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Inflation in the European countries using the euro currency has broken into double digits as prices for electricity and natural gas soar, signaling a looming winter recession for one of the globes major economies as higher prices undermine consumers spending power.

Consumer prices in the 19-country eurozone rose a record 10% in September from a year earlier, up from an annual 9.1% in August, EU statistics agency Eurostat reported Friday. Only a year ago inflation was as low as 3.4%. Price increases are at their highest level since record-keeping for the euro started in 1997.

Energy prices were the main culprit, rising 40.8% over a year ago. Food, alcohol and tobacco jumped 11.8%Inflation has been fueled by steady cutbacks in supplies of natural gas from Russia and by bottlenecks in getting supplies of raw materials and parts as the global economy bounces back from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Russian cutbacks have sent gas prices soaring to the point where energy-intensive businesses such as fertilizer and steel say they can no longer make some products at a profit.

Meanwhile, high prices for utility bills, food and fuel are leaving consumers with less money to spend on other things. That is the main reason economists are predicting a recession, or a serious and long-lasting downturn in economic activity, for the end of this year and the first months of next year.

The European Central Bank is raising interest rates to combat inflation by keeping higher prices from being baked into peoples expectations for wages and prices, but cant by itself lower energy prices.

European officials say the cutbacks in pipeline gas from Russias state-owned exporter Gazprom are energy blackmail aimed at pressuring and dividing European governments over Western sanctions against Russia and their support for Ukraine, including weapons deliveries. Higher gas prices feed through into higher heating bills and higher electricity costs because natural gas is used to generate power, heat homes and run factories.

Prices in Germany, the largest single eurozone economy, rose 10.9%, hitting double digits for the first time in decades. Germany plans to spend up to 200 billion euros ($195 billion) helping consumers and businesses cope with surging gas bills. Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Thursday that the government was reactivating an economic stabilizing fund previously used during the global financial crisis and the coronavirus pandemic.

Shoppers at a weekly outdoor market in Cologne, Germany, said higher food prices and utility bills were on their minds. Im already looking a lot more for special offers, said Myriam Maierhofer, a 64-year-old trainer and coach for staff development. I dont throw away so much so quickly, so Ive become more economical with food. And this morning, I also turned down the heating in the rooms again.

Christian Schrader, 35, is less worried about food prices but said that you start to think about which rooms need to be heated in the flat and try to explain to the children that we only play in one room. A bigger worry was the social dimension, he said. Inflation has often been a driver for social division, for extreme tendencies, for populism. This dimension worries me more.

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Inflation hits record 10% in 19 European Union countries using euro - The Indian Express

ASTANA Kazakh Commissioner for Human Rights Elvira Azimova addressed the current cooperation agenda with European Union (EU) partners during her working visit to Brussels, reported the Commissioners press service on Sept. 29.

Elvira Azimova, Commissioner for Human Rights in Kazakhstan and EU Special Representatives for Human Rights Eamon Gilmore. Photo credit: Commissioner for Human Rights in Kazakhstan press service

Azimova met with officials from the European Commission and the European Parliament (EP) and experts from several European institutions engaged in human rights protection.

European politicians were briefed on the recent adoption of the new constitutional law on the Commissioner for Human Rights, which aims to strengthen the competence of an Ombudsperson in Kazakhstan and increase the efficiency of its future activities. They also supported direct contact with the countrys National Center for Human Rights.

During the meetings with the EU Special Representative for Central Asia Terhi Hakala and the EUs Special Representative for Human Rights Eamon Gilmore, Azimova discussed enhancing collaboration in democracy and human rights protection based on Kazakhstan and the EUs 2015 Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement.

Kazakhstans Commissioner for Human Rights discussed top priority initiatives to strengthen the fundamentals of the rule of law in the country with the Deputy Managing Director of the European External Action Service for the Eastern Partnership, Russia, the Caucasus, and Central Asia, Luc Devigne.

Azimova addressed issues of cooperation between Kazakhstan and the EU in the sphere of human rights at a meeting with members of the EPs Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET), the Sub-committee on Human Rights (DROI), and the Delegation for Collaboration with Central Asia and Mongolia (DCAS). The parties agreed to have additional online conversations with the DROI leadership on Kazakhstans ongoing reforms. EP member Karsten Luke said the European Parliament follows Kazakhstans democratic reforms and values Astanas stance on current international issues.

During meetings, Azimova and the EU partners also discussed measures on tackling domestic violence, such as the police introducing a risk assessment system to prevent relapse.

Additionally, Azimova met with specialists from the International Partnership for Human Rights and the World Organization Against Torture to discuss international collaboration in preventing torture. The European interlocutors expressed interest in expanding cooperation with Kazakhstans Ministry of Justice in connection with transferring a new mandate to this state body from the countrys law enforcement agencies to rectify criminal law and criminal procedure-related legislation.

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Kazakhstans Human Rights Ombudswoman Discusses Cooperation With European Union During Visit to Brussels - Astana Times

About the Event

Ambassador of the European Union to the United States Stavros Lambrinidis and a delegation of European Ambassadors to the United States, including Ambassador Mariangela Zappia of Italy, Ambassador Audra Plepyte of Lithuania, and Ambassador Andrei Muraru of Romania will join the Foreign Policy Research Institute and the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia for a discussion on how Russias invasion of Ukraine has impacted the European Union, and how the E.U. is responding to multiple overlapping challenges while remaining a nimble and reliable partner for the United States.

This discussion will be moderated by Ronald J. Granieri, Executive Director of FPRI's Center for the Study of America and the West.

This event will be held in person, at the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia, and virtually, via Zoom.

Space is limited and registration is required. The deadline for in-person registration is Friday, September 30, 2022, at 1:00 PM

Stavros Lambrinidis - His Excellency Ambassador Stavros Lambrinidis has been the Ambassador of the European Union to the United States since March 1, 2019.

Mariangela Zappia - Mariangela Zappia is the Italian Ambassador to the United States of America. A career diplomat with over thirty-five years of experience, she is the first woman in her country to hold this position, as she was the first woman Permanent Representative of Italy to the United Nations in New York and to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) (2018-2021).

Audra Plepyte - Ambassador Audra Plepyte is a Lithuanian career diplomat, ambassador. On 21 April 2021 she was nominated as Lithuanian ambassador to the United States. From May 2021 Lithuanian Ambassador to the United States of America and to the United Mexican States.

Andrei Muraru - Andrei Muraru has been accredited by the President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Romania to the United States on July 7, 2021. The President of the United States of America, Joe Biden, accepted his Letters of Credence on September 15, 2021.

Ronald J. Granieri - Dr. Ronald J. Granieri is the Executive Director of FPRIs Center for the Study of America and the West,and host of People, Politics, and Prose,a monthly series of events.

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Russia's War in Ukraine: Impacts on the European Union - FPRI Events - Foreign Policy Research Institute

Sanaa, 29 September 2022 UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, welcomes a 9.4 million humanitarian contribution from the European Union (EU). The funding will assist nearly a million of the most vulnerable women, girls and displaced people in Yemen with emergency relief, life-saving reproductive health care and mental health services. The funds are critical for the continuation of these services at a time when UNFPAs humanitarian response is being challenged by limited financing and growing humanitarian needs.

At present, an estimated 8.1 million women and girls of childbearing age require help accessing reproductive health services, including antenatal care, safe delivery services, postnatal care, family planning, and emergency obstetric and newborn care. Due to extreme shortages inessential medicines, supplies and specialized staff, only 1 in 5 of the functioning health facilities is able to provide maternal and newborn care. Mental health care remains scarce, with an estimated 7 million people requiring mental health treatment and support. Some 4.3 million people have been displaced since the escalation of the conflict, a situation compounded by natural disasters linked to climate change.

The EU will continue to stand by millions of Yemenis who need humanitarian aid after more than seven years of unresolved conflict and crisis. 9.4 million we announce today will help women, girls and displaced people access crucial healthcare, said European Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenari. We wont let down vulnerable people who rely on us and our partnership with UNFPA to access vital health care and emergency assistance in their hour of need. I call on the parties to the conflict to facilitate unhindered access to those in need, particularly women and children

With EU support, UNFPA will provide emergency obstetric and maternal health care in 52 health facilities and mental health services in two specialized psychological care centres. UNFPA will also support the distribution of emergency relief supplies among newly displaced persons through the UNFPA-led Rapid Response Mechanism.

The support of the European Union has been pivotal to UNFPAs humanitarian response in Yemen, with nearly 47 million in financial contributions since 2018.

Women and girls often pay the heaviest price in conflicts. In Yemen, more than half of the 4.3 million people displaced are women. They urgently need protection and reproductive health services, said UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem. UNFPA is grateful for the strong and steadfast support of the European Union for our work in Yemen, which helps us to deliver life-saving assistance to hundreds of thousands of women and girls.

UNFPA is the sole provider of essential life-saving reproductive health medicines in Yemen and leads coordination and provision of womens reproductive health and protection services across the country.

***

UNFPA, delivers a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young persons potential is fulfilled.

*Lankani Sikurajapathy: Tel. +94773411614; *sikurajapathy@unfpa.org

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European Union provides over 9 million to UNFPA for lifesaving assistance to the most vulnerable in Yemen [EN/AR] - Yemen - ReliefWeb

EU said it firmly condemned the annexation by Russia of occupied Ukraine regions.(File)

The European Union said on Friday it firmly condemned the annexation by Russia of occupied Ukraine regions, adding it would never recognise "illegal" referendums held there and would tighten its sanctions to increase pressure on Moscow.

The European Council, which groups the 27 EU member states, said in a statement on behalf of those members that Russia's wilful undermining of the international order was putting global security at risk.

"We do not and will never recognise the illegal 'referenda' that Russia has engineered as a pretext for this further violation of Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, nor their falsified and illegal results," the statement said.

"We will strengthen our restrictive measures countering Russia's illegal actions. They will further increase pressure on Russia to end its war of aggression," it said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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European Union Says Will Never Accept Russia's "Illegal" Referendums - NDTV