Author: EU News

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin on Saturday signed a law that allows debt forgiveness for new recruits signing up to fight in Ukraine, government announced. The new legislation allows those signing up for a one-year contract to have their bad debts of up to 10 million roubles (€92,000, $95,835), written off. Law won’t apply to those already enlisted The law — approved by parliament earlier this month — will be applicable to potential recruits who have had debt collection proceedings initiated against them before December 1. Those who have already been enlisted would not be eligible for the new measure to…

On 28 November, it will be one year since a SWAT team of around 175 policemen wearing black masks, helmets, and bullet proof vests, simultaneously descended at 6 am on eight separate houses and apartments in and around Paris but also in Nice where Romanian yoga practitioners had decided to go into spiritual retreat. The police forces were then brandishing semi-automatic rifles, shouting, making very loud noises, crashing doors and putting everything upside down. The November 2023 raids were not an operation against a terrorist or armed group or a drug cartel. They were raids targeting eight private places…

Defense alliance NATO chief Mark Rutte has met US President-elect Donald Trump to discuss global security issues, according to a NATO spokesperson. The meeting took place in Palm Beach, Florida. During his first term as US president, 2017-2020, Trump pushed for European NATO countries to spend more on defense and described the alliance’s cost-sharing as unfair to the US. Rutte took over as NATO chief from Norwegian Jens Stoltenberg in November. Before taking office in January, Trump has nominated Pete Hegseth for the post of defense secretary, which has raised eyebrows among many allies. Hegseth, 44, has served as an…

In a newly released report, the European Investment Bank (EIB) reveals that Africa’s fintech sector has nearly tripled in size since 2020, bringing vital financial services to underserved communities across the continent. However, the report, Finance in Africa 2024, also underscores significant barriers to growth: high funding costs and limited capital, which are hindering Africa’s climate and digital transitions. “Fintech is revolutionizing the way we think about finance in Africa,” noted EIB Vice-President Thomas Östros. “By leveraging technology, we can improve access to finance for millions and foster sustainable economic growth.” The rapid expansion of digital finance solutions is…

Two Turkish opposition mayors were removed from office, Ankara said Friday, after they were convicted of “terrorism” for belonging to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). The pair are the fifth and sixth pro-Kurdish mayors to be dismissed on similar charges over the past two months, including the mayor of Istanbul’s most populous district. What do we know about the firings? Tunceli’s elected mayor Cevdet Konak, and Mustafa Sarigul, mayor of Ovacik in Tunceli province, in Turkey’s southeast, were found guilty of membership in the PKK, which is classified as a terrorist organization by Ankara and its Western allies. The PKK has waged a guerilla insurgency against the Turkish state since…

At the COP29 UN Climate Change Conference on 11-22 November in Azerbaijan, the European Union will work with international partners to deliver on the goals of the Paris Agreement of limiting global average temperature rise to as close as possible to 1.5C. Climate change continues to be an issue which knows no borders, and increasingly harms lives and livelihoods across Europe and around the world. At COP29, the Parties to the Paris Agreement must ensure that global financial flows are increasingly aligned with the Paris Agreement, unlocking investments, through the adoption of a New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on Climate Finance. The…

The United States and Fiji had talks to strengthen military ties, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said during his visit to the Pacific nation on Saturday. The two nations are negotiating a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) that will enable the US “to deploy and re-deploy forces in support of Fiji,” according to Austin. The US defense secretary added that it will help “US train with the Fijians on a more routine basis.” The US also pledged $4.9 million (€4.7 million) for Fiji’s military modernization and signed a logistics cooperation deal, the US Department of Defense said. The trip marked the first-ever…

Today, the Commission has revealed the winners of the 2024-25 European Capital of Innovation Awards (iCapital), celebrating a decade of recognising cities that lead the way in delivering innovative solutions for their citizens. This year’s top prizes, funded under the EU research and innovation programme Horizon Europe, were awarded to the cities of Torino and Braga.   Torino showcases a comprehensive approach to experimentation and innovation, leveraging its rich history and industrial heritage to tackle both present and future urban challenges. Braga has developed a range of innovative solutions, from tech-based clusters to cultural and creative industries, and established a strong innovation ecosystem with a focus…

US President-elect Donald Trump announced on Friday that he is nominating Scott Bessent to serve as his next treasury secretary. The role is a key cabinet position with vast influence over economic, regulatory and international affairs. “I am most pleased to nominate Scott Bessent to serve as the 79th Secretary of the Treasury of the United States,” Trump said on his Truth Social network. “Scott is widely respected as one of the world’s foremost international investors and geopolitical and economic strategists.” Trump also announced a slew of other picks for key roles in the new administration, spanning health, infrastructure and…

The catastrophic flooding, which mostly affected eastern Spain, began on October 29 when torrential rain battered parts of Valencia, with some areas receiving a year’s worth of rain in just eight hours. ADVERTISEMENT A massive car graveyard in Catarroja in Spain’s eastern Valencia region provides a stark reminder of the scale of October’s devastating flooding. There are many such makeshift graveyards across Valencia for wrecked cars to be stored, waiting to be taken away and scrapped. In some parts of the region, sports fields were pressed into service to store the mud-caked vehicles to keep roads clear for emergency…

The European Commission has proposed a new digital portal that will make it easier for companies to temporarily send workers to other EU countries. This proposal aims to simplify the paperwork involved in moving employees—known as ‘posted workers’—to different member states, reducing the burden on businesses while keeping worker protections strong. Why Is This Important? The EU’s Single Market includes around 5 million posted workers. These are employees who are sent by their companies to work in a different EU country for a short period of time. Right now, companies face a lot of paperwork, as each EU country has…

Despite Hungary’s resistance, Italy, Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands and France have signalled that they would respect the court’s decision and potentially arrest Netanyahu if he travelled to one of their countries.

The Stockholm Stock Exchange takes off The Stockholm Stock Exchange goes in the same direction as yesterday and rises in the opening trade. The OMXS index is up 0.6 percent with basically all major companies in the plus.Yesterday’s trade represented a trend break after four trading days in a row of falling rates. Today, the ball bearing giant SKF takes the lead with a rise of 1.9 percent, this after a high recommendation from Kepler Cheuvreux’s analysts. Index-heavy H&M follows and rises 1.5 percent.

Bergamo, ITALY, KINGNEWSWIRE // On Sunday, November 10, hundreds of Scientologists gathered to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the presence of the Church of Scientology Mission in Bergamo. In fact, Scientology’s presence in Bergamo began in the early 1980s, when a small group of believers who attended the Church of Scientology in Milan decided to start spreading Scientology principles in their area on a permanent basis. Since then, the group has grown significantly until the current mission was founded. A mission has the task of making the religion of Scientology known by providing information services that help a person take…

Haiti’s foreign minister on Thursday summoned the French ambassador to protest “unacceptable” comments made by French President Emmanuel Macron. Macron was filmed calling Haiti’s leadership “completely stupid” while speaking to a bystander about the current political and humanitarian situation in the Caribbean nation. In an official statement obtained by the French news agency AFP, Haiti’s transitional presidential council expressed its “indignation at what it considers unfriendly and inappropriate remarks which ought to be rectified.” It added that it was lodging an official protest with France’s Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. What did Emmanuel Macron say? At the center of the…

Marine Le Pen criticises French prosecutors for seeking a ‘political death sentence’ The French far-right leader says her embezzlement trial is “politicised” and denounces prosecutors for seeking to ban her from public office. French far-right leader Marine Le Pen says she is facing a “political death sentence” in her embezzlement trial with prosecutors seeking an immediate five-year ban from public office, a punishment that would bar her from running in the 2027 presidential election. Le Pen, her National Rally (RN) party, and 24 others—party officials, employees, ex-lawmakers, and parliamentary assistants—are accused of using EU funds to pay staff who worked…

President Metsola opened the 13-14 November plenary session in Brussels with a minute of silence for the victims of the flood tragedy in Spain. Following the devastating floods that swept through towns in Valencia and other regions in Spain two weeks ago and have taken at least 223 lives, President Metsola led MEPs in a minute’s silence in honour of the victims. She said that Europe was in shock and in mourning, and that the EU was ready to help in any way during the process of recovery and rebuilding, including through more flexibility to get financial assistance moving. Changes…

Chinese President Xi Jinping landed in Morocco on Thursday for a “brief visit,” according to Moroccan state media. Xi was welcomed in Casablanca by Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan, which Morocco’s state news agency MAP called a reflection of strong bonds of friendship, cooperation and solidarity between the two countries. Xi then met Aziz Ajanuch, head of the Moroccan government, and went on to receive honors by the Royal Guard. The Chinese president made the visit after his trip to Brazil for the G20 Summit. China eyes Morocco for investment It comes as a time when China has stepped up its investments in Morocco’s…

Equal pay for equal work is one of the EU’s founding principles. And yet, imagine if you stopped getting paid for the year today? Instead of getting paid for a full year, you only get paid for 10 and a half months. For women in the EU, who earn on average 13% less than […] Pay attention to the gender pay gap

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) passed a censure motion against Iran on Thursday, ordering it to immprove its cooperation with the agency and requesting a “comprehensive report”  into Tehran’s efforts early next year. Iran and the IAEA have been at loggerheads on a range of issues including Tehran’s failure to explain traces of uranium at two undeclared locations, the barring of some of the agency’s leading uranium-enrichment experts and its refusal to facilitate expanded IAEA monitoring. What does the resolution ask of Iran? Like previous iterations from November 2022 and June 2024, the latest resolution repeats the “essential and urgent” need for…

The announcement, which Boris Pistorius made in a video posted to SDP social media channels, clears the way for incumbent chancellor Olaf Scholz to run for a second term. Germany’s Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has said he is “not available” to run as a candidate for chancellor in February’s snap election, saying he would instead support Olaf Scholz’s re-election bid. The announcement, which Pistorius made in a video posted to social media channels belonging to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), ends days of speculation about him replacing Scholz. “I have emphasized this over and over in recent weeks and I’m…

On 23 September 2024, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) declared that they had “neutralized an operational combat group of the Russian GRU” (Military intelligence service of Russia’s armed forces). The alleged plot was attributed to Dr. Oleg Maltsev, an internationally recognized Ukrainian scientist, as his list of publications shows. The SBU presented him as a traitor to Ukraine, a saboteur, a ‘gypsy,’ a cult leader and a pseudoscientist but Maltsev who is known as a staunch defender of Ukraine denied any involvement in any pro-Russian activity. Oleg Maltsev was arrested on 14 September 2024 and has been held since then…

The 2023 wildfire season ranks among the EU’s worst in over two decades, fuelled by climate change. Fires devastated vast areas, threatening ecosystems and lives. As fire risks rise, Europe must prevent and prepare for intensifying wildfire seasons. The Rescue fleet provided assistance to fight wildfires in Portugal in July 2022. Italian Civil Protection, 2022 The latest JRC report on Forest Fires in Europe, Middle East and North Africa 2023 shows that last year was one of the worst five years for wildfires in EMEA since 2000. Wildfires affected over 500 000 hectares of natural lands, roughly half the size of the…

Russia has fired intercontinental missiles into Ukraine, marking the first time they have used such weapons. It comes after Ukraine fired British and American missiles into Russia. The ongoing escalations in the war dominate European news, as the EU leaders prepare for US support for Ukraine to come to a screeching end in January when Donald Trump takes office.

The ongoing discussions at COP29 continue to dominate European news as a climate finance deal has failed to break a stand-off between rich and poor nations.

Are users leaving Elon Musk’s X en masse and where are they heading? The limited data on X user numbers makes measuring the full extent of the reported exodus from the platform almost impossible. Hundreds of thousands of dissatisfied users have reportedly fled Elon Musk’s X, previously known as Twitter, following Donald Trump’s re-election, with an estimated 115,000 accounts deactivated in the US alone on the day after the ballot. Celebrities and prominent brands ditching the platform cite mounting concerns over the unchecked spread of misinformation, conspiracy theories and hate speech, as well as what they consider to be Musk’s…