From the capitals
German county targeted by ransomware asks military for help
The entire IT infrastructure of the Anhalt-Bitterfeld district administration, which was paralysed after being targeted by a ransomware attack at the start of July, has requested assistance from the Bundeswehr, the German armed forces.
The Brief – Don’t ignore your neighbours
It is a truism that Europe is unstable if its North African neighbours are unstable. That being so, it should be of some concern to EU leaders that, on the bloc’s south Mediterranean border, Tunisia’s ten-year-old democracy appears to be on life support.
Commission moves against EU countries over unfair trading practices
The European Commission has opened infringement procedures against 12 member states after they failed to transpose EU rules banning unfair trading practices in the agri-food sector within the allotted time frame.
Animal feed spike worries EU countries
High feed costs are giving member states a cause for concern, while the European Commission is hopeful that feed prices are likely to go down in the near future.
Facebook teams up with French anti-piracy association on copyright
Facebook has teamed up with French anti-piracy association ALPA up to protect content on its platforms from copyright infringement, the tech giant announced on Monday (26 July). EURACTIV France reports.OpinionStakeholder Opinion
Connectivity at the core of a more stable Afghanistan
At a time when Taliban is likely to take over Afghanistan, the stakes could not have been higher for Uzbekistan’s reformist President Mirziyoyev who hosted the 15-16 July Central-South Asia Connectivity Conference in Tashkent.
French equality body sounds alert about extension of COVID-19 pass
While the controversial extension of COVID-19 pass is still being discussed in the French Parliament, the country's equality agency, Défenseur des droits, published 10 points that need to be watched closely.
Billionaires in space
For decades, those who dared venture beyond the realm of Earth held a romantic position in our minds – men and women that combined great knowledge with great courage. Today, however, the great mystery of space is commodified. We’re well on our way to space becoming a playground for billionaires. The final frontier is just another bucket list item for the rich.
G20 climate and energy ministers split over coal exit
China, Russia and India are among countries resisting a timeline to phase out coal power generation, leaving it to leaders to resolve the impasse later this year. EURACTIV's media partner, Climate Home News, reports.
Critics warn carbon price proposal would exacerbate energy poverty
Energy poverty could be exacerbated ad prices rise under the European Commission's proposed revamped emissions trading scheme, the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) has warned, with other stakeholders raising similar misgivings.
Parliament draft report pushes for tax hike on all tobacco products
A draft of a new report from the European Parliament's beating cancer committee does not distinguish between cigarettes and novel tobacco products on key points, signalling a tighter position on tobacco control, but some EU lawmakers are already mobilising to challenge this.
Austria opposes Turkey’s bid to join EU military project
In today's edition of The Capitals, find out more about Poland considering making the COVID-19 vaccine mandatory for healthcare workers, Macron discussing the Pegasus spyware case with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, and so much more.
South, North Korea have restored hotlines as leaders seek to rebuild ties
South and North Korea have restored hotlines that Pyongyang severed a year ago when ties deteriorated sharply, with renewed efforts by the two countries' leaders to rebuild relations, the South's presidential Blue House said on Tuesday (27 July).
Knives out in France for ‘ersatz’ lab-grown foie gras
The quintessential French pate delicacy of foie gras cannot be called as such if it is grown in a lab, an association said Monday (26 July), after a start-up launched a high-profile bid to grow the food from duck cells.
Tunisia president sacks defence minister amid political turmoil
Tunisian President Kais Saied sacked the defence minister Monday (26 July), a day after ousting the prime minister and suspending parliament, plunging the young democracy into constitutional crisis in the midst of a pandemic.
Facebook can lead users down vaccine misinformation rabbit hole
New research into vaccine misinformation on Facebook shows that the platform’s content recommendation algorithm can lead users towards, rather than away from, harmful conspiratorial material.
EU calls on Lebanon to form government quickly
The European Union on Monday (26 July) urged Lebanon's political elite to form a government without delay, following the nomination of Lebanese businessman Najib Mikati to be designated as prime minister.
Fires torch thousands of hectares of land in Spain
Thousands of hectares have been destroyed due to forest fires since last Saturday in Spain, prompting a "critical situation" in Catalonia, where people have been evacuated as the blazes advance. EURACTIV’s partner EFE reported on Monday
EU gives Google 2 months to improve hotel, flight search results
Alphabet unit Google has two months to improve the way it presents internet search results for flights and hotels and explain how it ranks these or face possible sanctions, the European Commission and EU consumer authorities said.
Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny’s website blocked by regulator before election
Russian authorities blocked access to jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny's website on Monday (26 July) in the run-up to a parliamentary election, their latest attempt to sideline his allies cast by the Kremlin as US-backed trouble-makers.
Southern Europe battles wildfires as north cleans up after floods
Wildfires burned in regions across southern Europe on Monday (26 July), fuelled by hot weather and strong winds, as some northern countries cleaned up after a weekend of torrential rain and flooding.
More than half of recovery plans approved, funds expected within days
EU finance ministers approved on Monday (26 July) the recovery plans of Croatia, Cyprus, Lithuania and Slovenia, bringing the total number of approvals to 16 out of the 27 member states.
Small businesses gain ground in sustainable recovery push
The EU’s recovery fund and new strategy on sustainable finance will expand the role small firms can play in building back the European economy in a sustainable manner, EU officials said.