The EU’s new Entry/Exit System for border control is operational since12 October 2025. It applies to non-EU travellers entering or leaving the EU and will replace passport stamping with digital records. Phased in progressively over six months, it will make travelling smoother and safer for all.
António Guterres expressed his “deep relief” that the hostages had been released, two years after they were among the approximately 250 captured during the terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas in Israel on October 7, 2023, before highlighting their “immense suffering”.
The UN secretary-general’s comments came as he traveled to Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt with world leaders for the Gaza peace summit. The international meeting was convened after the withdrawal of Israeli forces from parts of Gaza, in accordance with an agreement between Israel and Hamas, negotiated in Egypt by American mediators and representatives of Qatar and Turkey.
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At the same time, UN humanitarian agencies have reported significant positive developments in the delivery of aid to Gaza.
“Our scale-up of humanitarian assistance to Gaza is on track,” the UN humanitarian agency said. OCHAwho said he had obtained Israeli approval for 190,000 tons of food, shelter items, medicine and other supplies to enter the Gaza Strip, 20,000 more than previously agreed.
For the first time since March, cooking gas was allowed to enter the Gaza Strip.
Additionally, “more tents for displaced families, frozen meat, fresh fruit, flour and medicine also entered Gaza throughout the day on Sunday,” OCHA said in an update.
Importantly, the humanitarian agency said its workers and partners were now able to move more easily “across multiple areas” – a welcome development following continued access restrictions imposed by Israeli authorities.
This allowed humanitarian teams to preposition medical and emergency supplies “where they are most needed”, the UN agency said, in addition to assessing main roads for explosion risks and supporting displaced families in flood-prone areas ahead of winter.
“This is just the beginning. As part of our plan for the first 60 days of the ceasefire, the UN and its partners will expand the scale and scope of our operations to provide vital aid and services to virtually everyone in Gaza,” OCHA continued.
This development is part of a broader humanitarian plan to increase essential services in food, health, water, shelter and education. described by UN emergency relief chief Tom Fletcher. Its key elements:
Two years of extreme violence and constant Israeli bombardment have left many families without a home to return to.
The violence has also created vast physical and psychological needs across Gaza, which UN agencies are already responding to.
UNICEFthe United Nations Children’s Fund, stressed that “the million” young people in the Gaza Strip are in need of mental health and psychosocial support.
The war has devastated young people’s sense of security, development and well-being, the UN agency insisted, with many experiencing “severe symptoms of stress” such as withdrawal, nightmares and bedwetting.
To help children heal and overcome their fears, UNICEF supports a self-help program in which trainers show children how to use stress management techniques to release and process painful thoughts and images.
One of these devices is an imaginary “safety button” that children can press when they feel overwhelmed by their situation.
“Whenever I was scared, I would put my hand on the safety button and breathe in and out deeply. It gave me a lot of relief,” said Anas, 15, one of the children helped by the program.
By 2025, UNICEF said eight out of ten young people in the program had a reduction in traumatic stress symptoms.
Originally published at Almouwatin.com
Overruns in project costs are a chronic issue for Australian firms in every industry. Whether a construction business
The EU issued a statement welcoming the agreement on the first phase of the Comprehensive Plan to end the Gaza conflict, which secures an immediate ceasefire and the release of all hostages, and commits to supporting its full implementation.
Innovation is Europe’s most renewable resource – yet still underused. Talent is everywhere, but opportunities are not always within reach. The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) changes this by linking ideas with impact, talent with markets, and emerging regions with established hubs.
The EIT Innovation Awards 2025 showcase this mission with three flagship events coming together under one banner for the first time:
Together, these initiatives reflect the full circle of European innovation: no region left behind, every innovator recognised, no good idea unsupported. By connecting countries, sectors, and stages of development, the EIT acts as Europe’s bridge – from East to West, North to South, from the earliest pitch to global breakthrough.
The United Nations children’s agency, UNICEFreceived reports that the attack occurred at a facility housing families displaced by the ongoing conflict in the region. Twenty-one other children were reportedly injured.
According to media reports, up to 60 people were killed in Saturday’s assault by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), who have been fighting the Sudanese army since April 2023. The conflict has created a humanitarian catastrophe, with tens of millions of people living in conditions of acute famine.
“This devastating attack on children and families already displaced and seeking safety is a scandal,” said Catherine Russell, Executive Director of UNICEF. “Killing and injuring children are serious violations of their rights, and attacks on civilians in places meant to provide safety and refuge are unacceptable. »
El Fasher has been under siege by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for more than 500 days, with severe restrictions on movement, access to food, water and medical care. Civilians, including many children, faced repeated bombings and deteriorating living conditions.
Several areas of North Darfur have been experiencing famine for months, and the food security and child nutrition situation in the state has reached catastrophic levels. Families survive on minimal rations and severe acute malnutrition among children is sharply increasing. Health facilities report that preventable child deaths linked to hunger and disease are increasing. Disruption of supply routes, looting of aid convoys and denial of humanitarian access have made sustained relief efforts almost impossible.
Following these attacks, UNICEF reiterated calls for an immediate ceasefire and lifting of the siege, safe passage for civilians fleeing violence, unhindered humanitarian access to affected populations, and accountability for those responsible for attacks on civilians.
Originally published at Almouwatin.com
The President of the European Council, António Costa, will attend the “Sharm El-Sheikh Summit for Peace” on Monday 13 October on behalf of the European Union.
Researchers at McMaster University have discovered that a rare but dangerous reaction to a widely used blood thinner Source link
Researchers at McMaster University have discovered that a rare but dangerous reaction to a widely used blood thinner
In a significant boost to energy and water security in Central Asia, the European Union together with partners announced new investments in hydropower infrastructure in Central Asia. Particularly, the Kambarata-1 hydropower plant megaproject in Kyrgyzstan marked noticeable progress, with a total of €900 million in Memoranda of Understanding signed between the EU, European Investment Bank (EIB), and Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, and an unveiled feasibility study co-funded by the EU and implemented by the World Bank. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) also signed Memoranda of Understanding with Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan and is considering an overall financing package of €1.3 billion in support of the project.
These new investments will further improve electricity access and unlock economic opportunities for the local population. The announcements were made during the Global Gateway Forum that takes place on 9-10 October in Brussels.
European Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jozef Síkela, welcomed the new announcements: “During my recent mission across Central Asia, I have very well learned the importance of water for the stability of the whole region. Smart investments in Hydropower plant can improve the access to reliable and affordable electricity, generate income for local people, while supporting sustainable agriculture and protecting people’s health and the environment. We are proud to support the future construction of the Kambarata-1 hydropower plant that is key to energy production in Central Asia. Our new investments strengthen the strategic partnership between the EU and Central Asian countries.”
“Enabled by guarantees from the European Commission, the EIB as the climate bank is backing infrastructure that strengthens regional energy cooperation in Central Asia. We see the potential of the Kambarata-1 hydropower plant project as instrumental in expanding renewable electricity trade in the region, fostering economic development, and enhancing energy security,” says EIB Vice-President Kyriacos Kakouris, who oversees the Bank’s operations in Central Asia. These partnerships underscore the European Union’s commitment to deepening its strategic partnership with Central Asia, based on mutual respect and delivering shared benefits for people and the planet.”
“Kambarata-1 hydropower plant is a flagship regional project for Central Asia, enhancing energy and water security and supporting the expansion of renewable energy. The EBRD, as a leading investor in all participating countries, is pleased to support regional connectivity and effective water management, with the EU and partners,” says EBRD President Odile Renaud-Basso.
In a Team Europe approach that brings together the European Union, its Member States, finance institutions and private sector, the EU is working together with Central Asia to improve regional coordination on water management. This cooperation also unleashes the region’s hydropower potential, including through the Team Europe Initiative on Water, Energy and Climate Change. It aims to address water and energy challenges, improve regional cooperation, and foster a green and blue transition in Central Asia.
At the Forum, the EU showcased the impact of the regional green transition and national energy sector reforms, in the context of the Team Europe Initiative on Water, Energy and Climate Change in Central Asia. The participants also discussed the way forward for the two planned Global Gateway projects in the region: Kambarata-1 and Rogun hydropower plants.
Background
The Kambarata-1 hydropower plant
This transformative energy megaproject is under preparation on the Naryn River in Kyrgyzstan. It will be the largest hydropower facility in the country and one of the most important in Central Asia. Once completed, it could significantly enhance Kyrgyzstan’s energy security, foster regional cooperation, and contribute to the region’s economic development. As a greenfield project, it has already garnered the interest by international donors, including the EU, the European Investment Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the Italian development bank Cassa Depositi e Prestiti as Team Europe who reaffirm their position as a central partner for renewable energy production.
The Rogun hydropower plant
This clean energy megaproject – the highest dam in the world – is key for Tajikistan and the entire Central Asia region. It could double the country’s energy production by 2032, address domestic shortages, advance the region’s decarbonisation, and allow for regional electricity export. Led by the World Bank, the EU and several donors are building together a sustainable foundation for this project. Several European companies are also actively participating in the project.
Global Gateway Forum
The Global Gateway Forum brings together an assembly of leaders from the European Union and across the globe, alongside key stakeholders from the private sector, civil society, thought leaders, financial institutions, and international organisations to promote global investment in infrastructure – hard and soft – to deliver on the SDGs and sustainable growth and resilience worldwide.
Global Gateway
Global Gateway is the EU’s positive offer to reduce the worldwide investment disparity and boost smart, clean and secure connections in digital, energy and transport sectors, and to strengthen health, education and research systems.
The Global Gateway strategy embodies a Team Europe approach that brings together the European Union, EU Member States, and European development finance institutions. Together, we aim to mobilise up to €300 billion in public and private investments from 2021 to 2027, creating essential links rather than dependencies, and closing the global investment gap.
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