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Johann Wadephul, membre du parti conservateur CDU, a ravivé les tensions au sein du gouvernement de Friedrich Merz après avoir déclaré que certaines régions de Syrie étaient trop dévastées pour que le million de Syriens vivant en Allemagne puissent y retourner.

The post Rapatriement de Syriens : le ministre allemand des Affaires étrangères déclenche une polémique au sein de son parti conservateur appeared first on Euractiv FR.

The US leader has repeatedly accused South Africa of persecuting its white minority - which Pretoria denies.

Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at the Opening of the General Plenary of Leaders during the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP 30. Credit: Antonio Scorza/COP30

By Cecilia Russell
BELÉM, Brazil & JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, Nov 6 2025 (IPS)

Political courage is the biggest obstacle to limiting the rise in global average temperature to no more than 1.5°C, said UN Secretary-General António Guterres. 

“The obstacle is political courage. Too many promises are stalling. Too many corporations are making record profits from climate devastation. Too many leaders remain captive to fossil fuel interests, rather than protecting the public interest,” Guterres said at the opening plenary of the COP 30 Leaders’ Summit in Belém, Brazil.

He called out those who are still making record profits from “climate devastation.” With billions spent on lobbying, deceiving the public, and obstructing progress, too many leaders remained captive to these entrenched interests.

Guterres quoted Prof. Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization, who earlier told the plenary that the “alarming streak of exceptional temperatures continues.

“2025 is set to be either the second or third warmest year we have ever observed. The past three years have been the warmest on record. This is the world that my two-year-old grandson was born into.”

She listed the problems associated with this temperature rise, including ocean heat at record highs, affecting marine ecosystems and economies, sea level rise, and Antarctic and Arctic sea ice are tracking at record lows

“And, on a daily basis, we see destructive weather: Months’ worth of rainfall in a matter of minutes, and our rivers on the ground are evaporating into atmospheric rivers in the sky. We have seen extreme heat and fire and supercharged tropical cyclones—as with Hurricane Melissa last week.”

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said it was also necessary to change the conditions that led to climate change.

In his opening address, Lula said, “Climate change is the result of the same dynamics that, over centuries, have broken our societies and split our societies between rich and poor and split the world between developed countries and developing countries.

“It will be impossible to contain climate change without overcoming inequalities within and between nations.

“Climate Justice is an ally of fighting hunger and poverty, in the struggle against racism and gender inequality and the promotion of a global governance that will be more representative and more inclusive.”

Lula said it had been a bold decision to hold the climate talk in Belém, within the Amazon.

“Humanity has been aware of the impact of climate change for more than 35 years since the publication of the first report from the IPCC, but it took 28 conferences to recognize, for the first time in Dubai, the need to get rid of fossil fuel and to stop and reverse the deforestation,” Lula said.

Referring to the Baku to Belém Roadmap, he said it took another year to admit in Baku how climate finance should be scaled up to “at least $1.3tn” a year by 2035.

“I am convinced that although we will face difficulties and contradictions, we need the roadmaps to plan in a fair way, reverse the deforestation, overcome the dependency on fossil fuel, and mobilize the necessary sources to reach these objectives,” Lula said.

Guterres and Saulo both said that the science that tells us about the temperature also has the solutions.

“Science is not only warning us; it is equipping us to adapt. Renewable energy capacity is growing faster than ever. Climate intelligence can ensure that clean energy systems are reliable, flexible, and resilient,” Saulo said.

Guterres reiterated the urgency of addressing the climate crisis.

“Too many countries are starved of the resources to adapt and locked out of the clean energy transition, and too many people are losing hope that their leaders will act. We need to move faster and move together, and this talk must ignite a decade of acceleration and delivery.”

NOTE: This feature is published with the support of Open Society Foundations.

IPS UN Bureau Report

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Excerpt:

Climate change is the result of the same dynamics that, over centuries, have broken our societies and split our societies between rich and poor and split the world between developed countries and developing countries— President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva

The global development architecture is under the spotlight. This refers to the broad architecture of actors, norms, instruments and institutions that mobilise and coordinate resources, knowledge and political support for development goals. Within this system, ODA is a core financial instrument, primarily provided by OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) DAC (Development Assistance Committee) members, and functioning alongside other modalities such as South–South cooperation, climate finance, philanthropic aid and private-sector engagement.

The global development architecture is under the spotlight. This refers to the broad architecture of actors, norms, instruments and institutions that mobilise and coordinate resources, knowledge and political support for development goals. Within this system, ODA is a core financial instrument, primarily provided by OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) DAC (Development Assistance Committee) members, and functioning alongside other modalities such as South–South cooperation, climate finance, philanthropic aid and private-sector engagement.

The global development architecture is under the spotlight. This refers to the broad architecture of actors, norms, instruments and institutions that mobilise and coordinate resources, knowledge and political support for development goals. Within this system, ODA is a core financial instrument, primarily provided by OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) DAC (Development Assistance Committee) members, and functioning alongside other modalities such as South–South cooperation, climate finance, philanthropic aid and private-sector engagement.

This follows confirmation by a global hunger monitor that famine conditions are spreading in conflict zones.

À l’issue d’une réunion avec le Parlement européen mercredi 5 novembre, la Commission a fait savoir qu’elle envisagerait de modifier un élément clé de sa proposition de cadre financier pluriannuel (CFP) pour la période 2028-2034.

The post La Commission envisage de modifier sa proposition de budget 2028-2034 pour éviter un rejet du Parlement appeared first on Euractiv FR.

AMENDMENTS 1 - 123 - Draft report Amending Regulations (EC) No 1907/2006, (EC) No 1272/2008, (EU) No 528/2012, (EU) 2019/1021 and (EU) 2021/697 as regards defence readiness and facilitating defence investments and conditions for defence industry
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety
Committee on Industry, Research and Energy
Committee on Security and Defence
Antonio Decaro, Aura Salla, Sven Mikser

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

AMENDMENTS 1 - 123 - Draft report Amending Regulations (EC) No 1907/2006, (EC) No 1272/2008, (EU) No 528/2012, (EU) 2019/1021 and (EU) 2021/697 as regards defence readiness and facilitating defence investments and conditions for defence industry
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety
Committee on Industry, Research and Energy
Committee on Security and Defence
Antonio Decaro, Aura Salla, Sven Mikser

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Dating apps generated over $6 billion in 2024, with North America accounting for 50% of global revenue, Europe 23%, and adoption climbing across Asia-Pacific and Africa. Credit: Shutterstock

By Joseph Chamie
PORTLAND, USA, Nov 6 2025 (IPS)

Dating websites, mobile apps, social networks, and cell phones offer numerous opportunities for dating, developing relationships, having encounters, and finding partners with more and more people relying on these platforms. However, modern technologies with their scale, speed and easy have also brought about dating challenges for both men and women.

These challenges include unrealistic expectations, emotional disconnection, feelings of inadequacy, superficiality, choice paralysis, decision fatigue, misrepresentation, privacy concerns, harassment, stalking, threats, scams, situationships, catfishing, orbiting, benching, pocketing, love bombing, cushioning, ghosting, submarining, and breadcrumbing.

Dating has evolved significantly from face-to-face social encounters, often within a family-centric process, to today’s technologically driven individualistic experiences. In much of the past and continuing in some traditional societies, courtship was typically a structured process focused on finding a suitable marriage partner for the purpose of family building.

The estimated total number of people worldwide using dating apps, which has become the most common way couples meet, is approximately 400 million, or about 5% of the world’s population. On an average day, over 25 million people are actively using dating apps, which includes casual browsing and engaging in online conversations

In contrast, many people now view dating as a means to discover themselves and experience personal growth, rather than solely as a path to marriage and starting a family. These individuals prioritize personal development, career advancement, and diverse experiences before thinking about settling down. With casual dating becoming more common and accepted, there is also a greater focus on authenticity and forming connections with others, including potential partners.

Dating apps, websites, and mobile phones, combined with the growing use of generative artificial intelligence, chatbots, and virtual reality, have contributed to the rapid rise of online dating. It has become an increasingly mainstream and popular way to meet someone and potentially find a significant other. These modern technologies offer unprecedented access to a diverse array of people, breaking down geographical and social barriers.

These developments have made dating and courtship both easier and more complicated. In particular, modern technologies are contributing to new dating norms, behaviors, expectations, benefits and frustrations.

Among the growing numbers of dating app users are those desiring a romantic relationship and others seeking a long-term companion or marital partner. In contrast, many individuals simply want to date casually or “hook up” with someone, meaning they have informal encounters without emotional ties but leading to sexual involvement.

Many men and women often struggle to form genuine connections with others when their interactions are confined to online messaging. The abundance and convenience of available dating options can also make it difficult to commit to one individual, leading to a cycle of constantly searching for the next best person to date.

Social media platforms encourage users to showcase or highlight the best parts of their lives. These enhanced presentations often create unrealistic expectations and disappointments in dating.

The estimated total number of people worldwide using dating apps, which has become the most common way couples meet, is approximately 400 million, or about 5% of the world’s population. On an average day, over 25 million people are actively using dating apps, which includes casual browsing and engaging in online conversations

The dating app market reportedly made more than $6 billion in revenue in 2024. North America remains the largest dating app market, contributing 50% of global revenue in 2024, followed by Europe at 23%, with adoption levels climbing in the Asia-Pacific and Africa regions. Financial projections for the dating app market show that its global revenue could reach nearly $9 billion by 2030.

Globally, the total number of dating app platforms is estimated to be in the thousands. The global market is diverse, with various dating apps attracting and catering to different interests ranging from serious long-term relationships to casual hookups.

Among the most popular dating apps downloaded are Tinder, Badoo, Bumble, and Momo. In 2024, Tinder was reported to be the most downloaded dating app, with more than 6.1 million user downloads during the month of June. Other popular dating apps include eHarmony, Hinge, Match, OkCupid, and Plenty of Fish, each with its unique user base and focus (Table 1).

 

Source: Business of Apps and Statista.

 

The number of dating app users, their usage, and the social norms surrounding them vary considerably among countries due to cultural attitudes towards dating, relationships, and technology. Each country has its favorite or most popular dating app in terms of the number of downloads.

The numbers of men and women using dating apps also differ significantly across countries. In 2024, China had the largest number of dating app users, with nearly 83 million. The United States followed with approximately 61 million dating app users. India came in third place with about 27 million dating app users, followed by Brazil with 17 million dating app users (Figure 1).

 

Source: Statista Market Insights.

 

In 2024, the United States had the highest percentage of its population using dating apps, at around 18%. Following the US was France, with over 11% of its population using dating apps. South Korea came in third place among these selected countries, with nearly 11% of its population engaging in dating apps, followed by Germany at 9% (Figure 2).

 

Source: Statista Market Insights.

 

However, among single populations, the usage of dating apps is significantly higher. For instance, the proportions of single individuals using dating apps in North America, Europe and Asia are 45%, 30%, and 25%, respectively.

Guidelines, rules, and general behavior for dating through modern technologies vary based on gender, age, experience, and social norms. According to the most popular dating apps in 2024, approximately 62% of users are men.

The percentage of male users is notably higher in most countries and regions. For instance, in the United States and India, about 70% of dating app users are men, while in Europe, the percentage rises to 85%.

A disparity in what men and women seek while using dating apps complicates finding the right match. Because of this gender imbalance, men often express dissatisfaction with low match rates and lack of messages. In contrast, women frequently report feeling overwhelmed by too many choices, an abundance of messages, and disrespectful comments.

When it comes to motivation for using dating apps, men are more inclined towards casual encounters and easy communication, while women tend to prioritize safety and seek long-term relationships, aiming to avoid harassment.

Gender roles in dating have undergone significant changes. Shifting societal attitudes and the feminist movement have resulted in more egalitarian relationships. While these changes have led to more balanced relationships, they also require navigating new expectations and social dynamics.

In terms of the age of dating app users, the largest group, accounting for around 35%, consists of relatively young individuals, typically under the age of 25. These young users often have more time to explore various dating options before committing to a long-term relationship. Older users, aged 55 and above, represent a smaller but increasing percentage of users, typically around 10%.

Some dating apps estimate that approximately one third of relationships now begin through the use of a dating app. In the US, 10% of partnered adults met their spouse or partner on a dating site or app, with the proportion at 20% among those aged 18 to 29. In the UK, more than one-quarter of couples who married between 2017 and 2023 are said to have met online.

Moreover, there is a growing trend of partnered adults, particularly in Latin America and Western countries, choosing to cohabit without officially getting married.

Dating patterns today are significantly different from practices in the recent past, which relied mainly on face-to-face social encounters and family-centric processes. Dating in the modern era is a complex and multifaceted experience influenced by culture, technology, and norms.

Dating apps and websites accessed through cell phones have become a mainstream method for meeting new people. This new method has surpassed traditional avenues, such as meeting through friends or at social gatherings.

These modern technologies offer numerous opportunities for dating, developing relationships, finding partners, and even engaging in casual encounters. However, they have also presented challenges for both men and women, leading to the establishment of new dating norms, expectations, privacy concerns, benefits, and frustrations.

Joseph Chamie is a consulting demographer, a former director of the United Nations Population Division, and author of many publications on population issues.