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Health Minister Sylvi Kirilov suggested further vaccines could be added, signalling broader reforms to Bulgaria’s immunisation programme

Hintergrund ist Frankreichs Drängen auf eine größere Rolle bei der Entwicklung des Kampfjets, das Befürchtungen schürt, das Future Combat Air System (FCAS) im Wert von 100 Milliarden Euro mit Deutschland und Spanien könnte scheitern.

Debate comes as von der Leyen calls for tougher restrictions on minors' social media use

La BBC a recueilli des témoignages bouleversants qui révèlent l’ampleur du drame. Des mères et leurs bébés meurent faute de soins après la fermeture de cliniques financées par les États-Unis.

Le commissaire européen au Commerce a indiqué jeudi 18 septembre que les négociations entre l’UE et l’Inde ne laissaient guère entrevoir de progrès rapides en raison des divergences concernant l’accès au marché automobile.

The post UE-Inde : Maroš Šefčovič tempère les espoirs d’une conclusion rapide d’un accord commercial appeared first on Euractiv FR.

Après les partis Bloc républicain (BR) et les Forces cauris pour un Bénin émergent (FCBE), l'Union progressiste le renouveau (UP-R) pourrait signer un accord de coopération avec la Renaissance nationale (RN) de Claudine Afiavi Prudencio. Le sujet était au cœur d'une séance d'échanges entre une délégation de la Haute direction politique de l'UP-R et des responsables de la RN ce jeudi 18 septembre 2025.

L'Union progressiste le renouveau et la Renaissance nationale envisagent de conjuguer leurs efforts pour mieux quadriller le terrain politique lors des élections générales de 2026 au Bénin. Une délégation de la RN conduite par le vice-président, Cyrille DJIKUI, a rencontré à cet effet, la Haute direction politique de l'UP-R. Cette rencontre stratégique a été l'occasion pour les deux partis de discuter des défis majeurs relatifs aux élections générales de 2026, et du renforcement du paysage politique national. Les actes officiels de la coopération entre les deux partis seront posés les jours à venir.

Cette visite des responsales de la RN au siège de l'UP-R selon Augustin AHOUANVOEBLA, prouve une fois encore qu'au Bénin, les partis politiques en dépit des contradictions, trouvent toujours le moyen de se mettre ensemble quand il s'agit de grand sujets.
« Nous faisons partie de la même famille politique ; nous avons un bilan commun à défendre, et nous avons les échéances qui viennent. Nous sommes d'accord, nous allons conjuguer nos efforts. Nous irons en rangs dispersés, nous allons avoir des structures communes », a déclaré Cyrille DJIKUI, chef délégation de la RN.

F. A. A.

The maternity cleaner was allegedly seeking potential buyers for the body tissue when she was picked up.

France, Germany and Spain are partners in the €100 billion fighter jet programme, though Spain and its lead contractor Indra have so far stayed out of the Franco-German dispute

Die im DIW Berlin angesiedelte forschungsbasierte Infrastruktureinrichtung Sozio-oekonomisches Panel (SOEP) sucht zum nächstmöglichen Zeitpunkt eine studentische Hilfskraft (w/m/div) für 12 Wochenstunden.

Die am DIW Berlin angesiedelte forschungsbasierte Infrastruktureinrichtung Sozio-oekonomisches Panel (SOEP) ist eine der größten und am längsten laufenden multidisziplinären Panelstudien weltweit, für die derzeit jährlich etwa 30.000 Menschen in knapp 15.000 Haushalten befragt werden. Das SOEP hat den Anspruch den gesellschaftlichen Wandel zu erfassen und steht immer neuen vielfältigen Themen- und Aufgabenfeldern gegenüber.

Ihre Aufgabe ist die Mitwirkung bei der Fragebogentestung, Datenaufbereitung und -prüfung sowie Berichtslegung und wissenschaftliche Recherche. Dabei lernen Sie das reichhaltige Angebot der SOEP-Daten in seiner ganzen Breite kennen und gewinnen Einblicke in die Arbeit mit empirischen Daten.

Committees

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Deux ans après sa création, l’AES n’a pas encore prouvé qu’elle peut transformer le Sahel en espace de sécurité et de prospérité. Elle a en revanche réussi à imposer un imaginaire souverainiste puissant, qui séduit une partie de la jeunesse.

Deux ans après sa création, l’AES n’a pas encore prouvé qu’elle peut transformer le Sahel en espace de sécurité et de prospérité. Elle a en revanche réussi à imposer un imaginaire souverainiste puissant, qui séduit une partie de la jeunesse.

Activists say the lack of a concrete 2035 UN climate pledge by a deeply divided EU is an embarrassment

Julia Francisco Martínez stands at the graveside of her husband Juan, a Honduran Indigenous defender who was found murdered in 2015. Credit: Giles Clarke / Global Witness

By Umar Manzoor Shah
LONDON & SRINAGAR, Sep 19 2025 (IPS)

At least 146 land and environmental defenders were murdered or forcibly disappeared in 2024 for standing up against powerful state and corporate interests, according to a new report released by Global Witness.

The findings, published under the title Roots of Resistance, expose a persistent global crisis that has claimed 2,253 lives since 2012, and show that violence against those protecting land, forests, and communities continues with little sign of justice.

Although the 2024 figure is lower than the 196 killings recorded in 2023, Global Witness cautions that this does not represent progress. Instead, it reflects chronic underreporting, difficulties in verifying cases in conflict zones, and a climate of fear that silences victims’ families and communities.

Latin America: The Epicenter of Attacks

The report shows that 82 percent of documented killings took place in Latin America. Colombia once again topped the global list, with 48 killings accounting for nearly a third of all cases worldwide. The victims were mostly community leaders, Indigenous defenders, and small-scale farmers confronting mining, agribusiness, and organized crime.

Despite government pledges of reform, Colombia’s weak state presence in former conflict zones has allowed armed groups and criminal networks to dominate. This has created a deadly environment for activists who resist environmental destruction.

Mexico followed with 19 cases, including 18 killings and one disappearance. It marked the second most lethal year for Mexican defenders in the past decade. Brazil recorded 12 killings, half of them small-scale farmers.

The most alarming rise was seen in Guatemala, where killings spiked from four in 2023 to 20 in 2024, giving the country the highest per capita murder rate for defenders worldwide. This escalation took place despite the election of President Bernardo Arévalo, who had promised to curb corruption and inequality.

“Eighty-two percent of recorded attacks in 2024 were in Latin America, where we have consistently seen the highest proportion of cases for over a decade,” said Laura Furones, Senior Advisor at Global Witness and one of the report’s authors, in an interview with Inter Press Service. “Killings were concentrated in four countries, which together accounted for around 70 percent of the murders: Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico, and Brazil.”

According to Furones, Latin America’s rich natural resources, combined with strong civil society movements and widespread impunity, make it both a hotspot for extraction-related conflicts and for reporting of violence. “High levels of impunity mean there is little disincentive for violence to stop,” she said.

Who Are the Victims?

The report found clear patterns in who is most targeted. In 2024, 45 Indigenous defenders and 45 small-scale farmers were killed or disappeared. Together, they made up nearly two-thirds of all cases.

These killings are closely linked to profit-driven industries. Mining was identified as the deadliest sector, connected to 29 killings. Logging was tied to eight deaths, agribusiness to four. Organized crime was implicated in nearly a third of all attacks, often working with or tolerated by state forces.

State actors themselves, including police and military, were linked to 17 killings. In Colombia, only 5.2 percent of murders of social leaders since 2002 have been resolved in court, leaving the intellectual authors of the crimes almost untouched.
“Impunity fuels this cycle of violence,” the report notes. “Without justice, perpetrators feel emboldened to repeat attacks.”

Documenting Violence in Hostile Environments

Global Witness compiles its data through a systematic process of reviewing public information, analyzing datasets, and collaborating with local and regional organizations in more than 20 countries. Each case must be verified by credible sources with detailed information about the victim and the link to land or environmental defense.

Still, Furones acknowledged that many attacks go undocumented, particularly in authoritarian states, regions with limited civil society, or conflict zones. “These figures are likely underestimates,” she said.

Personal Stories Behind the Numbers

Beyond the statistics, the report highlights individual defenders whose struggles illustrate the human cost of the crisis.

In Nigeria, the Ekuri community has spent decades protecting one of West Africa’s last tropical rainforests. Activists like Louis Friday, Martins Egot, and Odey Oyama face threats from armed loggers and corrupt officials. Oyama was arrested in January 2025 by a masked police squad and charged with “promoting inter-communal war,” a crime that carries a life sentence. He says the charges are retaliation for his conservation work.

In Chile, 72-year-old Mapuche leader Julia Chufil disappeared in November 2024 while fighting to reclaim ancestral land from forestry companies. She had faced harassment and bribery offers for years. Her family, leading the search for her, say authorities have treated them as suspects rather than victims.

In Colombia, campesino leader Jani Silva has been under state protection for over a decade due to death threats tied to her defense of the Perla Amazónica Peasant Reserve. While protection measures have kept her alive, Silva describes them as isolating and burdensome, underscoring the inadequacy of current mechanisms.

Expanding Tactics of Repression

The report stresses that lethal attacks represent only the most visible form of violence. Defenders face a spectrum of threats including harassment, sexual violence, smear campaigns, and criminalization.

“Of particular concern is the rising trend of criminalization, as restrictive laws are increasingly enacted worldwide to make peaceful protest a crime,” Furones said.

She added that toxic anti-defender narratives, combined with Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs), further erode protections.

Authorities in several countries have adopted laws specifically targeting protestors, intensifying crackdowns on land and climate activists. “States are unwilling to protect those who stand up for rights,” Furones said. “Instead, they use the law as a weapon against them.”

A Global Failure of Protection
The report warns that international agreements designed to safeguard defenders are being weakened. Nearly 1,000 defenders have been killed in Latin America since the adoption of the Escazú Agreement in 2018, which was meant to ensure their protection.

Global Witness calls for urgent action from governments and businesses. States must recognize land rights, strengthen laws against corporate abuse, and build effective protection mechanisms. Companies must respect Free, Prior, and Informed Consent, conduct rigorous human rights due diligence, and adopt zero-tolerance policies for attacks on defenders.

Indigenous Peoples are identified as especially vulnerable, living across 90 countries and managing more than a third of Earth’s protected land. Research shows Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities achieve better conservation outcomes than many official protected zones. Yet they often defend their territories with little state support, while their voices are excluded from decision-making.

“Particular protection of Indigenous Peoples requires breaking the cycle of violence,” Furones said. “This means respecting their right to self-determination and ending impunity.”

She cited the recent sentencing of illegal loggers in Peru for the murder of four Indigenous Saweto leaders as a rare but important example of accountability. “It shows the judiciary can play a role, even if justice comes only after a long and painful wait.”

Protection Mechanisms: Lifelines With Limits

State protection measures for defenders vary widely, from providing bulletproof vests and security escorts to emergency relocations. However, most programs are designed for individuals, not communities, despite the collective nature of defenders’ work.

As the case of Jani Silva shows, these measures can protect lives but also isolate defenders from their communities and impose psychological costs. Global Witness calls for expanding and improving protection systems to meet collective needs.

The Road Ahead

The report concludes that defenders remain at the frontline of protecting ecosystems and confronting the climate crisis, yet are increasingly under siege. Without stronger protections and accountability, the risks they face will persist.

Furones stressed that breaking the cycle of violence requires political will, robust legal systems, and corporate responsibility. “Study after study shows Indigenous Peoples and Afro-descendant communities are the best guardians of forests and natural resources,” she said. “Protecting them is not just about human rights; it is also about protecting the planet.”

Furthermore, the Roots of Resistance report  has laid stress on the fact that  while governments and corporations profit from resource extraction, those who safeguard the environment pay with their lives. The global community now faces a choice and that is to strengthen protections and enforce accountability, or allow the cycle of violence to continue unchecked.

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

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The second version of the draft Council conclusions responds to the rise of AI-generated news summaries by voicing support for bylined journalism, per a document obtained by Euractiv

Dans la nuit du mercredi 17 septembre 2025 vers 23 heures, un camion chargé de ciment a chuté sous le pont de Wena, sur l'axe Kandi-Banikoara.

Grave accident de circulation sur l'axe Kandi-Banikoara. Un camion chargé de 30 tonnes de ciment a fini sa course sous le pont de Wena dans la nuit du mercredi 17 septembre aux environs de 23 heures. Un dysfonctionnement du système d'électricité serait la cause du drame selon le chauffeur qui s'en est sorti indemne. « L'électricité du camion s'est coupée, les phares se sont éteints. Je ne voyais plus rien. J'ai voulu serrer sur le côté, mais malheureusement, je suis tombé du pont », rapporte Le Matinal.
Outre les dégâts matériels, aucun blessé ni perte en vie humaine n'est à déplorer.

F. A. A.

Les produits contraceptifs de l’USAID stockés en Belgique doivent être détruits, alors qu’ils pourraient permettre de prévenir 360 000 grossesses non désirées.

The post À Bruxelles, des manifestants protestent contre la destruction d’un stock de 10 millions de dollars de contraceptifs américains appeared first on Euractiv FR.

EU environment chief Roswall hails new rules as win for both farmers and nature

Donald Trump wants the EU to ‘immediately’ stop buying Russian energy

US broadcaster ABC has cancelled the late-night talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live. On Monday's programme Kimmel commented on the killing of Charlie Kirk and suggested that Trump's allies were trying to exploit the murder. The US president himself praised the move, which leading Democrats have criticised. Commentators take a look at how freedom of expression is faring in the land of liberty.