Europe – Page 6 – Zoom News

Poland Prime Minister Calls Crisis at Polish Border a Threat to EU

9Nov

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Europe, News, Poland

Poland Prime Minister Calls Crisis at Polish Border a Threat to EU

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki calls the flow of migrants who want to illegally enter Poland from Belarus a threat to the entire European Union. Nearly 4,000 migrants are currently trying to enter the EU through Poland. Closing the Polish border is of national importance, but the stability and security of the entire European Union are also at stake," Morawiecki said on Twitter. "This attack by the Lukashenko regime is against all of us. We will not be intimidated and will defend peace in Europe with our partners from the EU and NATO." Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko has made a policy of collecting migrants from countries such as Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan and then sending them to EU borders, according to the EU, to destabilize the EU. They would be counter-actions to ...

Google News Back in Spain After Seven Years

4Nov

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Europe, News, Spain, Technology

Google News Back in Spain After Seven Years

Internet giant Google is reintroducing its Google News news service in Spain. In 2014, the American company Google News closed down when copyright law was passed that would oblige it to compensate media for used articles. Google News will be available again in Spain in' early 2022'. This is the result of the transposition of a European directive from 2019 on copyright and related rights in the southern European country. The directive obliges internet giants such as Google and Facebook to pay media for the content they use. The new regulations "will allow Spanish media, large and small, to choose freely how their content can be found on the internet and how they monetize it," emphasizes Google. The company says it will try to negotiate deals with local media in the coming months.

European Court Finds Detention for Mocking Erdogan Going Too Far

19Oct

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Europe, News, Turkey

European Court Finds Detention for Mocking Erdogan Going Too Far

Turkey has dealt way too harshly with a man allegedly mocked by President Erdogan on Facebook. That is the opinion of the European Court of Human Rights, which orders the Turkish authorities to pay compensation of EUR 7500 to the victim. The case was brought by Vedat Sorli, who was arrested in his own country for allegedly insulting Erdogan with his posts on social media. For example, in 2014, he shared an image showing Erdogan in a dress. The Turkish leader kisses then US President Barack Obama on that cartoon. In Turkey, insulting the president is punishable by up to four years in prison. Sorli was in pre-trial detention for about two months and was eventually given a suspended prison sentence of almost a year. He had already appealed in his own country, but it was rejected. T...

Airbus Expects to Deliver More A320s Despite Inventory Problems

4Oct

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Business, Europe, News

Airbus Expects to Deliver More A320s Despite Inventory Problems

Investment fraud caused damage of more than 13 million euros in the first nine months of this year, says the Fraud Helpdesk. This concerns both people who accepted an advertisement and victims who were approached by email or telephone with different products. For the whole of 2021, the organization foresees an increase in investment fraud of more than 30 percent compared to 2020. At that time, 13.2 million euros in damage was reported. There are more and more fraudulent offers in cryptocurrencies and currencies, says the Fraud Helpdesk. Fraud also takes place with, among other things, risky 'leveraged products', so-called CFDs. This involves speculation on the rise or fall of a currency or share price. The Fraud Helpdesk thinks that the total damage from investment fraud for 202...

27Sep

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Europe, News, Russia, Technology

EU Accuses Russia of Cyber Attacks

The European Union says it may be taking action against Russia over hacking activities. This includes the so-called 'Ghostwriter' campaign that was supposed to manipulate the German elections. It has been known for some time that Russia uses all kinds of cyber agents, but the EU is now explicitly pointing the finger at the country because of the Ghostwriter campaign. The organization reports this in a press release. During that campaign, several MPs, government officials, politicians and journalists were attacked, including hacking into their computers and personal accounts. Data would also have been stolen, according to the European Council. In the communication, the Council also states that 'further steps' will be taken, but the organization does not elaborate on those steps. ...

Metal Companies: Energy Crisis Stands in the Way of EU Green Ambition

24Sep

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Business, Europe, News

Metal Companies: Energy Crisis Stands in the Way of EU Green Ambition

The European Union's green ambitions could be "derailed" by the energy crisis. Metal companies warn against this. If electricity becomes too expensive, it is less attractive to switch to electricity instead of coal for producers of, for example, aluminium. This could undermine the EU's goal of being climate neutral by 2050. Companies can also decide to settle in cheaper regions. For example, Eurometaux, which includes some of the largest metal producers such as Glencore, Rio Tinto and Norsk Hydro, sent a letter to the European Commission as rising energy prices are forcing companies to cut production. They are also calling for further support for the sector, for example, through more regulation in the trading of mandatory emission allowances that they have to buy to emit greenho...

23Sep

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Business, Europe, News

Activity European Economies Cool Down

Activity in the major European economies is cooling off somewhat after the strong rebound since the corona crisis. The lower growth is partly due to problems in the supply chain. In addition, corona measures are hindering the earlier revival in the service sector, including tourism and the catering industry. According to market researcher Markit, the French and German industries, in particular, suffered from shortages of raw materials and parts. As a result, activity in those countries cooled more than expected, according to the monthly survey of purchasing managers. Growth in the German services sector also slowed significantly after a strong rebound in the summer. A combination of factors such as the floating Delta variant of the coronavirus, supply problems and a lack of capa...

ECB Extends Working from Home Until Early Next Year

15Sep

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Business, Europe, News

ECB Extends Working from Home Until Early Next Year

The European Central Bank (ECB) will allow employees to work from home as much as possible until the beginning of next year due to the uncertainty about the Delta variant of the coronavirus. That said, ECB President Christine Lagarde in an interview with Bloomberg news agency. "The current solution is remote working today and probably until the end of January. We'll see after that," said Lagarde. It was actually the intention that from October, work would be partly in the office again. To gain access to the ECB's offices, employees must be vaccinated, have recovered from the virus or show a negative test. The ECB employs more than 3,500 people, mainly at its headquarters in Frankfurt. Lagarde went on to say that many employers are moving to a hybrid model, with part-office work a...

The European Parliament is Suddenly Without Its Next President

8Sep

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Europe, News

The European Parliament is Suddenly Without Its Next President

The European Parliament is suddenly without its next president. German Christian Democrat Manfred Weber relinquishes the presidency he promised during the hard-fought division of top Brussels jobs in 2019. That could clear the way for a Dutch candidate. Weber was the first man from the Christian Democratic EPP in the 2019 European elections to head the European Commission, the executive board of the European Union. The Christian Democrats remained the largest party, but the EU heads of government subsequently passed 'Spitzenkandidat' Weber. Instead, they chose his compatriot Ursula von der Leyen, then Minister of Defence, as committee chair. Weber was given a prospect of the presidency of the European Parliament (EP) as a consolation. The Social Democrat who is now waving the ham...

Eurozone Economy Grew Somewhat Faster in the Second Quarter

7Sep

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Business, Europe, News

Eurozone Economy Grew Somewhat Faster in the Second Quarter

The eurozone economy grew faster in the second quarter than previously measured. Based on final figures, the European statistical office Eurostat reports a growth of 2.2 percent compared to the first three months of the year. In an earlier estimate, this was still 2 percent. The economy performed better in all areas than in the first quarter. At that time, there were still strict corona measures in many European countries. However, these were mostly relaxed in the months of April to June, which led to economic growth. In the Netherlands, the economy grew by 3.1 percent in the second quarter, which is one of the higher percentages in the eurozone. Ireland led the way with a growth of 6.3 percent. In Malta, the economy contracted by 0.5 percent. For the whole of the EU, growth wa...