EU to give Radio Free Europe 5.5 million euros after Trump funding freeze
WHY IT MATTERS
The financial pledge comes after Trump ordered the termination of grants in March as part of sweeping efforts to downsize the U.S. government. Critics said the move could devastate a rare source of reliable news in authoritarian countries.
A U.S. District Court judge placed a temporary pause on the termination order but a federal appeals court this month blocked the ruling.
QUOTES
"In a time of growing unfiltered content, independent journalism is more important than ever," Kallas told reporters after a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels.
"This will support the vital work of Radio Free Europe," she said, describing the move as "short-term emergency funding" to provide a "safety net" for independent journalism.
Radio Free Europe was not immediately available for comment.
CONTEXT
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty was set up during the Cold War to reach people in communist-run states. The Prague-based outlet still broadcasts to countries in Eastern Europe, including Russia and Ukraine.
The Czech Republic, as the media outlet's host country, has been pushing for Europe to find funds to keep it going.
"Our aim is to keep the mission, and the mission is providing free and fair information to societies in Russia, Belarus, Iran,' Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky told Reuters after the ministers' meeting.
Sweden said earlier this month it would donate 20 million crowns ($2.07 million) to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, saying the U.S. decision meant people in many countries risked losing access to free media.
($1 = 0.8868 euros)
($1 = 9.6523 Swedish crowns)
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Wizz Air, Frontier, and Pegasus Top 3; The Top 20 Major Airlines Ranked by CO2 Emissions/ASK The top 20 Major airlines globally are presented in the corresponding tables. Of note is the performance of Indigo, top in Asia, Volaris, top in Latin America and the Caribbean, and Jetstar, for its performance in Australia. The CO2/ASK Emissions of the World's Largest Airlines Cirium's reporting also ranked the 10 largest airlines in the world by ASK. At the head of the table is Ryanair, followed by Southwest Airlines, and Delta Air Lines. Each of the major U.S. carriers earned spots at the table, while Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airlines and Emirates rounded out a group of primarily long-haul operators. Enabling Fair Comparison Across the Industry 'For the first time, airlines can compare their emissions performance using a consistent, verified methodology,' said Jeremy Bowen, CEO at Cirium. 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