The Evening Report - June 6
Hottest May ever. COVID increasing in Denmark again.
🍃Environment & Energy⚡️
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The world is on track to register the warmest year on record in at least one of the next five years, according to the World Meteorological Organization. 2023, which was marked by deadly floods, extreme weather events, and a global coral bleaching epidemic, is currently the hottest year on record.
According to the EU Climate Change Service Copernicus, last month was the hottest May on record, with temperatures 0.65 degrees above the 1991-2020 average and 1.52 degrees above the pre-industrial average benchmark. It also marks the 12th consecutive month to set new monthly heat records. May was also the 11th month in a row to register average temperatures above the 1.5 degree pre-industrial average threshold. The Paris Agreement set a goal to limit warming to 1.5 degrees to try and bend the curve on climate change.
Climate researchers are calling it a “warning bell” to see global temperatures exceed the 1.5-degree benchmark.
The WMO says the probability of global temperatures hitting a new yearly record high in at least one of the next five years is 80%. For context, in 2015, the probability was close to zero.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
“We are playing Russian roulette with our planet.”
🇳🇴🇩🇰
Some pictures from a 1937 Norwegian whaling expedition have revealed some good climate news. Researchers have discovered that the ice in East Antarctica has not melted for the past 85 years—in fact, it has even grown slightly. This revelation comes from a new study conducted through a collaboration between the University of Copenhagen and the Norwegian Polar Institute, among others. By comparing old aerial photographs from 1937 with modern satellite images, researchers observed 2,000 kilometers of ice coast along East Antarctica, revealing ice coverage roughly equivalent to that of Greenland. They were not only able to see whether the ice retreated or advanced but also if it had become thicker or thinner.
The study found that the ice growth can be attributed to significant snowfall in the region. In a press release, PhD student Mads Dømgaard expressed relief at these findings.
“We often hear about climate change and new melting records, so it's great for once to see a glacier area that is quite stable and has been so for almost a century.”
However, the good news is tempered by early signs that the ice may be weakening. The researchers caution that their study sheds light on only a small portion of Antarctica, and the broader implications for global sea levels remain significant. They note that East Antarctica's stability could be increasingly threatened as sea levels continue to change.
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Greenhouse gas emissions in Finland’s capital city dropped significantly last year. According to the newspaper Helsingin Sanomat, emissions dropped by 20% across the metropolitan area and were down 25% in Helsinki proper.
The Helsinki Region Environmental Services Authority credits the reductions on shuttering coal-fired power plants, a big increase in wind energy production, and an increase in nuclear energy.
Emissions weren’t the only thing to drop in Helsinki; electricity use also dipped by 3.5% last year.
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The Finnish government’s environmental and climate policies will face a no confidence vote in parliament on Friday (today). Three opposition parties, led by the Greens, initiated the challenge. The Finnish government has pledged to halt the loss of natural diversity by 2030 and reach carbon neutrality by 2035, as enshrined in the Climate Act. The opposition parties say this is a lot more talk than walk and that the government is not taking the loss of nature and the climate crisis seriously, and under the current government, emissions will rise, not decrease.
The political no confidence showdown comes on the heels of thousands of people taking part in climate marches across the country.
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Germany's climate advisory body has issued a stark warning that the country is on track to miss its 2030 climate targets unless new policy measures are implemented to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In a report published on Monday, the Council of Experts on Climate Change stated that Germany is unlikely to achieve its goal of cutting emissions by 65% from 1990 levels by the end of the decade. The council said that key sectors, such as transport and construction, are particularly struggling to decarbonize, contradicting earlier optimistic projections from German Climate Protection Minister Robert Habeck.
The Council of Experts criticized the Federal Environment Agency's estimates as overly optimistic, noting that emissions from the energy, building, and transport sectors had been underestimated. Under the Climate Protection Act, the government must take additional measures if these findings are confirmed in the council's next annual report in 2025. However, the council's chairman, Hans-Martin Henning, advised immediate action to avoid further shortfalls. The report also warned that Germany could miss its long-term goals of cutting emissions by 88% by 2040 and achieving climate neutrality by 2045. This call for urgent action coincides with government negotiators meeting in Bonn to prepare for the COP29 climate summit in Baku, where the focus will be on financing the escalating costs of climate change.
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Ford Europe will officially begin production on several electric car models at a large plant in Cologne, Germany, next week. The car production facility was supposed to come online last year but was delayed. Ford plans to churn out 250,000 electric vehicles a year at the plant. The automaker is sinking some €2 billion into the Cologne auto plant as it makes the transition from fossil fuels to electric vehicles.
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2024 continues to be a brutal year for people who suffer from pollen allergies. Pollen has been thick in the air, first with birch pollen and now grass, across Finland and Sweden, and in Denmark, the pollen alert hit red a few days ago. Asthma-Allergy Denmark warns it will likely stay that way for the next few weeks.
The agency’s Sidsel Damsbo Andersen:
“It has been the warmest spring ever, and at the same time there has been a lot of rainfall. This has provided good growth conditions for the grass.”
Andersen says that, due to climate change, grass pollen levels have increased by 19% over the last four decades.
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Public transportation needs in Denmark’s small rural towns and other sparsely populated areas may need a rethink. That is the suggestion in the first interim findings to be released from a government expert committee on collective mobility.
Chair Helga Theil Thomsen says that it doesn’t make economic sense, nor is it very sustainable, to use traditional solutions like buses.
“There is a need to also bring other transport solutions into play, especially in rural areas and in smaller towns.”
The first interim report doesn’t shed any light on what those solutions might be. Those recommendations will be made in the final report.
🇩🇰 ⚡️
Two years after it was issued, the Danish Energy Agency is rescinding an “early warning” about gas supply levels. The alert was issued on June 20, 2022, during the energy crisis caused by Russia weaponizing its energy exports in an attempt to bludgeon the EU into submission over its support for Ukraine.
Director Kristoffer Böttzauw:
"The Energy Agency declared a gas warning approximately 2 years ago, because Denmark was in a serious situation at the time. The lowering of the crisis level reflects that we are in a much better place today. We have succeeded in finding new [gas] supply routes, and at the same time, the savings efforts have resulted in a significant drop in gas consumption. We have also been helped by two relatively mild winters with less need for heating."
While gas supply levels have improved significantly in the years since, the agency is still encouraging people in Denmark to conserve their gas use in order to help fill gas reserves back up before the next winter arrives.
Gas consumption in Denmark has been reduced by 22 percent from August 2022 to March 2024 compared to the previous 5 years. Biogas now accounts for around 37% of gas consumption over the past year. As if mid-May, Denmark’s gas reserves were 56% full, which is well above the required level for this time of year.
Danske Bank Energy and Commodity Analyst Jens Nærvig Pedersen says for the first time since Russia invaded Ukraine, gas prices have returned to pre-invasion levels. While he says gas consumers can now sleep a little better at night, prices still remain volatile.
“They are still unpredictable, but now it is more about the weather and less about Putin.”
Before Russia invaded Ukraine, Russian gas accounted for almost 40% of all imported natural gas flowing into the EU. Today, that number has fallen to around 10% and continues to decline.
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Norway is resuming gas exports via the Langeled pipeline to Britain much faster than initially planned. Norwegian system operator Gassco said that 45 million cubic meters of gas per day will be pumped through the pipeline as of Friday. The pipeline suffered an outage last Sunday due to a crack in one of the smaller pipes. The outage immediately sent European gas prices surging upward.
Norway has become Europe’s biggest gas supplier since Russia invaded Ukraine, weaponized its energy exports, and caused Europe to turn its back on cheap Russian gas. The increased reliance on Norway now over-amplifies any energy export outages, which in turn impact energy prices.
🇮🇹🇪🇺
The European Commission approved an Italian aid plan that could be worth over €35 billion over the next two decades to support the increase in green electricity production. The aid will be financed through a levy on consumer electricity bills. The EU Commission said in its decision that this will help Italy reduce emissions.
The money will support the building of new geothermal, offshore wind energy, biomass, and biogas production. The new power plants are expected to add nearly 4.9 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity to the Italian power grid.
In 2023, Italy was the biggest importer of electricity in Europe.
🦠Outbreaks🦠
🇲🇽🇺🇸
In a concerning development in the ongoing global avian flu outbreak, the World Health Organization has confirmed the death of a 59-year-old Mexican man from the H5N2 bird flu strain. Notably, the man had no known exposure to infected animals, unlike several other infected people. Despite the fatality, the WHO maintains that the current risk assessment for human health remains low. The man, who first exhibited symptoms on April 17 and sought medical care on April 24, died the same day in Mexico City. Testing confirmed it was the same strain of the bird flu that is sweeping the globe. The man did have several underlying health conditions.
Health officials have identified and tested 29 close contacts, including 17 hospital staff and 12 residents near his home, all of whom have tested negative. They are also trying to determine how the man became infected, with no clear answer yet. The WHO continues to underscore the need for global surveillance due to the ever-changing nature of influenza viruses.
Meanwhile, in the United States, there are still four avian flu infections among humans, all of which have been mild. With 81 dairy herds in nine states affected, Minnesota and Iowa have reported their first cases in several new counties. State Veterinarian Brian Hoefs emphasized the importance of testing and research to keep the spread of the avian flu at bay. As of now, the total outbreak in US dairy cattle herds has risen to 86, with the virus jumping to several new animal species.
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Finland could become the first country in the world to offer avian flu vaccines as concerns continue to grow about the global bird flu outbreak. The Finnish Institute for Health’s Mia Kontio told the publication STAT that a limited number of vaccine doses will be available, likely around 20,000. Those will be targeted at poultry farmers, veterinarians, scientists who study the virus, and people who work on fur farms as soon as the doses arrive.
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COVID activity, as measured by wastewater surveillance, increased last week. The Statens Serum Institute emphasizes that virus activity remains at a low level. It will take another week or two before we can say this is, or is not, the first sign of an arriving summer infection wave.
The Statens Serum Institute has been operating a Virus Testing project where employees at several large workplaces in the country can voluntarily get tested for a number of viruses when they are feeling sick. The results offer a new, and fairly nuanced, peek at potential virus activity around the country.
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In Sweden, the number of coronavirus-related hospitalizations (54) has crept upward (+4) while the number of severe infections in an intensive care unit (2) also nudged upward slightly (+1).
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The Swedish Public Health Agency is urging vulnerable populations to get vaccinated as mpox infections begin to spread again. Since April, there have been 25 cases of the virus. The majority of the infection activity is in Stockholm.
Deputy State Epidemiologist Erik Sturegård emphasizes that men who have sex with other men are most at risk.
“The majority of individuals who contract mpox in Sweden are unvaccinated. The availability of vaccines is good. It is important that people who are at risk of infection are offered the opportunity to get vaccinated.”
A new mpox variant that causes a more severe infection and seems to be able to spread without sexual contact is circulating in several African countries. The Swedish Public Health Agency says there is no known spread of the new variant in Europe. It advises people who have been to any of the impacted African countries to be cautious.
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As global temperatures climb, health officials in Sweden are warning people to be careful of vibrio bacteria. When water temperatures exceed 20 degrees, the risk of a vibrio blood or wound infection increases. The Swedish Public Health Agency is warning people with open sores or wounds not to swim in warm water unless all exposed sores are properly covered.
State Epidemiologist Magnus Gisslén:
“There is the greatest risk for those who are a little older, perhaps with a weakened immune system. But it can also affect younger, perfectly healthy people. What we worry about the most is that it [Vibrio bacteria] will get into the blood and cause what is called bath sore fever. It can be urgent and come on in a few hours. In the worst case, you can die from it.”
The bacteria can also enter the human body when water is swallowed while swimming, causing diarrhea and other stomach issues.
The agency says that due to climate change, they are seeing more Vibrio bacteria infections than in the past. Last year, there were 47 confirmed cases.
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In a rather sparse weekly update, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health says while COVID activity continues to be “at a low level” there are some potentially troubling signs. The institute says COVID cases have been slightly increasing for the last five weeks.
On the whooping cough front, the NIPH says cases continue to increase as they have for several months now.
Overall, it says that respiratory virus-related hospitalizations are still decreasing.
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The Finnish Institute for Health is recommending some changes to this fall’s COVID booster dose campaign. The institute would like the inoculation effort to begin earlier than in the past and be implemented in two stages.
The institute is recommending that all seniors over 75, those in care homes, and all severely immunocompromised people, regardless of age, get a COVID vaccine booster dose. It would like seniors over 80 and those in care homes to be vaccinated as soon as doses arrive in the country. Seniors 65 to 79 years old and other vulnerable populations would be vaccinated in a second phase.
Research Professor Tuija Leino:
“Based on our analysis, vaccination is very effective in people over 80 years old and severely immunocompromised. Corona deaths can be prevented, especially by vaccinating nursing home residents, as most deaths occur in nursing homes.”
The health institute says the latest variant-specific vaccines tailored for the JN.1 variant will be used in Finland.
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In a significant move, the FDA's vaccine advisers unanimously recommended switching the SARS-CoV-2 strain for fall vaccine formulations from the XBB.1.5 variant to JN.1. This marks the third overhaul of the COVID vaccine since 2022. Despite concerns about the rapid evolution of JN.1, the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) chose JN.1, recognizing its dominance in the U.S. since late 2023 and its superior immune response compared to the current XBB.1.5 vaccine. The FDA is also considering more specific offshoots like KP.2, which may better match circulating strains, as discussed during the meeting.
The VRBPAC originally scheduled this discussion for May 16 but delayed it to gather more current information. Today's meeting included insights from the FDA, CDC, and vaccine manufacturers, with a consensus that the JN.1 strain provides robust protection. While some committee members expressed concerns about constantly "chasing variants," they ultimately supported JN.1 for its broad effectiveness.
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A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine is shedding more light on the complex nature of long-COVID, detailing over 200 potential symptoms. It also emphasizes that a positive COVID test is not required for diagnosis. The findings aim to guide the U.S. Social Security Administration and precede the release of a standardized definition of long COVID to streamline treatment across governmental agencies.
President of the National Academy of Medicine Victor J. Dzau:
“This report offers a comprehensive review of the evidence base for how long COVID may impact a patient's ability to engage in normal activities, such as going to work, attending school, or taking care of their families.”
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 5.3% of Americans currently suffer from long-COVID, with many experiencing debilitating symptoms. The report reveals that women are twice as likely as men to develop long-COVID. Notably, those who were hospitalized due to a severe infection are two to three times more likely to develop long-COVID than those who were not hospitalized.
Long-COVID's impact on a person’s daily routine can be profound, potentially preventing them from working or attending school for up to two years post-infection. However, many long-COVID symptoms, such as chronic fatigue, cognitive impairment, and autonomic dysfunction, may not be fully captured under SSA's current disability listings. Despite this, the report offers hope, noting that many people suffering from long-COVID see symptom improvement within 12 months, with children and teens showing higher recovery rates than adults.
🇺🇦Ukraine/ Russia War🇷🇺
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Ukraine’s government is mandating that Ukrainian citizens living abroad who have turned 17 years old must now return to Ukraine and physically register with the military. Authorities say this has nothing to do with any kind of imminent mobilization but rather with complying with Ukraine’s conscription law.
Ukraine is desperately trying to add new soldiers to the military as Russia continues to engage in a bloody war of attrition by throwing away tens of thousands of lives for incremental gains on the battlefield.
🇩🇰/ 🇷🇺
Danish politicians say that there needs to be a major crackdown across Europe on efforts by Russia to flood the EU with disinformation, propaganda, and other initiatives to sow division and push its narratives. This is in reaction to the results of a pan-European investigative journalism project that found Russia is circumventing sanctions to funnel millions into the EU to, among other things, create media fronts to push its messaging. The investigation revealed that Russia funds a so-called media enterprise called EuroMore that pretends to operate out of Brussels but really is based in Moscow.
Denmark’s national broadcaster DR was a part of the media collaboration, Morten Løkkegaard, an MEP candidate for Venstre in the EU parliamentary elections, spoke with them to say that sanctions need to be toughened and expanded to prevent Russia from running disinformation campaigns with impunity.
“That is why we have also proposed that, for example, you can be sanctioned for disinformation campaigns, because that is not possible today. Our [democratic] system is constantly destroyed by these small cuts, so we die by bleeding out as a system in the end without actually feeling it. And that's the scary thing about it that this hybrid war is precisely aimed at undermining our democratic system. Quietly, quite slowly, cut by cut.”
Socialdemokratiet MEP candidate Christel Schaldemose says Russia wants to tear down western democracy, and it is time we realized that and acted appropriately.
“First of all, we must understand that the Russians are trying to destroy our society. We are in a hybrid war with them, and therefore it is important that we also respond.”
Schaldemose says authorities in the EU must be better at tracking money flows from Russia into Europe and acting to shut down media platforms disseminating misinformation and propaganda. However, she also says that social media companies also have a responsibility to remove disinformation and the accounts that propagate it. Schaldemose would also like politicians who have been found to have collaborated with Russian intelligence agencies to be prosecuted.
“We have to do much more of what we actually already do. We must cooperate much more closely and focus on the fact that the Russians are actually trying to influence us, to destroy our society, and to divide us.”
For several years now, the Danish Intelligence Service has warned of Russian hybrid efforts to tear apart western democracies by sowing division and using misinformation to divide western societies.
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EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is also reacting to the findings of the investigative journalism collaboration exposing Russia’s efforts to push misinformation and propaganda across Europe.
“This is further proof that Russians are trying to manipulate information and influence our society.”
She says the EU must take this information very seriously and that European countries must work closely together to protect democracy.
🇸🇪🇩🇪/ 🇷🇺
Other revelations in the investigation into Russia skirting sanctions to funnel millions of dollars into Europe to fund a variety of its hybrid war efforts include money for lawyers. The European journalism collaborative has documents showing that Russian funds paid for the legal fees for a Russian arms dealer and FSB agent convicted in a high profile murder in Berlin.
Other documents implicate the President of the Russian Confederation in Sweden, Lioudmila Siegel, as being a front person for the Russian agency funneling money into Europe. She also seems to have reported directly to an officer with the Russian intelligence agency SVR. Siegel has since fled to Russia. Her organization received about one million Swedish kroner from the Russian agency (about $131,000 Cdn) and another three million Swedish kroner in grants from the Swedish government. Where the money went is unclear. The grants were stopped last year, and Swedish authorities are now trying to get some of the money back.
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Russia only respects strength, and it is encouraged to continue its more aggressive behaviors by showing weakness. That is according to Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas in an interview with Aktuellt. Estonia and its Baltic neighbours, have been among the fiercest critics of Russia.
Kallas said in the interview that it is important not to be afraid of Russia.
“The meaning of terrorism is to make one afraid so that one refrains from making decisions that one would otherwise have made. This is their goal. The only thing that spurs Russia on is weakness, not strength.”
She thinks European leaders must be a lot more discreet when talking publicly about the measures and actions they would take, or not take, to support Ukraine. Overall, Kallas would like to see the EU be much stronger in dealing with Russia.
🇺🇸🇩🇰🇷🇴 🇺🇦
There appears to be a logjam in the programs training Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16 fighter jets. According to Politico, Ukraine has asked for 30 more pilots to enter the training programs underway in the United States, Romania, and Denmark. However, the Ukrainian government has been told there is only room for 12 more pilots to begin training. This is because the United States, which manufactures the F-16s, has contracts with other allied countries to also train their pilots.
The first Ukrainian pilots began training last October. At least ten have so far advanced to final training that will qualify them to become F-16 pilots.
At the moment, a total of 20 Ukrainian pilots are expected to complete F-16 pilot training by the end of this year. That is only half of the required 40 pilots needed to operate a full squadron of 20 F-16 jets.
At least 45 F-16s have been promised to Ukraine, with the first expected to begin to arrive very soon. However, Ukraine will be kneecapped in deploying the jets based on the limited number of pilots it will initially have available.
🇫🇷🇺🇦
Ukraine is getting more fighter jets, but they aren’t F-16s. France will transfer Mirage-2000 warplanes to Ukraine and provide training on the fighters for Ukrainian pilots, according to French President Emmanuel Macron. He made the announcement on Thursday, a day before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj makes an official visit to Paris.
“Tomorrow we will launch a new cooperation and announce the transfer of Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets to Ukraine. You need normally between five and six months. So by the end of the year, there will be pilots. The pilots will be trained in France.”
Macron did not say how many Ukrainian pilots would be trained in France.
France will also provide military training and fully equip an entire brigade of 4,500 Ukrainian soldiers, who will return to Ukraine much better prepared and equipped to fight for their country. Macron said that Zelenskyj had written western allies this week asking that they deploy soldiers to Ukraine to train Ukrainian soldiers on their own soil. Several European countries, led by France and the Baltic states, have been pushing for just that.
NATO 🇫🇮 🇺🇦
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg paid an official visit to Finland this week. Stoltenberg arrived on Wednesday and was officially welcomed by Finnish President Alexander Stubb. Afterward, he had dinner with Stubb and Prime Minister Petteri Orpo.
Stoltenberg visited Finland’s Defense Command and also met with senior military officials.
In a press conference on Thursday, Stoltenberg reiterated that NATO has no plans to send troops into Ukraine to join the war against Russia.
"NATO has no plans to deploy forces to Ukraine. We are focusing on how we can establish a stronger institutionalized framework for our support for Ukraine and how to establish and agree on a long-term financial commitment to ensure that we stand by Ukraine for as long as it takes.”
Finnish President Alexander Stubb echoed the sentiment.
"Finland has no plans to deploy troops in Ukraine. We're in conversation, of course, with our allies about various options in which we can help Ukraine, whether financial, military, or ammunition-based.”
Stoltenberg also addressed the recent disruption in the flow of arms and ammunition to Ukraine due to MAGA Republicans blocking legislation for months on end. The delay led to severe ammunition shortages for Ukrainian troops, allowing Russia to seize the advantage.
"Over the last months, we have seen some gaps and some delays in the provision of military support to Ukraine. We need to ensure that that doesn't happen again.”
🇺🇸🇺🇦
U.S. President Joe Biden will not be attending a peace conference in Switzerland designed to try and find a path to end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Vice President Kamala Harris will go in his stead. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj expressed the hope that both Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping would participate in the conference hosted in Switzerland. Leaders from across Europe, including Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, will be going to the conference. It takes place on June 16 and 17.
🇩🇰/ 🇷🇺
The Danish Center for Cyber Security has raised the threat level for “destructive cyber attacks” against Denmark from ‘low’ to ‘high’. The threat assessment applies broadly across critical energy, communications, and military agencies, along with an array of Danish authorities and companies.
The increased threat level comes after Danish intelligence agencies warned about a heightened hybrid threat to Denmark.
Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen didn’t leave much doubt about where the threat was coming from.
"We increasingly see a Russia that is willing to challenge the NATO countries in the form of sabotage, influence campaigns and cyber attacks. When the Center for Cyber Security raises the threat level for cyber attacks, it is a reminder to all of us to be extra aware of the threat. Russia's activities must not have an influence on Denmark's backing and support for Ukraine's struggle for freedom.”
Center for Cyber Security Head Thomas Flarup warns that a successful, damaging cyber attack can have significant consequences.
“We have raised the threat level for destructive cyber attacks because we believe that the conditions are in place for Danish authorities and companies to be affected. As an authority or company, you must take our announcement as a sign that now is the time to ensure your security is top-notch in the event of a cyber attack.”
Destructive cyber attacks are cyber attacks where the impact could include loss of life, personal injury, and significant damage or destruction to critical data and software.
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A number of hospitals in London, England, were impacted by a serious cyber attack this week. The attack resulted in cancelled operations and some emergency room patients having to be diverted to other hospitals. The ransomware attack was aimed at a company responsible for, among other things, blood, tissue, and other laboratory samples for the impacted hospitals.
“Together with the government's National Cyber Security Center and our own cyber security team, we are working as quickly as we can to understand the full consequences of the incident.”
🇫🇮/ 🇷🇺
There were two more cases of illegal border crossing in Finland this week, except they were men crossing from Finland into Russia, not the other way around. The Southeast Finland Border Guard said it was investigating two unauthorized crossings, one on Wednesday, where a Finnish man crossed the border into Russia but then returned. He will likely face a hefty fine. In the other case, a man crossed the land border from Finland into Russia in early May but was apprehended by Russian authorities.
Finnish border authorities are trying to get more information about the man and his circumstances in Russia but aren’t getting much information back from the Russian side.
🇱🇹
Europe continues to build its ammunition production capacity back up as the war in Ukraine rages on. German arms giant Rheinmetall has agreed to build a new ammunition factory in Lithuania. The company will spend more than €180 million to get the ammunition facility online. It will create about 150 jobs and is expected to churn out 155 millimeter artillery shells.
Economy Minister Aušrinė Armonaitė:
"[It is an] extremely important step towards meeting Lithuania's immediate defense and security needs. It will help us to ensure uninterrupted access to essential weapons and ammunition."
The exact start date for when construction will begin on the factory hasn’t been announced yet.
🇱🇻🇺🇦
In Latvia, authorities are seizing the cars of drunk drivers and then shipping those vehicles off to Ukraine. So far, about 1,500 cars have been seized and then donated to the Ukrainian military. Some of the cars even undergo some upgrades, such as getting some armour installed or being converted into an ambulances.
🇺🇸🇨🇦🇮🇹🇫🇷🇩🇪🇯🇵🇬🇧 🇺🇦
The G7 countries have opened the door to loaning Ukraine $50 billion. According to reports from the Financial Times, the loan would be covered by expropriating the amount in the future from currently frozen Russian assets. As part of this proposal, the United States is also asking the EU to extend its sanctions against Russia indefinitely. Currently, the EU reviews its sanctions every six months, which requires navigating around the pro-Russian Hungarian government.
The idea will be fleshed out at the next G7 meeting, which takes place in Italy next week.
🇸🇪🇩🇪🇪🇺/ 🇷🇺
To cooperate or not cooperate with pro-Russian parties in the EU Parliament has become a big issue in the European parliamentary election campaign taking place in Sweden. Two Swedish parties, the Swedish Democrats and the Christian Democrats, have suggested they would cooperate with pro-Russian parties on issues that do not involve Ukraine. The idea has sparked a heated debate.
It is not just Sweden; Germany’s extreme right-wing Alternative for Germany is also pro-Russian and wants to lift sanctions on Russia and put a stop to weapons donations to Ukraine. It is not just parties on the German right; the left-wing Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht is also pro-Russian.
Odds & Ends
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Denmark faces a significant demographic challenge as the population ages and birth rates nosedive, according to a new projection from Statistics Denmark. The country's population is expected to reach six million by 2028, but the proportion of elderly citizens, particularly those aged 80 and over, will increase dramatically. Currently, this age group makes up 5% of the population; by 2047, it is projected to double. Conversely, the birth rate is plummeting, with only 64,000 children expected to be born in 2030, a reduction of 8,600 children from earlier estimates.
This demographic shift has raised concerns about a looming labor shortage. Rune Lindahl-Jacobsen, a professor at the University of Southern Denmark, warns that without sustained immigration, Denmark will face severe workforce deficits. Lindahl-Jacobsen emphasizes the crucial role immigrants play in filling gaps, especially in the healthcare system. He notes that while Denmark has been an attractive destination for immigrants, global competition for immigrant workers among western countries with declining birth rates is intensifying, and that will lead to more competition for highly skilled labour.
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Greve Kommune just south of Copenhagen has issued a warning asking people not to swim in the ocean due to e-coli bacteria contamination along the entire beach. Municipal employees were busy on Thursday putting up red warning flags. The big mystery is where is the pollution coming from? The municipality says all they can say for sure at the moment is that it is not coming the local waste treatment plant.