEPs have backed new rules that aim to decrease the number of unsafe toys sold in the EU single market and protect children better from toy-related risks. On Tuesday, the parliament’s Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee approved its position on an update of EU rules on toy safety unanimously, with 37 votes…

€1.8 Billion EU Humanitarian Aid Budget

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Photo by Max Bender on Unsplash The European commission has spelled out how it intends to distribute humanitarian aid this year. With almost 300 million people estimated to need humanitarian assistance in 2024, the EU says it is “once again” reinforcing its commitment to support the most vulnerable globally.  The Commission has therefore adopted its initial annual humanitarian…