Author: Euronews

The European Commission approved on Thursday the release of up to €137 billion in funds for Poland that had been frozen over rule-of-law concerns. Here’s what the big number means – and hides. ADVERTISEMENTThe hefty figure made headlines when Ursula von der Leyen teased the announcement during a visit to Warsaw last week.”We are impressed by your efforts and those of the Polish people to restore the rule of law as the backbone of your society. A society where everyone plays by the rules. A society where people and businesses can trust the institutions and can hold authorities to account,”…

Tata has announced it is to set up its first gigafactory outside India in Somerset, with battery production likely to start in 2026. ADVERTISEMENTTata, the owner of Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), has revealed it is building the biggest electric vehicle gigafactory in the UK, in the south-west county of Somerset. The brownstone site, at the Gravity Smart Campus in Puriton, near Bridgwater, was previously a Royal Ordnance Factory from the World War II, until it stopped operating in 2008.It is expected to manufacture about 40GWh worth of battery cells every year, which should account for around 500,000 vehicles. The company…

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent in any way the editorial position of Euronews. The revised Ambient Air Quality Directive is a great tool for the Polish government to swiftly shift from the costly smoggy past to a clear new era, with happier and healthier people in tow, Weronika Michalak ADVERTISEMENTThe trilogue deal on the EU Ambient Air Quality Directive reached last week is a unique public health opportunity for Poland. The country has one of the highest economic and health burdens from air pollution in the EU — which is why the newly…

Inflation rates in France and Spain ease less than expected in February, nudging government bond yields higher as markets anticipate a bumpier road ahead to reach the ECB’s 2% target. ADVERTISEMENTFebruary’s inflation figures from France and Spain have cast a spotlight on the eurozone’s economic landscape, revealing a less-than-anticipated deceleration in consumer prices, signaling to policymakers in Frankfurt that achieving the coveted 2% inflation target might prove more arduous than initially anticipated.In France, preliminary figures indicate a dip in the annual inflation rate based on the CPI from 3.1% in January to 2.9% in February. However, economists had forecasted a…

The Biden administration is proposing to make it easier for the government to fine airlines for damaging or misplacing wheelchairs by making it an automatic violation of a federal law on accessible air travel. ADVERTISEMENTThe US Transportation Department is also calling for airlines to provide annual training for employees who handle wheelchairs or lift passengers with disabilities.Damage to wheelchairs and scooters during air travel is a growing problem. The Transportation Department said 11,527 of the devices were mishandled by airlines last year, up from 10,337 in 2022.The administration plans to announce the proposed rule during a White House event that…

EU weighs using Russia’s frozen assets to support Ukraine, a proposal by von der Leyen. Legal, financial, and political hurdles loom large, stirring debate among critics. ADVERTISEMENTIn a speech to the European Parliament on Wednesday, von der Leyen argued that using the frozen funds to support Ukraine’s military would be a “just and effective” way to help the country defend itself against Russian aggression.”It is time to start discussing the use of exceptional profits from frozen Russian assets to purchase military equipment for Ukraine jointly,” she said.The interest generated from the assets could amount to billions of euros per year,…

Is man’s best friend the planet’s enemy? There’s been an ongoing debate about whether owning a pet is as polluting as owning a car. ADVERTISEMENTIs your adorable puppy or kitten as bad for the planet as a petrol-guzzling car?While the precise carbon pawprint of our furry friends is still a source of debate, one thing is clear: cats and dogs do have an impact on the planet. How? Their diet is the biggest contributor to their carbon footprint, which requires energy, land, and water to produce.One of the most often cited studies was conducted by Gregory Okin, a geography professor at…

The European Union cannot afford to let Russia win the war in Ukraine regardless of what happens in the United States after the presidential elections, Ursula von der Leyen has said. ADVERTISEMENT”The simple truth is we do not have the luxury of comfort. We do not have control of elections or decisions in other parts of the world. And we simply do not have the time to skirt around the issue,” the European Commission president told Members of the European Parliament on Wednesday morning.”With or without the support of our partners, we cannot let Russia win. And the cost of…

While flying taxis may still sound like science fiction, they are poised to become a reality before the end of the year. Volocopter’s drone-shaped electric vehicles are ready to take flight in Paris, coinciding with the 2024 Olympic Games. ADVERTISEMENTDirk Hoke, former CEO of Airbus Defense and Space, spearheads this groundbreaking initiative at Volocopter, a German start-up pioneering the introduction of electric air taxis to the market: the most disruptive revolution in urban mobility since the beginning of the century.My Wildest Prediction is a podcast series from Euronews Business where we dare to imagine the future with business and tech…

A new law requiring companies to check supply chains for slavery and pollution failed to overcome qualms from Rome and Berlin. ADVERTISEMENTNew EU rules requiring companies to check supply chains for environmental and social issues now appear in jeopardy, after Germany and Italy appear to have blocked them in a secret vote by diplomats.The draft Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive requires firms to ensure their business model is consistent with limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, and lets trade unions and non-government organisations bring legal claims for breaches.But “the necessary support wasn’t found” at a meeting of national ambassadors,…