Europos Sąjunga (ES) turi imtis ryžtingesnių veiksmų, kad atkurtų prekybos santykių su Kinija pusiausvyrą, penktadienį po derybų dėl svarbiausių pramonės šakų apsaugos nuo Kinijos konkurentų pareiškė bloko vykdomoji institucija.

Meteorologas Gytis Valaika savo „Facebook“ paskyroje „Orai ir klimatas Lietuvoje“ primena, kad 1981 m. gegužės 29 d. (penktadienį) apie 17 val. Širvintų miestelį vos per 15 minučių nusiaubė galingiausiu Lietuvos stebėjimų istorijoje laikomas viesulas.

Romania will hold an emergency meeting following the incident, in which two people were injured.

French students are taking their exams in baking schools, while red alerts are issued in Italy.

Royal Mail says its service is improving and that it is on track to hit the regulator Ofcom's reduced targets

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The UK has lagged behind the rest of Europe on connectivity for far too long, ranking 24th out of 30 for 5G availability according to Ookla data. It’s a situation that is having the effect of a handbrake on the UK economy, at a time when the nation is in urgent need of the accelerator. There is a way to finally get the UK back into gear, says Andrea Donà, VodafoneThree’s Chief Network Officer. VodafoneThree’s £11bn investment has the potential to boost the UK economy, creating up to 13,000 domestic jobs in the process. It’s a plan that will reach 99% 5G Standalone (SA) population coverage by 2030, and 99.96% by 2034 – more than any other operator. A recent report commissioned by MobileUK also highlights the wider societal impact, showing how 5G SA could help the UK’s 13-19 million digitally excluded people find work, access public services and build businesses, especially in the rural communities where connectivity is weakest1. 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height: auto; aspect-ratio: 138 / 207; } .vf-v1__stage-canvas--mid { width: 119px; height: auto; aspect-ratio: 184 / 166; } .vf-v1__stage-canvas--right { width: 108px; height: auto; aspect-ratio: 895 / 900; } .vf-v1__layer { display: block; } .vf-v1__text { display: grid; grid-template-rows: 26px minmax(0, 1fr); justify-items: center; align-content: start; row-gap: 10px; padding-top: 0; min-height: 0; } .vf-v1__panel:first-of-type .vf-v1__bridge-label--placeholder { display: none; } .vf-v1__panel:first-of-type .vf-v1__text { grid-template-rows: minmax(0, 1fr); row-gap: 0; } .vf-v1__copy, .vf-v1__subnote, .vf-v1__bridge-label { font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.14; } .vf-v1__bridge-label { min-height: 26px; } .vf-v1__metric { font-size: 48px; min-height: 48px; } .vf-v1__metric-row { min-height: 48px; font-size: 14px; } .vf-v1__subnote { margin-top: 6px; } .vf-v1__subnote--stacked { max-width: 18ch; } .vf-v1__bridge-label { text-align: center; } } The UK’s planning system is delaying 5G Standalone (SA) upgrades placeholder 99.96% of the U.K. population connected with 5G SA by 2034 thanks to delivery of 26-28K 5G SA sites of which 96% are upgrades from existing sites but 53% will require planning permission under current outdated rules, delaying 13,500 sites (function () { const root = document.querySelector(".vf-v1"); 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} }); }, delay); }); } if (reducedMotion) { sequenceNodes.forEach(showNode); return; } const observer = new IntersectionObserver(function (entries) { entries.forEach(function (entry) { if (entry.isIntersecting) { revealSequence(); observer.disconnect(); } }); }, { threshold: 0.35 }); observer.observe(root); }()); .vf-v1__layer, .vf-v1__metric, .vf-v1__copy, .vf-v1__subnote, .vf-v1__bridge-label, .vf-v1__divider{ opacity:0; animation:vfFadeIn .7s ease forwards; transform:none !important; } @keyframes vfFadeIn{ from{opacity:0;} to{opacity:1;} } [data-step="1"]{animation-delay:.1s} [data-step="2"]{animation-delay:.3s} [data-step="3"]{animation-delay:.5s} [data-step="6"]{animation-delay:.7s} [data-step="7"]{animation-delay:.9s} [data-step="8"]{animation-delay:1.1s} [data-step="9"]{animation-delay:1.3s} [data-step="13"]{animation-delay:1.5s} [data-step="14"]{animation-delay:1.7s} [data-step="15"]{animation-delay:1.9s} [data-step="16"]{animation-delay:2.1s} [data-step="17"]{animation-delay:2.3s} That's why we have made rapid progress to close the gap with Europe. Already, up to 28.6 million Vodafone and Three customers can automatically access each other’s networks, at no extra cost while experiencing higher download speeds, improved coverage and better reliability. Though much of this early progress has been made possible without breaking new ground or installing significant new hardware, the next phase of the plan will challenge us more. This is predominantly due to the planning permission we require to get started. Despite 96% of our planned sites involve upgrading existing infrastructure rather than building new masts, more than half will require planning permission under current rules. The cost of planning processes can be significant. They can place added pressure on local council resources, slow businesses’ access to new technology and may delay improved connectivity for rural communities. Analysis by WPI Economics estimates that network planning delays could represent a £2.58bn missed opportunity for the UK economy by 2035. The only way to help deliver better connectivity is to work together to modernise a planning system for the era of 5G connectivity. After all, 5G is a very different technology to 4G and, despite physical hardware moving on vastly since the last generation making it more energy efficient, compact and less visually obtrusive, we are still being asked to work with outdated planning rules. The height and width of 5G masts are bigger than 4G, requiring us to apply for full planning permission or a General Permitted Development Order (GPDO) for relatively unobtrusive upgrades to existing sites. The challenge is that even relatively modest changes to existing sites still require full planning approval, which slows down progress despite actually reducing our overall footprint in the UK by 30% over the course of our investment. This hardware is the only way to ensure better connectivity – something that everybody in the UK wants. The same MobileUK report found that there were 14.9 masts in Manchester per 10,000 people and 6.6 in London per 10,000. For a city as building-dense as London, this deficit could be quickly reduced by non-invasive rooftop sites. But only if planning rules are amended to allow for routine upgrades to happen without lengthy planning processes. While we welcome the recent consultations on both Permitted Development Rights for telecoms and the National Planning Policy Framework, we need to recognise that, as a nation, we remain behind our peers. Just look to similarly sized markets in Europe: Germany plans to treat network deployment as being in the “overriding public interest” until at least 2030, fast tracking planning approvals for network upgrades. In Sweden, meanwhile, rooftop installations are exempt from planning permits entirely, providing they don’t significantly change the appearance of the building. To make similar progress here in the UK, the PDR proposals must be implemented in full, so that straightforward upgrades are taken out of the planning system altogether. Then we must strengthen the National Planning Policy Framework, to ensure upgrades that do require approval take into account the vital role advanced connectivity plays in driving economic growth. Of course we understand that some communities feel strongly about how masts may look in their local areas. Thankfully, however, these changes wouldn't affect infrastructure at street level – they would, in fact, aid the deployment of rooftop developments that are much less intrusive or noticeable to the general public. With the right targeted changes to the planning system, we can release the handbrake on UK connectivity, reduce the planning burden on local government, and support digital inclusion. A planning system built to enable 5G upgrades could unlock £2.58bn for the UK economy by 2035 in England alone. 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observer.disconnect(); } }); }, { threshold: 0.35 }); observer.observe(root); }()); We’re working hard to provide next-generation services for our customers and deliver the UK's best network. But we need the same kind of forward-thinking proposals as Germany and Sweden if we are to upgrade UK infrastructure at the pace the country needs to drive economic growth through connectivity. To not just take part in the global 5G race, but to lead it. * VodafoneThree’s £11bn investment will boost UK economic output (GVA) by as much as £102.75bn between 2025-2035. Over the entire eight-year build period, and create and sustain demand for, on average, 9,000 jobs, with peak investment years (years 2-6) seeing as many as 13,000 jobs created across the UK. 74% will be outside London and the South East – WPI Strategy. Small Change, Big Rewards: 69b80f957b0b06441977b080_Small-Changes-Big-Rewards.pdf

For more than two decades, EU Regulation EC261 has been one of Europe’s clearest consumer success stories. It transformed air passenger rights from vague promises into enforceable protections, while creating powerful incentives for airlines to improve operational reliability. The results are measurable: EU passengers today are 70 percent less likely to face delays exceeding three hours and face 20 percent less same-day cancellations than travellers in the United States, where no comparable system exists. It is a framework that successfully prevents an estimated 8,400 hours of flight delays every year. Such changes would amount to one of the most significant rollbacks of existing air passenger rights in history. That is precisely why the European Parliament is right to stand firm and draw a definitive red line against weakening these protections. Moving beyond false compromises As legislative discussions continue, the European Parliament has consistently resisted regressive proposals, including those advanced during the Cypriot Council Presidency, which sought to drastically reduce compensation levels. Under the proposal, baseline compensation for delays over three hours could fall from €250 to as little as €83, cutting payouts for delays between three and seven hours by up to 66%. Such changes would amount to one of the most significant rollbacks of existing air passenger rights in history. By holding firm on its red line and defending the existing three-hour delay threshold, Parliament is protecting one of Europe’s most important consumer rights frameworks. If the goal is genuine modernization, the focus should be on strengthening the effectiveness of passenger protections, not weakening them. Restoring the real value of EC261 The real value of EC261 compensation has eroded substantially since the regulation entered into force in February 2005. Cumulative inflation over this period has been 58.6 percent, according to the European Central Bank. In 2005 values, the current €250 compensation is now worth less than €160 and the €600 compensation is worth just under €380. Passengers therefore already receive significantly less effective protection than when the regulation was introduced, while airlines have benefited from the declining real cost of compensation over time. Compensation levels must be indexed to ensure EC261 remains effective. The economic reality of diluted rights Reducing compensation to symbolic amounts strips the regulation of its primary purpose: consumer protection and accountability. An independent economic analysis by Dr. Hinnerk Gnutzmann and Dr. Piotr Śpiewanowski confirms the scale of this risk. Their study concludes that under these proposed changes, total compensation actually paid to passengers would fall by 74 percent, while approximately 83 percent of delay claims would become effectively unenforceable. EC261 is effective because it creates a clear financial incentive for airlines to minimize avoidable disruption and resolve claims properly. This is not a theoretical concern. Airlines already reject 52 percent of valid initial claims, forcing many passengers to rely on legal representatives or consumer bodies to enforce their rights. If compensation levels fall to €83, pursuing claims would become economically unviable at scale, effectively shutting passengers out of meaningful enforcement. Rights may remain on paper, but access to justice would steadily disappear in practice. But the consequences would extend far beyond compensation itself. EC261 is effective because it creates a clear financial incentive for airlines to minimize avoidable disruption and resolve claims properly. Weakening that deterrent would reduce pressure on airlines to maintain punctuality, while increasing the incentive to reject valid claims in the expectation that few passengers will be able to challenge those decisions. The illusion of automated forms To offset these reductions, the Council has placed significant political faith in automated compensation forms, framing them as a technological solution that can simplify claim filings. While digitization is a welcome step, automated paperwork cannot replace substantive legal rights. Even if these forms could make a positive impact, they lose all efficacy if compensation amounts decrease. Simplifying the filing process is entirely meaningless if the underlying claim is financially unviable to pursue; if compensation is cut to symbolic levels, meaningful enforcement becomes impossible, rendering any new paperwork system useless. Preserving a global standard EC261 has become the global gold standard for air passenger rights because it successfully balances strong consumer protection with a thriving aviation market. Its principles have been mirrored worldwide by nations seeking to replicate Europe’s high standards of punctuality and accountability. The European Parliament’s unified resistance is the only barrier protecting passengers from a severe loss of rights. If the EU council refuses to put citizens first and continues to offer trade-offs that favor airline balance sheets over consumer protection, the path forward is clear: it is better to let this regressive proposal fall entirely and maintain the current, working rules of EC261. Weakening a global benchmark is a step backward that Europe’s travellers cannot afford. About APRA The Association of Passenger Rights Advocates (APRA), founded in 2017 by the world’s leading air passenger compensation companies, represents the interests of air passengers to provide maximum protection. The association actively engages in constructive dialogue with European and national institutions, airlines, airports, national law enforcement agencies and other key stakeholders. APRA offers a combination of robust data, in-depth analysis and collective knowledge to inform policymakers and promote the interests of European air passengers. www.apra-eu.com POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENT The sponsor is Association of Passenger Rights Advocates (APRA) The entity ultimately controlling the sponsor is Association of Passenger Rights Advocates (APRA) The political advertisement is linked to advocacy regarding EU Regulation EC261 – opinion. More information here.

Indigenous groups have warned against the use of kambo by non-specialist practitioners.

The attacks come as nearly 19.5 million Sudanese face severe hunger amid the country’s deepening humanitarian crisis.

Nato and Bucharest condemn ‘reckless’ escalation after two people were injured in Galaţi

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The European Union will unlock more than €16 billion in frozen funds for Hungary, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said Friday, praising what she described as "long overdue reforms" by newly elected Prime Minister Peter Magyar. The EU had frozen the funds while the country was under the leadership of nationalist premier Viktor Orban, accusing Budapest of corruption and democratic backsliding. 

One of Pakistan’s greatest challenges is controlling its rapidly growing population. With more than 258 million inhabitants, the country is already the fifth most populous in the world. By 2030, its population could surpass 300 million, pushing Pakistan into fourth place globally, ahead of Indonesia. This rapid demographic growth is far outpacing the country’s capacity for socio-economic development and infrastructure expansion. In several key social sectors, Pakistan continues to lag behind neighbouring India and Bangladesh. Yet contraception remains largely taboo in a society shaped by strong traditional values, where it is sometimes viewed as religiously forbidden. A report by Shahzaib Wahlah and Ondine de Gaulle, in collaboration with Hameer M.

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Burkina Faso’s military junta has closed the capital’s main Sunni mosque after nearly 100 supporters of a detained preacher were arrested following protests, deepening concerns over growing repression under the country’s military rulers.