Author: staff
The council is holding itself to strict standards on energy and EVs as it seeks to be close to carbon-free by 2030. The Swedish city of Gothenburg has put itself in the unusual situation of being fined for missing environmental targets.Sweden’s second biggest city is believed to be the first local government in the world to take out a “sustainability linked loan” or SLL. This type of financing requires the borrower to meet agreed environmental and social goals each year or face financial penaltiesUnder the terms of the arrangement the City of Gothenburg made with six banks in 2022, it…
Le Pen and 24 other codefendants were accused of illicitly siphoning European Parliament funds to pay for party employees who seldom or never dealt with affairs in Brussels or Strasbourg. The court estimated that the accused had over 12 years embezzled more than €4 million, €474,000 of which Le Pen was held personally responsible for as an MEP. All but one of them, an accountant, were found guilty and handed a mix of fines, ineligibility bans and suspended prison sentences. The National Rally party was also found guilty and handed a €2 million fine, though that can be reduced by…
The tech giant has introduced MetaAI across Europe, after it halted the launch in the bloc last year due to ‘regulatory uncertainty’. The Irish data protection authority still has open questions about Meta’s AI tool which the tech giant started to roll-out across Europe last week, a spokesperson for the privacy watchdog told Euronews.“The DPC, as Lead Supervisory Authority for Meta, has been examining Meta AI over recent months with our colleague Supervisory Authorities across the EU/EEA and we will keep it under review as it rolls-out to users over the coming weeks,” the spokesperson said, adding: “However, in terms…
Le Pen and her co-defendants were accused of illicitly siphoning European Parliament funds to pay for party employees who seldom (or never) dealt with affairs in Brussels or Strasbourg. The court estimated that the accused had embezzled more than €4 million, €474,000 of which Le Pen was held personally responsible for as an MEP. “In general, our observations of European capitals indicate that they are absolutely not averse to going beyond the bounds of democracy during the political process,” Peskov needled. Le Pen has ties to Russia through a controversial bank loan, which the National Rally took out in 2014 and…
Marine Le Pen and 24 National Rally members were found guilty of embezzling EU funds to pay party staff, risking Le Pen’s future in politics. Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Rally, was found guilty of misappropriation of public funds and barred from running for office for five years “with immediate effect,” a Paris court decided on Monday in a crucial moment that will determine Le Pen’s political future. Le Pen was also sentenced to four years in prison, two of which were commuted to wearing an electronic monitoring device, and a €100,000 fine.The sentence for Le Pen…
Read our full guide to the UK’s new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA): who needs it, how long it’s valid and how to apply. The UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system has officially expanded to European travellers.Starting 2 April 2025, all European visitors will need ETA approval – or, for some non-EU nationals, a visa – to enter the UK.The system became mandatory for travellers from the US, Canada and Australia on 8 January 2025, following its rollout last November for nationals of Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.Read on for details on cost, validity and how…
With a particular emphasis on artists from the wider Nordic region, Latin America and Asia, and with aims to incorporate Indigenous perspectives, Helsinki Biennial 2025 has revealed its participating artists. Helsinki Biennial 2025 has revealed its artist roster, featuring 37 international artists and collectives set to exhibit in diverse locations across the city. Curated by Blanca de la Torre and Kati Kivinen, this third edition of the Helsinki Biennial, titled ‘Shelter: Below and Beyond, Becoming and Belonging’, will also, however, centre on non-human protagonists.Among the list of participants are big names such as Olafur Eliasson, known for his innovative explorations of…
While nearly three-quarters (73 percent) said they believed racism was a “significant issue,” they were divided on whether immigration had changed communities for the better, as 51 percent agreed with the statement against 32 percent who disagreed. “Young people are undoubtedly worried about the future of the U.K. and they are concerned about the state of democracy,” said Elisabeth Loose, research and external engagement officer at the John Smith Centre, who led the survey. She added: “As to what young people want from politics, the answer is a more open, honest political culture which provides answers to their basic needs.”…
The self-described misogynist also faces legal cases in Romania and the UK for alleged rape and human trafficking. The controversial social media influencer Andrew Tate is facing a new lawsuit after his ex-girlfriend accused him of sexual assault and battery. In a complaint filed in Los Angeles on Thursday, the model Brianna Stern said the 38-year old former professional kickboxer had emotionally and physically abused her. The lawsuit alleges that Tate beat and choked her earlier this month during sex at the Beverly Hills Hotel, leaving her with post-concussion syndrome. “While doing so, Tate told her repeatedly that if she…
The Oscar-winning actress is more interested in hearing stories of female spies, claiming she ‘never liked’ the famous fictional agent. Celebrated British actress Helen Mirren has said that James Bond should never be played by a woman, as the spy franchise is “born out of profound sexism”. Mirren also admitted that she “never liked” the 007 series because of the way women were presented in it. “The whole series of James Bond, it was not my thing. It really wasn’t. I never liked James Bond. I never liked the way women were in James Bond,” Mirren told The Standard in a new interview.…