Author: EU News

Today, the Commission has launched a Trusted Investors Network bringing together a group of investors ready to co-invest in innovative deep-tech companies in Europe together with the EU. The Union’s investment comes from the European Innovation Council (EIC) Fund, which is part of the EU research and innovation programme Horizon Europe. The first group comprises 71 investors from across Europe, including venture capital funds, public investment banks, foundations and corporate venture funds. These investors collectively represent over €90 billion of assets, which positions the network as a key initiative to mobilise capital for Europe’s deep tech sector. Following preparatory meetings with investors…

Russia’s record bombing of Ukraine leads much of the bloc’s major news sites this morning as Ukraine’s air force says it has shot down 76 Russian drones in 17 regions, whilst another 95 were lost from their radars or downed by electronic jamming defensive systems in overnights attacks.

Former German chancellor Angela Merkel also dominates much of the European news. A formidable feature of European politics, Merkel served Germany for 16 years. Today, her memoir Freedom is released. The highly anticipated memoir confronts criticisms of her policies on Russia and migration, which some say left Germany overly dependent on Russian gas and has fueled the rise of the far right in the Deutschland.

The conclusion of the mass rape trial in France finds plenty of space as prosecutors demand the maximum sentence for Gisèle Pelicot’s ex-husband and women around the world protesting for an end to violence against women. Much of the European media – including the UK – are running various campaigns and stories around violence towards women, sexual assault and calls for governments to do better.

Record number of Russian drones during the night share-arrowDelaunsaveSparaexpand-leftfull screen Cleanup in a Ukrainian house that was hit by a Russian drone on Monday. Photo: Kateryna Klochko/AP/TTRussia is said to have fired a record number of drones against Ukraine overnight: 188, according to data from the country’s air force.During the day, Ukraine and NATO hold a meeting about a high-profile Russian attack with a new hypersonic robot.Buildings and important infrastructure in several regions have been damaged in the drone strikes, which included Iranian Shahed drones, according to the statement quoted by AFP.In the capital, Kyiv, flight alarms are said to…

In a phone call on Friday 18 October, President Ursula von der Leyen discussed with President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) the current geopolitical situation and ways to further strengthen EU-UAE relations. President von der Leyen expressed her concerns about the rising tensions in the Middle East and the risk of further escalation. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to securing an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and in Lebanon, and emphasized the need to protect all civilians. President von der Leyen called once again for the release of all hostages and reaffirmed the continued support of the European Union to civilians…

Japan’s space agency, JAXA, aborted an engine test for the Epsilon S rocket after a large fire broke out at the Tanegashima Space Center on Tuesday. “There was an abnormality during today’s combustion test. We are trying to assess what happened,” JAXA said. Footage on NHK showed flames and smoke rising from the site on the southern Japanese island. Journalists positioned around one kilometer (0.62 miles) away reported a large explosion shortly after the test began at 8:30 a.m. local time. Footage on national broadcaster NHK showed towering balls of fire and white fumes rising from the site. Nobody reported…

A cargo plane crashed into a house on its approach to Lithuania’s Vilnius Airport on Monday morning, killing one crew member and injuring others. ADVERTISEMENTAuthorities search for answers as they continue their investigation after a Boeing 737 cargo plane crashed into a house near Vilnius Airport in Lithuania on Monday morning. The DHL cargo plane operated by Swiftair, departing from Leipzig in Germany, crashed while approaching the airport in Lithuania’s capital. A Spanish crew member was killed, and three other people on board were rushed to the hospital, one of them is in critical condition. No one on the ground…

Brussels, Europe — In a decisive step towards environmental sustainability, the European Commission has announced a significant investment of more than €380 million for133 new projects under the LIFE Programme for environment and climate action. This ambitious funding initiative represents more than half of the total investment requirements of €574 million for these projects, with the remainder sourced from a coalition of national, regional, and local governments, along with contributions from public-private partnerships, businesses, and civil society organizations. These LIFE projects aim to contribute significantly to achieving the targets set out in the European Green Deal. Notably, these targets include…

In the first round of Romania’s presidential election, a far-right candidate who opposes NATO has taken an unexpected lead.
Calin Georgescu, an independent, won 22.94% of votes in Sunday’s voting, knocking Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu out of the race.
Georgescu will face center-right contender Elena Lasconi, leader of the opposition Save Romania Union, in the presidential run-off on December 8.

  The World Day for Audiovisual Heritage is observed on 27 October to raise awareness about the significance and preservation risks of audiovisual materials. Audiovisual archives serve as powerful storytellers, capturing the lives, cultures and histories of people from all over the world. They represent a priceless heritage which is an affirmation of our collective memory and a valuable source of knowledge, reflecting the cultural, social, and linguistic diversity of our communities. These archives not only deepen our understanding of the past but also help us appreciate the world we share today.  Conserving this rich heritage and ensuring it remains accessible…

A third of women in the EU have experienced violence at home, at work or in public. Young women report having experienced higher levels of sexual harassment at work and other forms of violence than older women. Yet violence against women often remains invisible as only every fourth woman reports incidents to the authorities (the police, or social, health or support services).  These are some of the findings of the EU survey on gender-based violence conducted from 2020 to 2024 by Eurostat (the statistical office of the EU), the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) and the European Institute for…

A little-known, far-right populist has taken the lead in Romania’s presidential election and will likely face leftist Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu in a runoff in two weeks, an outcome that has rocked the country’s political landscape. With around 93% of the votes counted, independent candidate Calin Georgescu was in the lead with around 22% of the vote, while Ciolacu of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), trailed at 20%. Elena Lasconi of the Save Romania Union party (USR) stood at around 18%, and George Simion, the leader of the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR), took 14.1%. After polls…

A number of new retailers have been lined up by the owners of Rushmere Shopping Centre following major refurbishments at the Co Armagh complex. Outdoor gear specialist Mountain Warehouse and Danish lifestyle brand Søstrene Grene are the latest names to confirm new stores. It follows the opening of beauty and wellbeing brand Rituals and confirmation that Spanish fashion group Mango and footwear retailer Schuh will move into Rushmere. Killahoey Limited, which bought the retail site out of administration for £46.5m in 2023, is continuing a major revamp of the Craigavon complex led by McDonnell and Sons. The consortium, headed by…

What’s on the front page of Bild?The front page of Bild says the Federal Office wants bunker app for cell phones, cellars should be expanded. The costs for funerals have risen sharply in 2023. The reason for this is higher wood and transport costs, according to the Hesse Undertaker Association. Coffins have become a third more expensive,” says association head Dominik Kracheletz. Many cities have also increased cemetery fees. The reason: more expensive urn graves, rising personnel and energy costs. In Fulda, fees rose by up to 245Elsewhere, the paper says migrants whose asylum applications were rejected or had little chance…

Police shoot rioter (34) in NRW Kamp-Lintfort (NRW) – The officers were called because of a disturbance, and the situation suddenly escalated on site. At least one shot was fired. And it was fatal. On Saturday evening around 9:50 p.m., the police in Wesel ( North Rhine-Westphalia ) received a report of a disturbance from an apartment in neighboring Kamp-Lintfort. “According to the current state of the investigation, a 34-year-old man is said to have suddenly attacked the police officers deployed with an object in the stairwell of the affected apartment building.” A police officer then used a firearm, which…

Now the people are turning against Mette-Marit For a long time, the Norwegians stood behind their crown princess. They did not condemn Mette-Marit as a bad mother, but rather Marius as an uncontrollable system breaker. However, the rape allegations against Borg Høiby are now becoming a turning point in support among the citizens. Too much has happened, has been tolerated, accepted, covered up. The people think that enough is enough. Read with BILDplus why even the monarchy is now at stake, what the people are demanding of Mette-Marit and what tragic consequences the scandal surrounding Marius has. https://www.bild.de/unterhaltung/royals-adel/marius-borg-hiby-nach-skandal-wendet-sich-volk-gegen-mette-marit-6742e5bcd3e4b22ff2f6abdd

What’s on the front page of Le Monde?  The front page of Le Monde reports on the far-right party – the RN – sticks to a posture rejecting measures aimed at combating global warming. The paper says that opposed to climate diplomacy, the National Rally fights the measures proposed by France and Europe at COP29 in Baku at the national level, Marine Le Pen’s troops presented a “counter-budget” which cuts all spending in favour of the environment. A picture of NGO Marea Verde who works on Wanda, the hydraulic and solar machine that collects waste from the Juan Diaz River,…

French mass rape trial: Court to hear prosecutors’ sentencing requests With evidence over in the trial of a man who drugged his wife for years so he could invite dozens of strangers to rape her, French prosecutors will from Monday, November 25, set out their sentencing requests to judges. Main defendant Dominique Pelicot has been in the dock in southern city Avignon since September along with 49 other men for organizing the rapes and sexual abuse of his now ex-wife Gisèle Pelicot. The case has shocked a France still working through its version of the MeToo movement, with the latest…

What’s on the front page of La Repubblica? The front page of La Repubblica this morning 25/11/2024 reports that the Constituent Assembly confirms the former prime minister as leader of the Movement. The guarantor and the limit of two mandates have been abolished. The founder: “From Franciscans to Jesuits”. Yes to alliances on the left but applause to anti-migrant appeals.The front page’s main image reports on Italy winning the Davis Cup. “The Davis Cup remains in Italy for the second consecutive year. Italy is here to stay.”The paper also features a story by the sister of a murdered woman. “It has…

Was tipped to become president – eliminated immediately Romania’s incumbent prime minister, the pro-European social democrat Marcel Ciolacu, is out of the country’s presidential election, despite being tipped as the winner.

A cargo plane flying on behalf of German logistics company DHL crashed near Vilnius International Airport in Lithuania early on Monday, according to Lithuanian authorities.     The plane had originated in the German city of Leipzig, which is a hub for DHL.   “City services are currently onsite, along with a fire truck and a command team from Vilnius Airport,” the Lithuanian airport authority posted on X. “Airport operations are not disrupted at this time.” This is a breaking news story and will be updated dvv/wd (Reuters, dpa)  DHL freight plane crashes near Vilnius airport – DW – 11/25/2024

A global operation, supported by Eurojust, has led to the takedown of servers of infostealers, a type of malware used to steal personal data and conduct cybercrimes worldwide. The infostealers, RedLine and META, taken down today targeted millions of victims worldwide, making it one of the largest malware platforms globally. An international coalition of authorities from the Netherlands, the United States, Belgium, Portugal, the United Kingdom and Australia shut down three servers in the Netherlands, seized two domains, unsealed charges in the United States and took two people into custody in Belgium. RedLine and Meta were able to steal personal data from infected devices.…

The decision caps a weekend during which the country’s two largest parties announced their candidates for an election that will decide the successor to incumbent President Andrzej Duda, whose second and final term ends in August 2025. Poland’s conservative Law and Justice party, which is trying to regain momentum after losing power last year, has chosen historian Karol Nawrocki as its candidate for next year’s presidential election. The decision caps a weekend during which the country’s two largest parties announced their candidates for an election that will decide the successor to incumbent President Andrzej Duda, whose second and final…

The round-the-clock protests in Tbilisi follow the 26 October elections that kept the governing pro-Russian Georgian Dream party in power. Opponents say the vote was rigged and suspect neighbouring Russia of election interference.

The round-the-clock protests in Tbilisi follow the 26 October elections that kept the governing pro-Russian Georgian Dream party in power. Opponents say the vote was rigged and suspect neighbouring Russia of election interference.

Baku’s COP29 legacy: a new era in climate finance or too little, too late? Several delegates stressed the significance of having reached an agreement and making progress in “difficult geopolitical times”. Like many before it, the 29th edition of the United Nations Conference on Climate Change needed extra time for an overall agreement to be reached. In the early hours of Sunday, exhausted delegates in Baku finally reached a compromise on the most crucial issue of COP29: a new climate financing framework. The UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell called it an “insurance policy for humanity”, adding that “like…