The proposal for a Global Europe instrument is included in the post-2027 multiannual financial framework (MFF) package, which aims to be simpler than previous regulations and to provide additional flexibility (over and above MFF ceilings). The new instrument merges the Neighbourhood, Development, International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe; the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance, humanitarian aid; the Ukraine Facility, the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans; and the Reform and Growth Facility for Moldova. The impact assessment (IA) focuses on the six corresponding regulations. It falls under the Better Regulation Tool #9 (special case of preparing a new MFF); the scope and depth of analysis are therefore different compared with a non-MFF IA. Although the IA provides an intervention logic and defines the drivers, the problem definition remains vague and unclear. Moreover, the interlinks with objectives and drivers are not detailed in the intervention logic. In accordance with the Better Regulation Requirements, the IA assesses the expected economic, social and environmental impacts for the three policy options. It also compares and rates them against the Better Regulation criteria of effectiveness, efficiency and coherence. Proportionality and subsidiarity are not assessed in the IA, not even in the policy options. In terms of monitoring and evaluation, the IA is limited on data collection methods and on how progress will be measured. The evidence from previous evaluations could have been better integrated in the IA and be used to provide quantitative estimates. The Regulatory Scrutiny Board decided to issue an opinion without qualification given the lack of fundamental elements in this IA. The legislative proposal is aligned with the IA's preferred option. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Energy drinks, widely marketed as performance-enhancing products, contain high levels of caffeine, sugar and stimulants such as taurine and guarana. Rising and excessive consumption among adolescents has raised public health concerns linked to acute cardiovascular effects, sleep disruption and gastrointestinal issues. Although the global energy drink market is expanding rapidly, these beverages still represent a small share of the EU non-alcoholic drinks market. European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) consumption data indicate that adolescents are the age group with the highest consumption of energy drinks, with some of them being high chronic users. At EU level, no product-specific legislation exists. However, Regulation (EU) 1169/2011 requires a mandatory high-caffeine warning label. Industry bodies such as UNESDA (representing the non-alcoholic beverages sector) and Energy Drinks Europe apply voluntary marketing restrictions, particularly concerning children. National rules vary widely. Several EU countries – including Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Hungary and Bulgaria – have introduced bans on sales to minors, while others rely on voluntary retail measures. Outside the EU, diverse regulatory models exist, from strict bans to voluntary guidelines. The European Commission considers EFSA's 2015 scientific opinion on the safety of caffeine sufficient and sees no need for additional EU-level action at this stage. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

According to Eurostat, EU research and development expenditure relative to GDP stood at 2.26 % in 2023, while in comparison it stood respectively at 3.59 % in the United States, and 2.56 % in China (2022). In his 2024 report on the future of European Competitiveness, Mario Draghi identified this gap as one of the root causes of the EU's lack of competitiveness. Against this backdrop, the proposed 10th EU framework programme for research and innovation should help to preserve EU research and innovation ecosystem excellence in producing world-class scientific knowledge, while improving the capacity to exploit such knowledge, in particular by scaling-up innovative technologies and solutions. While the programme's architecture is apparently a continuation of the current 2021-2027 Horizon Europe programme, the creation of a European competitiveness fund creates a specific set of rules and governance that will apply to a substantial part of Horizon collaborative research activities. Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Heavy rains caused a tree branch to snap and fall onto a car at Lavender Street on Tuesday (Dec 2).The incident occurred at 12pm, according to a post on the SG Road Vigilante Facebook page, which included photos of the car.In the pictures, a white Toyota Sienta is seen sandwiched beneath a large tree branch, though it appears to be undamaged. Smaller branches are also seen littering the road around the car.The National Parks Board (NParks) confirmed the incident and said that the Angsana tree branch had snapped during a period of heavy rain and strong winds brought about by a Sumatra squall, in response to queries from the Straits Times.According to the Meteorological Service Singapore, a Sumatra squall is a line of thunderstorms that originate over Indonesia's Sumatra island that typically move towards Singapore and the surrounding region under the influence of southwesterly or westerly winds.NParks said that no injuries were reported and that the road obstruction was cleared at around 1pm.The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) also told Straits Times it did not receive a call for assistance over the incident.

Federica Mogherini has reportedly been taken into custody by Belgian police as part of a probe into alleged misuse of EU funds Read Full Article at RT.com

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said Putin and PM Modi will discuss the joint production of the warplane Read Full Article at RT.com

Airbus has confirmed a limited A320 panel quality issue and said inspections are underway after reports of delivery delays Read Full Article at RT.com

RT India will officially launch its TV broadcast from a state-of-the-art media studio in Delhi Read Full Article at RT.com

Namibian politician Adolf Hitler has moved to change his name, saying it is causing confusion and unwanted associations Read Full Article at RT.com

Ellen DeGeneres and her actress wife Portia De Rossi bought the seven-bedroom Kitesbridge Farm estate in Oxfordshire for £15million in June 2024 before moving in that November.

Technical investigators from the Capital Area Police were still on the scene yesterday after a report of a death in a small apartment building in Kópavogur on Sunday. The man who died was around forty years old and, according to Morgunblaðið’s sources, of Portuguese origin.

TEHRAN – Tehran will play host to the first international artificial intelligence (AI) exhibition, known as AIX Expo, which is scheduled to be held from January 12 to 15, 2026, at Tehran Permanent International Fairgrounds.

TEHRAN – The national campaign to promote healthy eating habits will kick off on December 6 and will run for over two weeks.

TEHRAN –The 13th exhibition of Iranian-made laboratory equipment and materials called ‘IRAN LAB EXPO’ is scheduled to be held from December 13 to 16 at Tehran Permanent International Fairgrounds.

TEHRAN – A total of 154 earthquakes were recorded across the country in a week from November 22 to 28, according to the seismological networks of the Institute of Geophysics of the University of Tehran.

Le centre de santé de cette localité, construit entre 1972 symbolise aujourd'hui l'abandon des services publics dans un secteur aussi essentiel que celui de la santé. Délabrement avancé et infrastructures vétustes Dès le premier regard, l'état du centre de santé d'Iboundji offre un spectacle désolant. Les murs fissurés et la toiture laisse à désirer et fait pénétrer de l'eau lors des pluies. Ce qui témoigne d'un délabrement avancé. Le plafond éventré à certains endroits, marqué par les (...) - INFRASTRUCTURES / SUJET_ECRIT_MAISON

La commune de Bitam a vibré dernièrement au rythme de la Journée Inter-Établissements des Métiers 2025, organisée par la Dynamique Essap, dont le président, Lilian Ndong Edzang, a été le moteur. L'événement visait à renforcer l'orientation scolaire et professionnelle des élèves du secondaire et à créer des passerelles avec les formations supérieures et techniques. La cérémonie a été rehaussée par la participation de Monsieur Maurice Ntossui Allogo, ministre et fils de la localité. Dans (...) - SOCIETE / SUJET_ECRIT_MAISON

Dmitry Peskov recalled that Russian border guards are deployed to Tajikistan

Dmitry Peskov expects that Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to India «will be successful»

Vladimir Zelensky also said that Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov and other members of the negotiating team «reported on the main points of emphasis of the US side in the dialogue»

Concerns of Belgium and objections of the European Central Bank «did not influence the sequence of actions of the European Commission»

According to Alexander Stepanov, the liberation of Volchansk is part of the creation of a buffer zone that pushes back the front and reduces the risk of sabotage by the enemy

The asylum seeker, 20, insisted he can't return to Iran because he had a secret affair with his brother's wife for nine months while they were all living in the same family home.

The former This Morning host, 44, had been accused of committing the offence at the wheel of her vehicle near her £3million home in London on August 28.

Senior officials from the OBR said they had to 'set the record straight' on what forecasts the Chancellor had been given after 'unhelpful' information appeared in the media.

Hugh, who was an architect by trade, passed away 'suddenly' at home on Monday evening, his husband Martin Corbett confirmed yesterday.

Visitor Anni Bronning shared a clip on TikTok of chaotically busy scenes in the city's Christmas market, captioning it: 'Packed like sardines and no pubs have any tables. What a hellscape!'

Stay in the know with a recap of our top stories today.1. 3 in 5 employers plan to freeze hiring in 2026: SNEF surveyAmid a more volatile business environment, close to three in five employers (58 per cent) plan to freeze hiring in 2026 - up from 50 per cent in 2025 - a survey by the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) showed... » READ MORE2. 'Could we award 2 winners?' Anita Yuen faces dilemma as jury at Singapore's inaugural Golden Singa Awards

The founder and former director of Agritrade International, Ng Say Peck, was arrested on Monday (Dec 1) after five years on the run and charged in court with 10 counts of cheating the next day.The 72-year-old Singaporean allegedly cheated digital financing platform Funding Societies after entering a credit facility arrangement in 2019, according to a statement by the police.At the time, Funding Societies was issued finance invoices assigned to Agritrade International.The platform made over 10 transactions between August and November 2019, and subsequently transferred a cumulative sum of $8 million to Agritrade International.According to the police, the invoices were only discovered to be fictitious after investigations.Investigations by the Commercial Affairs Department into Agritrade International for trade financing fraud commenced in January 2020 after the police received multiple reports lodged by various entities, including banks and finance companies that had extended credit facilities to Agritrade International for the purposes of trade financing.Ng fled the country shortly before the commencement of police investigations.

The federal government suspended the regulations meant to rein in Canada’s worst polluter, but it hasn’t explained how it is going to ensure the country’s climate goals will be met. Carbon pricing, though, is expected to play a dominant role.

The five-bed palliative care hospital unit in Lunenburg, N.S., is still searching for staff, four years after it was first announced.