Author: Olga Winter - EU Newsdesk

Several political stories dominate the bloc’s news today. There are ongoing discussions between China and several European countries over the cut undersea cables that Germany labelled “sabotage.” With the bloc attempting to move away from the claims of sabotage, an investigation has been launched into the recent damage to the two underwater communication cables linking four NATO nations. China has said it is ready to cooperate with the probe.

Reaction to the chaos that Romania’s presidential election found itself in continues to be reported across Europe. On Thursday, a top Romanian court ordered a recount of first-round results amid allegations that TikTok boosted a little-known far-right candidate, in an act of interference.

Ireland is also heading to the polls as the snap election kicks off this Friday – results are expected over the weekend.

The latest Eurozone inflation figures reveal inflation is up to 2.3% in November. The news that Turkey has fallen into a recession dominates the news.

Romania’s presidential election was thrown into chaos Thursday as a court ordered a recount of first-round results and security officials alleged that interference via TikTok had boosted a little-known far-right candidate.

In sports, Spanish and French media cover the ongoing crisis at Real Madrid amid concerns for French captain Kylian Mbappe – who has struggled with his form since arriving at the legendary club.

The EH Bildu group in Congress has presented a non-legal proposal to increase compensation for unfair dismissal, as recommended by the Council of Europe. The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe has asked Spain to establish a system of compensation for unfair dismissal that is a “deterrent” for companies and that takes into account “the real damage” suffered by workers, since it considers that the model current does not guarantee it. The Basque…

Voters head to the polls in Irish general election The polls have opened for the Irish general election. Voters are able to cast their ballot up until 22:00 local time to choose representatives to serve as Teachtaí Dála (TDs) in the Dáil, the lower house of the Oireachtas (Ireland’s parliament). The next Dáil, which will be the 34th, will have 174 TDs, up from 160 in 2020. Friday’s vote comes after a three-week election campaign.…

“Is there a person who knows” expand-leftfull screenThe Catrine da Costa case is one of the worst legal scandals in Sweden, according to Leif GW Persson. He is convinced that the nasty case can still be solved. “There is one person in life who most likely knows how it is.” check Read the entire article – for you with abplus

Speech by Christine Lagarde, President of the ECB, at the official dinner of Banka Slovenije in Ljubljana, Slovenia Ljubljana, 16 October 2024 It is a pleasure to be here this evening. Not far from here, tucked away in the National and University Library, lie copies of the Abecedarium and the Catechism. These two texts, written by the religious reformer Primož Trubar in 1550, were the first ever books to be printed in Slovenian.[1] At a…

The committee of inquiry into the nuclear phase-out had already been meeting for almost nine hours on Thursday when a witness entered the meeting room E.800 in the Paul Löbe House of the Bundestag in Berlin and fundamentally contradicted Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) on a central point. The committee should clarify whether Habeck and Environment Minister Steffi Lemke (Greens) have actually examined openly whether the service life of the last three nuclear power plants…

In the debate about an insult against Robert Habeck, the AfD presents itself as the guardian of freedom of expression. In a similar case, an AfD official contacted the judiciary. AfD process shows double standards in the Robert Habeck case – debate about insults on the Internet

  China’s economy is still struggling to recover from the pandemic, nearly two years after Beijing dropped its draconian zero-COVID lockdowns. In the first three quarters of 2024, economic growth came at 4.8% — just shy of Beijing’s 5% target. Deflation, weak consumer demand and a huge real estate crash have hurt the country’s incredible growth trajectory, while ongoing trade tensions with the United States — likely to worsen under Donald Trump’s second term — have hurt exports, which…

Figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on Thursday put net migration at more than 900,000 in the year to June 2023, numbers Starmer blamed on the previous Conservative government. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said the government intends to overhaul the immigration system after new data showed arrivals to the country had hit a record high. Figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on Thursday put net migration at more than 900,000…

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), the EU’s financial markets regulator and supervisor, has responded to the European Commission proposal to amend the Markets in crypto-assets Regulation (MiCA) Regulatory Technical Standards (RTS). ESMA acknowledges the legal limitations raised by the Commission but emphasises the importance of the policy objectives behind the initial proposal. In […] ESMA responds to the Commission rejection of certain MiCA Technical Standards

The controversial nuclear program, the war in Ukraine and the Middle East: Iran’s positions have recently put a strain on relations with Europe. The Islamic Republic is seeking rapprochement in Geneva. Watch this and other news on WELT TV.© Axel Springer Germany GmbH. All rights reserved. Now live: Nuclear program and Middle East conflict – Germany and European partners talk to Iran – Video

The FDP’s “D-Day” paper demonstrates a demonic desire for manipulation. The symbolism of Merkel’s reading in Stralsund. And: Notre Dame will reopen. This is the situation on Friday morning. News: FDP D-Day paper, Angela Merkel and the GDR, Notre Dame before reopening

Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu arrived in France on Thursday for a two-day state visit, with both sides looking to deepen their economic and diplomatic ties. It is the first official state visit to Paris by a Nigerian leader in over two decades.   French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed his counterpart with a warm greeting in Nigerian Pidgin English, stressing the cultural connection between the two leaders. “Na big honor for France,” he wrote on social media…

The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe at its 47th session has adopted recommendations on the application of the European Charter of Local Self-Government by Iceland, Latvia and Malta. The Congress has called on Iceland to incorporate local self-government into domestic law. It concluded that Icelandic municipalities lead globally in terms of female voting and representation and welcomed the high level of fiscal autonomy in the country’s local self-government. However, despite previous Congress recommendations, Iceland did not incorporate local democracy…

The wave of bankruptcies in German retail continues: Now Kodi has to pull the ripcord. The company points to falling sales and increased costs. Experts are not surprised – and see the industry under pressure.The wave of insolvencies in German retail continues. This time affected: the non-food discounter Kodi. The retailer, which currently has 238 branches and an online shop, has applied for so-called protective shield proceedings at the district court in Duisburg. This special…

Why does a state-of-the-art research vessel hit a reef during mapping work? Military investigators have now presented an investigation report. With a bitter result for the ship’s command. New Zealand’s research ship: Human error to blame for the sinking of the “Manawanui”

Chad said on Thursday that it was ending its defense cooperation pact with former colonial power France in a decision that could see French soldiers withdraw from the Central African country. “The government of the Republic of Chad informs national and international opinion of its decision to end the accord in the field of defense signed with the French Republic,” Chad’s Foreign Minister Abderaman Koulamallah said in a statement on his ministry’s official Facebook page.…

The European Union is poised for a fresh chapter as the new von der Leyen Commission, led by President Ursula von der Leyen, prepares to take office on December 1. Following a vote in Strasbourg, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) gave their confidence to the new College of Commissioners, marking the start of an ambitious five-year term. In her address to the European Parliament, President von der Leyen presented her vision for Europe, emphasizing…

Pleasant Russia policy, nuclear phase-out, migration: Maybrit Illner doesn’t spare former Chancellor Angela Merkel from any sensitive topic in the ZDF interview. Merkel appears unimpressed and unreasonable. Their message is: Everything was actually done right. It turns out that the former Chancellor is now light years away from her party.Do you have to listen to her again? Read another interview with her, watch another talk show with former Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU)? Hasn’t everything been…

Wedding, baby, happy ending: “Notting Hill” ended the way romantic comedies end. Director Richard Curtis planned a less sugary sequel. But Julia Roberts waved her off. And they lived happily ever after: that’s how most romantic comedies end. “Notting Hill” from 1999 was no exception. In the end, the glamorous Hollywood star (played by Julia Roberts ) and the somewhat clumsy bookseller ( Hugh Grant ) were a couple. Wedding bells, baby joy – the big table setting. If…

The Foundation for Applied Economics Studies (Fedea) proposes a partial indexation of pensions with inflation, so that the highest pensions, but not the lowest ones that cannot be cut, are partially ‘sacrificed’ to the over the years with a loss of purchasing power that helps reduce pension spending and ensure the sustainability of the system. This is one of the measures that the executive director of Fedea, Ángel De la Fuente, has defended during the…

The right will miss the woke left The left is currently distancing itself from wakeism. Then it is important to remember that historically it has been the materialist left that has been the most illiberal.

Budapest, Hungary, October 2024 – Hungary faces a decision regarding religious freedom as it navigates the challenge of preserving its traditional connections with major religious organizations while also confronting the growing issue of discrimination against minority belief systems. The latest discoveries by Nazila Ghanea, the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, for the United Nations, provide insight into the factors influencing Hungary’s religious environment. During her assessment following an official trip lasting from October…

So far, men in Ukraine are only required to fight in the army from the age of 25. The USA is urging the country to make a significant reduction in view of the losses on the front.The USA is apparently urging Ukraine to send young men to war at the age of 18 in the future and thus solve the shortage of recruits. To date, the age limit has been 25 years – i.e. after…

The US telecommunications company confirms attacks by “malicious actors”. According to reports, a Chinese hacker group could be behind the attacks that also targeted Donald Trump. T-Mobile USA reports hacker attacks