Welcome to Britain, where an elected member of parliament openly rages against “crime against humanity” COVID vaccines and a £12.50-a-day pollution charge is a “trojan horse” for government “control.”
Conspiracy theories are not a new force in British politics. But there’s mounting concern that, on a host of issues, once-fringe ideas are increasingly being ushered into the mainstream — with a little help from politicians.
https://www.politico.eu/article/conspiracy-theories-covid-vaccines-are-rife-in-british-politics/
#UK #Politics #ConspiracyTheories #Covid #ULEZ
The Black Sea's role in Russia's war on Ukraine.
The Black Sea was once a geopolitical afterthought in Europe. But that has changed since Russia began its war against Ukraine. Now, many interests are colliding on the inland sea between Europe and Asia.
https://www.dw.com/en/the-black-sea-plays-a-key-role-in-russias-war-on-ukraine/a-66517223
#Europe #BlackSea #Russia #Ukraine #Turkey #Bulgaria #Romania #Georgia #WarInUkraine
Two-thirds of Slovenia has been affected by flash floods in the last several days, with the resulting damage likely to exceed half a billion euros.
Prime Minister Robert Golob called the flooding the "worst natural disaster" in the country's history.
The flooding has resulted in landslides, houses have been swept away, bridges and roads have been destroyed and water supply has been cut off in some parts of the country.
#Slovenia #Rain #Floods #Disaster
The Brussels region in Belgium wants to introduce legal obligations for large supermarkets to donate unsold food.
Eurostat estimates that roughly 10% of all the food made available to EU consumers ends up in the trash. In 2020, that amounted to nearly 59 million tons, according to the EU.
It is not the first time an EU country introduces legislation on food donations. Does it work?
https://www.dw.com/en/food-waste-is-forcing-supermarkets-to-donate-the-way-to-go/a-66444711
#Belgium #Brussels #Supermarkets #Donate #Food #FoodWaste #FoodBanks
Italy’s scorching summer singes Giorgia Meloni as climate change splits the right.
Italy has suffered more than any other European country except Greece this year from extreme weather events.
But climate scepticism—prevalent among Ms Meloni’s voters—presents the prime minister with an electoral quandary: a survey found the view that climate change is man-made is widely accepted in Italy, by 82% of people.
https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/08/03/italys-scorching-summer-singes-giorgia-meloni
#Italy #Meloni #ClimateChange #Heatwave #Politics #FarRight
Did a right-wing German tabloid invent ‘Barbie’?
The Lilli doll, created by the Bild tabloid, went from a spur-of-the-moment cartoon to a gag gift for adults in Germany before being seen as an inspiration for young women in the US.
https://www.euronews.com/culture/2023/07/22/did-a-right-wing-german-tabloid-invent-barbie
#Germany #Barbie #Lilli #Cartoon
Spain votes tomorrow in an early general election which polls suggest no party will win with enough votes to govern alone, making post-ballot alliances necessary.
Who are the candidates in Spain's general election?
https://www.rte.ie/news/europe/2023/0722/1395948-spain-election/
#Spain #Politics #Elections
The reason Sweden allows Quran burning despite international anger.
Recent public desecrations of the Quran by a handful of anti-Islam activists in Sweden have sparked an angry reaction in Muslim such as Iraq, Iran and Lebanon, but the country has no law against blasphemy, and protections for freedom of speech.
#Sweden #Quran #FreedomOfSpeech #FreedomOfExpression #Blasphemy
Could Poland's controversial LGBT-Free Zones finally be consigned to history?
In 2019, a wave of Polish towns and cities passed resolutions declaring themselves “LGBT-Free Zones” that at one point encompassed one-third of the country.
Since then, activists and legal experts have fought to revoke or nullify these declarations, chipping away at the bloc of LGBT-Free Zones largely found in the southeastern part of the country.
#Poland #EU #LGTBQ #LGBTFree
For Latino investors and dissidents, Madrid is becoming the 'new Miami'.
The Spanish government has made closer ties with Latin America one of the priorities of its presidency of the Council of the European Union.
Holders of large fortunes; economic migrants; political dissidents and former members of governments; not to mention singers and writers: They are all converging at the Spanish capital.
#Spain #Madrid #EU #LatinAmerica #Miami #Investors #Dissidents
Flying may be bad for the environment, but taking the train in Europe is bad for your bank account, a new study found.
Rail travel within the Continent remains 71% more expensive than flying, according to research by Greenpeace.
The report compared the prices of flights and trains on 112 European travel routes and found that taking the train was cheaper than a flight in only 23 cases.
https://www.politico.eu/article/commercial-plane-flight-cheaper-rail-train-travel-europe/
#Europe #AirTravel #Flying #Train #Rail
How gentrification is taking over Athens' city center.
The center of the Greek capital has become a playground for foreign investors buying up entire buildings for seasonal rentals.
#Greece #Athens #Investors #RealEstate #Gentrification
Ukrainian police have disrupted a massive bot farm with more than 100 operators allegedly spreading fake news about the Russian invasion, leaking personal information belonging to Ukrainian citizens, and instigating fraud schemes.
After conducting 21 searches, the country's cyber and national police seized computer equipment, mobile phones, more than 250 GSM gateways, and about 150,000 SIM cards.
https://www.theregister.com/2023/07/20/ukraine_busts_russian_bot_farm/
#Ukraine #WarInUkraine #Disinformation #FakeNews #CyberSecurity #Fraud
Electricity demand in the European Union is set to fall by 3% in 2023 to its lowest level in twenty years, according to new estimates by the International Energy Agency (IEA).
Spiraling energy prices and economic slowdowns in European economies are mainly accountable for the decrease in demand.
A record two-year slump of 6% in EU electricity consumption was recorded during the first half of 2023 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
#EU #IEA #Energy #Electricity
Spain's political escape artist Pedro Sánchez has the odds against him yet again in national election.
Battered and bruised after seeing his Socialists take a drubbing in local and regional elections in May, Sánchez took no time to lick his wounds. The very next day he stunned his buoyant rivals by bringing forward general elections from December to this Sunday.
That was the street equivalent of saying: Let’s settle this, once and for all.
#Spain #Politics #Elections
A powerful storm hit the Balkans with strong winds and heavy rain Wednesday, killing at least five people in Croatia, Bosnia and Slovenia and injuring dozens.
The storm was the second in two days to sweep over the region following a string of extremely hot and dry days.
Elsewhere in Europe, a continuing heat wave caused wildfires and public health warnings.
#Balkans #Croatia #Bosnia #Slovenia #Storm #Heatwave
Bulgarian police arrested 15 alleged smugglers and detained hundreds of migrants following a nationwide raids.
The operation was sparked after authorities found 40 migrants, including children, inside a tanker truck specifically modified to transport people.
Bulgaria has emerged as a transit point to enter central and western Europe through illicit means.
https://www.euronews.com/2023/07/19/bulgaria-arrests-alleged-human-smugglers-in-nationwide-raids
#Bulgaria #Migration #Asylum #Refugees #PeopleSmuggling #Schengen #Border #BorderControl #Frontex
Jane Birkin: The British actress, singer and muse to many who became a French icon.
In this edition of 'Encore!' we remember Jane Birkin, who died on Sunday at the age of 76. A British woman who was a cultural idol for the French, the lover and collaborator of one of their most adored singers Serge Gainsbourg, she even had a luxury Hermès handbag named after her.
Music critic Marjorie Hache speaks to Eve Jackson about her life and legacy.
#France #UK #JaneBirkin
From our 'Ireland EU 50' series, celebrating Ireland's 50th anniversary of joining the European Union.
Daniela Vincenti is the former Editor-in-chief of EURACTIV. For The European Network she writes about how Ireland impressed her in the way it turned challenge into opportunity.
Ireland played its cards well and, from its splendid isolation, turned itself into a modern and open country.
https://theeuropeannetwork.eu/the-celtic-phoenix-after-50-years-of-transformative-eu-membership
#Ireland #EU #Europe #IrelandEU50 #CommunicatingEurope
Amsterdam wants prostitutes out, locals fear they will be next.
The Dutch capital wants to move its renowned red-light district to the outskirts in the hope of alluring new residents. Residents fear they may be the next evicted.
#Netherlands #Amsterdam #RedLightDistrict #Wallen #Prostitution #SexWork #Tourism #OverTourism