Author: staff

A China-linked influence operation impersonated a human rights organization on social media to encourage Spaniards to overthrow their government in the wake of the deadly October floods in Valencia, according to a new report. Accounts associated with the Spamouflage operation, which is reportedly linked to China, posed as the Madrid-based Safeguard Defenders on social media platforms including Facebook, X, BlueSky and TikTok from November to January, according to the report, which was authored by American social network analysis firm Graphika. Posts from the imposter accounts purported to show both English and Spanish content critical of the Madrid government and of…

The ECB is expected to cut rates by 25bps to 2.75% on Thursday as inflation nears 2% and growth remains weak. Analysts see further cuts in 2025, but US trade tariffs could add uncertainty. The European Central Bank (ECB) is widely expected to lower interest rates by 25 basis points on Thursday, easing monetary policy further as inflation trends towards the 2% target and economic indicators signal cooling momentum.The deposit facility rate is anticipated to drop from 3% to 2.75%, marking its lowest level since February 2023.Yet, while inflation and economic growth trends support lower interest rates, escalating US trade…

In reality, Moscow tried to influence Romania’s presidential election last year in favor of pro-Russian independent Călin Georgescu, and did the same in a presidential election and EU accession referendum organized by Moldova in October. Additionally, in last year’s sham Russian presidential election, held without authentic political opposition, President Vladimir Putin won with 87 percent of the vote. United Russia, Putin’s ruling party, has been accused of vote-rigging to maintain its tight grip on power since 2001, with Putin serving as either president or prime minister for the whole period.

LVMH has already sold the streetwear fashion brand Off-White recently, as well as its stake in Cruise Line Holdings amid dampened global demand for luxury goods and falling Chinese sales. Luxury giant LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE says it is selling its stake in Stella McCartney back to the brand’s founder, as it attempts to offload some of its labels while the luxury goods market continues to show signs of struggling. Currently, the luxury company owns a minority stake of 49% in the brand, which it has held since 2019. Additional details about the terms of the sale have not…

On top of his territorial claim against Denmark, a NATO ally, Trump has threatened across-the-board tariffs of up to 20 percent that, if implemented, would deal a massive blow to the $1.3 trillion transatlantic trading relationship. To placate him, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed buying more U.S. liquefied natural gas soon after Trump’s election victory in November. “On the commercial area is of course the LNG purchases, where there is a very clear opportunity to increase imports while phasing out Russian gas,” the Slovak commissioner said, adding that von der Leyen and Trump had discussed this during…

The Swedish furniture maker is going head to head with competitors including eBay and Depop. Ikea is planning to expand its European marketplace for second-hand furniture as demand for pre-owned goods remains strong.The decision comes after the Swedish multinational launched two successful pilot projects in Madrid and Oslo – which will be expanded to all of Spain and Norway until August.”It works – people like it,” Jesper Brodin, CEO of IKEA’s largest franchise Ingka, told the Financial Times.”We have decided to expand it from Madrid to Spain, and from Oslo to Norway. In a couple of years, we want to…

The EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas said Monday she had extended an open invitation to Rubio to attend the regular meeting of the bloc’s foreign ministers, telling journalists she had asked him to come “to explain the views of the United States.” Though Rubio panned this week’s gathering, Kallas said she later spoke with him on the phone, discussing Russia’s war in Ukraine, Iran’s malign influence and challenges posed by China. POLITICO asked the U.S. State Department if Rubio planned to attend the Feb. 12 Brussels meeting, but did not immediately receive a response. Kyiv’s representatives are eager to meet…

The Russian billionaire denied knowledge of the arrangement, saying he was not personally responsible or liable for the alleged tax evasion. Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich saved millions of euros through a scheme which falsely classified five of his superyachts as commercial vessels, an investigation has found. The strategy devised by his network allowed the billionaire to avoid paying VAT in European countries where his boats received services like refuelling.Private vessels are subject to the sales tax, which is typically levied at around 20% by EU members. However, five of Abramovich’s superyachts — including The Eclipse, which was, at one stage,…

However, viruses that had acquired characteristics for spillover to humans were not only the highly pathogenic viruses, but also low pathogenic viruses, “that do not cause very serious disease, but can circulate in the population and slowly can acquire these mutations,” Broglia explained.  This makes surveillance on low pathogenic viruses  “a cornerstone” to spot these mutations and characteristics that can lead to human adaptation, he said. Test, test, test Adaptation of avian influenza viruses to mammals can happen through genetic mutations and also through the mixing of genetic material between viruses. The interaction between wildlife, poultry, livestock and people is a driver for spillover.  “Are we…

The United States in recent years has gradually retreated from its post-World War II role of promoting global free trade and lower tariffs. That shift has been a response to the loss of US manufacturing jobs, widely attributed to unfettered tree trade and an increasingly powerful China. Tariffs are in the news at the moment, as President Trump puts them at the top of his list of potential punishments. Here’s what they are and what you need to know about them:Tariffs are a tax on importsTariffs are typically charged as a percentage of the price a buyer pays a foreign…