The reform of the electricity market, to make it more stable, affordable and sustainable, received the support of the Energy Committee on Wednesday.
In their amendments to the draft legislation, MEPs propose to further strengthen consumer protection against volatile prices. Consumers should have the right to fixed-price contracts, dynamic price contracts, as well as more key information on the options they sign up to, banning suppliers from being able to unilaterally change the terms of a contract. The aim is to ensure that all consumers, as well as small businesses, would benefit from long-term, affordable and stable prices and to mitigate the impact of sudden price shocks.
MEPs also advocate that EU countries prohibit suppliers from cutting the electricity supply of vulnerable customers, including during disputes between suppliers and customers, and prevent suppliers from requiring these customers to use prepayment systems.
Special contracts and flexibility
The Energy Committee backs wider use of so-called “Contracts for Difference” (CFDs) to encourage energy investments and suggest leaving the door open for equivalent support schemes after approval by the Commission. In a CFD, a public authority compensates the energy producer if market prices fall too steeply, but collects payments from them if prices are too high.
MEPs also highlight the importance of Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) in providing consumers with stable prices and renewable energy providers with reliable revenues. The European Commission is tasked with setting up a marketplace for PPAs by the end of 2024.
MEPs adjusted the criteria for declaring an electricity price crisis, to make sure there are concrete measures to better protect citizens and companies.
The committee also advocates in favour of “non-fossil flexibility” (the ability of the power grid to adjust to changes in supply and demand without relying on fossil fuels) and flexibility on the demand side, for instance via the use of home battery systems. This can help balance the electricity grid, reduce price fluctuations, and empower consumers to adapt their energy consumption to prices and their needs.
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“With this agreement, Parliament puts citizens at the centre of the design of the electricity market, prohibiting companies from cutting the power of vulnerable and at-risk consumers, promoting the right to share energy, reducing price spikes and promoting affordable prices for citizens and companies”, said lead MEP Nicolás González Casares (S&D, ES). “We turned CfDs into the reference system for encouraging the electricity sector to transition towards a renewable-based zero-emission system. A system that will improve make companies more competitive through clean electricity at competitive and stable prices”, he added.
Next steps
The electricity market reform was backed by 55 MEPs on the Industry, Research and Energy Committee, 15 voted against and 2 abstained. They also voted to open negotiations with Council by 47 votes to 20 against, and 5 abstentions – a decision which will have to be greenlighted by the full House in a forthcoming plenary session.
Background
Energy prices have been rising since mid-2021, initially in the context of the post-COVID-19 economic recovery. However, energy prices rose steeply due to gas supply problems following the launch of Russia’s war against Ukraine in February 2022, which unleashed an energy crisis. High gas prices had an immediate effect on electricity prices, as they are linked together under the merit order system, where the most expensive (usually fossil fuel-based) energy source sets the overall electricity price.
“The lives of those in need should never be reduced to the tactics of geopolitical games,” Csaba Kőrösi, President of the 77th session of the General Assembly, said.
“Humanitarian action must always be guided by the principles of impartiality, neutrality and independence. As such, effective humanitarian assistance can never be held hostage by any political interest,” he added.
The veto is a special voting power of the Permanent Member States at the Council, whereby if any one of the five permanent members — China, France, Russia, the UK and the US — cast a negative vote, the resolution or decision automatically fails.
On 11 July, a Security Council resolution on the renewal of a cross-border aid delivery mechanism from Türkiye into northern Syria, failed after Russia vetoed the draft. Thirteen of the 15 Council members voted in favor and China abstained.
Also on 11 July, a second resolution for a six-month extension of the mechanism also failed to adopt as it lacked the required number of affirmative votes. The resolution was submitted by Russia and supported by China. Three Member States (France, UK and US) voted against and 10 abstained.
The failure to extend the mechanism virtually halted all aid convoys, leaving over 4.1 million people, mostly women and children, cut off from essential supplies.
The Bab al-Hawa crossing had been the backbone for relief operations in the region since 2014, handling over 85 per cent of aid deliveries.
Prioritize needs
Assembly President Csaba Kőrösi urged members of the Security Council to prioritize the needs of the affected population.
“To the Security Council, I call on you to be alive to the realities and oriented towards genuine solutions; to urgently prioritize long-term cooperation over division; and the humanitarian imperative over brinksmanship,” he said.
“Together, we have the power to make a meaningful difference. The people of Syria are counting on us to deliver,” Mr. Kőrösi concluded.
About Falun Gong // July 20 marks the anniversary of one of the bloodiest, and yet widely unacknowledged assaults on religious freedom in the contemporary world, medieval in its violence. The terror continues and obligates national governments and civil society to defend its victims and sanction its perpetrators.
In 1999, the Chinese Communist regime began repression and persecution of Falun Gong (also called Falun Dafa). Falun Gog is a new religious movement, established by Li Hongzhi in 1992 in China. It is nonpolitical and total pacifist and teaches both a variety of traditional Chinese gymnastics and a spirituality rooted in the “Three Teachings,” a Chinese religion including Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism, with some New Age variations.
Falun Gong was originally tolerated and even praised by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) as a healthy practice that was good for citizens, but two elements eventually aroused concern among CCP authorities. As much as the regime tried to present it as a purely secular practice, its spiritual dimension could not be denied or removed. What is more, the movement rapidly grew in size.
Considering Falun Gong a threat to its monopoly on authority, the CCP banned it in 1999, including it in the list of “xie jiao,” meaning “heterodox teachings.” The traditional term has been by Chinese political rulers to stigmatize groups and individuals they disliked. The CCP revived the expression, using it in the same manner term “cult” is used in some Western milieus, and started using it as a pretext to severely persecute Falun Gong practitioners and other groups.
The Falun Dafa Infocenter reports that the total number of believers documented to have died due to persecution now surpasses 5,000, with the youngest being a 17-year-old model student in Heilongjiang in August 1999, Chen Ying, and the eldest an 82-year-old retired professor, An Fuzi, a Korean, who died in Jilin Province Women’s Prison on May 22, 2023 after two years in detention.
The Center also documents that from January to June 2023, there were 3,133 documented cases of arrests and harassment, a 15.7 per cent jump from the same period in 2022. No one should also forget that Falun Gong was for decades the preferred victim of organ harvesting, the forcible extraction of vital parts from the bodies of prisoners of conscience, some of whom are still alive, to feed the lucrative Chinese black market for transplants. Today, this practice continues and is extended also to Uyghurs and Tibetans, and possibly others; there are fears that the regime’s massive DNA profiling may serve organ harvesting programs.
In 2018 and 2019, crimes perpetrated by the CCP against Falun Gong were thoroughly documented by the London-based “China Tribunal,” chaired by Sir Geoffrey Nice, the former lead prosecutor at the trial of Slobodan Milošević in the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia.
This year, approaching the anniversary of the beginning of their persecution, Falun Gong practitioners living in 44 countries compiled a list of perpetrators and submitted it to their respective governments, urging them to hold these individuals accountable. They ask their governments to bar these criminals and their family members from entry in those 44 countries and to freeze their overseas assets. Minghui.org, a volunteer organization working as the central communication hub for the Falun Gong community worldwide, underlines that “[o]fficials from the U.S. State Department informed several years ago that the materials provided by Falun Gong practitioners are authentic and credible, presented in a professional manner, and can be used as a model for other groups.”
Victims and survivors among the Falun Gong appealing to governments and international organizations to take action against individuals responsible for crimes against them. To hold them accountable will can ease pressure against Falun Gong, and help prevent members of other religious minorities from suffering similar abuses.
The list of the 44 countries, available on Minghui.org, includes all the “Five Eyes” alliance members (an international intelligence operation for security), many nations in Asia, America, and Europe, and all the 27 countries of the European Union: the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand; Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Belgium, Ireland, Austria, Denmark, Romania, Czech Republic, Finland, Portugal, Greece, Hungary, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Luxembourg, Croatia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Latvia, Estonia, Cyprus and Malta; Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Switzerland, Norway, Liechtenstein, Israel, Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Dominica and Argentina.
The list of persecutors involves officials from various regions. Among them are:
• Fan Lubing: Director of the Prison Administration Bureau of the Ministry of Justice, former Secretary of the Party Committee of the Central Judicial Police Academy (National Lawyer Academy), former director of the Research Office of the Ministry of Justice (director of the Judicial Research Institute) and president of the “China Judicial” magazine.
• Li Rulin: President of China Institute of Integrity and Legal System, former Deputy Chief Procurator of the Supreme Procuratorate, former member of the Party Leadership Group and Director of the Political Department of the Supreme Procuratorate, former Director of the Labor Re-education Administration of the Ministry of Justice.
• Liu Jiayi: Member of the Standing Committee of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Director of the Proposal Committee, former Secretary of the Shandong Provincial Party Committee.
• Ye Hanbing: Vice Governor of Sichuan Province, Director and Party Secretary of the Provincial Public Security Department, Deputy Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee of the Provincial Party Committee, former Deputy Director of the Zhejiang Provincial Public Security Department, former Deputy Secretary of the Hangzhou Municipal Legal Committee, Party Secretary and Director of the Hangzhou Public Security Bureau And Inspector General.
• Li Chenglin: Deputy Governor of Shanxi Province, Deputy Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee of the Provincial Party Committee, Secretary of the Party Committee and Director of the Provincial Public Security Department, Former Secretary of the Party Leadership Group, Chief Prosecutor of the Liaoning Provincial Procuratorate, Member of the Political and Legal Committee of the Provincial Party Committee, Former Deputy Secretary of the Party Leadership Group of the Higher Court of Jilin Province, associate dean.
• You Quanrong: Secretary of the Party Leadership Group, Vice President, Acting President, and President of the High Court of Hubei Province;
• Zhang Yi: Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Chief Prosecutor of the Hainan Provincial Procuratorate, Deputy Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee of the Provincial Party Committee, Former Party Secretary and Director of the Jilin Provincial Judicial Department, Former First Political Commissar of the Jilin Provincial Prison Administration Bureau, Former Executive Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the Ministry of Justice He is also Secretary of the Commission for Discipline Inspection and former Deputy Director of the Legal Affairs Department of the Ministry of Justice.
• Tan Zunhua: First-level inspector of Heilongjiang Prison Administration Bureau, former member of the Party Committee of the Heilongjiang Provincial Department of Justice, deputy secretary of the Party Committee and director of the Provincial Prison Administration Bureau.
• Yi Jianmin: Member of the Party Committee of the Department of Justice of Heilongjiang Province, Secretary of the Party Committee and Director of the Provincial Prison Administration Bureau.
• Li Yilong: Deputy Secretary of the Wuhan Municipal Party Committee, Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee, former member of the Standing Committee of the Wuhan Municipal Party Committee, Deputy Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee of the Municipal Party Committee, Secretary of the Party Committee and Director of the Municipal Public Security Bureau, former Deputy Director of the Public Security Department of Hubei Province, director of the Political Department, former member of the Standing Committee of the Ezhou Municipal Committee of Hubei Province , Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee of the Municipal Party Committee, and Director of the Municipal Public Security Bureau.
• Xue Changyi: Member of the Party Leadership Group, Deputy Chief Prosecutor, Member of the Procuratorial Committee, Senior Prosecutor of the Henan Provincial Procuratorate, Former Chief Procurator of the Nanyang City Procuratorate of Henan Province.
• Li Qiang: Deputy Governor of Ganzi Prefecture, Sichuan Province, Secretary of the Party Committee and Chief Inspector of the State Public Security Bureau, Deputy Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee of the State Party Committee, and former Chief of the National Security Corps of the Sichuan Provincial Public Security Bureau.
• Dong Kaide: Executive Deputy Secretary of Shenyang Municipal Legal Committee, former Director of Shenyang Municipal Bureau of Justice and Director of Prison Administration.
• Tian Zhi: Director of Shenyang Dongling Prison, former director of Shenyang Zhangshi Drug Rehabilitation Center.
• Qin Keping: Warden and Political Commissar of Jiazhou Prison, Sichuan Province.
• Luo Jiangtao: Director of the Political Department of Jiazhou Prison, Sichuan Province, former head of the Education and Reform Section of Jiazhou Prison.
• Shao Ling: Chief of the Education and Reform Section of Jiazhou Prison, Sichuan Province
The UN agency insisted that implementing a combined strategy of identifying household contacts and providing TB preventive treatment is cost-effective.
Unitaid said it could cut deaths by 35 per cent among household contacts of patients and people living with HIV in the next 12 years.
The joint study by Unitaid, John Hopkins University in the United States, and the Aurum Institute, found that this strategy could save 850,000 lives by 2035, most of which could be children given the current low rate of identification for under 15s.
According to the research, failure to implement this combination intervention would result in close to 1 million deaths by 2035.
The findings are in line with the UN World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommendation that TB preventive treatment should be provided to those at the highest risk of infection.
This includes people living with HIV and household contacts of people with TB who account for a significant percentage of the 10.6 million new infections each year – all of which are preventable and curable.
‘Slipping through the cracks’
“At the moment, too many family members of people diagnosed with TB are slipping through the cracks and too many lives are being lost,” said Tess Ryckman, faculty member at Johns Hopkins.
Tuberculosis remains the world’s deadliest infectious disease – despite being preventable and curable. According to WHO, around a quarter of the world’s population is infected with TB and at risk of developing active disease, which causes severe illness.
““The imperative for TB prevention is clear,” said Vincent Bretin, Director of Results at Unitaid.
“This cost-effectiveness analysis proves that preemptively reaching all at-risk individuals – even when it requires the logistical hurdles of going into communities to find those who may not be actively seeking care – is not just ethically sound. It is a smart investment capable of making an enormous impact on the fight to end TB worldwide.”
As well as becoming more affordable, new shorter treatment regimens mean TB infections can be cleared up before they develop into an active disease, according to Unitaid.
The study found that by providing 3HP, a 12-week treatment course, could yield an estimated 13 per cent reduction in the number of contacts developing TB.
As world leaders prepare for the second UN High-Level Meeting on tuberculosis this September, Unitaid has called for more up-front commitment and further financial backing in order “to urgently reap the massive rewards of preventing TB illness and death.”
ZURICH, Switzerland, July 12, 2023/APO Group/ — Agreement signed between FIFA (https://www.FIFA.com)and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency in Geneva, Switzerland; FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees inked the agreement; captains at the FIFA Women’s World Cup offered armbands highlighting agreed UNHCR cause .
Football’s global governing body FIFA and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to further develop their long-standing working relationship. The long-term agreement will lead to both organisations working closely with those forcibly displaced from their homes and help to strengthen communities through enhanced access to football, education and other opportunities.
The signing ceremony in Geneva, Switzerland, was conducted by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees – with both leaders committing to an ongoing relationship to use the power of football to positively impact global society, a key pillar of the FIFA President’s Vision. UNHCR’s mandate is to help those forced to flee their homes because of conflict and persecution. Currently, more than 110 million people are forcibly displaced, a number that’s never been higher, with the vast majority hosted in low- and middle-income countries.
The signing ceremony comes just eight days before the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™ begins, with the newly-formalised partnership to be active throughout.
For displaced people, football can be a game-changer to help overcome the many challenges they face
It builds on a collaboration over the last four years between FIFA and UNHCR. In March 2022, FIFA and UNHCR united in a global appeal to raise funds for people displaced by the conflict in Ukraine. Under the terms of the MoU, the two entities will continue to build this partnership through football activities and projects promoting social cohesion, education and youth development, with a focus on providing solutions and opportunities through sports. FIFA and UNHCR will also collaborate to ensure football players in need of international protection are appropriately supported.
Speaking shortly after the signing ceremony, President Infantino said: “I thank UN High Commissioner Grandi for the role UNHCR has played in bringing our two organisations together. I look forward to a fruitful, meaningful and impactful partnership. We believe very much in this collaboration, and I would like to assure you my personal commitment to make our little contribution, to give a little bit of a smile to children, but also to adults like us, who remain children when they see a ball, all around the world. We often say that football has the power to unite the world, and the work FIFA and UNHCR will assume together because of this agreement is a clear commitment to that.”
“We are ready to work together, to collaborate in the different refugee camps and the different areas where there is a need”, Mr Infantino continued. “The more people we reach at first – a few at least – and especially the more kids we reach around the world, the better. Additionally, via projects supported by the FIFA Foundation, there is a particular focus on improving the lives of displaced people worldwide, empowering them to restart their lives and to contribute to their new community.”
Meanwhile, Grandi said: “Football is the world’s most popular sport, with players coming from every corner of the globe, including many refugees. For displaced people, football can be a game-changer to help overcome the many challenges they face. Crucially, it fosters inclusion in the communities where they have found safety.”
Grandi continued: “With this partnership, football is showing real solidarity with the many millions who have been forced to flee – as well as their hosts. We look forward to seeing tangible results from this important collaboration.”
The FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia & New Zealand is expected to reach a global audience of 2 billion people, and, in line with commitments outlined in the MoU, the two parties will use the tournament to call for the football community to Unite for Peace. During the Round of 16 matches, team captains will be invited to wear armbands promoting this cause alongside messages on pitchside LEDs, stadium big screens and social media, reaching a global audience and providing huge exposure for this crucial message.
FIFA and UNHCR will also partner to spread awareness around key annual international dates, such as World Refugee Day, and will continue to deliver joint activations and campaigns – all of which aim at supporting UNHCR’s life-saving humanitarian assistance as well as its focus to create long-term solutions for refugees.
Unexpected, overwhelming and even terrifying. Maybe at some point you’ve wondered why you have panic attacks. That sudden feeling that you’re gasping for breath, that your heart is pounding, and that fear grips every part of your mind and body is something very unpleasant. Everything is out of your control. And if there is one aspect that generates even more fear, it is the repetition of these sensations.
The first panic attack is never forgotten. We can say that this is one of the most unpleasant sensations that someone can experience. However, let’s emphasize what the symptomatology consists of.
Physical symptoms
• dizziness
• tremors
• palpitations
• chest pain
• feeling of suffocation
• nausea, upset stomach
• numbness of the body
• chills and sweating at the same time
Emotional and cognitive symptoms
• excessive and irrational fear
• depersonalization (detachment from oneself)
• the feeling that one is “going crazy”
• derealization (feeling that everything around us is not real)
If you’ve ever wondered why you get a panic attack, you should know that it’s not because of factors like weakness or emotional incompetence. Don’t beat yourself up or blame yourself for it. We can all survive it. Let’s immediately look at the reasons why you may suffer from panic attacks:
1. Biological and genetic causes
While it’s possible for all of us to experience a panic attack at some point, some people experience it regularly. The reason for this would be genetic factors. Panic attacks are on average more common in females, and this genetic feature increases the risk of their occurrence.
2. Functional changes in the cerebral cilia
If you are wondering why you have these attacks, the cause would be in your brain’s amygdala. This nerve center for emotional processing may have certain characteristics that increase your risk of suffering more from panic attacks.
The amygdala, the center of fear-processing networks, would be linked to both panic attacks and their chronic version: panic disorder.
What causes the problem is putting ourselves in a constant state of “alarm”. This hyperarousal encapsulates the feeling of constant fear and that something very bad is going to happen.
3. Chronic stress or prolonged pressure
Although stress is a natural mechanism that allows us to face specific challenges and threats, sometimes it is beyond our control. When stressful situations and tensions drag on and the demands exceed our psychological resources, attacks occur.
The body and brain show in these situations a very high level of cortisol, norepinephrine and adrenaline. All this accumulated tension “explodes” at one point. Similarly, we know that there are people with lower resistance to stress, and this increases the occurrence of attacks.
4. When fear takes over
The attacks in question occur independently or are accompanied by other disorders such as anxiety or trauma. Life puts us in difficult circumstances that we don’t always know how to deal with and that are accompanied by a constant feeling of fear. Let’s see some examples:
• coping with loss
• a sick loved one
• coping with psychological trauma
• job loss and financial problems
• phobias
• intense life changes, such as a breakup
5. Other reasons why you have panic attacks
This fact may attract our attention, but science has been warning about such a factor for decades: tobacco increases the risk of suffering from panic attacks.
On the other hand, the fact that the consumption of certain psychoactive substances often leads to these experiences cannot be ignored.
Photo by samer daboul: https://www.pexels.com/photo/extreme-close-up-photo-of-frightened-eyes-4178738/
An international conference entitled “Fostering Peace and Security in Sudan” was organized by the EPP group, EU Human Rights organizations, and hosted by MEP Martusciello on July 18th, 2023, following the Geneva conference, Egypt Summit, and the ceasefire agreement reached by the US and KSA (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) for humanitarian reasons.
Sudanese Human Rights activists call EU leaders to stop the airstrikes in support of peace in Sudan 2
The conference aims to shed light on the humanitarian crisis in Sudan and how the EU could help the population to stop human rights violations and offer aid.
The event started with Annarita Patriarca ‘s speech, Member of the House of representatives in Italy, who highlighted the role of Italy and the EU in supporting the Sudanese population by stopping airstrikes and facilitating democratic transition to avoid human rights violations and a civil war in the region.
Members of the European Parliament who were present including Francesca Donato, Massimiliano Salini and Francesca Pepucci, shared a few words with the audience and showed their solidarity and support for Sudanese activists in stopping airstrikes and providing support to civilians suffering from this humanitarian crisis.
Sudanese Human Rights activists were invited to give their feedback regarding the situation in Sudan, along with European Human Rights experts and Members of the European Parliament.
The debate was moderated by Manel Msalmi, an international affairs advisor and expert on MENA, who introduced the debate by reminding the aspirations of the Sudanese population four years ago when the revolution started and how the EU helped economically and logistically to support Sudan’s civilian authorities.
Ms. Yosra Ali, Head of the Sudan International Human Rights Organization (SIHRO), said: “We demand an immediate halt to the airstrikes. It is high time for us to take decisive action to protect the rights of Sudanese citizens, to bring an end to the relentless airstrikes, and to dismantle the oppressive regime that continues to threaten our very existence.”
Ms. Iman Ali, Youth Rights Coordinator at SIHRO, added, “It is a grave violation of our rights, a trampling on the principles of humanity that the United Nations and all nations stand for. Every day, every minute, every second we stand watching, more lives are lost, more homes are destroyed, and more dreams are shattered.”
Ms. Hosain also asked the European Parliament to stop the Sudan Army from recruiting children into the armed forces. She warned that if the army controls Sudan, it will lead to the involvement of Al-Qaeda and ISIS in power, which will cause trouble for Africa and the EU and result in a significant increase in refugees.
Dr. Ibrahim Mukhayer, Political Advisor on Sudan’s health issues, highlighted the health crisis by describing the grim picture of healthcare in Sudan, further tarnished by continued attacks, and looting of health facilities and violence against health workers carried out by Sudan army forces. “The lives of women and girls hang in the balance as they are denied access to life-saving healthcare,” he emphasized.
Dr. Abdo Alnasir Solum, Director of the African Human Rights Centre-Sweden, stressed the fact that “The situation in Sudan today is not just a conflict; it is a humanitarian crisis of unprecedented proportions, and it is our moral obligation as international actors to strive for its resolution. We need to stop the Islamists from controlling the Sudan Army Forces.” EU human rights organizations and experts also called for immediate measures to help the population.
Willy Fautré, Director of Human Rights Without Frontiers, highlighted the role of Russia and Wagner in the Sudanese conflict and their involvement with the Sudan Army Forces. He emphasized the EU’s response as well as its contribution to ending the suffering of civilians.
Thierry Valle, President of CAP Liberté de Conscience, mentioned that “The members of the Security Council strongly condemned all airstrikes and attacks targeting the civilian population, United Nations personnel, humanitarian actors, and civilian objects, including medical personnel and facilities.”
Christine Mirre from CAP Liberté de Conscience stressed the fact that “Sudanese women face immense challenges in overcoming the consequences of war. They have been betrayed by the Sudan Army Forces, the very forces that were supposed to bring them stability and security. Despite these difficulties, Sudanese women remain determined to make their voices heard in peace-building efforts.”
Mrs Alona Lebedieva, owner of Arum Group in Ukraine and Arum Charity Foundation in Brussels highlighted Russian involvement in Sudan conflict and the need to stop the war and help women and children who are the first victims of violence and sexual abuse in any conflict whether in Ukraine or in Sudan .
Giuliana Franciosa, an expert in Communication strategy emphasized the role the EU had in Sudan since the revolution “Throughout the crisis, the EU has demonstrated its commitment to meeting the urgent needs of the Sudanese population by providing essential equipment, financing, deploying experts, facilitating evacuation and protecting humanitarian access”.
The debate ended by a call from the Sudanese human rights activists for a ceasefire, a UN investigation regarding human rights violations and ending the war by asking Sudan Army Forces(SAF) to stop the airstrikes on civilians, stop employing or involving radical islamists from leading any section of the army , stop targeting refugees camp , stop importing any weapons from Russia or Iran and free women prisoners immediately. The EU leaders promised to watch the situation closely and help to put an end to this humanitarian crisis.
Since the outbreak of the conflict, tens of thousands have lost their lives, many more have been wounded, and millions displaced within Ukraine and outside its borders.
“We must remember that behind every number lies a mother, a father, a child, a grandparent. To turn a blind eye would be an affront to the memory of those who have already perished,” Csaba Kőrösi, President of the 77th session of the General Assembly, told the meeting of Member States.
He added that while the Security Council has failed to adopt a resolution related to the conflict, the General Assembly, “resolute and active, has not let the international community become numb to this war.”
At the meeting, held under Agenda Item 59, on the situation in the temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine, Mr. Kőrösi underlined that the nuclear rhetoric must stop.
Amidst the crisis, the threat of a nuclear catastrophe continues to loom large, with Europe’s largest nuclear power plant located in an active conflict zone, posing grave, imminent danger far beyond the region, he said.
“I must repeat what I have said before: nuclear arms will not solve a conflict. We cannot play with a nuclear Armageddon,” the Assembly President stressed.
He appealed to Russia and Russian leaders’ sense of responsibility: “you have the power to end it. And, as one of the most influential decision-makers in the world, you can do it – if you want to.”
War and development
President Kőrösi also highlighted that the fighting is deeply connected to the Sustainable Development goals (SDGs), threatening the “very prospect” of a sustainable future.
“How can we expect to effectively address food and energy insecurity, climate change, water security, and biodiversity loss when conflicts have ripple effects across the globe?”
Simply put, he continued, the war is fundamentally unreconcilable with the pursuit of the 17 Goals, “the ones we hope to secure humanity’s survival.”
Vulnerable pay the price
Mr. Kőrösi also underlined the importance of the Black Sea Initiative, which ensured food for hundreds of millions worldwide, and which expired just a day ago, after Russia withdrew from the instrument.
“I implore all parties to come together in dialogue and diplomacy to restart negotiations, for it is always the most vulnerable who suffer the consequences. Let them not pay the price of political games”, he urged.
Attack on Ukrainian port condemned
Meanwhile, just hours after the termination of the Initiative, the Ukrainian Black Sea port of Odesa, one of the country’s main ports for exporting grain, came under attack. The port’s infrastructure was reportedly damaged.
Denise Brown, Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine, condemned the assault and said that civilian infrastructure, which is key for food security globally, appears to have been targeted.
Civilians and civilian infrastructure are protected under international humanitarian law, she stressed.
Earlier on Monday, a key bridge linking Russia to the annexed Crimea region, was also apparently targeted, reportedly killing a couple and injuring a child with them who were travelling on the Russian-built structure that’s a key supply route for the Russian war effort.
On Tuesday, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed and the head of the World Food Programme (WFP), Cindy McCain, visited a camp in eastern Chad that has taken in Sudanese refugees.
Ms. Mohammed said she was inspired by the courage of those who had fled there, many of whom were women and children, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told journalists in New York.
“She said that she also heard stories of unimaginable suffering in Sudan and enormous needs in Chad,” he added. “More international support is needed for refugees and their host communities, she said.”
UN support continues
Back in Sudan, humanitarians continue to provide relief to civilians.
In North Darfur, the UN children’s agency (UNICEF) and partners are supporting water trucking to gathering sites for internally displaced people, as well as healthcare facilities. They have also constructed more than two dozen latrines.
Mr. Dujarric said UN health agency WHO is working closely with Sudan’s Ministry of Health and other partners in states sheltering internally displaced people to provide essential, reproductive, sexual, maternal and pediatric care.
On Monday, the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and partners managed to deliver life-saving supplies, including 3,000 reproductive health kits, to six hospitals in Khartoum state.
He said UNFPA is committed to reaching all women and girls in need in Sudan with urgent health and protection services.
Steak is a beloved dish across Europe, but the methods of preparing it can vary greatly between countries. From quick high-heat grilling to low-and-slow braising, Europeans have perfected numerous techniques for cooking beef to juicy, flavorful perfection.
In this article, we’ll explore 3 of the most popular ways that Europeans prepare beef steak, each showcasing the unique flavours and cooking styles of different regions. Whether you prefer your steak charred on the outside and red on the inside or slow-cooked until butter-soft, you’re sure to find inspiration from the diverse beef steak recipes across Europe. Read on to learn how to make steak like a pro, European style.
Method 1 – Grilled Beef Steak with Herb Butter (France):
In France, steak is often cooked quickly over high heat and served with rich, flavoured butter. This method accentuates the natural flavour of quality beef with a nice char while keeping the interior pink and juicy.
For French-style grilled steak, choose a thick, well-marbled cut like ribeye, porterhouse or T-bone. Pat the steak dry and brush lightly with oil. Season generously with salt and pepper. Place the steak on a preheated grill or grill pan over high heat. Resist the urge to move it – you want a dark, caramelized crust to form. Grill for 4-6 minutes per side for medium-rare doneness.
While the steak grills mash together softened butter, minced parsley, lemon zest, garlic, and shallots. Spread the herb butter over the resting steak until melted. The butter bastes the steak while also providing an extra hit of brightness and flavour.
Serve the steak immediately with the pan juices poured over the top. Crispy roasted potatoes or a fresh salad make perfect accompaniments. This is steak at its simplest and most delicious.
Method 2 – Beef Wellington (England):
For special occasions, the British turn to a lavish, retro classic – Beef Wellington. Tender filet mignon is coated in pâté and duxelles, then wrapped in puff pastry and baked.
To make Beef Wellington:
Season a filet mignon steak aggressively with salt and pepper and sear it in a hot skillet for 1-2 minutes per side. Allow it to cool, then coat it with mustard. Spread pâté in an even layer over the steak, then top with a mushroom duxelles mixture (finely chopped mushrooms cooked down with shallots and herbs).
On a sheet of puff pastry, place the coated steak. Wrap the pastry tightly around the steak, sealing the edges with egg wash. Chill for at least 30 minutes before baking at 400°F for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
Allow the Wellington to rest for 10 minutes before slicing to allow the juices to redistribute. The result is a spectacular presentation with flaky pastry encasing a perfect medium-rare steak. The earthy duxelles provides extra umami flavour. Serve whole or sliced with roasted vegetables for an elegant English classic.
Method 3 – Slow-Cooked Beef Stew (Belgium):
Belgian beef stew, also known as carbonade flamande, is the ultimate cold-weather comfort dish. Cubed beef chuck is gently braised for hours in a Belgian ale until meltingly tender and full of flavour.
To make the stew:
Dredge cubed beef chuck in flour seasoned with salt and pepper. Brown the beef in batches in hot oil. Remove the meat and cook down sliced onions and garlic until caramelized. Deglaze the pan with a bottle of Belgian ale like Chimay.
Return the beef to the pot along with the ale and bring to a simmer. Add in diced carrots, celery and cubed potatoes. Season with thyme, bay leaves, mustard powder, brown sugar, and red wine vinegar.
Allow the stew to simmer gently on low heat for 2-3 hours until the beef is fall-apart tender. If the stew becomes too thick, add more ale or beef stock.
Serve the rich stew ladled over buttery egg noodles or mashed potatoes to soak up the luscious gravy. Sprinkle fresh parsley over the top. Enjoy with a Belgian ale, which complements and deepens the stew’s complex flavours.
Ready to eat? I mean, to cook?:
From quick grilling to elaborate baking to slow braising, Europeans have perfected diverse techniques for cooking incredible beef steak. These methods – charring steak over fire like the French, wrapping in pastry like the British, or braising in ale like the Belgians – showcase both traditional and modern flavours that make steak an enduring classic across Europe.
Grilled steak with herbed butter highlights fresh herbs and the natural taste of beef. Beef Wellington takes lavish ingredients like pâté and puff pastry to create an elegant presentation. And slowly-simmered carbonade flamande transforms a tougher cut into a luscious, meltingly tender stew.
The next time you cook steak, try one of these European-inspired methods. Or explore even more global ways to prepare beef, from Italian bistecca Fiorentina to German Jägerschnitzel. With a world of options, you’re guaranteed to find new favourite ways to cook this meaty icon.
So gather ingredients, fire up your stove or grill, and enjoy an international steak tour without ever leaving your kitchen. Your tastebuds will thank you!
