Author: Euronews

Brussels has sounded the alarm over celebrations planned in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s post-war Serb region, the Republika Srpska, to mark its breakaway anniversary. ADVERTISEMENTThe so-called ‘Republika Srpska Day’ celebrates the region’s 1992 claim of independence from Bosnia during the breakup of Yugoslavia, which led to a bloody interethnic war that claimed 100,000 lives.The commemoration, which coincides with a religious Orthodox holiday, has been deemed unconstitutional by Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Constitutional Court because it discriminates against non-Serbs.Tuesday’s events come amid increasing tensions as Republika Srpska’s President Milorad Dodik, widely seen as a Kremlin ally, ratchets up secessionist threats, prompting international concern. Dodik has vowed…

European luxury sector stocks had a negative start to the new year. Bank of America recently provided insights into the sector’s outlook for 2024. Analysts emphasise the significance of Chinese consumer behaviour but also raise concerns about challenges faced by ‘turnaround’ brands. ADVERTISEMENTThe start of 2024 has been challenging for the European luxury sector, with 18 out of 20 largest luxury stocks recording a year-to-date decline by 12 January 12. Notably, only Danish jewellery manufacturer Pandora A/S and footwear brand CCC S.A. have managed to maintain a positive trajectory in these early stages of the year.In the second semester of…

The European Union and the United States have denounced North Korea “in the strongest possible terms” for providing Russia with ballistic missiles and propping up the war of aggression against Ukraine. ADVERTISEMENT”The transfer of these weapons increases the suffering of the Ukrainian people, supports Russia’s war of aggression and undermines the global non-proliferation regime,” the two Western allies said in a statement released on Wednesday morning.The communiqué was co-signed by almost 50 nations, including Japan, South Korea, Argentina, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom.The provisions of lethal equipment “flagrantly” violate multiple resolutions of the United Nations Security Council “that Russia…

Across the 38 members of the OECD, year-on-year inflation was at a two-year low in November 2023. ADVERTISEMENTInflation declined further in November across the 38 member states of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), according to new data released by the Paris-based organisation. Prices increased by 5.4% compared to the same period of 2022 and remained unchanged compared to the previous month. Both the yearly and monthly comparisons of the prices show a steady decline in the four months leading to the end of November. The year-on-year headline inflation (including food and energy prices) declined from 6.4 to 5.4% between August…

Look what they made her do: Brussels has asked American star Taylor Swift to mobilise young voters ahead of the elections to the European Parliament. ADVERTISEMENTThe unexpected plea was voiced on Wednesday morning as Margaritis Schinas, one of the European Commission’s vice-presidents, presented a communication about the European Year of Youth, which took place in 2022.Schinas spoke about “the importance for young Europeans to participate in this year’s European election,” scheduled to take place between 6 and 9 June. Experts anticipate a cruel summer for the EU as the far-right makes inroads in opinion polls.”Now it’s the moment for them (youth) to…

As we enter 2024, Europe’s largest economy is expected to continue to deal with the fallout of its recent economic crisis. Euronews Business highlights five key challenges for the German economy in 2024. ADVERTISEMENTGermany is facing an uphill economic battle in 2024.Its GDP growth is expected to decline by 0.6% this year, with stagflationary pressures weighing heavy and the threat of a “slowcession” looming large, as indicated by falling manufacturing activity. The automobile industry, one of the jewels in the German industrial crown, is also poised to struggle, while budgetary constraints are expected to create further problems for households and consumers.Bad…

Some pro-Israeli social media accounts have been claiming the former official Palestinian flag used to contain the Star of David back in 1939. The Cube fact-checked these allegations. ADVERTISEMENTSince Hamas’s unprecedented attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, multiple pro-Israeli accounts have been claiming the old official Palestinian flag used to harbour a Star of David – a symbol of Judaism. The image of the flag is half white and half blue with the Star of David in its centre. Euronews found other poststhat claim this flag was supposedly from 1939 and was found in an edition of the French Larousse encyclopedia…

UK gross domestic product figures showed a rise in November, boosted by a strong month in services and production ADVERTISEMENTUK month-on-month gross domestic product (GDP) figures for November were given a boost to 0.3%, up from -0.3% in October. The rise was also above analyst estimates of 0.2% and was mainly due to the services sector, which rose by about 0.4%, up from -0.1% in October.Production output also inched up by 0.3%, up from -1.3% in the previous month, while the construction sector fell more slowly, at -0.2%, instead of -0.4% in October.Year-on-year GDP numbers came in at 0.2%, matching…

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent in any way the editorial position of Euronews. With a prudent approach and a dose of humility, Global Gateway may achieve for the EU what the BRI has yet to achieve for China — lasting influence at an acceptable cost, Rémi Meehan and Earl Wang write. ADVERTISEMENTScepticism of the European Union’s ability to execute big ideas is almost a cliché in foreign policy circles. Perhaps this is why media and talking heads have mostly dismissed or ignored Global Gateway, the EU’s ambitious €300 billion development financing…

Tesco has increased its profit guidance following better-than-expected Christmas sales due to exceptionally strong fresh food sale volumes. ADVERTISEMENTThe news came as Tesco released its Q3 and Christmas trading statement on Thursday. The period covers the 13 weeks to 25 November, while Christmas sales refer to the six weeks up to 6 January 2024.The UK supermarket chain reported strong Christmas sales, following price cuts on almost 2,700 products. This was primarily due to exceptionally robust fresh food sales, which saw particularly strong volumes.The company also offered promotions and guarantees such as Low Everyday Prices, Aldi Price Match and Clubcard Prices.Christmas sales…