New measures to tackle drug-trafficking and help protect Europe’s health and security

  Drug trafficking is a global criminal business that is undermining health and security in Europe. Criminal networks that sell illicit drugs such as cocaine and synthetic drugs drive violence and corruption in our streets. Drug abuse, particularly among the young, poses an increasing problem. The European Commission has responded to this challenge with a […]

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Europe faces worst wildfire year on record as fire seasons grow longer and more destructive

The 2024 forest fires report from the Commission’s Joint Research Centre confirms a longer and more intense fire season.  Major fires have increased every year since 2017, and the 2024 data confirm the upward trend. The 2024 fire season ended with a total burnt area of 383,317 hectares. While this is lower than the 500,000 […]

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UN and partners back new measures to help millions move from vulnerability to opportunity

Over three days, ministers, development partners and international agencies met to explore how LDCs can “graduate” successfully – meaning they have reached levels of income, education and resilience that lift them out of the UN’s most vulnerable grouping – and, crucially, stay out. The meeting focused on the Doha Programme of Action (DPOA), which aims […]

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Arab region pushed to limits by climate extremes as 2024 smashes heat records

The World Meteorological Organization’s (WMO) first State of the Climate in the Arab Region report paints a stark picture of a region under constant pressure from rising temperatures and increasingly extreme weather. The UN agency noted that “a number of countries [in the Arab region] reported temperatures of above 50°C (122°F) last year, while average […]

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Edinburgh Airport Halts All Flights After Major IT Failure

Edinburgh — 5 December 2025 — Edinburgh Airport suspended all flights on Friday morning after a significant IT failure affected its air traffic control provider, forcing a full ground stop and causing widespread disruption for passengers Yahoo News Australia. The shutdown began at around 08:30 local time, with the airport confirming that no arrivals or […]

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Amid Sudan’s unimaginable crisis, its people endure with hope

Fighting erupted between rival militaries in April 2023 following a breakdown in the transition to civilian rule, following the overthrow of longtime former President Omar al-Bashir four years earlier. The army of Sudan’s military government has been battling the formerly allied fighters of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia for control of the vast country, […]

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Sudan: Kordofan cannot become ‘another El Fasher,’ Türk warns

The once allied Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been locked in brutal conflict since April 2023, with the battlefront now shifting to the oil-rich region’s three states. It comes after RSF fighters seized El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, last month following a year-long siege marked by widespread […]

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African football legends join forces to give a red card to polio

In partnership with the UN-backed Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), they have launched the ‘Kick Out Polio’ campaign ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 which begins in Morocco on 21 December. “Polio is an illness that we simply need to take seriously,” said Naby Keïta of the Guinea National Team who plays […]

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Bridging Humanitarian and Social Protection Systems in Ukraine

In early 2022, Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Social Policy, Kostiantyn Koshelenko, was focused on a multi-year project to modernize how his country delivered government support to citizens. The planned Unified Information System of the Social Sphere (UISSS) would consolidate 15 separate databases into one platform, laying groundwork to create a more harmonized user experience. Then […]

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Improving the quality of jobs in the EU

  Adequate wages and quality jobs are essential for economic stability and reducing poverty. While Europe generally performs well in this regard, there is room for improvement, especially as workers continue to feel the impact of global crises and rising living costs, and companies struggle with labour shortages. To help address these challenges, the Commission […]

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