Notices by European News 🇪🇺 (eunews@mastodon.social), page 2

US urges Israel to stop shooting at UN peacekeepers in Lebanon

US President Joe Biden has said he is "absolutely, positively" urging Israel to stop firing at UN peacekeepers during its conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon, following two incidents in 48 hours.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2ek2gkp9k2o

The first EU humanitarian air bridge for Lebanon has landed in Beirut with 35 tonnes of EU shelter and hygiene supplies, aiding those affected by ongoing Israeli attacks.

France's Macron says sales of arms used in Gaza should be halted

"Our priority now is to avoid escalation. The Lebanese people must not in turn be sacrificed, Lebanon, cannot become another Gaza," he added.

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/frances-macron-says-sales-arms-used-gaza-should-be-halted-2024-10-05/

Meta Can’t Use Sexual Orientation to Target Ads in the EU, Court Rules

Europe’s most famous privacy activist, Max Schrems, landed another blow against Meta today after the EU’s top court ruled the tech giant cannot exploit users’ public statements about their sexual orientation for online advertising.

https://www.wired.com/story/meta-cant-use-sexual-orientation-to-target-ads-in-the-eu-court-rules/

Creating a Single European Rail Area – we have the vision, now it’s about implementation, says Travaini

InnoTrans 2024, Europe’s leading trade fair for transport technology, was held in Berlin at the end of September. Euractiv spoke with Giorgio Travaini, Executive Director of EU-Rail, about his goal of creating a Single European Rail Area.

https://www.euractiv.com/section/eet/interview/creating-a-single-european-rail-area-we-have-the-vision-now-its-about-implementation-says-travaini/

Georgia president refuses to sign bill curbing LGBTQ+ rights

Denounced by rights groups, the bill is widely expected to be passed into law by the parliament's speaker. It would ban gender transition, adoption by gay and transgender people, and nullify same-sex marriages performed abroad.

https://www.lemonde.fr/en/lgbtq/article/2024/10/02/georgia-president-refuses-to-sign-bill-curbing-lgbtq-rights_6727968_211.html

Ukraine: Top UN aid official condemns deadly marketplace strike in Kherson

The UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine condemned a deadly Russian strike in Kherson on Tuesday morning and underscored the need to protect civilians caught in the war, which is entering its 20th month.

https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/10/1155191

Moldova accuses Russia of trying to rig its EU referendum

The Kremlin is deploying disinformation and cash as Moldova heads to the polls, Chișinău’s national security chief tells POLITICO.

https://www.politico.eu/article/moldova-russia-eu-referendum-membership-social-media/

Ukraine bans Telegram messenger app on state-issued devices because of Russian security threat

Ukraine has banned government officials, military personnel and other defense and critical infrastructure workers from installing the popular Telegram messaging app on state-issued devices, describing the move as necessary for national security during the war with Russia.

https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-telegram-app-ban-official-devices-0147e9244d9a36481a64aacb60e5a06b

Russia tried to stage coup in Armenia, prosecutors allege

A traditional Moscow ally, Armenia has pivoted to the West since the Ukraine war began, and its PM now says it could seek EU membership.

https://www.politico.eu/article/russia-stage-violent-coup-armenia-investigation-allegiation/

Germany has stopped approving war weapons exports to Israel, source says

Germany has put a hold on new exports of weapons of war to Israel while it deals with legal challenges, according to a Reuters analysis of data and a source close to the Economy Ministry.

https://www.reuters.com/world/germany-has-stopped-approving-war-weapons-exports-israel-source-says-2024-09-18/

Borrell urges Georgia to scrap bill curbing LGBTQ rights

EU top diplomat Josep Borrell on Wednesday (18 September) urged Georgia to withdraw a controversial “family values” bill denounced as curbing the rights of LGBTQ people, warning it would harm the country’s chances of joining the bloc.

https://www.euractiv.com/section/enlargement/news/borrell-urges-georgia-to-scrap-bill-curbing-lgbtq-rights/

Georgian PM blasts EU for visa ‘blackmail’ as election crackdown looms

The Georgian government will not back down in the face of European Union opposition to its plans to outlaw the entire parliamentary opposition and ban LGBTQ+ activism if it wins an all-important election next month, the country’s prime minister has vowed.

https://www.politico.eu/article/georgia-prime-minister-irakli-kobakhidze-eu-visa-free-travel-agreement-election-democratic-backsliding-rule-of-law/

Orbán's immediate family benefits from reconstruction of Budapest-Belgrade railroad

The Orbán family's quarry has supplied construction materials for the renovation of the Budapest-Belgrade railroad, so in addition to the Hungarian Prime Minister's friend Lőrinc Mészáros, Viktor Orbán's immediate family members may also be profiting from the huge railway construction project of the state, 444.hu reports.

https://telex.hu/english/2024/09/16/orbans-immediate-family-benefits-from-reconstruction-of-budapest-belgrade-railroad

EU passes 50% renewables milestone amid missing climate plans

The EU’s renewable power generation surpassed fossil fuels in the first half of 2024, the European Commission announced today (11 September) in Brussels, while urging governments to submit their key long-term climate plans.

https://www.euractiv.com/section/energy-environment/news/eu-passes-50-renewables-milestone-amid-missing-climate-plans/

Europe 'no longer at mercy of Putin’s pipelines', says energy commissioner

The EU is ready to manage without Russian gas when a transit deal for gas via Ukraine ends this year, the bloc’s energy commissioner said on Wednesday (11 September).

https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/ar36fa49c8

Google loses €2.4bn EU antitrust case for favouring its own shopping service

It's one of a pair of court victories today in Brussels' battle against big tech.

https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2024/09/10/google-loses-24-bn-eu-antitrust-case-for-favouring-its-own-shopping-service

EU court orders Apple to pay Ireland €13 billion in back taxes

The case about Apple not paying sufficient taxes in Ireland, where it has its European headquarters, drew outrage from Apple when it opened in 2016 , with CEO Tim Cook dismissing it as 'total political crap.'

https://www.lemonde.fr/en/european-union/article/2024/09/10/eu-court-orders-apple-to-pay-ireland-13-billion-in-back-taxes_6725465_156.html

The EU must play 'leading role' in Venezuela, says opposition journalist

Former Venezuelan opposition presidential candidate Edmundo González has fled into exile after being granted asylum in Spain, delivering a major blow to millions who placed their hopes in his upstart campaign to end two decades of single-party rule.

https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2024/09/10/the-eu-must-play-leading-role-in-venezuela-says-opposition-journalist

EU steps up NATO engagement as it looks to its own defence

After decades sheltering under the US security umbrella, European leaders are beginning to take defence seriously, increasing military spending and strengthening NATO ties.

https://www.theparliamentmagazine.eu/news/article/eu-steps-up-nato-engagement-as-it-looks-to-its-own-defence