European Union

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EU Repeals Straight Banana, Curvy Cucumber Laws

Rules set tight standards for produce size, shape, color

(Newser) - The EU took a U-turn on curved cucumbers and bent bananas and voted to repeal strict laws that ban the sale of imperfect produce, the Washington Post reports. Shops are barred from selling cauliflower less than 4.33 inches in diameter and not-green-enough asparagus until July, when such laws—long...

EU Unveils $260B Stimulus Package
EU Unveils $260B Stimulus Package
Nov 26, 2008 3:55 PM CST

EU Unveils $260B Stimulus Package

Struggling industries, member governments targeted in 2-year plan

(Newser) - The European Union Commission passed a $260 billion stimulus package today intended to boost its members’ economies during the next 2 years, Der Spiegel reports. The plan calls for more funds than most economists expected, but as the commission president Jose Barroso put it: “Exceptional times call for exceptional...

China Scraps Summit Over EU Meetings With Dalai Lama

Relations between Brussels and Beijing hit a new low

(Newser) - The Chinese government canceled a summit with leaders of the EU in response to the plans of several European countries to host the Dalai Lama next month, the Financial Times reports. The summit was to address the global financial crisis, and an EU statement expressed regret that China pulled out....

15-Nation Eurozone Falls Into Recession

New figures confirm bloc's first ever contraction

(Newser) - The 15-nation eurozone has entered recession for the first time since the introduction of the common currency in 1999. The bloc's GDP contracted 0.2% in the second quarter, worse than expected, according to new figures released today. Several individual European nations, including giant Germany, are already contracting, and forecasters...

Court: Lego Can't Trademark Bricks' Shape

Competitor argued that blocks' shape served 'technical' purpose

(Newser) - A European Union court ruled today that Lego can’t trademark the shape of its iconic toy building blocks, Bloomberg reports. The court supported a 2006 decision by the EU trademark agency that said because the raised circles on Lego blocks serve a “utilitarian function,” they are ineligible...

Europe's Culture Gets Virtual Backup

EU plans to digitize 10,000 artifacts

(Newser) - European culture is going digital. Priceless items such as the Magna Carta, the Mona Lisa, and the Gutenberg Bible will eventually be accessible worldwide for free on “Europeana,” an online encyclopedia funded by the European Union. It plans to match Google Library Project’s 10 million artifacts by...

In Financial Crisis, Europe Leads the Way (for a Change)

Investment in banks proved better strategy than mortgage bailout

(Newser) - The US has long considered Europe to be the economic equivalent of a doddering old uncle, but this week it was oldster leading whippersnapper America by the hand through the most serious crisis since the Depression. Europe, seeing the need for a sturdier fix than the mortgage-bailout Band-aid Washington proposed,...

Global Markets Rally After Rescue Talks

Banks gain big in European trading

(Newser) - Asian and European markets were up today following announcements by global leaders of wide-ranging economic rescue packages. France's Cac 40 index and London's FTSE 100 index both bounced more than 5%, with banking shares posting some of the biggest gains, the BBC reports. Australia's main index jumped 5.6% and...

Euro Leaders Hope to Emerge With Crisis Action Plan Today

Europe scrambles to shore up banks

(Newser) - European leaders hoped to emerge today from a meeting in Paris with a detailed unified action plan to address the continuing worldwide economic crisis, Reuters reports. Banks continued to hold emergency talks today with officials in the British government, which is about to purchase major equity stakes in the nation's...

Russian Army Leaves Georgian Buffer Zones

Troops will stay in breakaway regions; EU forces to remain

(Newser) - Russian troops have withdrawn from the “buffer zones” that separate the secessionist republics of South Ossetia and Abkhazia from the rest of Georgia ahead of Friday's deadline, the BBC reports. Though Russia plans to keep 7,600 troops inside the breakaway republics themselves, the move "paves the way...

Europeans Seek Unified Credit Crisis Strategy

As individual states act, leaders scramble for coordinated measures

(Newser) - Finance ministers are meeting today to hash out a plan to steady Europe’s banking system, but resolution continued to be elusive, the New York Times reports. They raised the minimum level for deposit guarantees to €50,000, though some pushed for higher limits; the EU has not developed...

Some Georgians Doubt Russia Means to Leave

Troops build military road even as Friday pullout deadline looms

(Newser) - The fact that Russian troops continue to upgrade a dirt road that connects a town near Georgia’s capital with the capital of the breakaway area of South Ossetia has many Georgians in the area believing Moscow isn’t serious about Friday’s deadline to withdraw troops, the Christian Science ...

Europe Agrees to Take It One Financial Crisis at a Time

Sarkozy's hopes dashed amid other leaders' opposition

(Newser) - Leaders of Europe’s four biggest economies did not settle on a unified plan for tackling the financial crisis, the Washington Post reports. Instead, each country will deal with banking problems as they crop up. While France’s Nicolas Sarkozy hoped for a Europe-wide plan, British and German leaders were...

French Economy Enters Recession

After Ireland, it's the second EU nation in economic trouble

(Newser) - France has entered a recession. The national statistics agency projects that the economy will contract by 0.1% in the third and fourth quarters of 2008, meeting the generally accepted definition. Finance Minister Christine Lagarde blamed the troubles on high oil prices, the strength of the euro earlier this year,...

Somali Standoff Continues as Nations Move to Fight Piracy

EU plans force to combat maritime criminals, who took $30M in ransom in '08

(Newser) - With pirates still holding a munitions-laden ship off Somalia’s coast, the European Union plans a security force to crack down on maritime crime in the area, the BBC reports. The US Navy has surrounded the MV Faina to ensure the weapons aboard are not given to terrorists, and Somalia...

Russia Lets EU Monitors Into Georgia Buffer Zone

Unarmed patrol allowed near, but not in South Ossetia

(Newser) - Russian troops allowed unarmed EU monitors into the buffer zone around South Ossetia for the first time today, after France helped negotiate a truce between Russia and Georgia. The blue-beret-sporting French troops spent 90 minutes touring the heavily guarded area, the Guardian reports. The EU will be sending its monitors...

Hefty Carbon Tax Raised Norway's Emissions
Hefty Carbon Tax Raised Norway's Emissions
ANALYSIS
Sep 30, 2008 4:07 PM CDT

Hefty Carbon Tax Raised Norway's Emissions

Greenhouse gases up 15% despite system aimed to curb them

(Newser) - In 1991, Norway enacted a punishing carbon tax, but things haven’t turned out quite as expected, the Wall Street Journal reports. Greenhouse-gas emissions have actually risen 15%, and industries deemed vital to the nation’s economy or image were spared the tax or given sweet deals. Though the oil...

Georgia: Russian Spy Plane Downed

Moscow denies sending camera-equipped drone

(Newser) - Georgia says it shot down a Russian military drone yesterday just south of South Ossetia, the Moscow-backed breakaway province. Moscow officials deny the charge and have called the episode "the latest media provocation" by Georgia to "destabilize the situation," Reuters reports.

US Takes Early Ryder Lead
 US Takes Early Ryder Lead 
Sep 19, 2008 1:32 PM CDT

US Takes Early Ryder Lead

Americans haven't had a strong opening since 1991

(Newser) - For the first time since 1991, American golfers lead the Ryder Cup at the end of the opening session. The US is up 3-1 on the Europeans after the morning matches. Justin Leonard and Hunter Mahan claimed the first point for the US, Phil Mickelson and Anthony Kim rallied to...

Italians Protest English Words
 Italians Protest English Words 
Sep 10, 2008 2:29 PM CDT

Italians Protest English Words

Society not 'OK' with native speakers using Anglo shortcuts

(Newser) - One cultural institution is not "OK" with Italians speaking Anglitaliano, the BBC reports. "Weekend" and "OK" topped a list of least-favorite foreign words among visitors to the Dante Alighieri Society website. It shows Italians want more respect for their language, the group says.

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