Tag Archives: European Union

Reuters reports: Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was in a life-threatening condition after he was shot in a “politically motivated” assassination attempt when leaving a government meeting on Wednesday, the interior minister said. The gunman shot Fico, 59, five times, leaving the prime minister in critical condition and still undergoing surgery hours later on Wednesday evening, Interior Minister Matus Sutaj …

The Associated Press reports: Media reports say Slovakia’s populist Prime Minister Robert Fico was injured in a shooting and taken to hospital. The incident took place in the town of Handlova, some 150 kilometers northeast of the capital, according to the news television station TA3. A suspect has been detained, it said. Deputy speaker of parliament Lubos Blaha confirmed the …

Reuters reports: Meta’s Facebook and Instagram have failed to tackle deceptive advertising and disinformation in the run-up to European Parliament elections, the European Commission said on Tuesday as it opened an investigation into suspected breaches of EU online content rules. The move by EU tech regulators came amid concerns about Russia, China and Iran as potential sources of disinformation, but …

Bloomberg News reports: Apple Inc. was hit Monday with a €1.8 billion ($2 billion) penalty from the European Union over an investigation into allegations it shut out music-streaming rivals, including Spotify Technology SA, on its platforms. The European Commission also ordered the Cupertino, California-based firm to stop preventing music-streaming apps from informing users of cheaper deals away from Apple’s App …

Politico Europe reports: Elon Musk’s X, formerly known as Twitter, may face tough new restrictions under the European Union’s new digital antitrust rulebook, the European Commission said after the company told regulators they could come under the scope of the rules. X, TikTok-owner Bytedance and travel website group Booking told the Commission on Friday that they run digital services that …

Courthouse News reports: A divided Bundestag on Friday voted to make Germany the first major European Union country to legalize the possession and purchase of small amounts of cannabis for recreational purposes. Starting April 1, people 18 and older will be able to grow up to three marijuana plants and possess up to 25 grams (about 1 ounce) of cannabis …

Reuters reports: Hungary’s new law on “protecting national sovereignty”, which the ruling Fidesz party said was necessary to protect against foreign political interference, violates European Union law, the European Commission said on Wednesday. The Commission said it had sent Hungary a formal notice that it would open an infringement procedure over the law, passed in December, which it said violated …

The Associated Press reports: The leaders of the 27 European Union countries sealed a deal Thursday to provide Ukraine with a new 50-billion-euro ($54 billion) support package for its war-ravaged economy despite weeks of threats from Hungary to veto the move. That Hungary lifted its veto, and so quickly, came as a surprise. On the eve of the summit, Hungarian …

Axios reports: Amazon and Roomba maker iRobot on Monday said that they’ll terminate their $1.4 billion merger agreement, due to opposition from European antitrust regulators. This is the first time Amazon has ever been stopped from buying another company. The deal originally was announced in mid-2022 with a $1.7 billion price-tag, with Amazon hoping to expand a smart home device …

Politico Europe reports: There’s a Hungarian saying for when things are not going well: “It is under the frog’s ass.” And things sure won’t go well for Hungary if it attempts to thwart European leaders when they meet next week to approve a vital €50 billion lifeline to Ukraine as it enters a third year of war with Russia. After …

The Associated Press reports: Hungary’s government will not change policies the European Union believes infringe on LGBTQ+ rights and those of asylum seekers, even if doing so would unfreeze billions in funding the bloc has withheld from Budapest, a government minister said Thursday. The EU has frozen funding to Hungary over concerns its right-wing nationalist government has trampled on minority …

The Washington Post reports: Germany has launched criminal tax proceedings against Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is accused of failing to declare a luxury watch upon landing in Munich. The Hollywood star and former governor of California, 76, was held for three hours after disembarking a flight from Los Angeles, Schwarzenegger’s spokesman Daniel Ketchell, who was on the flight, told The Washington …

The Daily Beast reports: The European Union presidency on Tuesday said that democracy will be “put to the test” with the looming 2024 U.S. election, warning that ties between America and Europe could be undermined. Without explicitly naming Donald Trump, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo—whose country currently holds the rotating presidency—gave the somber assessment in the EU legislature hours …

Politico Europe reports: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said Thursday the European Commission is blackmailing Hungary by withholding billions in frozen funds over rule-of-law concerns. Orbán said the blackmail is “a fact,” even admitted by the blackmailers themselves — members of the European Parliament. “In our view, Hungary fulfills all the qualities of the rule of law, and when the …

The Guardian reports: The social media platform X, formerly Twitter, is being investigated for allegedly breaking EU law on disinformation, illegal content and transparency, the European Commission has announced. The decision to launch formal infringement proceedings against the company, owned by the US billionaire Elon Musk, comes weeks after X was asked to provide evidence of compliance with new laws …

The New York Times reports: Hungary on Friday blocked the European Union from approving a financial aid package for Ukraine, though E.U. leaders agreed to officially open accession negotiations for Ukraine to join the bloc, an important breakthrough for Kyiv as it tries to bolster support from its allies. Charles Michel, the president of the European Council, said that all …

The BBC reports: European leaders have decided to open EU membership talks with Ukraine and Moldova and to grant candidate status to Georgia. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky hailed the decision, made at a summit in Brussels, as “a victory” for his country and Europe. A spokesperson for Charles Michel, the President of the European Council, said that agreement was unanimous. …

The Washington Post reports: In a cathartic moment for many in Poland, centrist political veteran Donald Tusk got the nod on Monday to be the country’s next prime minister, marking the end of eight years of right-wing nationalist rule and a dramatic shift in the European political landscape. Tusk’s alliance secured a majority in October elections with a promise to …

Reuters reports: Hungary’s ruling party unveiled billboards vilifying European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen on Monday, the first time it has made her a personal target in a campaign similar to one against her predecessor that angered Brussels. The billboards, erected overnight to launch a campaign for next June’s European parliamentary election, depict Von der Leyen alongside Alex Soros, …

The Associated Press reports: Polish opposition leader Donald Tusk declared the beginning of a new era for his country after opposition parties appeared to have won enough votes in Sunday’s parliamentary election to oust the governing nationalist conservative party. That party, Law and Justice, has bickered with allies and faced accusations of eroding rule of law at home in its …