AI Agents Behaving Badly For a year, AI safety testing firm Andon Labs has handed frontier models real-world
Claude Opus 5 Broke 11 Truces to Win a Vending Machine Benchmark
The EuroHPC Joint Undertaking launches the AI Gigafactories Call
The EuroHPC JU and several of its Participating States will jointly procure compute access time from the selected AI Gigafactories. These facilities represent a major investment in Europe’s AI future, strengthening technological leadership, resilience and strategic autonomy through cutting-edge AI computing infrastructure built and operated in Europe.
AI Gigafactories, together with AI Factories, will make AI computing and services available to public and private users resident in EuroHPC Participating States, significantly expanding current available compute capacity through a new generation of large-scale sovereign AI computing infrastructure, strengthening innovation, competitiveness and technological independence.
The AI Gigafactories will be advanced industrial AI facilities. Located in EU countries, they will combine massive computing power with state-of-the-art AI processors along with the necessary software and cloud technology stacks, high bandwidth connectivity and energy-efficient data centres.
Led by industry, the AIGFs will strengthen Europe’s AI ecosystem by expanding computing capacity and driving a service-oriented model that will enable large-scale frontier AI training, fine-tuning, and inference services making it easier and more affordable for public and private sector users.
Who can apply
Applications are open to Consortia or Special Purpose Vehicles (SPV) bringing together companies, public entities, investors and other partners.
AIGFs may be established in a single Member State, either on one site or across several locations, including cross-border developments in several Member States, through distributed AI computing facilities.
Following the submission deadline on 12 November 2026, proposals will undergo a competitive evaluation to select the successful projects.
Apply via the EU Tenders & Funding Portal
Funding Model
The procurement strategy is designed to support both the initial deployment and future expansion of the AIGF infrastructure to a massive AI compute and service facility. The joint public funding provided by the Union and Member States will act as an anchor customer, significantly de-risking the significant capital required and helping to unlock expected total private investment of more than €20 billion across the EU.
Following their selection in early 2027, the AIGFs are expected to begin operations within 18 months.
This procurement will support the establishment of up to seven AI Gigafactories, each equipped with a very large number of state-of-the-art AI processors. These facilities are expected to be located in at least seven Member States, with the possibility of some AIGFs able to operate as cross-border collaboration that deploy infrastructure across one or more Member States.
Successful AIGF projects will receive different levels of EU and national co-funding, reflecting the size and range of sovereign services that they will be deploying Part of the public financing will be covered under this MFF, whereas the bulk of the funds will come from the next Multiannual Financial Framework (2028–2035).
More information is available in the tender documents.
Background
The AI Gigafactories initiative represents the next step in Europe’s strategy to expand its sovereign AI computing capacity. It complements the AI Factories initiative and reflects Europe’s growing ambition to provide the computing infrastructure needed to develop the next generation of AI technologies.
AI Gigafactories will offer a complete AI computing environment, combining AI-optimised supercomputers with advanced data centres, high-capacity storage, ultra-fast networks, secure cloud access and specialised AI support services.
They will provide the computing power needed to develop and train advanced AI models, serving researchers, public-sector organisations and businesses across Europe, with a particular focus on start-ups, scale-ups and SMEs.
About the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking
The EuroHPC Joint Undertaking is a joint initiative of the European Union and participating countries that pools resources to make Europe a global leader in supercomputing.
It has already deployed 12 world-class supercomputers across Europe, including JUPITER in Germany and Alice Recoque in France, Europe’s first exascale systems.
Researchers, industry and public-sector users throughout Europe can access these systems through EuroHPC Access Calls to advance scientific research and develop applications with industrial and societal impact.
Currently, the EuroHPC JU is also overseeing the implementation of 19AI factories(AIF) across Europe, complemented by 13 AI Factory Antennas, to offer free, customised support to SMEs and startups.
The EuroHPC JU is also building Europe’s quantum computing infrastructure by integrating European quantum technologies with its supercomputers, while investing in research and innovation across the entire European supercomputing value chain—from processors and software to applications and skills.
Following the adoption of Council Regulation (EU) 2026/150, the EuroHPC JU’s mandate has been expanded to include the deployment of AI Gigafactories across Europe and the advancement of quantum technologies.
Additional Links
LIFE: European zoos reusing wastewater through circular solutions
Nearly 40% of the EU population was affected by water scarcity in 2019, and climate change is expected to place even greater pressure on Europe’s freshwater resources. Finding new ways to use water more efficiently is becoming increasingly important – and zoos are no exception. They require large volumes of high-quality water every day to care for animals and maintain habitats, generating significant volumes of wastewater in the process.
The LIFE4ZOO project – a 3.5-year, €2.7 million project that runs until February 2027 – is showing that there is a sustainable way forward. By demonstrating an innovative circular wastewater management system in Czechia and Spain, the project is helping zoos reduce freshwater consumption, lower emissions and become more resilient to water scarcity.
From wastewater to circularity
Rather than treating used water as waste, LIFE4ZOO is keeping it in circulation.
The project has installed a full-scale water recirculation system at Zoo Liberec in Czechia and is developing a pilot system at Zoo Barcelona in Spain. By combining nature-based solutions, advanced filtration and renewable energy, these systems treat and reuse water for animal care, while reducing reliance on freshwater and maintaining high standards of animal welfare.
‘LIFE4ZOO combines nature-based solutions – constructed wetlands, floating vegetation islands – with advanced technologies like ultrafiltration and disinfection to treat used water and safely return it to zoo operations,’ says Linda Frydrychová, LIFE4ZOO Coordinator.
Benefits beyond zoos
The project aims to reduce water consumption by up to 50% at Zoo Liberec, saving around 40 000 cubic metres of water each year. At Zoo Barcelona, the pilot is expected to pave the way for wider deployment across the site, where around 60% of total water use could eventually be met through water reuse alone. The project is also expected to halve the carbon footprint associated with water supply at both zoos, equivalent to 92 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year.
Although developed for zoos, the technology has much wider potential. The project is creating a model that could be adapted for other visitor attractions and water-intensive facilities, helping organisations across Europe strengthen their resilience to water scarcity while supporting the transition to a more circular economy.
‘LIFE4ZOO offers a practical model for cutting freshwater use through local treatment and reuse, one that works for zoos, parks, ponds and similar sites facing the same water challenges,’ says Linda. ‘It supports the EU’s shift toward treating wastewater as a resource, not waste, easing pressure on drinking water supplies and boosting climate resilience across Europe.’
Supporting Europe’s water resilience
By demonstrating practical solutions for water reuse, LIFE4ZOO contributes to Europe’s efforts to use water more efficiently and adapt to a changing climate. The project supports the EU Directives on Water Framework, Urban Waste Water and Waste Framework, the new integrated framework for European climate resilience and risk management and the EU circular economy action plan. Other projects in this area include: CROSS-LIFE, LIFE-SWITCH2O, HIPPOCRATES and LIFE SALTEAU.
Scientology Initiatives Advance Human Rights and Community Support Across Europe and beyond
KINGNEWSWIRE // PRESS RELEASE // Activities in Spain, Italy, Ireland, Denmark, Nepal and Venezuela brought together volunteers, educators, public re…
KINGNEWSWIRE // PRESS RELEASE // Activities in Spain, Italy, Ireland, Denmark, Nepal and Venezuela brought together volunteers, educators, public representatives and civil-society organisations around human rights, prevention, cultural understanding and practical assistance.
BRUSSELS, Belgium, 30 July 2026 — Religious communities, educators, public representatives, artists and humanitarian volunteers took part in a series of Scientology-supported initiatives addressing cultural coexistence, drug prevention, human rights and disaster relief during June and July 2026.
Activities in Madrid, Milan, Dublin and Copenhagen placed social concerns within familiar community settings, ranging from cultural gatherings and public festivals to educational programmes and human-rights discussions. In Nepal, a documentary highlighted the development of a grassroots human-rights movement, while in Venezuela nearly 400 Scientology Volunteer Ministers and supporting teams responded to the consequences of the earthquakes that affected the north-central region of the country.
The period also brought international recognition for New Era Publications International in Denmark, whose multilingual production work makes the written and recorded works of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard available across Europe and other regions.
Although the projects responded to different local circumstances, they shared an emphasis on education, personal responsibility, human dignity and practical cooperation.
Religious and cultural voices meet in Madrid
In Madrid, Fundación para la Mejora de la Vida, la Cultura y la Sociedad marked UNESCO’s World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development with a gathering at the national headquarters of the Church of Scientology of Spain.
The event brought together representatives of religious communities, public authorities, human-rights educators, cultural figures and artists. Participants included Clarisa Nieva of the Bahá’í Community of Spain, Fernando Hernández of the Diversity Management Unit of the Madrid Municipal Police, Roma flamenco guitarist and composer Tito Losada, human-rights activist Denise González and Isabel Ayuso Puente of Fundación Mejora, who moderated the discussion.
The programme addressed religious freedom, prejudice, hate-crime prevention and the role of culture in strengthening social understanding. A performance by the Peruvian group Tusuk Pisku presented a traditional dance from the Peruvian Amazon, while González explained the cultural and human significance of Mexico’s Day of the Dead. Losada reflected on the experience of the Roma community and the ability of music and art to challenge stereotypes.
The gathering presented cultural diversity not only as a demographic fact, but as a civic resource. Participants considered how public institutions, religious communities and civil society can create spaces in which unfamiliar traditions become better understood and differences are addressed through dialogue rather than suspicion.
The event was covered in Madrid Brings Together Religious, Cultural and Social Voices for Diversity and Coexistence.
Sri Lankan community explores shared values in Milan
In Milan, members of the Sri Lankan community joined families, young people and volunteers at the Church of Scientology for an intercultural programme focused on integration, peaceful coexistence and ethical responsibility.
The event used principles from The Way to Happiness, the non-religious common-sense moral code written by L. Ron Hubbard, as a basis for discussion. Participants considered precepts concerning honesty, trustworthiness, care for children, fulfilment of obligations and respect for the religious beliefs of others.
Young people occupied a central place in the programme. Community representatives stressed the importance of helping younger generations retain a connection with their cultural heritage while participating confidently in the wider social and civic life of Milan.
The gathering approached integration as a two-way process based on contribution and mutual respect, rather than as the abandonment of cultural identity. Shared ethical principles were presented as a means of supporting dialogue among people whose religious and cultural traditions may differ.
Further details appear in Sri Lankan Community Joins Intercultural Values Event at the Church of Scientology in Milan.
Drug-prevention education reaches Irish communities
Two activities in Ireland demonstrated how preventive education can be incorporated into public and cultural events.
At the Clondalkin Festival in west Dublin, volunteers from the Scientology Community Centre Dublin operated a Truth About Drugs information stand for families, young people and local residents.
The stand contained plain-language materials explaining the effects of cannabis, cocaine, alcohol, synthetic drugs, painkillers and prescription-drug abuse. Volunteers spoke with visitors in an informal festival environment, allowing parents and young people to examine the information and raise questions outside a classroom or formal prevention programme.
The materials are produced by the Foundation for a Drug-Free World, a secular drug-education initiative supported internationally by the Church of Scientology and Scientologists. The campaign is based on the principle that people are better able to make informed decisions when they receive understandable factual information before encountering pressure to experiment with drugs.
Councillor Francis Timmons, principal organiser of the Clondalkin Village Festival, welcomed the volunteers and their educational work. Children also participated by signing a pledge board, while adults discussed the role of families, schools and community organisations in prevention.
The outreach was reported in Scientology Volunteers Bring Drug-Prevention Education to Clondalkin Festival in Ireland.
Several weeks later, drug education formed part of the first Miss & Mrs Cross Continent pageant, which welcomed approximately 450 guests and 24 contestants representing seven nations to the Church of Scientology & Community Centre of Dublin.
Sponsored by Broccoli Care Ltd. and organised by Miss & Mrs Cross Continent Events Ltd. in collaboration with The Truth About Drugs Ireland, the programme combined fashion, professional achievement, cultural performances and messages of social responsibility.
Contestants were introduced to the Truth About Drugs materials during their preparation. Several completed all 14 online courses, while others studied individual modules dealing with commonly abused substances. The educational component was therefore integrated into the preparation process rather than added as a separate presentation on the day of the pageant.
The programme included Irish dancing by Scoil Rince Ní Aogáin, Indian classical dance by the Mudra School and traditional performances from the Indonesian Irish Association. Contestants also presented elements of their national traditions, personal backgrounds, education and professional lives.
Mayor of South Dublin Councillor Francis Timmons addressed the audience on the importance of combining cultural inclusion with education and prevention. The principal title was awarded to Niveditha Vudayagiri, a software engineer with a master’s degree in artificial intelligence.
The event is described in Multicultural Pageant in Dublin Combines Cultural Celebration with Drug-Education Initiative.
Human-rights education from Nepal to Copenhagen
Human-rights education formed another central part of the activities when Scientology Network’s documentary series Voices for Humanity featured Rahul KC, president of Youth for Human Rights Nepal.
KC grew up in Kathmandu during Nepal’s decade-long civil conflict and first encountered Youth for Human Rights at the age of 12. The documentary recounts how he came to recognise domestic violence, forced child labour and other practices around him as violations of internationally recognised rights rather than unavoidable conditions of life.
After completing high school, he formed a group dedicated to educating people about the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. His work developed from local school presentations into wider engagement with students, communities, civic organisations and public institutions.
The programme placed his work within Nepal’s continuing challenges involving social inequality, child protection, discrimination and access to justice. It presented human rights not primarily as specialised legal language, but as knowledge that can help citizens recognise mistreatment and participate more effectively in community life.
The documentary was examined in Scientology Network’s “Voices for Humanity” Highlights Rahul KC’s Human Rights Work in Nepal.
In Copenhagen, approximately 50 diplomats, politicians, NGO representatives and community leaders later gathered for an open house marking Nelson Mandela International Day.
The event was organised with Youth for Human Rights, the European Muslim Initiative for Social Cohesion, Soteria International and the Universal Peace Federation. Speakers addressed equality, workplace discrimination, dignity and cooperation among organisations working in different areas of civil society.
A former Danish member of parliament discussed the need to help people recognise and prevent discrimination in employment. Bashy Quraishy, secretary general of EMISCO, emphasised cooperation between NGOs and the equal dignity of all people.
The evening also recognised Youth for Human Rights International and Youth for Human Rights Denmark for 25 and 20 years of educational activity respectively. Participants discussed future cooperation and ways of making human rights more visible in workplaces and local communities.
The gathering was covered in Leaders Gather to Mark Nelson Mandela Day and Strengthen Their Commitment to Human Rights.
Volunteer Ministers support rescue and recovery in Venezuela
The largest humanitarian mobilisation of the period followed the double earthquake that struck north-central Venezuela on 24 June, damaging homes and infrastructure in Caracas, La Guaira and surrounding communities.
Nearly 400 Scientology Volunteer Ministers were mobilised between Caracas and La Guaira. Working with the Churches of Scientology in Caracas and Valencia, private-sector partners, Venezuelan organisations and international rescue teams, they assisted with donation management, transport, supply distribution and support for specialised personnel.
Approximately 20 tonnes of clothing, footwear, food, medicines, hygiene products, children’s supplies, mats, tools and rescue equipment were received. Volunteer teams sorted and distributed the goods while helping rescuers, doctors, engineers and infrastructure specialists reach priority areas.
International cooperation included Mexico’s Topos rescue organisation and volunteers or supporters connected with Colombia, Costa Rica, Brazil, the United States, Israel, Mexico and Spain. European Scientologists sent assistance, while several volunteers from Spain travelled to Venezuela to join the work on the ground.
Venezuelan actress and humanitarian Ruddy Rodríguez participated in the response and stressed that the effort represented a continuing commitment rather than a brief visit during the first days of public attention. Rhaiza Ojeda, Director of Scientology in Venezuela, coordinated aspects of the operation and reported continuing needs involving infant formula, supplies for children and older people, and technical assistance for damaged buildings.
The initial operation was documented in Scientology Volunteer Ministers Coordinate Major Humanitarian Response in Venezuela.
As the emergency moved from rescue into recovery, volunteers continued assisting families affected by damaged homes, interrupted water supplies and displacement. Their work included transporting essential goods, organising collection and distribution points, helping people in temporary accommodation and maintaining communication between local contacts and specialist teams.
The continuing assistance demonstrated that humanitarian relief depends not only on collecting donations, but also on assessing needs, organising logistics and ensuring that supplies reach the people and locations for which they are intended.
The Scientology Volunteer Ministers programme was established by L. Ron Hubbard in the mid-1970s. Its members provide practical assistance and spiritual support during disasters and other situations of hardship, serving people regardless of nationality, religion or background.
The recovery phase was covered in Scientology Volunteer Ministers Continue Bringing Help and Hope to Venezuela After Devastating Earthquakes.
Danish publishing facility receives printing recognition
In Denmark, New Era Publications International received HP Indigo’s 2026 Record Printer by Volume award for Series 3 commercial presses in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region.
Lars Renneby, Director of Visutech, presented the recognition to New Era chief executive during a ceremony at the company’s publishing and manufacturing facility in Glostrup on 3 July. By that point in 2026, the facility had produced more than 60 million impressions using four HP Indigo 7K digital colour presses installed at the end of 2025.
The publishing house began using HP Indigo digital printing in 2003 and now operates 13 digital presses. Established in 1969, New Era Publications International publishes the fiction and nonfiction works of L. Ron Hubbard and has produced more than 12 million books and publications.
Its facilities can manage limited and large print runs in 50 languages, serving Europe, Northern Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia and India. This multilingual capacity enables readers from different linguistic and cultural communities to access Hubbard’s religious, philosophical, educational and literary works.
The award was detailed in Publishing House in Denmark Receives HP Indigo’s 2026 Record Printer Award.
“These activities show the range of ways in which citizens, faith communities and civil-society organisations can contribute to public life,” said Ivan Arjona, representative of the Church of Scientology to the European Union, the OSCE, the Council of Europe and the United Nations.
“In one community, that contribution may involve helping people understand different religious and cultural traditions. In another, it may mean providing young people with factual information about drugs, teaching the Universal Declaration of Human Rights or organising supplies and specialist assistance after an earthquake,” Arjona added.
“European values such as human dignity, pluralism, equality and solidarity become most visible when they are expressed through responsible conduct. The circumstances were very different, but each initiative depended on people deciding that they could make a practical contribution.”
Educational and humanitarian programmes inspired by L. Ron Hubbard
The Church of Scientology was founded by author and humanitarian L. Ron Hubbard. Alongside the religious services provided to their congregations, Churches of Scientology and their members support secular programmes concerned with drug prevention, human-rights education, moral values and disaster response.
The initiatives represented during June and July included The Way to Happiness, the Truth About Drugs campaign, Youth for Human Rights and the Scientology Volunteer Ministers programme. Each operates in a distinct field while sharing an emphasis on education, personal responsibility and practical help.
About the Church of Scientology in Europe
The Church of Scientology, its missions, groups and members are present throughout the European continent. Its recognition as a charitable and bona fide religion continues to grow, reflecting its established religious presence and its commitment to education, prevention, freedom of religion or belief and community betterment.
Through cooperation with civil-society organisations, public representatives and local communities, Scientologists support initiatives intended to address social concerns through practical information, dialogue and voluntary service.
Malta’s Climate Plan Puts Fairness First
Brussels backs €60.6 million in support for vulnerable households, transport users and small firms The European Commission has endorsed Malta’s €60.6 milli…
Brussels backs €60.6 million in support for vulnerable households, transport users and small firms
The European Commission has endorsed Malta’s €60.6 million Social Climate Plan, opening the way for EU-backed support aimed at people most exposed to higher heating, cooling and transport costs during the clean-energy transition. The decision turns a technical climate-finance instrument into a practical social question for one of the EU’s smallest and most densely populated member states: whether carbon pricing can be paired with visible protection for households, older people, people with mobility needs and small businesses.
The Commission said on Wednesday that it had endorsed Malta’s Social Climate Plan, the fourth national plan approved under the EU’s Social Climate Fund. Of the total package, €45.4 million will come from the fund, with Malta providing the remainder through national co-financing.
The plan will run from 2026 to 2032 and is designed to cushion the social impact of the EU’s new emissions trading system for buildings and road transport, known as ETS2. That system is intended to price pollution from fuels used in homes, commercial premises and vehicles. Its political difficulty is clear: if suppliers pass costs on to consumers, poorer households and small operators may feel the price signal long before they can afford cleaner alternatives.
Housing, Mobility And Daily Life
Malta’s programme focuses on two areas where vulnerability is especially visible: homes and transport. On housing, the plan will support renovations in social housing apartments, with the Commission saying the measures aim to cut primary energy use by 60%. It will also finance renewable-energy systems in social housing estates, including photovoltaic panels, battery storage and more efficient water-heating and air-cooling systems.
On mobility, the plan will help local councils expand on-demand community transport for vulnerable users through electric vehicles. It will also support micro-enterprises that need to move away from fossil-fuel vehicles, including help for electric commercial vehicles and charging points.
Those choices reflect Malta’s particular constraints. The island state has limited land, dense urban pressure, heavy reliance on imported goods and strong dependence on road transport. Malta’s consultation document identified more than 43,000 households as vulnerable under its Social Climate Fund definition, while estimating around 147,000 vulnerable transport users, including people aged 60 and over and people with limited mobility.
For many residents, transport poverty is not simply a matter of fuel prices. It can mean the absence of reliable, accessible alternatives for reaching medical appointments, shops, work, public services or family support. Even where public transport is free for residents, older people and people with mobility difficulties may still face barriers of distance, timing, accessibility and confidence.
A Small Plan With A Larger EU Message
The Maltese package is modest compared with larger member-state allocations, but it carries symbolic weight because the Social Climate Fund was created precisely to address fears that climate policy could deepen inequality. Earlier European Parliament coverage in The European Times described the fund as a tool for households, micro-enterprises and transport users affected by energy and mobility poverty.
Across the EU, the fund is expected to mobilise €86.7 billion from 2026 to 2032, combining EU-level revenue with national contributions. Independent climate-policy observers have warned, however, that the fund can only ease part of the burden. Carbon Market Watch has argued in its Social Climate Fund explainer that energy and transport poverty are structural problems linked to income, housing quality, disability, age and regional disadvantage.
That warning matters for Malta. Grants, electric vehicles and retrofits can reduce exposure to fossil-fuel price shocks, but their effect will depend on implementation: who receives help first, whether local councils have the capacity to deliver services, whether social housing upgrades reach the worst-performing buildings, and whether micro-enterprises can navigate application procedures without being crowded out by larger or better-advised applicants.
The Commission said Malta will be able to request its first payment in the first quarter of 2027, once implementation has begun and initial investment results have been achieved. That timetable gives national authorities only a narrow window to turn approval into household-level impact.
The deeper measure of success will not be whether Malta spends the money, but whether vulnerable people feel the transition becoming less punitive and more possible. For the EU, that is the wider political lesson. Climate policy can command public trust only if it is experienced not merely as a price on pollution, but as a route to warmer homes, cleaner mobility and fairer access to the future Europe is asking its citizens to build.
Things You Should Look for in the Best Sweepstakes Casino Sites
How virtual currency, transparent rules, and responsible-play tools separate trustworthy platforms from the rest. Online gamers have more
Russia sells Poroshenko‘s Roshen factory
Russia has included in its privatization program for 2026-2028 the Lipetsk confectionery factory “Roshen”, a former asset of the Ukrainian corporation Rosh…
Russia has included in its privatization program for 2026-2028 the Lipetsk confectionery factory “Roshen”, a former asset of the Ukrainian corporation Roshen, associated with former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. The state plans to sell 99.9% of the shares of the enterprise, which is currently owned by the Russian Federation and managed by the Family.
The paradox is that the potential buyer will acquire a factory without real production. The enterprise has not been operating since 2017, and in recent years has not reported any income.
The factory was transferred to the Russian state in 2024 following a decision by a court in Lipetsk at the request of the Russian Prosecutor General. The court ruled that the shares of the enterprise and the shares in the affiliated company “Rosen” should be transferred to the Russian Federation. The Russian authorities have also banned the activities in the country of Petro Poroshenko, his son Alexei, and former factory director Oleg Kazakov, labeling them “extremists.”
Former asset worth hundreds of millions of dollars
Roshen acquired the Lipetsk factory in 2001. The enterprise produced about 60 types of confectionery products and was one of the company’s largest assets outside Ukraine. After the cessation of production in 2017, Roshen’s assets in Russia were valued at about $200 million.
Even before its closure, the factory was the subject of inspections and disputes. In 2015, Russian authorities began investigating allegations by company representatives about the alleged embezzlement of funds amounting to 180 million rubles during the construction of the enterprise.
Following tax audits in 2017, the Russian Federal Tax Service filed claims against the company for about 150 million rubles. The problems continued even after the factory was taken over by the state. This year, tax authorities sought security on the company’s assets for debts of 156 million rubles. Against this background, for 2025 the factory reported a net loss of 31.8 million rubles.
It is currently unclear whether there will be an investor ready to restore production, or the factory will be sold mainly for its assets and property.
Source: Roshen
Religion is not a hiding place from life
By Fr. Vasily Termos When religion provides all the answers, it removes the anxiety that arises from the struggle with questions, the search for meaning, a…
By Fr. Vasily Termos
When religion provides all the answers, it removes the anxiety that arises from the struggle with questions, the search for meaning, and the personal effort to choose what is essential in life. In such a case, religion encourages people to turn to God not to find the strength to face their fears, nor to gain the courage to face life maturely and realistically. Then religion offers an image of God that provides sufficient relief from anxiety, and people are freed from the responsibilities of adult life, as if they have God’s approval for it.
K. Fauteux* goes on to describe how the natural desire for security can undermine maturity: “Religion, which offers security and protection in a world that sometimes seems ready to crush us, does not necessarily lead to an escape from problems. On the contrary, it can be a unifying force that keeps our fragile lives from falling apart. Religion, which provides comfort in the face of inexplicable pain or strength and clarity in moments of weakness and confusion, helps people to cope with various areas of their lives. Without the help of religion, it may be too difficult for them to cope properly with these trials. Furthermore, religion prevents the uncertainties and fears that are part of our lives from completely exhausting us. But when religion offers only security and protection, when all it does is dispel fears and reduce anxiety, then we may feel protected and comforted, but we remain children and do not mature. Parents who provide everything “…to their child, remove every difficulty and satisfy every desire, preventing him from growing up. Parental love and protection should not instill in the child the idea of permanent dependence. They should build in him an inner sense of security that will give rise to the confidence necessary to be able to do for himself later on what his parents once did for him.” Similarly, the adult finds in the face of the almighty and loving God the security that helps him face harsh reality. But if he does not find in God love and protection that will fill him with love and inner security so that he can confidently cope with the demands of life, then every time he is faced with a situation that gives rise to anxiety, he will not have the inner strength to resolve it. Instead, he will turn to God. But he will turn to Him as a small child turns to its parents for help. That is, he will turn to God not to find the strength that will help him grow up and learn to cope with the demands of life maturely, but to find that magical connection that will banish his anxiety and free him from personal responsibility.
…When God, the priest, or dogma provides us with everything we need, answers all our questions, and alleviates our anxiety, then we remain children.
…When Freud sarcastically defines God as an “illusion,” he is addressing those people whose idea of God has not gone beyond the image of a substitute parent. Their deity provides them with the protection and security they need, but they are unable or afraid to develop a sense of security and protection for themselves. For these people, God is an “illusion” not because he is not real, but because he is a projection of the fulfillment of their childhood wishes and their longing for an omnipotent source of satisfaction that never disappoints.
Many people need an illusory God because they do not allow God to be real. Just as children do not know their parents for who they really are and believe that their only role is to provide them with protection and reduce their anxiety, so adults perceive God not as a presence that actually helps them grow, but as a God who magically frees them from anxiety and satisfies their needs.
They seek a God who nurtures and loves His children, not because of the quality of that care, but because they have never learned to care for themselves. These people do not connect with God when they feel alive, free, and aware of reality as adults, but when they feel like children. In other words, they draw closest to God when anxiety makes them turn to Him for protection. Or, when they already feel protected, they turn to God primarily to express gratitude for the protection they have been given.”
In this way, God is not “used” for maturation, but only for relief; He does not become a factor in spiritual development, but only a source of security. May notes: “Most of us are familiar with ‘escape,’ in which a person uses spiritual thoughts or practices to avoid dealing with his daily responsibilities. Thus prayer can be used as a sedative, and what appears to be surrender may be nothing more than theologically rationalized passivity or obedience.
Therefore, spiritually we strive for something more: “Virtues are not simply the opposite of vices. They are transformations of emotional movements that, in immature character development, would otherwise create a predisposition to vices”.
Notes
* Kevin Fauteux, Religion’s Encouragement and Inhibition of Psychological Development, 1990.
Excerpt from the book: Άνθρωπος στον φωρίνητας! Προσεγγέτηση τη καινάδοξης Θεολογής και επιστήμων του υχυσιμός, Athens: Εκδόσεις Γρηγόρη, 2006.
Cork Puts EU Fisheries Reform Back on the Table
Ministers meet under Ireland’s EU Presidency as Brussels weighs how to balance sustainability, coastal livelihoods and simpler rules EU fisheries ministers…
Ministers meet under Ireland’s EU Presidency as Brussels weighs how to balance sustainability, coastal livelihoods and simpler rules
EU fisheries ministers are meeting in Cork at a delicate moment for one of the Union’s most contested policy fields: how to protect fish stocks while keeping coastal communities economically viable. The informal gathering under Ireland’s Presidency of the Council is not expected to produce legislation, but it gives governments a political space to shape the next phase of the Common Fisheries Policy after a year of evaluation, pressure for simplification and warnings over slow stock recovery.
The Cork meeting, scheduled for 28 and 29 July, is chaired by Ireland’s Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon. It brings together fisheries ministers, the European Commission and invited institutional representatives, with discussions focused on the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy, fisheries and aquaculture development, and whether the regulatory framework properly reflects the sector’s role.
An informal meeting with formal consequences
Informal Council presidency meetings do not adopt binding decisions. Their political value lies elsewhere: they allow ministers to compare national positions before the Commission turns consultations, evaluations and stakeholder pressure into formal proposals.
That matters because fisheries policy sits at the intersection of exclusive EU competence, national implementation and local dependence. Quotas, control rules, funding instruments and market standards are made in Brussels, but their consequences are felt in ports, processing plants, marine ecosystems and households whose incomes depend on seasonal and often unpredictable work.
The Cork discussion follows the Commission’s 2026 review of the Common Fisheries Policy, which forms the EU’s rulebook for managing fishing fleets and conserving fish stocks. The framework is built around sustainability, scientific advice, maximum sustainable yield, regionalisation, control rules, aquaculture planning and traceability across seafood markets.
The pressure for simplification
Fishing organisations and several coastal states have argued that the policy has become too complex, particularly for smaller operators facing high fuel costs, ageing vessels, labour shortages and competition for maritime space. Their central complaint is not only about quotas, but about whether EU rules are workable enough to support generational renewal and investment.
Environmental organisations and many small-scale fisheries advocates see a different risk. They warn that reopening core rules in the name of simplification could weaken safeguards that have helped reduce overfishing, even if implementation remains uneven. For them, the priority is less a new policy than stronger enforcement of the current one, including fairer access to fishing opportunities and better protection of marine habitats.
This divide is familiar in EU fisheries politics. Previous disputes over tuna management and external fleet activity, including concerns covered by The European Times, show how decisions taken in Brussels can affect not only European vessels but also partner countries, conservation efforts and trust in EU ocean governance.
Aquaculture and coastal communities move higher
The Cork agenda also gives aquaculture a more prominent place. Brussels increasingly treats aquaculture as part of Europe’s food-security, climate and coastal-development strategy, but the sector remains constrained by licensing delays, planning conflicts, public acceptance concerns and uneven national support.
For institutions, the challenge is to design policy that does not frame sustainability and livelihoods as opposing goals. Healthy fish stocks are a social issue as well as an environmental one: depleted seas undermine the very communities that depend on them. At the same time, rules that are too fragmented or slow to apply can push smaller operators out before long-term ecological gains become visible.
The next institutional step is likely to come through the Commission’s forthcoming Vision 2040 for Fisheries and Aquaculture, alongside work on funding, coastal communities and the wider European Ocean Pact. Cork will not settle those questions. But it may help define the limits of the coming debate: how much reform ministers want, how much enforcement Brussels can demand, and whether Europe can build a fisheries policy that is credible both at sea and on shore.
Why Random Discord Leaks Have More Credibility Than Pro Club Press Releases
On June 25, 2026, FaZe Clan confirmed what half the Counter-Strike scene already knew: Helvijs “broky” Saukants was
