EURACTIV.com with Reuters
UK employers urge Johnson not to sacrifice services in EU deal
Britain must not exclude its huge services industry from a planned trade deal with the European Union as the price for reclaiming control over its economy, a group representing British employers said on Monday (24 February).
Iran’s leader says enemies tried to use coronavirus to impact vote
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Sunday (23 February) Iran's enemies tried to put people off voting in Friday's parliamentary election by exaggerating the threat of the new coronavirus but that participation had been good.
Global spread of coronavirus raises pandemic fears
Fears mounted on Monday (24 February) that the coronavirus outbreak in China will grow into a pandemic with disruptive and deadly consequences for countries around the world, after sharp rises in infections in South Korea, Italy and Iran.
G20 finance heads wrap up Riyadh meeting overshadowed by virus outbreak
Finance leaders of the world's top 20 economies wrapped up their two-day meeting on Sunday (23 February) in Riyadh that was dominated by growing concern over the widening fallout from the coronavirus outbreak.
Germany’s minorities call for action after shisha bar shootings
German Kurds called on Thursday (20 February) for stronger government action against far-right radicalism and racism as they mourned the victims of a gun attack on two shisha lounges.
US intelligence told lawmakers Russia tries to help Trump’s re-election
US intelligence officials told lawmakers last week that Russia is interfering in the 2020 election campaign by aiming to cast doubt on the integrity of the vote and boost President Donald Trump’s re-election, a person familiar with the briefing said on Thursday (20 February).
Climate-friendly stocks are moving markets away from short-termism, EU watchdog says
Climate-friendly stocks have outperformed the broader market in the past two years and could also help to combat "short-termism" in financial markets, the European Union's securities regulator said on Wednesday (19 February).
Ireland’s Fianna Fáil to step up efforts to form a government
Ireland's Fianna Fáil will step up efforts to form a government by starting formal engagement with other parties, except Sinn Féin, after marginally winning the most seats at an inconclusive 8 February election.
US special envoy discusses Taliban deal with re-elected Afghan president
US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Wednesday (19 February) discussed a US deal with Taliban militants on a weeklong reduction in violence, meeting the day after Ghani was declared a winner of a disputed presidential poll.
Google confirms plans to move UK users’ accounts outside EU jurisdiction
Google is planning to move its British users' accounts out of the control of European Union privacy regulators, placing them under US jurisdiction instead, the company confirmed late on Wednesday (19 February).
North Macedonia wins EU praise for pioneering coal-to-solar shift
The European Union energy watchdog praised North Macedonia on Wednesday (19 February) for a pioneering project among EU aspirants to transform an ageing coal mine into two solar power plants, in line with goals to cut pollution and tackle climate change.
Trump names his star ambassador Grenell acting director of national intelligence
President Donald Trump on Wednesday (19 February) named US ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell, a strong supporter of his policies, to be acting director of national intelligence.
Trump offered to pardon Assange if he denied Russia helped leak Democrats’ emails: lawyer
US President Donald Trump offered to pardon WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange if he said that Russia had nothing to do with WikiLeaks’ publication of Democratic Party emails in 2016, a London court heard on Wednesday (19 February).
Google users in UK to lose EU data protection – sources
Google is planning to move its British users’ accounts out of the control of European Union privacy regulators, placing them under U.S. jurisdiction instead, sources said.
Dutch appeals court reinstates $50 billion awarded to Yukos shareholders
A Dutch appeals court on Tuesday (18 February) overturned the annulment of a $50 billion award to shareholders in the now defunct Russian oil giant Yukos, a surprise ruling 13 years after the assets came under control of the Kremlin.
Libya’s rival factions dig in for long conflict
Libya’s combatants are readying for a long conflict, as foreign weapons flood in, eastern factions close oil ports and rival alliances wrangle over revenues from Africa’s largest petroleum reserves.
Eurozone ministers discuss fiscal boost options as coronavirus worries weigh
Euro zone finance ministers discussed ways to pursue a more growth-friendly fiscal policy mix on Monday (17 February), in a potential nudge to Germany and the Netherlands to spend more as fears of a downturn grow in the wake of the coronavirus epidemic.
Russian spy agency played role in Berlin murder of Georgian man: Bellingcat
Russia’s FSB security service planned and organized the murder of a Georgian man in Berlin last summer, a killing that triggered diplomatic expulsions from Germany and Moscow, the investigative website Bellingcat said on Monday (17 February).
Gibraltar encouraged by Spanish ‘pragmatism’ on post-Brexit ties
Gibraltar is encouraged by Spain's "pragmatism" on its key demand that their mutual border remain fully open after the Brexit transition period expires at the end of 2020, its deputy chief minister said on Monday (17 February).
TGV-maker Alstom confirms bid attempt for Canadian rival
French train maker Alstom has confirmed it is in talks on the possible acquisition of the train business of Canada’s Bombardier, a potential €6.5 billion deal that could help it build scale in the increasingly competitive rail sector.
UK post-Brexit rules to ‘turn off tap’ of low-skilled foreign labor
Britain will “turn off the tap” of foreign, low-skilled labor and require all skilled workers wishing to come to the country to have a job offer and meet salary and language requirements as it sets post-Brexit rules from next year.
Europe can win global battle for industrial data, Breton says
Europe may have lost the battle to create digital champions capable of taking on US and Chinese companies harvesting personal data, but it can win the war of industrial data, Europe's industry policy chief said on Saturday (15 February).
Macron picks minister to lead Paris mayor battle after sexting scandal
French President Emmanuel Macron picked his widely respected health minister on Sunday (16 February) to reinvigorate a campaign to win over Paris City Hall that fell apart when his previous candidate pulled out over a sexting scandal.