This week in the EU (18-22 May): two major trade deals got sealed — one with Mexico, one with the United States.
Europe also announced plans to build its own AI gigafactories and a new Fertilisers Action Plan to secure food production with European alternatives.
Links to the full details below. Follow for your weekly EU news recap.
🔹 EU–Mexico: a historic trade deal sealed this week, https://link.europa.eu/rkgypbkd
🔹 EU–US: after intensive negotiations, a transatlantic agreement, https://link.europa.eu/rkdnyvxk
🔹 AI Gigafactories: Europe opens calls for its first AI giga factories this summer, https://youtu.be/8pW1mhm09Fs?t=185
🔹 Fertilisers Action Plan: securing Europe’s food production with European alternatives, https://youtube.com/shorts/VZzEIujGWaM?si=udnxpOIgQDNwF-Rn
The European Commission is allocating €15 million in emergency assistance to support people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda affected by the Ebola outbreak. The EU has also invested over €80 million in research and development for vaccines against filoviruses, which cause Ebola, while supporting treatments and clinical trials to strengthen preparedness before a crisis hit. For people in Europe, the Commission says there is no cause for broader concern.
Source: United States Department of Justice (video statements)
The Justice Department announced the Minnesota Health Care Fraud Takedown, which resulted in criminal charges against 15 defendants, including owners of child care centers and various Medicaid providers, for their alleged participation in various fraud schemes involving over $90 million in intended loss, including the two largest Medicaid fraud cases ever charged in the District and first-of-their kind charges involving additional Medicaid programs.
Source: Council of the European Union (video statements)
Space is getting crowded. Today, 13 000 satellites orbit the earth, and 300 000 more are on their way. In this video, we break down the EU Space Programme: from Galileo, Europe’s ultra-precise satellite navigation system, to Copernicus, the earth observation programme that saves lives during floods and wildfires, and what the new EU Space Act means for Europe’s future in the space race. By the end, you’ll understand why Europe’s push for space sovereignty matters, and what it means for you.
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Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
01:03 EU is becoming a real space player
02:26 Emergency Response Coordination Centre
03:54 Galileo
06:05 Iris(2)
06:19 EU Space Act
07:37 Why does it matter?
08:01 Outro
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“In Gaza, delays in the implementation of UNSCR 2803, alongside daily violence and a continuing humanitarian crisis, have replaced the early momentum following the ceasefire,” the UN’s Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process said.
As the Security Council held its monthly briefing on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question, Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process and UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Ramiz Alakbarov said, “In the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, settlement expansion, settler-related violence, and incitement continue to drive tensions. As talks on advancing to Phase II of the ceasefire continue, calls are emerging in some circles for a resumption of widespread hostilities.”
Alakbarov also said, “As diplomatic efforts continue, people’s lived reality in Gaza is marked by deep uncertainty. Israeli strikes continue on a nearly daily basis, killing dozens, alongside armed activity by Hamas and other Palestinian groups. Israeli authorities have said that strikes by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have targeted Hamas militants and related infrastructure. The Israeli Government said that it now controls 60 percent of Gaza, up from 52 percent since the ceasefire.”
Turning to the West Bank again, he said, “Throughout the West Bank, the frequency and severity of settler attacks have significantly increased in 2026, with some 220 Palestinian communities having faced attacks, which are increasingly leading to the displacement of entire communities.”
Source: Republic of South Africa (video statements)
Minister of Police, Mr Firoz Cachalia, the Deputy Minister of Police, Mr Cassel Mathale together with the Acting National Commissioner of Police, Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane, present the quarterly crime statistics, reflecting on crimes that occurred during the fourth quarter of the previous financial year (January 2026 – March 2026).
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At the thirteenth session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, global leaders and housing experts reflect on the growing pressures shaping the global housing crisis and the urgent need to rethink housing as a foundation for dignity, opportunity, and sustainable development. Dr. Koldo Casla (Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing), Xenya Scanlon (UNCCD), Thembisile Simelane (Minister of Human Settlements, South Africa), and Jonathan Reckford (Habitat for Humanity International) discuss the structural inequalities, environmental pressures, rapid urbanization, and governance challenges affecting cities and communities around the world. They emphasize the importance of inclusive housing systems, stronger public leadership, and cross-sector partnerships that place communities at the center of efforts to build more equitable, resilient, and sustainable urban futures.
Video Producer Rosalie Boyle
Videographer Andres Felipe Carvajal Gomez
For more information about WUF13, please visit: https://enb.iisd.org/world-urban-forum-wuf13
