Italy can do without Russian gas, says energy minister – POLITICO

This G7 will need to look for innovative models to accelerate investments, including private-public partnerships, Pichetto Fratin said. “We certainly need to revise the financial system, to find mechanisms that overcome the current voluntary system,” he said.   While Italy, which currently holds the rotating G7 presidency, is in a leadership position at this weekend’s … Read more

Serbia’s Vučić apologizes for calling Slovenians ‘disgusting’ – POLITICO

“It’s hard to say who was more disgusting, the Slovenians or someone else,” Vučić said earlier this week. The remarks triggered a swift rebuke from Ljubljana. Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon called them “an insult to our entire nation,” summoned the Serbian chargé d’affaires and demanded an apology. “The message is not suitable for a country … Read more

The impact of AI on disinformation and democracy – POLITICO

We are proud to support POLITICO’s expanded coverage of artificial intelligence (AI) and elections this year through this dedicated series. As a global foundation working to safeguard democracy from digital threats — from illegal data collection to algorithmic polarization — we know the role of AI throughout 2024’s global marathon of elections will shape public … Read more

Why we must de-risk and embrace regenerative farming

Over the past few years, the EU has been at the forefront of the fight against climate change and pushing for sustainability across all its policies. As president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen set the tone by presenting in her political guidelines for 2019-2024 the main pillar of the EU’s work during … Read more

NATO chief says members are responsible for Ukraine’s ammo shortage – POLITICO

“NATO allies are not providing Ukraine with enough ammunition and that has consequences on the battlefield every day,” he added. Stoltenberg also warned that it’s a “huge challenge” as “the Russians are able to outgun the Ukrainians every day.” “It’s one of the reasons why the Russians have been able to make some advances on … Read more

Eliminating cervical cancer to save women’s lives – POLITICO

In an unprecedented era of medical breakthroughs, we now have the possibility to eliminate cervical cancer in Europe. The ‘Advancing Cervical CancEr ScreeningS’ (ACCESS) International Consensus Group on Cervical Cancer, a multidisciplinary coalition at the forefront of this battle, is calling for urgent political action to ensure that this historic opportunity is not lost. Cervical … Read more

Europe’s Socialists scramble for ideas to fight far-right surge – POLITICO

“The very soul of Europe is at risk,” warned Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. During the two-day meeting in Rome, politicians cast around for ideas and strategies to reverse the curve. “We should respond to the worries of our citizens,” Belgian Socialist Party lead candidate Elio Di Rupo told POLITICO, noting that the far right … Read more

Ukraine vows more self-reliance as war enters third year – POLITICO

Ukrainians have questions On the anniversary of Putin’s aggression, however, uncertainty and irritation were undisguised in Kyiv. Ukrainians wanted to know why Western sanctions on Russia are not working, and why Moscow keeps getting components for its missiles from Western companies. Why Ukrainians have to keep asking for weapons; and why the U.S. is not … Read more

Keep calm and talk to me – POLITICO

But, he acknowledged that “the nature of the tension in the agricultural world” means it will take time to resolve. “The agricultural crisis cannot be solved in a few hours. It won’t be resolved during this fair,” the French president said. This comes after Macron on Friday evening canceled a debate scheduled to take place … Read more

Proposed SEP Regulation is a boost for EU innovation – POLITICO

The European Parliament will soon take a position on the proposed EU Regulation on Standard-Essential Patents (SEPs), which aims to address imbalances, inefficiencies and uncertainties in the existing SEP licensing ecosystem. The implementation of such an impactful regulation for EU innovation begs on vital question — does the EU regulation on SEPs support the fundamental … Read more