Latest news with #EU-backed
Euronews
15 hours ago
- Science
- Euronews
Can coastal tourism go green — and still thrive?
In some of the most remote parts of the Atlantic, marine tourism is both a lifeline and a challenge. Local economies depend on it—but traditional practices can take a toll on fragile ecosystems. As climate change warms the oceans and alters wildlife behaviour, tour operators are being pushed to rethink the way they do business. That's where TWINNEDbySTARS comes in. This EU-backed project is helping small tourism companies across the Canary Islands, Madeira, the Azores, and Martinique, to find smarter, greener ways to operate at sea. The goal: to make marine tourism more competitive, while also protecting biodiversity, preserving local heritage, and even opening the door to a new kind of experience — marine astrotourism. With nearly €1 million in funding, the project runs from 2023 to 2026 and brings together scientists, tourism experts, and small businesses to explore what a more sustainable future on the water could look like. Dr. Yen Lam González, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, is part of the team guiding the project's research. She says it is about changing mindsets as much as methods. 'The marine ecosystem — just like land ecosystems — is constantly under pressure from human activity,' she explains. But change is already happening. Some tour operators in the project have started electrifying their boats, cutting down on noise and pollution. Others are reviving ancient sailing techniques, navigating without engines or electronics, guided only by wind and stars — an experience that blends tradition, storytelling, and low-impact travel. One of the most popular innovations are hydrophones. These underwater microphones are now being used not just to help locate whales and dolphins, but also to give passengers a deeper connection to the marine environment. 'It's not just about spotting a dolphin,' González says. 'It's about understanding the whole ecosystem — how it lives, how it sounds, how it all fits together.' In the end, the idea is simple: if the environment thrives, everyone benefits.
See - Sada Elbalad
17-07-2025
- Business
- See - Sada Elbalad
EU Ambassador Highlights Key Role in Supporting Egypt's Agricultural Development
Taarek Refaat Angelina Eichhorst, the European Union Ambassador to Egypt, emphasized the EU's pivotal role in supporting agricultural and rural development in Egypt, through over 15 projects, including the Caffè Program, implemented in collaboration with Italian cooperation. Eichhorst reaffirmed the EU's commitment to supporting Egypt's efforts in ensuring sustainable food systems, high-quality food, and accessibility for all. At the signing ceremony of a new protocol between the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation and the Agricultural Research Center in Egypt, Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation Alaa Farouk expressed his confidence in the program's potential to strengthen crop production, especially wheat, as part of the broader EU-backed Caffè initiative. Strengthening Partnerships for Agricultural Innovation During the event, Michele Quaroni, the Italian Ambassador to Egypt, renewed Italy's steadfast commitment to enhancing its partnership with Egypt in the agricultural and rural development sectors. He highlighted the alignment with Italy's Mattei Plan, a comprehensive strategy that aims to support Egypt's sustainable agricultural development by fostering knowledge exchange, investing in innovation, and promoting sustainable farming practices. This initiative is crucial to driving inclusive growth and ensuring food security for the country. Ambassador Quaroni stated, 'Italy continues to back Egypt's agricultural transformation through collaborative efforts that focus on sharing expertise, introducing advanced technologies, and promoting sustainable practices in agriculture.' Focus on Wheat Production and Agricultural Innovation Tiberio Chiari, Director of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation in Cairo, also highlighted that the signed memorandum of understanding represents a critical milestone in the ongoing collaboration between the agency and Egypt's Agricultural Research Center. This partnership aims to enhance Egypt's wheat sector infrastructure by providing modern agricultural machinery, upgrading wheat breeding labs, and establishing seed production factories. The partnership will also work toward modernizing the agricultural practices in Egypt, which is essential to ensuring the long-term sustainability of the country's wheat supply—a vital crop for Egypt's food security. Shared Vision for Sustainable Agriculture The Caffè Program, part of the EU's broader strategy for agricultural and rural development in Egypt, focuses on sustainable practices that support local farmers and rural communities. With projects like these, the EU is playing a significant role in addressing the challenges of food security and agricultural productivity in Egypt, helping the country advance its sustainable development goals. Minister Farouk emphasized that the collaboration with Italy and the EU aligns with Egypt's ongoing efforts to modernize its agricultural infrastructure and improve production capabilities, making it an essential step toward a self-sufficient and food-secure future. read more CBE: Deposits in Local Currency Hit EGP 5.25 Trillion Morocco Plans to Spend $1 Billion to Mitigate Drought Effect Gov't Approves Final Version of State Ownership Policy Document Egypt's Economy Expected to Grow 5% by the end of 2022/23- Minister Qatar Agrees to Supply Germany with LNG for 15 Years Business Oil Prices Descend amid Anticipation of Additional US Strategic Petroleum Reserves Business Suez Canal Records $704 Million, Historically Highest Monthly Revenue Business Egypt's Stock Exchange Earns EGP 4.9 Billion on Tuesday Business Wheat delivery season commences on April 15 News Israeli-Linked Hadassah Clinic in Moscow Treats Wounded Iranian IRGC Fighters News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Videos & Features Tragedy Overshadows MC Alger Championship Celebration: One Fan Dead, 11 Injured After Stadium Fall Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Arts & Culture South Korean Actress Kang Seo-ha Dies at 31 after Cancer Battle News "Tensions Escalate: Iran Probes Allegations of Indian Tech Collaboration with Israeli Intelligence" News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks Arts & Culture Hawass Foundation Launches 1st Course to Teach Ancient Egyptian Language Videos & Features Video: Trending Lifestyle TikToker Valeria Márquez Shot Dead during Live Stream
Euronews
10-07-2025
- Business
- Euronews
Copenhagen and Prague will soon be a direct train ride away
Europe's long-distance rail network is getting another boost in 2026. Starting next May, passengers will be able to ride the rail from Prague to Copenhagen via Berlin. Deutsche Bahn (DB), Danish Railways (DSB) and Czech Railways (ČD) are teaming up to offer the new direct connection, which will launch on 1 May 2026, when overhaul work on the line between Berlin and Hamburg is complete. The year-round daytime service will run in both directions and is expected to take just seven hours between Copenhagen and Berlin, and around eleven hours between Copenhagen and Prague. The operators will also extend a summer season night train that currently links Hamburg and Copenhagen onward to Prague. Additional stops are planned in key cities, including Dresden and Hamburg. The route will be served by ČD's new ComfortJet trains, offering a wide range of amenities, including an on-board restaurant, Wi-Fi, bicycle storage and space for 555 passengers. The high-speed trains also feature wheelchair lifts, a children's cinema and radio-transparent windows, which improve mobile connectivity and reception for passengers. Cross-border train travel picks up pace The Prague-Copenhagen connection is the first of 10 pilot projects selected by the European Commission to promote new cross-border train routes and improve international mobility. The initiative is designed to address persistent hurdles in long-distance rail, from infrastructure bottlenecks to market barriers. 'Rail is bringing Europe closer and closer together,' Michael Peterson, DB's board member for long distance passenger transport, said when the new link was announced. 'Journey times of over four hours are popular with our passengers in international long distance transport, and we are offering additional attractive services to meet the growing demand.' Other recent EU-backed rail connections include theBerlin-Paris route launched by DB and France's SNCF in December, and the newly announced Munich-Milan-Rome link set to launch in the coming years. Apostolos Tzitzikostas, the EU's commissioner for sustainable transport and tourism, called the Prague-Copenhagen route 'a strong example of progress' toward a greener and more connected continent. Europe's rail revival ramps up this summer and beyond Travellers seeking alternatives to short-haul flights now have more rail options than ever. In February, the Vilnius-Riga serviceexpanded to Tallinn. Then, in June,Polish Railways (PKP) launched a new summer route connecting Warsaw to Split on Croatia's Adriatic coast. The delightfully namedEspresso Riviera has also returned to service this summer, linking Rome and the French Riviera overnight. In the coming years, the rail links should continue to grow. Startup Dreamstar Lines plans to connect100 European cities via sleeper train – promising fares for less than the price of a hotel stay. These routes are part of a broader renaissance for European rail, with night trains especially seeing a resurgence after decades of decline. Barriers to seamless train travel remain While enthusiasm is growing for this greener method of travel, Europe's cross-border rail ambitions still face obstacles. Fragmented ticketing systems, differences in infrastructure and slow approvals for new routes continue tohinder progress. And passengers still struggle to find unified booking platforms or real-time updates when journeys involve multiple national rail companies. Still, EU leaders remain optimistic that the pilot routes – including Prague to Copenhagen – will set a precedent for a more connected, sustainable future. 'This direct rail link is not only good for travellers,' said Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner. 'It's an important step in decarbonising Europe's transport sector.'
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Loan scheme to rearm Europe could be ‘important breakthrough' in Ukraine support
A €150bn (£126bn) loans programme to rearm Europe that was finalised this week could be 'a very important breakthrough' in the EU's military support for Ukraine, the bloc's defence commissioner has said. Andrius Kubilius, a former prime minister of Lithuania who is the EU's first defence commissioner, said he expected a lot of member states to request EU-backed loans under the €150bn Security Action for Europe (SAFE) scheme, which was approved on Wednesday. The European Commission proposed the €150bn loans alongside flexibilities in the bloc's fiscal rules as part of a €800bn rearmament plan, which was hastily drawn up after Donald Trump's decision to suspend all US military aid to Ukraine. Once the loans agreement is rubber-stamped next week, EU member states have six months to draw up plans for defence projects they wish to fund. 'Member states will take those loans …. and will use them for joint procurement together with Ukraine and for Ukrainian needs,' Kubilius told the Guardian. British defence companies will also have greater opportunities to be involved in defence projects funded by the scheme as a result of the EU-UK security pact signed on Monday, as part of Keir Starmer's broader reset of relations. The UK and EU are expected to sign a technical agreement on SAFE that will require a yet-to-be determined administrative fee from London. The British government, however, does not intend to seek access to the EU-backed loans, which are designated for EU member states. Kubilius said this week's agreement with the UK had a historic strategic meaning: 'It is impossible to imagine [Europe's security] architecture from one side without Great Britain, from the other side without Ukraine,' he said, referring to the immediate threat from Russia and long-term challenge of the US shifting resources to the Asia Pacific. 'We cannot complain that 340 million Americans are not ready forever to defend 450 million Europeans against 140 million Russians,' he said, playing down European differences with the Trump administration. 'We can dislike language and messages, but what we need to avoid really is what I call angry and chaotic divorce [with the US]. We need to go into a very rational agreement on a division of responsibilities.' He expressed confidence that EU member states would deepen national debts to spend the €800bn possible defence spending identified by the commission. So far, 15 countries, including Germany and Poland, have announced they intend to use the flexibilities in the EU's fiscal rules, but several large and heavily indebted economies have held back, including France, Italy and Spain. These countries, which are among the least generous donors to Ukraine, are thought to be reluctant to increase debts for defence. Consequently some Brussels insiders remain sceptical that the EU will meet the €800bn headline figure. The EU commissioner, nevertheless, said Europe could fill any shortfall in US military aid for Ukraine. By the third anniversary of the full-scale invasion, Europe had provided Ukraine with €62bn military aid, compared with €64bn from the US, according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy. Europe had also sent €70bn in humanitarian and financial aid, compared with €50bn from the US. To replace US aid flows, Europe would need to spend 0.21% of GDP, according to the Kiel Institute, compared with what its analysts described as the 'minor effort' of 0.1% of GDP being spent today. An additional 0.1% 'of course is not zero but also it is not something which would destroy our financial situation', Kubilius said. But he reflected European politicians' widespread sotto voce scepticism of Trump's efforts to broker an agreement with Ukraine, saying it was an 'illusion' that the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, wanted peace. 'The way to achieve a just peace is really to implement formal peace through strength.' Kubilius, who lived half his life in the Soviet Union, said change in Russia could be unpredictable. He believes Putin launched his war on Ukraine because he feared its attempts to move away from autocracy would inspire a movement for democratic change in Russia. 'Ukrainian success is … from [Putin's] point of view, is the biggest danger.'
Libya Review
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Libya Review
Italy Cleared Over Libya's Deadly 2017 Migrant Boat Sinking
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has dismissed a case against Italy over its alleged responsibility in a deadly migrant boat sinking off the Libyan coast in 2017. The court ruled that Italy was not liable for the actions of the Libyan Coast Guard, rejecting claims made by 14 survivors of the incident. The Strasbourg-based court declared the case inadmissible, stating that Italy did not have 'effective control' over the maritime area off Tripoli where the vessel carrying about 150 migrants sank. The tragedy resulted in the deaths of at least 20 people. According to survivor accounts, those rescued by the Libyan Coast Guard were returned to Libya and detained at the Tajura Detention Centre, where they reportedly faced beatings and abuse. However, the ECHR judges concluded that the Libyan crew aboard the rescue vessel Ras Jadir acted independently, without direct control or instruction from Italian authorities. While Italy has supported Libya's coast guard with vessels, training, and funding to stem the flow of migrants across the Mediterranean, the court found that such support did not amount to Italy exercising governmental authority over Libya. Some of the migrants were later rescued by the humanitarian group Sea-Watch and brought to Italy. The 14 complainants were among them. A ruling in favour of the migrants could have challenged EU-backed migration control agreements with Libya, Turkey, and other nations aimed at limiting migrant arrivals to Europe. The ECHR clarified that it has no jurisdiction over Libya, which is not a member of the Council of Europe. The court's mandate is limited to the 46 member states of the Council, an entity separate from the European Union, created after World War II to uphold democracy and human rights. Tags: ECHRImmigrationItalylibyamigrants
