Author: staff

The Commission wants to resolve that problem with a common, bloc-wide label in the form of a QR code.  The package ignores the idea of cancer warnings on wine, which DG SANTE had planned to propose during the last Commission mandate, but dropped due to anger from wine-producing countries like Italy, France and Spain. Ireland on its own eventually adopted the law, which takes effect next year. Fighting climate change Extreme weather is decimating harvests, whether through floods, droughts or sudden and unseasonal shifts in temperature. This attracts grape moths, mites and mealybugs that spread plant diseases like downy and…

A German consumer group flagged issues with 17 of the 18 common supplements it tested. Parents should think twice before giving their children dietary supplements, a German consumer group warned after testing the ingredients of more than a dozen common products.Supplements contain vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients and are intended as an add-on to a normal diet – but parents are also bombarded with conflicting messages about whether incorporating them into their child’s diet will help or hurt their growth and development.The Berlin-based consumer group Stiftung Warentest tested the ingredients of 18 common supplements against recommended nutrient intake levels for…

If a picture paints a thousand words… Here’s all you need to know or may have missed about this past week in Culture (24-28 March 2025). Only a few weeks ago, Hamdan Ballal stood on a stage in Los Angeles accepting an Oscar for the film No Other Land, a documentary depicting his West Bank village’s struggle against Israel’s occupation. Ballal was heavily beaten by an Israeli settler and soldiers who detained him and two other Palestinians. Ballal said he was kept blindfolded, kicked and punched. Ballal doesn’t speak Hebrew, but he said he heard them saying his name and…

Surging AI and battery technology patents as well as success for small businesses and women inventors — Europe’s latest patent data paints a dynamic picture of innovation. The European Patent Office’s (EPO) Patent Index 2024, published this week, reveals that nearly 200,000 patent applications were filed last year, proving that Europe’s inventors are pushing forward despite economic uncertainty.At the Euronews event, “Unlocking Europe’s potential: Competitiveness meets technological trends”, EPO’s Principal Director of Communication, Luis Berenguer Giménez introduced key insights from the Index before joining a high-level discussion with European policymakers and business experts including Member of the European Parliament (EPP), Adrián…

European governments have updated their travel advice for tourists in the area and with upcoming trips. A 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar at midday local time on 28 March, sending violent tremors across Thailand and as far as China.The jolt caused a skyscraper to crumble in the Thai capital Bangkok, causing three deaths and leaving 81 people still missing under the rubble. European governments have updated their travel advice for tourists in Thailand and with upcoming trips. Here’s what you need to know about safety and travel insurance. State of emergency declared in six regions in MyanmarThe earthquake, whose epicentre…

The coalition parties most likely to form the new German government have intensified talks. The leaders of the centre right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Christian Social Union (CSU) – the CDU’s sister party that only operates in the south-eastern German state of Bavaria – and centre left Social Democrats (SPD) gave statements to the press, as coalition talks to form a new German government reached the next stage. CDU leader and Germany’s most likely next chancellor Friedrich Merz said there are still “some hurdles ahead,” but remains confident that the parties will manage to come to agreement.Bavarian Minister President Markus…

The streets of Damascus are once again full of life, as people are preparing for the annual Eid celebrations. The Syrian capital, Damascus, is regaining some of the spirit that was almost lost after years of war. With the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, the city is breathing again and this year’s Eid al-Fitr preparations are fully underway. Markets that were once stagnant and fearful are now bustling with people. Vendors loudly call out to their customers, as if to make up for the years of silence and repression they endured. Attempts to restore normal life are evident in every…

The daylight saving time has proven difficult to scrap. Meanwhile, time zones do not match solar time in many EU countries. Putting a stop to the seasonal time change isn’t easy, largely for political reasons. This Sunday Europeans will once again lose an hour as the clocks wind forward.It’s something few people enjoy, as shown by a 2018 survey, according to which 84% of EU citizens are against the phenomenon.According to scientific studies, the hour change can upset our body’s alignment with sunlight, which may result in sleep deprivation and affect several diseases.Switching the clock seasonally is also at odds…

The four soldiers, whose identities have not been released, went missing early on Tuesday when they were on a mission to recover another Army vehicle during unit training. US and Lithuanian authorities are struggling to drain a swampy area in Lithuania in an ongoing effort to recover four American Army soldiers who went missing three days ago.The soldiers’ armoured vehicle was discovered submerged in 15 feet of water and so far teams have been unable to get inside or pull it out.US Army Europe and Africa said that cranes, a large-capacity pump and more than 30 tons of gravel have…

European Chief Prosecutor Laura Kövesi said her office launched an administrative inquiry into potential misconduct by Georgieva days after Bulgarian media reported on apparent links between the magistrate and an alleged criminal. Asked to comment on the matter, EPPO declined. Georgieva claims she was pressured in a campaign related to a high-profile investigation into the Bulgarian state-owned gas storage expansion facility, Chiren.  She accused Delyan Peevski, a member of Bulgarian parliament, of threatening to stop her from indicting a former energy minister involved in the Chiren project. “They are threatening me, and successfully. I feel threatened by Peevski. First there was…