EURACTIV.com with Reuters
Moldova’s government voted down, EU sees ‘worrying signals’ for the reform
Moldova’s government was brought down by a no-confidence vote on Tuesday (12 November), threatening more instability just five months after pro-Western Prime Minister Maia Sandu took office promising to fight corruption.
Catalan independence protesters block major Spain-France highway
Hundreds of Catalan pro-independence protesters blocked a border point on the AP-7 highway that connects Catalonia with France on Monday (11 November), stopping traffic in both directions the day after a parliamentary election in Spain.
Spain’s Socialists again seek to rule without majority as Ciudadanos collapses
The head of Spain's centre-right Ciudadanos party quit on Monday (11 November) after heavy election losses, potentially making his party more amenable to backing a government led by the Socialists.
Turkey starts ‘sending home’ detained foreign fighters
Turkey said on Monday (11 November) it had deported two captives from Islamic State, a German and an American, starting a programme to repatriate detainees that has caused friction with its NATO allies since it launched an offensive in northern Syria.
Spain’s far right doubles seats in hung parliament, difficult talks ahead
Spain's far-right Vox party more than doubled its number of lawmakers in the country's fourth national election in four years on Sunday (10 November), which delivered a deeply fragmented parliament, setting the stage for very difficult government negotiations.
Worried by climate change, EU moves to end fossil fuel funding
The European Union should phase out its funding of oil, gas and coal projects, EU finance ministers said in a joint statement on Friday (8 November), in a move that could mark a major shift in the bloc's efforts to combat climate change.
Moldovan president says coalition government may collapse
Moldovan President Igor Dodon said on Thursday (7 November) the former Soviet republic’s coalition government could collapse following a move by the prime minister to take on powers to nominate the prosecutor general.
‘Fully informed man’ says Trump won’t impose tariffs on European cars
Outgoing European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker does not believe US President Donald Trump will impose tariffs on imported European cars next week, he told Germany's Sueddeutsche Zeitung.
Russia shuts down second rights group, drawing EU concern
A Moscow court has ruled to dissolve an indigenous peoples' rights group, the second decision of its kind in less than a week that was criticized by European authorities on Thursday (7 November).
Germany commits to NATO spending goal by 2031 for first time
Germany will reach a NATO defence spending target by 2031, its defence minister said on Thursday (7 November), missing a 2024 deadline agreed by the allies who are under heavy US pressure to beef up their military budgets.
Pension reform helps Poland fill state coffers
Poland's government on Wednesday (6 November) approved a transfer of all state-guaranteed private pension funds to individual retirement accounts, in a move that will add 19.3 billion zloty (€4.5 billion) to state coffers strained by hefty social handouts.
US ambassador to EU admits ‘insidious’ pressure on Kyiv to investigate the Bidens
US diplomat Gordon Sondland told a Ukrainian official his country would likely not get nearly $400 million in security aid unless they pursued investigations demanded by President Donald Trump, revising earlier testimony to the Trump impeachment inquiry.
First impeachment transcripts go public, Trump denounces ‘Democrat hoax’
Witness transcripts in the impeachment probe into Donald Trump were made public for the first time Monday (4 November), with the former US ambassador to Kyiv telling investigators she felt threatened by the president in his call to Ukraine's leader.
Germany decries Iran’s move to speed up nuclear work, urges return to accord
Iran's announcement that it has developed advanced machines to speed up uranium enrichment jeopardises a 2015 accord with world powers, Germany's foreign minister said on Monday (4 November), urging Tehran to return to the pact.
Fresh victims in Iraq’s largest anti-government protests
Iraqi security forces killed at least five people when they opened fire on protesters in Baghdad on Monday (4 November), a Reuters witness said, as thousands took part in the largest wave of anti-government protests for decades.
Spain’s election candidates clash over Catalonia in TV debate
The main candidates to become Spain's next prime minister clashed on Monday (4 November) over how to handle Catalonia's independence drive, in a tense TV debate ahead of a repeat election that opinion polls show could be as inconclusive as the one in April.
Von der Leyen Commission hangs on Romania politicising
Romanian lawmakers will hold a vote of confidence on Monday (4 November) for the centrist minority cabinet of Prime Minister-designate Ludovic Orban, the outcome of which risks extending a policymaking vacuum in the European Union.
Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage will not run in UK election
Nigel Farage, the leader of Britain's upstart Brexit Party, said on Sunday (3 November) he would not stand in the next month's election, choosing instead to campaign countywide against Prime Minister Boris Johnson's EU divorce deal.
Carbon levy should fund cleaner shipping fuels, say top executives
Executives at some of the world’s top shipping groups are advocating a levy on carbon emissions on shipping in an effort to shape tightening rules on greenhouse gas emissions while providing a means to fund development of cleaner fuel sources.
Trump says UK Labour leader Corbyn would be ‘so bad’ for Britain
US President Donald Trump waded into Britain's election campaign on Thursday (31 October), saying the leader of the left-wing opposition Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, would be "so bad" for Britain if he wins.
British election campaign kicks off on no-Brexit day
On the day Britain was supposed to have left the European Union, voters instead faced the start of an election campaign, with opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn pledging to overthrow a "rigged system" he said was run by billionaires and tax dodgers.
Trump impeachment effort passes first test in divided US Congress
A deeply divided US House of Representatives took a major step on Thursday (31 October) in the effort to impeach President Donald Trump when lawmakers approved rules for the next, more public, stage in the Democratic-led inquiry into Trump’s attempt...
EU to assess five critical minerals in low carbon quest
The European Commission is assessing five new minerals for possible inclusion in a revised list of critical raw materials to be published next year, as it seeks to bolster supply chains for a low emissions economy, a senior Commission official said.