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InvestEU: up to €250 million in loans for companies in Portugal to support sustainable investments, skills, as well as cultural and creative sectors

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:00 GMT

The European Investment Fund (EIF) and Santander Portugal have signed a guarantee agreement, supported by the InvestEU programme, for up to €250 million in loans. The targeted financing will benefit Portuguese businesses in the areas of i) sustainability, ii) education and iii) culture and creative sectors.EIF guarantee products under InvestEU signed with Santander include the Sustainability Guarantee, the Skills and Education Guarantee, and the Cultural and Creative Sectors Guarantee. The EIF Sustainability Guarantee supports projects that contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation to a more sustainable, circular and carbon-neutral economy. The EIF Skills and Education Guarantee has been set up to finance educational, training and re-qualification projects, in order to attract and qualify more people for the labour market. Finally, the EIF Cultural and Creative Sectors Guarantee aims to support companies that invest in these areas (such as restoration, libraries, press,...

European Education Area: 16 new Erasmus+ Teacher Academies will promote excellence in teacher education

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:00 GMT

On 7 March, the Commission presented 16 new Erasmus+ Teacher Academies, which will provide teachers at all stages of their careers with learning opportunities that include mobility, learning platforms and professional communities. These Erasmus+ Teacher Academies will benefit from close to €22.5 million from the Erasmus+ budget over three years. The 16 new Academies, together with the 11 already funded under the first call for proposals last year, will embrace multilingualism, language awareness and cultural diversity, as they develop teacher education in line with the EU's priorities in education policy and contribute to the achievement of the European Education Area, the EU's vision for the education and training sector.Promoting our European Way of Life Vice President Margaritis Schinas said: “A teacher who keeps learning will pass on the newly acquired knowledge to his/her students. With the new learning opportunities we are providing today, we are enriching both teachers and le...

New legislation restricting missionary work breached the European Convention  

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:00 GMT

 In today’s Chamber judgment1 in the case of Ossewaarde v. Russia (application no. 27227/17) the European Court of Human Rights held, unanimously, that there had been:a violation of Article 9 (freedom of religion) of the European Convention on Human Rights, anda violation of Article 14 (prohibition of discrimination) of the European Convention taken in conjunction with Article 9.The case concerns a US national living in Russia, a Baptist Christian, who was fined for holding Bible study meetings in his home without notifying the authorities.The sanction was imposed on the applicant following new legal requirements for missionary work introduced in Russia in 2016 as part of an anti-terrorism package. The new legislation made it an offence to evangelise in private homes and required prior authorisation for missionary work from a religious group or organisation.The Court found in particular that the Government had not explained the rationale behin...

EU-UN co-operation: EU announces support to the UN reform for more efficiency in partner countries

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:00 GMT

At the UN Conference on Least developed countries (LDCs) in Doha on 7 March, the EU announced its renewed support to the UN Resident Coordinator System, a key pillar of the UN development system reform, with a contribution of €17 million for 2022 and 2023. The UN Resident Coordinator System aims to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of UN actions at country level through dedicated UN Resident Coordinators. They act as key interlocutor for partners and international donors, including the EU, thus ensuring more effective and efficient co-ordination.International Partnerships Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen said: “The EU is a steadfast supporter of the UN Development reform. In this time of multiple global challenges, the most effective way to deliver results on the ground for the LDCs and our other partners is multilateral cooperation and coordination. We champion renewed and more effective multilateralism.”The EU's support will benefit from the co-operation and dialogue between t...

The EU is being heavy-handed in blacklisting the UAE

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:00 GMT

Late last year the EU Commission decided to put the UAE on its blacklist, on the grounds that the Emirates are facilitating money laundering - writes Anthony Harris, Former British Ambassador to the UAE. This follows the FATF, the Financial Action Task Force, the group set up by the G7, putting the UAE on its "grey" watchlist at the beginning of last year. The Emirates were warned that they needed to make fundamental improvements in their monitoring of illegal financial flows, and tighten their compliance rules in areas that are vulnerable to abuse, like the trade in gold and precious stones and real estate.I believe that singling out the UAE in this manner is not only unfair, but also hypocritical. As members of the G7 and EU will be aware, the UAE has made enormous strides in recent years. In the course of a couple of decades, it has become one of the largest trading hubs in the Middle East, and is an emerging power in a turbulent region. The Emirati authorities have made consider...

Man accused of fatally stabbing high school student in L.A. taken into custody in Alhambra

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:00 GMT

9:18 a.m. update:The barricaded man has been taken into custody after surrendering "without incident," according to Cmdr. German Hurtado of the LAPD. "He is in custody now. He is not going to be able to keep anybody else in danger, and it was done in a peaceful manner," Hurtado said.Aerial footage from Sky5 showed multiple officers escorting the man into the back of a squad car.More information is expected to be released later in the day.8:40 a.m. update:Authorities are engaged in a standoff at a home in Alhambra with a man whom they believe is responsible for the stabbing death of Xavier Daniel Chavarin, 17."We have a barricaded suspect. Right now, we're treating it ... with our mental health experts to see if we can come to a peaceful resolution," Cmdr. German Hurtado of the LAPD said at a press conference near the scene Wednesday morning.Hurtado added SWAT has surrounded the home, which only contains the barricaded man, and officials are in negotiations with him in hopes that he ...

Riverside County man mauled to death by 4 dogs

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:00 GMT

A man who was working at a home in Jurupa Valley was mauled to death by four dogs Tuesday, officials said.Personnel with the Riverside County Department of Animal Services responded to the residential property, which has been converted into a business, at Belgrave Avenue and Martin Street around 7:30 a.m. after someone called 911 to report someone screaming.The victim had sustained fatal injuries.The property owner, who was not present during the attack, later “surrendered his dogs to Animal Services for humane euthanasia,” the department said in a news release.  Three of the dogs were Belgian Malinois and the other was a Cane Corso.  The victim, who has not yet been identified, was reportedly at the location to do some work for the property owner. Officials also said the victim had worked for the property owner before without incident.  “This is a tragedy, and our thoughts go out to this gentleman’s family and loved ones,” Erin Gettis, Director of Riverside County Animal Servi...

Los Angeles County building burns in Historic South-Central; 2 firefighters injured

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:00 GMT

An office building that houses several Los Angeles County agencies in the Historic South-Central neighborhood of South L.A. burned early Wednesday morning, leaving two firefighters injured.The blaze at 2615 S. Grand Ave. was reported at about 4 a.m., according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.When firefighters arrived, they found "heavy fire" emanating from the six-story building's top floor. Ultimately, 160 firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze in less than an hour."At this time, everything has been confined to (one) building,” said Capt. Jacob Raabe of the LAFD. "We made sure that the entire building was evacuated and just protected everyone and had them shelter in place in the surrounding buildings."About 30 minutes after the report of a knockdown, fire officials confirmed that one LAFD Firefighter was being treated by paramedics for “smoke inhalation sustained during the fierce firefight."Fire officials later confirmed to KTLA that a second firefighter was treated for...

Adidas wonders what to do with Yeezy shoes after Ye split

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:00 GMT

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Adidas is still wrestling with how to dispose of 1.2 billion euros ($1.3 billion) worth of Yeezy shoes after its breakup with the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, forcing the German sportswear maker into a big loss at the end of last year and expectations of more pain ahead.CEO Bjorn Gulden said selling the popular line of shoes would mean paying royalties to Ye, who was dropped by Adidas five months ago after making antisemitic remarks on social media and in interviews. During an earnings call Wednesday, he pointed to “many variables” about what to do with the shoes now stacked in warehouses.Destroying them could “raise sustainability issues," though some companies have offered recycling solutions, said Gulden, who was named CEO after the blowup over Ye’s remarks. Restitching them to hide the Yeezy brand so they could be sold “is not very honest, so it’s not an option,” he added. Suggestions to give them away to those in need in places like earthquake-...

Pau Gasol gets emotional as Lakers retire his No. 16 jersey; Vanessa Bryant speaks

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:00 GMT

When Pau Gasol joined the Los Angeles Lakers just over 15 years ago, the Spanish 7-footer banished his ego, redoubled his work ethic and immediately turned this team into contenders who eventually became champions.Gasol and Kobe Bryant did it all together, and their numbers now hang side by side in the Lakers' arena.The Lakers retired Gasol's No. 16 jersey Tuesday night, honoring the genteel big man who spent the best seasons of his 18-year NBA career with Bryant in Los Angeles. The Lakers reached three straight NBA Finals after Gasol's arrival in February 2008, winning championships in 2009 and 2010.“I think I’ve done as good as I could to really embrace it and savor it, but tonight really exceeds any dream or expectation that I’ve had,” Gasol said before the game while wearing one championship ring on each hand. “It means so much, and obviously with Kobe up there, it just adds something meaningful and powerful and sad and happy and painful and joyful. It’s a lot of things.”Gasol’s...