Browsing: EU

Italy’s former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has been acquitted on charges of witness tampering. The 86-year old right-wing politician and media magnate had been accused of bribing young showgirls to lie about their participation in the notorious “bunga-bunga” parties hosted by Berlusconi during his time in office. FRANCE 24’s Bryan Quinn explains.

Spanish women who suffer from painful periods are set to be given the right to paid leave from work. The parliament in Madrid is expected to approve a proposal that would mean the state would pay 100% of menstrual leave, a measure that is a first in Europe. In Spain, some schemes already allowed time off for sufferers. FRANCE 24’s Sarah Morris, Armelle Exposito and C?line Schmitt report.

MEP Marc Tarabella has been charged with participation in a criminal organisation, corruption and money laundering.

In Spain, women are due to benefit from a first here in Europe menstrual leave paid for by the state. Spanish women who suffer from painful periods are set to be given the right to get 100 percent paid leave from work for period pain. FRANCE 24’s correspondent in Madrid Sarah Morris reports.

China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, met with French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday at the start of his trip to Europe, amid renewed tensions…

An Italian court on Wednesday acquitted Silvio Berlusconi over allegations of bribing witnesses in a underage prostitution case that has dogged the former prime minister for more than a decade.

Nicola Sturgeon quit as Scottish first minister on Wednesday, saying her dominance over her party and the country was no longer the asset it once was in the fight for an independent Scotland.

The EU wants to approve the 10th package of sanctions by the time the Ukraine war marks its one-year anniversary on 24 February.

In a bid to tackle the energy crisis, Dutch authorities have approved offshore drilling for gas in the North Sea. The first gas is set to be extracted in 2024, but the project has sparked controversy on the surrounding islands. Residents fear that drilling for gas will damage the exceptional biodiversity of the area, pollute the Waddenzee – a UNESCO world heritage site – and threaten the islands main source of income, tourism.

Oliv?r V?rhelyi was heard asking “how many idiots are still left?” during a Q&A session with lawmakers.

A major French mental health study has found a huge rise in the number of young people reporting depression, with the most likely cause seen as Covid-19 and restrictions to control the disease.

Trucks would also have to reduce emissions by 90% by 2040.

The European Parliament on Tuesday gave its final approval to a ban on new sales of carbon-emitting petrol and diesel cars by 2035, with a view to getting them off the continent’s roads by mid-century.

The EU considers Russia has failed to address the harmful elements of its tax legislation.

Let’s build a cleantech industry strategy, the European way

Ukraine has urged the EU to sanction Rosatom and blacklist its managers, but the call has so far gone unheeded.

A coalition of eastern European countries led by Poland and Estonia is also calling for NATO members to increase the spending benchmark.

Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin said on Tuesday that Russian forces will not seize the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut “anytime soon” as intense fighting there continues. Wagner has been leading the Russian assault on the city. Earlier on Tuesday, NATO defence ministers gathered for talks on how to step up their military support for Ukraine. Follow FRANCE 24 for live updates. All times are Paris time (GMT+1).

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her coalition allies secured emphatic election wins in the two wealthiest regions of the country on Monday, strengthening the right’s grip on power amid growing voter apathy.

Catholic clergy in Portugal have abused nearly 5,000 children since 1950, an independent commission said on Monday after hearing hundreds of victims’ accounts.

The implementation of the regulation has been delayed for more than a year now due to a dispute over what is defined as ‘renewable’ hydrogen.

The European Commission says the Hungarian law violates internal market rules, the fundamental rights of individuals, and EU values.

Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands called on Monday for “targeted adjustments”. Spain, however, is backing a “fundamental reform”.

The European Commission warns uncertainty is still elevated, with the economy dependent on Russia’s war in Ukraine and tight energy markets.

Cyprus voters on Sunday elected the former foreign minister Nikos Christodoulides as the next president of the small EU member state, with his rival conceding defeat and congratulating him.