The European Parliament has awarded the democratic opposition in Belarus as the deserving winners of this year’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. The award announced Thursday is scheduled for December 16, during a plenary session that would be held in Strasbourg, France.
Category: Europe
Brexit Optimism Drives Big Gains in Pound
The pound hit its biggest gain since the market turmoil in March on Wednesday, and the market is betting that a Brexit deal may be reached next month. The pound rose 1.7% to $1.3171 against the US dollar, the highest level in more than six weeks, after Bloomberg reported that trade negotiations between the UK and the EU may resume.
Lagarde: New Coronavirus Cases Pose “Clear Risk” to Economy
European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said on Tuesday that the unexpectedly accelerated growth of new coronavirus poses a “clear risk” to the economic outlook. This statement is a sign that policymakers will step up to adopt more monetary stimulus measures.
Coronavirus — Johnson Locks Down Northern England
As per a directive from British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, effective this weekend, northern England will enter a “very high” level of alertness in a bid to battle the second wave of coronavirus. In addition to the closure of bars, the Prime Minister has also prohibited social gatherings in Manchester.
DOJ Hits Google with Antitrust Suit
According to reports, the US Department of Justice filed its long-awaited antitrust lawsuit against Google, and it could take a judge to spin the market-value of the search and advertisement giant worth $1 trillion. The big economies worldwide seem to be starting to take steps against Google, and the United States alone is not the problem.
Is the EU Allowing Erdogan to Attack?
The European Union discussed (but failed to agree on) sanctions against Turkey over the weekend, Euronews reported. Several countries want to punish Turkey for violating the sovereign rights of Greeks and Cypriots in the Eastern Mediterranean. However, Germany, Spain, Italy, Hungary, and Malta blocked the proposal.
Cathay Pacific to End Dragonair, Sweden Bans Huawei & ZTE
The South China Morning Post reported that Cathay Pacific will lay off 6,000 employees and end its Cathay Dragon brand as part of a strategic assessment to deal with the unprecedented damage caused by the new coronavirus pandemic. The SCMP said the Hong Kong airline is expected to officially announce the plan after the close on Wednesday.
What is the Future of the Eurasian Economic Union?
The creation of the Eurasian Economic Union has been predetermined by three historical aspects, which, within the framework of close cooperation, determine the direction of the economies of the member states. These three formats, which are interfaced to one degree or another, gave the prototype of the EAEU.
Tensions Between Russia and Turkey Escalate
Erdogan made a statement that he does not recognize the Crimea as part of Russia. The Kremlin representative said that the Union of Russia and Turkey is impossible after Erdogan’s words about Crimea. “Erdogan has his own agenda. We can’t even talk about any ‘Union’,” Pushkov said.
Iranian Arms Embargo Ends Sunday
As of Sunday, all restrictions on the transfer of weapons, related activities and financial services have been lifted. “Automatically cease to operate” and all bans on entry into the country, as well as on transit through the territories of UN member States, which were previously imposed against a number of Iranian citizens and military officials, said Iranian Foreign Ministry.
Belarus Protests- Opposition Demands Lukashenko Vacate Office by Oct 25th or Face Mass Protests
Thousands of people once again took to the streets of Belarus today in protests against the country’s president, Alexander Lukashenko, despite an earlier threat by the authorities to use live gunfire on them. The protests resulted in the arrest and subsequent detention of over 100 people in Minsk, police said.
Nagorno Karabakh- Armenia Accuses Azerbaijan of Violating New Ceasefire
Armenia has accused Azerbaijan of violating the ceasefire just minutes after it took effect in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. The ceasefire was agreed upon at midnight local time on Saturday. A spokesman for Armenia’s defense ministry said Azerbaijan had violated the ceasefire by firing artillery shells and rockets just four minutes after it took effect.
Merkel Asks Germans to Stay Home After Three Days of Record High Coroavirus Cases
German Chancellor, Angela Merkel on Saturday Oct 17th, called upon the Germans to stay at home as the country is experiencing a new wave of the coronavirus pandemic. Merkel opined that the country is in a difficult phase of the pandemic and infections are increasing faster over the last three days, than in spring.
Teacher Beheaded in Paris, Macron Calls ‘Islamist Terrorist Attack’
The police have not disclosed the identity of the suspect. According to the “Parisian”, the attacker was an 18-year-old man with a Chechen background, born in Moscow. When committing the crime, he was carrying a knife and an air gun, and he shouted “Allahu Akbar” when he committed the crime.
U.S. Oil Market Outlook Likely to Fall to 36 US Dollars
In the European market on Friday, U.S. crude oil futures prices fluctuated down by about 1% and traded at around $ 40. A strong U.S. dollar impacted oil prices. In addition, the market was worried that the surge of new coronavirus pneumonia cases in Europe and the United States would reduce these two in the world’s largest fuel-consuming regions.
U.S. Dollar Mostly Fell Against G-10 Currencies
On Friday (October 16), most of the US dollar fell against G-10 currencies. Previously released data showed that US retail sales grew faster than expected, and consumer confidence rose slightly in early October. The pound is stable as traders still have hope for the prospect of a trade agreement between the UK and the EU, and the two sides will continue negotiations next week. SEK and CAD led G-10 currencies.
Aussie and Gold Bullish Willingness to Both Cooldown
The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) on Friday released a report, as of October 7 to October 13 the week: AUD see more willingness to cool; to see more gold willingness to cool down, gold speculative net longs decreased by 7,916 contracts to 240,671 contracts, indicating that investors’ willingness to be bullish in gold has cooled.
MH17 — Tensions Increasing Between Russia and the Netherlands
Russia’s Ambassador to the Netherlands, Alexander Shulgin, was summoned to the Dutch Foreign Ministry after Russia decided not to participate in trilateral consultations on the crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 (MH17) in 2014. That’s according to a message from the Kingdom’s Foreign Minister, Stef Blok, to the Dutch Parliament.
Brexit — Johnson Threatens “No Deal” to Leave EU
The Brexit process between the United Kingdom and the European Union has taken four and a half years. The two sides are still engaged in a tug of war. Now, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson seems to be desperate to leave the European Union as soon as possible, but still leaves a crack in the door for a retreat.
Raab: EU-UK Trade Agreement May Still be Reached
British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said that a trade agreement between Britain and Europe after Brexit is still possible, but the European Union needs to show greater flexibility. According to current news, both the UK and the EU expressed their desire to continue negotiations.
Europe Locks Down, Oil Plunges, Gold Rises
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are currently more than 7.2 million cases of new coronavirus across Europe, and the number of hospitalizations is increasing at an alarming rate. European stock markets fell across the board.There were more than 30,000 new confirmed cases in France in a single day on Thursday.
Gold Falls, Dollar Pushing Up
On Friday, international gold prices fell and are expected to close again after a lapse of two weeks. Investors expect that the United States is unlikely to introduce new fiscal stimulus measures before the presidential election, and the number of confirmed cases of the new coronavirus in Europe has surged.
EU, UK Sanction Russians Over Navalny Poisoning
The European Union and the United Kingdom slammed seven top Russian officials with sanctions on Thursday. Six officials, including the director of the Federal Security Bureau (FSB), one of the employees of the presidential administration, and a businessman, were sanctioned.
Belarus — Tikhanovskaya Gives Lukashenko Deadline to Resign
On Tuesday, Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya gave President Alexander Lukashenko a deadline to resign by October 25. Otherwise, she would mobilize the opposition members in the country to embark on a series of massive demonstrations that would paralyze activities and bring the country to a standstill.
Japan’s Wholesale Market Shrinks – A Global Solution on the Horizon?
Earlier this week, Reuters reported that Japanese wholesale prices fell by 0.8% in September, marking the seventh consecutive month of year-on-year declines. Prices also declined by 0.2% as compared to August, the first on-month decline in Japan in four months. Their data was courtesy of the Bank of Japan (BOJ).
The 5 Quintessential Roles of Gifts in Maintaining a Healthy, Lifelong Relationship
Can you still remember the last time you surprised your sweetheart with a gift? (Oh, don’t tell us you can’t.)
Everyone has their own way of expressing love. While some gestures are shown in the form of words and actions, others are articulated by meaningful materials wrapped in a nice box. It does not matter if it’s simple or extravagant as long as it comes from the heart. After all, gift-giving means you are willing to share something without expecting anything in return.
Navalny, EU, and the Future of Nord Stream 2
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was poisoned in August. As a result, the future of the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline has been questioned. There is an attempt to simultaneously put pressure on Russia as part of the package of sanctions for the Navalny poisoning and not use these sanctions against Nord stream 2.
Navalny — EU Launches New Sanctions on Russia
After the poison attack on Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, the European Union is launching new sanctions on Russia. The foreign ministers of the EU countries agreed on Monday at a meeting in Luxembourg to begin the necessary preparations. In addition to travel restrictions for certain people, these could also include economic sanctions, for example.
Next Step for Belarus As Opposition Leaders Released From Jail
A member of the initiative group of Viktor Babariko, businessman Yuri Voskresensky and Director of PandaDoc Dmitry Rabtsevich had a meeting with Lukashenko. Thereafter, they were released from the jail. The announcement came via Belarus 1 TV Channel. Belarus 1 is a state-owned television channel in Belarus.
Berlin Locks Down Bars and Restaurants to Halt Pandemic
Germany’s capital city, Berlin on Saturday ordered the closure of all bars and restaurants therein between 11.00 PM and 06:00 AM effective from Saturday as a measure aimed at halting COVID-19 infections therein. The sale of alcoholic beverages at service stations as well as in supermarkets as from 23:00 was equally banned.
New Aerodynamic Forces Study to Increase the Speed of the Aircraft
Scientists regularly turn to the animal world for inspiration, especially when they are working to improve the aerodynamic characteristics of aircraft. European scientists who study aerodynamic forces have discovered several interesting areas of future work, inspired by fish scales. Such structures can reduce the drag of aircraft by as much as 25 percent.
Can India Accelerate Its Future Growth Utilizing Global Value Chains?
India’s GDP has just dropped by a whopping 24% in the last quarter, one of the biggest drops globally. The core reason for this significant decline was that India had one of the strictest COVID 19 economic lockdowns in the world.
This greatly and negatively affected the livelihoods of millions of Indians. So what can Indians do to repair their economy and increase lost incomes for their millions of citizens? A study has shown almost all countries need to grow and establish new Global Value Chains (GVC). Almost nothing has been proven better to raise incomes and reduce poverty, while requiring very little government involvement or costs.
A New Opportunity for Skin Care Wholesalers
Many industries and sectors across the global economy have greatly suffered as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and the associated recession caused by the Great Lockdown. Demand for some goods and services has simply collapsed, while in other areas, the means of distributing them to retailers or consumers has been severed or greatly disrupted.
SVR: Turkey Openly Siding with Azerbaijan
Russia SVR made a public statement that Turkey is supporting Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Turkey’s open and unequivocal support for Azerbaijan is a fundamentally new external factor that affects the nature of the current aggravation of the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, SVR head Sergey Naryshkin said to Tass.
Navalny Calls for EU Sanctions Against Putin
Russian opposition politician Alexey Navalny on Wednesday called upon the European Union to impose tough sanctions on key figures in Russian President Vladimir Putin’s government, as well as his inner circle. His proposed sanctions would include entry bans in response to Navalny’s poisoning.
OPCW: Navalny Poisoned by Novichok
The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) made an announcement Tuesday to the effect that it had discovered Novichok-like substances thanks to tests it had conducted on Russian opposition politician, Alexei Navalny. He was hospitalized in Berlin after he was allegedly poisoned.
Best Festivals and Party Events to Attend When in Poland
Holidays is the time when you have the opportunity to get away from it all, while away and simply recharge your batteries. It is the time when you pack your luggage and set off on a journey to discover new places, go sightseeing and have fun. However, travelling does not have to be only about sightseeing and getting around the cities. Poland tour may be also a great idea if you are kind of a party animal. Apart from numerous clubs and pubs, it is a place of concerts, festivals and lots of cultural events. So, if you feel like dancing, listening to a good music and having fun, come round for a party to Poland.
Turkey — Totals Tell Tale of Terrible Trade Troubles
Last Wednesday, the Turkish Statistical Institute published data pertaining to the nation’s foreign trade. The situation looks troublesome. Turkey has been on the forefront of the news for the past week, regarding President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s support of Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Indonesia Exports Need a Value Chain Push
Indonesia is the largest economy in Southeast Asia, both in terms of population (267 million people) and economic size with a GDP of $1.12 Trillion.
Can this archipelago’s future economic growth match demographic youthful transition for the next few years with an average age of their citizens at 30.5 years? Studies have shown and Indonesia needs to expand their global value chain, as it has been proven to raise incomes and reduce poverty.
UK Court Overturns Venezuelan Gold Ruling
A British appeals court on Monday overturned an earlier lower court ruling, which had granted Venezuela’s self-declared President, Juan Guaidó, access to the more than 30 tons of Venezuelan gold that are deposited in the Bank of England. The ruling thus presents a new twist in the conflict.
Belarus- Protests Continue, Tens of Thousands Demand Lukashenko Must Go!
Just as it has become kind of a norm in Belarus every weekend, tens of thousands took to the streets today demanding that Lukashenko must step down as the nation’s president. It’s estimated that about 100,000 people took part in today’s demonstrations against President Alexander Lukashenko despite the heavy security deployed by the authorities.
Three Rwandan Genocide Suspects Arrested in Belgium
Three people suspected of involvement in the 1994 Rwandan genocide have been arrested in Belgium. Reports indicate that two of the suspects have been detained in Brussels while another is being held at the province of Hainault. According to the country’s prosecutor’s office, the suspects have been charged with abuse of human rights.
New Caledonia Referendum- Region Votes to Remain a Part of France
In a referendum for independence from France, a majority of the population of the territory of New Caledonia, in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia, have voted to remain a part of France. The “No” to independence from Paris has won in the referendum with 53.26% of the total votes.
Boris Johnson- UK Will Still Move on Even With No Brexit Deal
The British Prime Minister said today that the UK could “live very well” if the post-‘Brexit ‘negotiations, underway with the European Union fail to yield an agreement before the end of the transition period. Appearing in an interview with the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show, Mr Johnson said: “I think it’s there to be done. Alas, there are some difficult issues that need to be fixed.
Play Games, Discover Planets for NASA or Fauna for Russia
This week, NASA announced the creation of the Planet Patrol Website. The purpose of the website to aid scientists in the research of the new exoplanets in the data of the TESS space telescope. The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite is a space telescope for NASA’s Explorers program, designed to search for exoplanets using the transit method in an area 400 times larger than that covered by the Kepler mission.
A New Solution for Wholesalers in the Pandemic Economy
The coronavirus pandemic, and the associated Great Lockdown designed to contain it, have wreaked havoc on the global economy throughout 2020. The global wholesale market is no exception. Forecasters believe this typically robust market will experience an industry-wide decline over the course of the year.
Italy’s Matteo Salvini Faces First Trial
Italian far-right leader Matteo Salvini on Saturday for the first time appeared in a court in Catania, Sicily, facing charges of preventing the landing of migrants rescued at sea. The former Italy’s Interior Minister is accused of abuse of power and ”kidnapping people” following the order he gave in July 2019 to block the 116 migrants on board the Italian Coast Guard ship “Gregoretti”.
Iran to Aid Armenia in the Nagorno Karabakh Conflict
Iran declared its intention to support Armenia and began transferring tanks and artillery. The Iranian defense Ministry has begun an emergency transfer of its artillery and heavy armored vehicles to the border with Azerbaijan, preparing to support Armenia if necessary. We know about the transfer of at least two dozen field howitzers and three dozen T-72 tanks to the borders of Azerbaijan.
Coronavirus — Trump Tests Positive, Receives Well Wishes
US President Donald Trump and the First Lady, Melania Trump, announced late Thursday night that they had tested positive for the Coronavirus. Their announcement triggered messages of goodwill and wishes for a speedy recovery from leaders at home and from across the globe.
France, Western Countries, Protest Dmitriev Sentence
France is concerned about the verdict of the historian and head of the Karelian Memorial, Yuri Dmitriev. They are especially concerned since his health has deteriorated sharply since the beginning of his detention, the French Embassy in Moscow reported. Furthermore, last Sunday, an open letter was penned in support of Dmitriev.
English
Amharic
Arabic
Armenian
Azerbaijani
Belarusian
Bengali
Bulgarian
Chichewa
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
Croatian
Czech
Danish
Dutch
Estonian
Filipino
Finnish
French
Georgian
German
Greek
Gujarati
Hausa
Hebrew
Hindi
Hungarian
Indonesian
Irish
Italian
Japanese
Javanese
Kazakh
Korean
Kurdish (Kurmanji)
Kyrgyz
Lao
Lithuanian
Luxembourgish
Macedonian
Malay
Malayalam
Marathi
Mongolian
Myanmar (Burmese)
Nepali
Norwegian
Pashto
Persian
Polish
Portuguese
Punjabi
Romanian
Russian
Serbian
Sindhi
Slovak
Slovenian
Somali
Spanish
Sudanese
Swahili
Swedish
Tajik
Tamil
Telugu
Thai
Turkish
Ukrainian
Urdu
Uzbek
Vietnamese
Yoruba