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Nigeria is aiming to qualify for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics after its men's and women's teams were victorious at the inaugural African Flag Football Championship.

Le label « Made in Algeria » commence à faire parler de lui bien au-delà des frontières nationales. En 2025, sept produits algériens connaissent une […]

L’article Exportations hors hydrocarbures : ces 7 produits algériens dominent les ventes 2025 est apparu en premier sur .

A Kakpouihoué, localité située dans la commune de Toviklin, département du Plateau, deux jeunes hommes ont été interpellés vendredi 20 juin 2025, par la police. Ils ont proposé des organes humains à un dignitaire religieux.

De jeunes gens dans les mailles de la police pour tentative de trafic d'organes humains. Au nombre de deux, ils ont proposé la vente d'un cœur humain « frais » et « une bouteille contenant du sang humain » à un dignitaire religieux. Ce dernier décline l'offre macabre, et alerte la police qui procède à leur interpellation.
Après leur garde à vue, ils seront présentés au Procureur de la République pour répondre de leurs actes.

F. A. A.

Die Konjunktur in der Eurozone stagnierte im Juni – ausgelöst durch wachsende Sorgen, dass der eskalierende Konflikt zwischen Israel und dem Iran Wachstum bremst und die Inflation erneut anheizt.

Samedi, le gouvernement américain a annoncé qu'il se joignait à l'offensive israélienne visant à stopper le programme nucléaire iranien.

Samedi, le gouvernement américain a annoncé qu'il se joignait à l'offensive israélienne visant à stopper le programme nucléaire iranien.

Written by Pieter Baert.

Financing defence spending

Following Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, defence spending by EU Member States rose sharply, from 1.2 % of GDP to an estimated 1.9 % in 2024. Nevertheless, the protracted war in Ukraine and other security challenges, including evolving US foreign policy priorities, have forced EU Member States to double down on rearmament and the development of a robust defence industrial base. With an elevated defence spending target expected to be agreed upon at the forthcoming NATO summit in June, this task arrives at a challenging time for many EU Member States, marked by muted economic growth, high deficits and competing spending priorities such as an ageing population and the green transition. To respond to this new geopolitical reality, several options are being considered, including issuing joint or national debt, reallocating budget funds (national or EU), or generating additional revenue through (new) taxes. Given the uncertain outlook, such financing will be structural rather than temporary. The EU’s economic governance framework permits a degree of flexibility through the national escape clause, enabling Member States to deviate from fiscal rules under exceptional circumstances beyond their control; in this case, it would be to accommodate increased defence spending while ensuring overall fiscal sustainability.

Against this backdrop, taxation represents a key policy instrument. EU Member States have significant autonomy to adjust their tax systems as they see fit, as taxation is an area of national competence. They can choose to adjust their direct taxes, such as personal and corporate income taxes, or rely on indirect taxes, such as VAT or excise duties, taking into account their own national tax mix, tax burden and policy preferences. Aside from implementing new or elevated taxes, strengthening the fight against tax fraud and avoidance, and improving tax collection efficiency may also significantly bolster tax receipts (for instance, EU Member States lose €89 billion in VAT revenue each year). Naturally, strengthening the EU defence industrial base would also generate additional fiscal and economic effects through tax revenues and overall economic activity.

Some Member States have recently introduced dedicated tax measures, in order to boost financing for military support (see Table 1 below).

Table 1 – Tax measures adopted by selected Member States to support defence spending

Member StateTax measuresEstoniaThe national parliament adopted a Security Tax Act in December 2024, introducing tax increases to finance additional military support: The standard VAT rate will be increased from 22 % to 24 %, effective from July 2025.A 2 % security surcharge will be levied on corporate profits and personal income from January 2026. However, the new Estonian coalition government has announced its intention to abolish this measure.LatviaThe country has imposed a mandatory ‘solidarity contribution‘ requirement on credit institutions to help bolster its defence efforts. The measure covers the period from 2025 to 2027.LithuaniaA defence fund package, agreed upon in June 2024, comprises several tax measures aimed at increasing defence funding. These measures, which have been in force since January 2025, include: raising the corporate income tax rate by one percentage point to 16 % for businesses, and to 6 % for small businessesraising the excise duties on alcohol, tobacco and energy products such as petrol and diesel;extending by one year the application period for a temporary solidarity contribution by credit institutions.

The urgency of these measures also raises the question of how swiftly tax systems can be adjusted to meet sudden increases in revenue requirements. Changes to the income tax framework are typically introduced at the start of a fiscal year to ensure consistency with accounting practices and to avoid political and legal concerns about retroactive taxation. Adjusting VAT rates is somewhat easier to implement at shorter notice, as companies remit VAT on a monthly or quarterly basis. While VAT rate increases carry significant revenue potential, they may also give rise to concerns about their regressive impact. Health or environmental taxes can generate substantial short-term revenue and support broader national objectives, but their long-term reliability may be uncertain due to behavioural changes that result in reduced taxable activities.

However, securing sustainable financing is just one aspect of the challenge at hand. The production of weapons, military technology and related infrastructure will require significant strengthening of the defence industrial base in Europe. In this context, the fiscal needs of the defence sector may align with broader calls from corporate taxpayers in general for a simplified, more efficient tax compliance framework. In March 2025, the Council of the EU called on the European Commission to present a road map by the end of the third quarter of 2025 aimed at reducing reporting burdens for taxpayers, eliminating outdated and overlapping tax provisions, improving the clarity of tax legislation and streamlining the application of tax rules and procedures, and thereby enhancing the business environment across all sectors.

Additionally, given the defence industry’s heavy reliance on research and development (R&D), ensuring that existing R&D tax incentives are both effective and easy to administer will be crucial for supporting innovation capacity within the sector.

VAT provisions

As a general rule, the supply of goods or services to, or the import of goods by defence authorities or their armed forces for their activities is subject to VAT in the EU. However, subject to certain conditions, Article 151(1) of the EU VAT Directive provides for a VAT exemption on supplies made to the armed forces (and the civilian staff accompanying them) of one NATO member state stationed in an EU country that is another NATO member state, whenever these armed forces and civilian staff are participating in a common NATO defence effort. The exemption also applies to the armed forces (and the civilian staff accompanying them) of an EU Member State involved in an activity under the EU common security and defence policy in another Member State. Cooperative defence projects and programmes run in the European Defence Agency are also exempt from VAT, subject to certain conditions. Additionally, the recently adopted Security Action for Europe (SAFE) instrument – a €150 billion financial tool to boost EU Member States’ defence industrial production – includes provisions for VAT exemption on defence products procured through this instrument.

Read this ‘at a glance note’ on ‘Tax challenges facing the European defence union‘ in the Think Tank pages of the European Parliament.

Aujourd’hui dans Les Capitales : la Commission tergiverse sur la directive sur le « greenwashing », le lobby du tabac à l'offensive, les pays de l'UE appellent à des négociations entre Israël et l'Iran, le Premier ministre canadien est à Bruxelles.

The post Les Capitales : La Commission pose ses conditions à la directive sur le « greenwashing » appeared first on Euractiv FR.

This high-level policy debate will convene key actors to discuss the critical role of research and innovation in helping to drive Europe’s green transition and enhancing its competitiveness, resilience and strategic autonomy.

Módosult a  „HU-RIZONT Nemzetközi Kiválósági Kutatási Együttműködési Program” című, 2025-1.2.1-HU-RIZONT kódszámú pályázati felhívás.  

The recent surge in oil prices could further hamper growth across the euro area, analysts said – and Iran’s threatened closure of the Strait of Hormuz would make things even worse.

Le ministre de l’Industrie, Sifi Ghrieb, a annoncé, lors d’une visite de travail dans la wilaya de Djelfa, le lancement des “mesures concrètes” pour la […]

L’article Avec sa cimenterie à 50 milliards DA, Djelfa sera un « pôle industriel par excellence » est apparu en premier sur .

Cette décision porte un nouveau coup à la directive sur les allégations environnementales, dite « green claims », déjà malmenée par la Commission européenne.

The post L’Italie retire son soutien à la loi européenne contre le « greenwashing » appeared first on Euractiv FR.

Le commissariat de l'arrondissement de Pahou a mené une série d'opérations coup de poing du 16 au 21 juin 2025 pour démanteler des réseaux de trafic de stupéfiants dans les quartiers sensibles.

Les opérations effectuées à Dénou, Akadjamey, Pahou-Centre, Houndjava et Hêvié-Liclan du 16 au 21 juin 2025 par le commissariat d'arrondissement de Pahou ont permis de démanteler plusieurs ghettos. Des lieux dissimulés derrière des façades de bars, boutiques ou habitations.

Les agents de police ont mis la main sur du chanvre indien, des comprimés de Tramadol, Tapentadol, Royal et King 225. Du matériel d'emballage et une somme de 400 000 francs CFA ont également été confisqués.

Les individus arrêtés ont été placés en garde-à-vue. Ils seront présentés au Procureur dans les prochains jours.

Le commissariat de Pahou entend poursuivre ces opérations pour sécuriser les zones à risque et freiner l'expansion du trafic de drogues dans l'arrondissement.
M. M.

A young Afghan girl studies at home following the Taliban’s banning of women and girls from pursuing secondary education. Credit: UNICEF/Amin Meerzad

By Oritro Karim
UNITED NATIONS, Jun 23 2025 (IPS)

Nearly four years ago, the Taliban took control of Afghanistan and issued a series of edicts that significantly restricted women’s rights nationwide. This has resulted in a multifaceted humanitarian crisis, one marked by a notable decline in civic freedoms, stunted national development, and a widespread lack of basic services.

On June 17, UN-Women published its 2024 Afghanistan Gender Index, a comprehensive report that details the gender disparities and worsening humanitarian conditions for women and girls across the country. According to the report, the edicts issued by the Taliban have restricted women’s rights to the point that women and girls in the country have fallen far below the global benchmarks for human development.

“Since [2021], we have witnessed a deliberate and unprecedented assault on the rights, dignity and very existence of Afghan women and girls. And yet, despite near-total restrictions on their lives, Afghan women persevere,” said Sofia Calltorp, UN Women’s Chief of Humanitarian Action. “The issue of gender inequality in Afghanistan didn’t start with the Taliban. Their institutionalised discrimination is layered on top of deep-rooted barriers that also hold women back.”

It is estimated that women in Afghanistan have 76 percent fewer rights than men in areas such as health, education, financial independence, and decision-making. In addition, Afghan women are afforded, on average, 17 percent of their rights while women worldwide have 60.7 percent.

This disparity is projected to further widen following the Taliban’s ban on women holding positions in the health sector, removing one of the final strongholds for female autonomy in Afghanistan. Today, roughly 78 percent of Afghan women lack access to any form of formal education, employment, or training, nearly four times the rate for Afghan men. UN Women projects that the rate of secondary school completion for girls will soon fall to zero percent for girls and women.

Furthermore, Afghanistan has one of the widest workforce gaps in the world, with 89 percent of men having roles in the labour force, compared to 24 percent of women. Women are more likely to work in domestic roles and have lower-paying, more insecure jobs. Additionally, there are zero women that hold roles in national or local decision-making bodies, effectively excluding them entirely from having their voices heard on a governmental level.

“Afghanistan’s greatest resource is its women and girls,” said UN Women’s Executive Director Sima Bahous. “Their potential continues to be untapped, yet they persevere. Afghan women are supporting each other, running businesses, delivering humanitarian aid and speaking out against injustice. Their courage and leadership are reshaping their communities, even in the face of immense restrictions.”

The exclusion of all Afghan women from the workforce has had significant impacts on the local economy. According to the United Nations Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG), since 2021 Afghanistan’s economy has seen losses of up to 1 billion USD per year, representing roughly 5 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product. This has led to an overall increase in poverty levels and food insecurity.

“Overlapping economic, political, and humanitarian crises — all with women’s rights at their core — have pushed many households to the brink. In response – often out of sheer necessity — more women are entering the workforce,” Calltorp said.

Furthermore, women in Afghanistan lack any form of economic independence. UN Women estimates that only 6.8 percent of women have access to basic financial resources such as bank accounts and mobile money services. Edicts that prevent women from accessing financial independence will leave the vast majority of Afghan women unequipped for a self-sustainable future.

Afghanistan has also seen a significant surge in rates of gender-based violence since the Taliban’s rise to power. According to the report, Afghan women are exposed to nearly three times the global average rates of intimate-partner violence. Other practices, such as forced and child marriages and honor killings, exacerbate the national levels of gender inequality. Amnesty International states that non-compliance often results in retaliation from the Taliban, with women and girls facing arrests, rape, and torture.

In November 2023, Afghanistan’s de-facto Ministry of Public Health banned women’s access to psychosocial support services, leaving the vast majority of victims of gender-based violence without the adequate resources to recover while perpetrators receive impunity. Additionally, the elimination of women’s healthcare, including women’s access to reproductive health and education services, has made it difficult for many women to find basic care.

Due to these challenges, UN Women believes that Afghan women are less likely than men to live the majority of their lives in good health. It is estimated that the life expectancy of Afghan women is far lower than the global average and is projected to worsen in the coming years.

According to CIVICUS Global Alliance, current civic space conditions in Afghanistan are listed as “closed”, representing one of the worst environments for civic freedoms in the world. Josef Benedict, the Monitor Asia Researcher of CIVICUS, states that the women’s rights issues in Afghanistan have deteriorated to the point that it resembles a “gender apartheid”.

“There has been severe repression and systemic gender-based discrimination faced by Afghan women and girls under the Taliban. Women and girls are being systematically erased from public life and are being denied fundamental human rights, including access to employment, education, and opportunities for political and social engagement,” said Benedict.

“The international community must do more to provide support for women and girls in and from Afghanistan by calling for dismantling of the institutionalized system of gender oppression, ensure the representative, equal, meaningful and safe participation of Afghan women in all discussions concerning the country’s future and support community-led initiatives promoting gender equality and women’s rights.”

Additionally, activists and dissenters are routinely punished by the Taliban, facing harassment, intimidation, and violence. Journalists are often targeted, underscoring the risks of speaking out against a repressive government in an increasingly volatile environment.

“The rating is also due to the crackdown on press freedom,” said Benedict. “Nearly four years on, governments have failed to ensure a strong, united international response to counter the Taliban’s extreme repression, take steps to hold the Taliban accountable or to effectively support Afghan activists in the country and those in exile.”

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

La consommation d’électricité des centres de données a doublé en cinq ans. D’ici 2030, ils pourraient absorber l’équivalent de la production d’une centrale nucléaire. Une évolution qui inquiète les experts.

On Tuesday, June 17, the FfD4 Preparatory Committee approved the Compromiso de Sevilla as outcome document of the FfD4 conference. The agreement came surprisingly early, arriving almost two weeks before the start of the conference in Seville. The document itself is lacking in many respects. However, achieving an agreement supported by all countries except the U.S. is, in the current situation, already an achievement.

On Tuesday, June 17, the FfD4 Preparatory Committee approved the Compromiso de Sevilla as outcome document of the FfD4 conference. The agreement came surprisingly early, arriving almost two weeks before the start of the conference in Seville. The document itself is lacking in many respects. However, achieving an agreement supported by all countries except the U.S. is, in the current situation, already an achievement.

On Tuesday, June 17, the FfD4 Preparatory Committee approved the Compromiso de Sevilla as outcome document of the FfD4 conference. The agreement came surprisingly early, arriving almost two weeks before the start of the conference in Seville. The document itself is lacking in many respects. However, achieving an agreement supported by all countries except the U.S. is, in the current situation, already an achievement.

Trois (03) membres présumés d'un réseau de voleurs de motocyclettes ont été interpellés dans la nuit du vendredi 20 au samedi 21 juin 2025 par les éléments du commissariat de Godomey.

Un individu, au guidon d'une moto de marque Haojue, a tenté de fuir à la vue d'une patrouille de police dans la nuit du vendredi 20 au samedi 21 juin 2025.

Poursuivi et arrêté, le suspect se montre incohérent sur la provenance de la moto. Mais il finit par avouer être membre d'un réseau spécialisé dans le vol de motos et les cambriolages.

Sur la base de ces aveux, deux autres individus sont interpellés dans la même nuit.

Deux motocyclettes supplémentaires, d'origine douteuse, sont retrouvées en leur possession.

Une victime a formellement reconnu l'une des motos saisies.

Les trois suspects ont été placés en garde-à-vue.

La Police poursuit son enquête pour identifier les autres membres du réseau.
M. M.