EurActiv
Ireland moves to end mask requirements
Ireland’s National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) recommended on Thursday that current mask requirements should be removed. Should NPHET’s proposal be accepted by the government, masks would only be required in healthcare settings. Wearing them would no longer be mandatory...
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Austrian businesses aim to up exports to Africa
Austrian businesses see significant export potential in Africa, the country’s chamber of commerce has said ahead of the EU-AU summit in Brussels between 17-18 February. “Many African countries are important markets of the future and hope for the domestic export...
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UK scraps oligarch–friendly ‘golden visa’ scheme
The UK government has decided to axe a controversial scheme used by several thousand wealthy Russians to obtain investor visas. Tier 1 investor visas were available to individuals who spent at least £2m in the UK. Home Secretary Priti Patel...
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Paris transport workers to stage massive strike, demand higher pay
Paris transport network workers will strike on Friday, claiming the wage increase they have been offered is not high enough. The strike follows the call from all trade union representatives of the Paris rail and metro system, known as RATP....
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Bulgaria to accept just a few hundred NATO troops
Bulgaria will only accept a few hundred NATO soldiers, the country’s defence minister Stefan Yanev confirmed after a meeting between NATO defence ministers on Thursday. Sofia expects that by June, it will be clear which countries will send troops to...
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Disquiet in PP over ‘friendly fire’ spying scandal
Trouble is brewing in Spain’s conservative People’s Party (PP) after two Spanish media outlets on Wednesday reported a possible case of espionage, allegedly commissioned by leaders of the centre-right party, against the brother of the regional President of Madrid, Isabel...
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Finland irritated over Scholz’s Ukraine-NATO comments
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s comments on Ukraine’s possible NATO membership have caused concern and ignited reactions in Finland. Scholz’s comments left no room for interpretations. All countries have the right to choose their alliances freely, and the principle is not...
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German government, Scholz suffer drastic approval rating drop
The Ukraine crisis and the question of a vaccine mandate have taken their toll on the popularity of Germany’s political leadership, with one in three being “dissatisfied” with Chancellor Olaf Scholz, according to new polls. One in five approve of...
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Orban skips EU’s Russia summit to meet Bolsonaro arriving from Moscow
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was absent from a discussion between EU leaders on Russia and Ukraine, preferring to meet Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro straight after his audience with Russian President Vladimir Putin. EU leaders came to Brussels on Thursday...
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EU Parliament adopts ‘Eurovignette’ directive, ending five years of tortuous talks
Controversial revisions to EU rules on road tolls were adopted by the European Parliament on Thursday (17 February), clearing the final hurdle of a multi-year legislative odyssey, which started in 2017.
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Witnesses reel after Ukraine kindergarten shelled by separatists
Kindergarten worker Natalia Slesareva's ears were ringing after she was thrown against a door by a shell blast during an attack that has sent tensions soaring, amid fears that Russia will invade Ukraine.
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France should start mining lithium at home, minister says
France should start exploiting its own lithium resources to meet increased demand stemming from a shift away from fossil fuels, Barbara Pompili, the country's environment minister, said in a video interview published on Thursday (17 February) by business daily Les Echos.
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Russia expels No. 2 American official in Moscow; US weighs response
Russia has expelled the No. 2 US official in Moscow, a State Department spokesperson said on Thursday (17 February), with Washington calling the banishment unprovoked and warning of an American response amid heightened fears of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.
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The Brief – What if Putin wins without firing a shot?
Western analysts imagine a possible Russian war against Ukraine mostly as something resembling World War II: with tanks, troops and airplanes.
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Prices on the rise and the EU-African Union partnership of equals
This week, our Beyond the Byline podcast focuses on inflation in Europe, what is driving it and why, and what role the European Central Bank in ensuring stability. I spoke with EURACTIV’s Jobs and Economy Editor, Janos Amman, to hear...
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MEPs divided over alcohol consumption in fight against cancer
An EU report on beating cancer was adopted by a large majority of MEPs on Wednesday (16 February), after conservatives' amendments loosened up zero-alcohol recommendations. EURACTIV France reports.
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Ukraine, Russia-backed rebels trade accusations of shelling across front
Russian-backed rebels and Ukrainian forces traded accusations on Thursday (17 February) that each had fired across the ceasefire line in eastern Ukraine, raising alarm at a time when Western countries have warned of the possibility of a Russian invasion any day.
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Russia to increase gas supplies to Italy, Draghi to visit Moscow
Russian President Vladimir Putin has told Italy that Russia is ready to increase its gas supplies to the country if needed, the Russian ambassador to Italy Sergey Razov said on Thursday (17 February).
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Africa-EU summit: Neo-colonialism or justice?
To fix the climate crisis, Europe needs to look beyond its borders and recognise the neocolonialist, historical and oppressive systems that continue to contribute to environmental damage and human rights abuses, write Maya Ozbayoglu and Eric Njugnuna.
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It’s the power, stupid.
Whether the European economy as a whole will become more social depends on whether the EU is willing to shift the relative power balance in the economy in favour of employees. There are signs that this might be happening.
Categories: EurActiv