Organizations

• The explosion left at least 220 dead, with thousands injured and homeless, and 15 billion in damages.
• It sent shockwaves not only through the harbour of Beirut but also the political system of the country.
• It exposed deep flaws in its governance in terms of state capture with elites responsible for corruption and mismanagement.
• These flaws were already known beforehand - and COVID-19 had already added to the urgency to enact reforms.
• As EU we demonstrated our solidarity with the Lebanese people in their hour of maximum need [link blog].
• This was also my clear message to Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov when I spoke to him.

We cannot stay silent when in Belarus fellow Europeans insist on their democratic rights and wish to shape their own future – they need our support and the space to do so by themselves.

• Another major shock came on 18 August when a military coup took place in Mali, deposing the President and Prime Minister.
• I immediately condemned this coup as unconstitutional, and the African Union and ECOWAS did the same.
• It was yet another reminder of the deep- rooted crises facing the country and the Sahel region (of governance, security, development).
• All throughout the summer the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean has grown more tense, with Turkish ships conducting seismic work in European waters.
• We discussed this at a special Foreign Affairs Council on 14 August, followed by an emergency European Council on 19 August.

On Turkey, we need to show strong solidarity with EU Member States under threat, while working to de-escalate the tensions and allow dialogue and negotiations to address the underlying issues.

• But Turkish domestic dynamics and its regional role are increasingly problematic with assertions of Turkish power, also in Syria, Libya and elsewhere.
• We need to define a firm and balanced long-term strategy for EU-Turkey relations, based in the first place on solidarity with the most concerned Members States but also knowing that diplomacy can only work if all sides invest in building trust.

The Gymnich meeting and how to enhance the EU’s clout

• How we position ourselves on these important issues and geo-political crises will be discussed with EU Foreign Ministers at the upcoming Gymnich meeting, at the end of this week in Berlin.
• This is an informal meeting, held twice a year, where we discuss things without neckties and without the pressure of having to take formal decisions.
• I have previously set out my beliefthat Europe should position itself as a partner of choice to others.
• We are not always clear enough, or fast enough, or acting with enough impact and consistency.
• But when it comes to changing things, well, then politics often gets in the way.
• A policy that is high on rhetoric but when it comes to corresponding financial resources, we dont always put our money where our mouth is.

We cannot change big global trends, but we can change how we respond to them.

• We cannot change big global trends, but we can change how we respond to them.
• In our decision-making, each country can ultimately block any EU position or action.
• In the EU, what matters is not how a discussion begins, with a range of views among 27 countries, each with their own histories and different interests.
• What matters is how a discussion ends, with a common vision on what to do and a commitment to put resources behind it.
• I will do all I can at the Gymnich meeting and beyond to build the necessary unity among Member States to do just that.

Press releases

New major crackdown on one of the biggest online piracy groups in the world: international coordination led by Eurojust

• Over 60 servers were taken down in North America, Europe and Asia and several of the main suspects were arrested.
• Based on allegations contained in court documents, the organised crime group (OCG) called the Sparks Group dismantled yesterday was one of the biggest ones in the world responsible for online piracy.
• The majority were taken down in yesterdays action and in the days preceding it, with the help of national authorities from these countries, coordinated through Eurojust.
• Thanks to the long-standing partnership between the US and the European authorities, we managed to deal a significant blow to online piracy.
• My sincere congratulations go out to all countries involved in yesterdays joint action day said Ladislav Hamran, President of Eurojust.
• Eurojust hosted yesterdays coordination centre, ensuring real-time coordination in the joint action of the national authorities in 18 countries.
• Top photo Shutterstock Camelia Paraschiv, Eurojust Acting Spokesperson+ 31 70 412 [email protected] For all Eurojust press releases, please see www.eurojust.europa.eu (Press centre) .
• If you would like to have Eurojust press releases delivered electronically to your inbox, please complete and submit this subscription form.

• PepsiCo's UEFA Women's football partnership will sit alongside its current multi-year sponsorship of the Men's UEFA Champions League.
• "PepsiCo is proud to unify and strengthen our global partnership with UEFA to now include UEFA Women's football," said Ram Krishan, Global Chief Commercial Officer, PepsiCo.
• The five year partnership will see PepsiCo support women's football at all levels through to Summer 2025, with PepsiCo a main partner of the UEFA Women's Champions League, the UEFA Women's EURO, the UEFA Women's Under-19 and Under-17 Championships, and the UEFA Women's Futsal EURO, as well as UEFA's Together #WePlayStrong program, which is aimed at encouraging more girls and women to play football.
• "Having a major sponsor like PepsiCo sign on to UEFA Women's football is the influence and recognition women's football and its athletes and fans need and deserve," said Martens.

• KISTA, Sweden, Aug. 26, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) and UNICEF announced today a global partnership to help map school connectivity in 35 countries by the end of 2023.
• Launched last year and led by UNICEF and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Giga aims to connect every school to the internet.
• Ericsson is the first private sector partner to make a multimillion-dollar commitment to the initiative and does so as a Global UNICEF Partner for School Connectivity Mapping.
• In addition to funding, Ericsson will commit resources for data engineering and data science capacity to accelerate school connectivity mapping.