European Union's special envoy on Afghanistan, Tomas Niklasson who is in Delhi has welcomed the Indian govt's offer to send humanitarian support of 50,000 MT of wheat to the people of Afghanistan. The Indian support comes even as the onset of winters in Afghanistan is worsening the situation in the country for many common Afghans. The country saw a Taliban takeover in the month of August. Speaking to our diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal, Niklasson said," there is a very strong overlap in a way, or a very similar analysis of the situation" by India, EU when it comes to Afghanistan, and both are "looking to see if there are concrete areas where we can work." In Delhi, the EU special envoy met India’s Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla and JS PAI JP Singh. Niklasson has come to Delhi from Doha where he had talks with the Taliban delegation led by its Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. One of the key issues raised by the EU during the meet was human rights, women's rights, lack of inclusivity of Taliban-led govt, etc. Asked about if EU plans to recognise the regime, he said, "we are not rushing into recognition, we are not recognizing, we haven't recognized the Taliban regime, the interim govt. We do however see the need to engage with them".

WION Exclusive: EU Special envoy on Afghanistan lauds India's offer of humanitarian support to Kabul

The European Union, in co-ordination with the US and Britain, imposed sanctions on Belarus' state-owned airline Belavia on Thursday. The bloc has accused the company of flying in migrants as a tactic in order to destabilise European states. This is a new round of punitive measures against Belarus.

Reuters reported the planned sanctions on November 10 and they were approved last month. They came into effect on Thursday after publication in the EU's official journal. Britain and Canada also imposed new sanctions on Belarus on Thursday.

EU governments blacklisted 17 individuals and 11 entities, targeting judges and top Belarusian officials. Those sanctions are in the form of asset freezes and travel bans.

The sanctions on Belavia mean EU companies can no longer lease planes to the Belarusian airline, EU officials have said. It was not immediately clear if Belavia would have to return the 17 aircraft leased through aircraft companies in Ireland.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/lithuania-says-nato-military-alliance-needs-to-rethink-stance-towards-belarus-432586">Lithuania says NATO military alliance needs to rethink stance towards Belarus</a>

The decision takes the total number of Belarusian individuals under EU sanctions to 183, along with 26 entities.

The European Union accuses Belarus of flying in migrants, mainly from the Middle East, and pushing them to illegally cross the border with Poland in a "hybrid attack" on the bloc.

Belarus denies fuelling the crisis. Belavia has denied any wrongdoing.

The EU also targeted hotels and travel agents such as Oskartour which have been accused of using their contacts with airlines to help lure in migrants to Belarus.

In the official journal, the EU said President Alexander Lukashenko had agreed with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin "on planning the opening of new airline routes for Belavia" to bring in migrants.

(With inputs from agencies)

The European Union, in co-ordination with the US and Britain, imposed sanctions on Belarus' state-owned airline Belavia on Thursday. The bloc has accused the company of flying in migrants as a tactic in order to destabilise European states.

The European Union, in co-ordination with the US and Britain, imposed sanctions on Belarus' state-owned airline Belavia on Thursday. The bloc has accused the company of flying in migrants as a tactic in order to destabilise European states. This is a new round of punitive measures against Belarus. Reuters reported the planned sanctions on November 10 and they were approved last month. They came into effect on Thursday after publication in the EU's official journal. Britain and Canada also imposed new sanctions on Belarus on Thursday. EU governments blacklisted 17 individuals and 11 entities, targeting judges and top Belarusian officials. Those sanctions are in the form of asset freezes and travel bans. The sanctions on Belavia mean EU companies can no longer lease planes to the Belarusian airline, EU officials have said. It was not immediately clear if Belavia would have to return the 17 aircraft leased through aircraft companies in Ireland. Also Read | Lithuania says NATO military alliance needs to rethink stance towards Belarus The decision takes the total number of Belarusian individuals under EU sanctions to 183, along with 26 entities. The European Union accuses Belarus of flying in migrants, mainly from the Middle East, and pushing them to illegally cross the border with Poland in a "hybrid attack" on the bloc. Belarus denies fuelling the crisis. Belavia has denied any wrongdoing. The EU also targeted hotels and travel agents such as Oskartour which have been accused of using their contacts with airlines to help lure in migrants to Belarus. In the official journal, the EU said President Alexander Lukashenko had agreed with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin "on planning the opening of new airline routes for Belavia" to bring in migrants. (With inputs from agencies)

EU imposes fresh sanctions on Belarus

An advisor to the European Union's top court said on Thursday that Facebook could be sued by consumer groups for violation of privacy. The case pertains to a German online game and could pave the way for similar action in European Union.

The case started in 2012 and is one of several privacy and antitrust headaches facing Facebook in Europe, where regulators have introduced legislation to curb the power of so-called tech giants and ensure more transparency.

"Member states may allow consumer protection associations to bring representative actions against infringements of the protection of personal data," Richard de la Tour, advocate general at the Luxembourg-based Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), said in an opinion.

He added that such actions must be based on infringement of rights derived directly from GDPR, referring to landmark EU privacy rules. These rules were adopted three years ago.

"We'll analyse the Advocate General's opinion. Legal clarity on scope and process of GDPR is important and we’re glad the Court of Justice of the European Union is considering the questions raised in this case.” said a spokesperson for Meta Platforms Inc.

GDPR stipulates that any requests to collect personal data should be subject to clear and informed consent.

De la Tour said consumer bodies that defend the collective interests of consumers are particularly suited to GDPR's objective of establishing a high level of personal data protection.

Facebook found itself in the dock after the Federation of German Consumer Organisations filed a lawsuit alleging that the social network had allowed operators of online games to improperly collect the personal data of gamers.

The games were offered on Facebook's App Center in 2012. By playing the games, users automatically agreed to share personal data including email addresses. At the end of the game, they would receive a message saying that the app could post their status, photos and other information.

A German lower court had ruled in favour of the German federation, leading Facebook to appeal to a higher court, which subsequently sought advice from the CJEU.

Facebook has since revamped its privacy settings.

(With inputs from agencies)

An advisor to the European Union's top court said on Thursday that Facebook could be sued by consumer groups for violation of privacy. The case pertains to a German online game and could pave the way for similar action in European Union.

An advisor to the European Union's top court said on Thursday that Facebook could be sued by consumer groups for violation of privacy. The case pertains to a German online game and could pave the way for similar action in European Union. The case started in 2012 and is one of several privacy and antitrust headaches facing Facebook in Europe, where regulators have introduced legislation to curb the power of so-called tech giants and ensure more transparency. "Member states may allow consumer protection associations to bring representative actions against infringements of the protection of personal data," Richard de la Tour, advocate general at the Luxembourg-based Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), said in an opinion. He added that such actions must be based on infringement of rights derived directly from GDPR, referring to landmark EU privacy rules. These rules were adopted three years ago. "We'll analyse the Advocate General's opinion. Legal clarity on scope and process of GDPR is important and we’re glad the Court of Justice of the European Union is considering the questions raised in this case.” said a spokesperson for Meta Platforms Inc. GDPR stipulates that any requests to collect personal data should be subject to clear and informed consent. De la Tour said consumer bodies that defend the collective interests of consumers are particularly suited to GDPR's objective of establishing a high level of personal data protection. Facebook found itself in the dock after the Federation of German Consumer Organisations filed a lawsuit alleging that the social network had allowed operators of online games to improperly collect the personal data of gamers. The games were offered on Facebook's App Center in 2012. By playing the games, users automatically agreed to share personal data including email addresses. At the end of the game, they would receive a message saying that the app could post their status, photos and other information. A German lower court had ruled in favour of the German federation, leading Facebook to appeal to a higher court, which subsequently sought advice from the CJEU. Facebook has since revamped its privacy settings. (With inputs from agencies)

EU court adviser says Facebook can be sued by consumer groups

After lockdowns eased in the European Union, the greenhouse gas emissions went up by 18 per cent. The report by Eurostat states that during the second quarter of 2021, EU greenhouse gas emissions were at 867 million tonnes.

Rise in EU's greenhouse gas emissions as economies recover from pandemic

Delegates of Taliban and European Union held meetings in Doha to discuss situation in Afghanistan, said Tolo News. As per the report, political and economic issues along with humanitarian aid was discussed.

"Taliban and European delegates met yesterday and today and discussed issues related to various issues in Afghanistan," Tolo tweeted quoting spokesman of the Islamic Emirate`s political office in Qatar, Mohammad Naeem as sayingtweeted Mohammad Naeem, spokesman of the Islamic Emirate`s political office in Qatar.

Afghanistan has plunged into economic crisis after Taliban took to power in August this year. A day before Taliban's meet with the EU, the Talibani delegation met the special envoy of Qatar's ministry of foreign affairs, Mutlaq Al Qahtani.

to discuss ways to improve humanitarian assistance for Afghan citizens.

This meeting comes as a delegation from the Taliban is currently visiting Qatar, where a new round of negotiations between the outfit and the US will start next week.

"The delegations discussed topics related to counterterrorism, enhancing human rights and humanitarian aid. The two sides stressed on the importance of having humanitarian aid reach its beneficiaries, especially with the winter season approaching," Qatar`s ministry of foreign affairs said in a statement on Friday, as quoted by Russian News agency Sputnik.

The US Special Representative for Afghanistan, Tom West will be meeting with the Taliban leaders in Doha next week."They`ll discuss ... our vital national interests when it comes to Afghanistan," said State Department spokesperson Ned Price, reported Tolo News.

"That includes counterterrorism, that includes a safe passage for US citizens and for Afghans to whom we have a special commitment and that includes humanitarian assistance and the economic situation of the country," he added.

On November 8, West started his first trip in this role to Europe and Asia as the US special envoy for Afghanistan. He visited Brussels and consulted with EU and US allies on Afghanistan.Further, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in its report has mentioned that the Afghan economy could shrink by 30% or more year on year which could lead to a famine situation.

(With inputs from agencies)

Delegates of Taliban and European Union held meetings in Doha to discuss situation in Afghanistan, said Tolo News. As per the report, political and economic issues along with humanitarian aid was discussed.

Delegates of Taliban and European Union held meetings in Doha to discuss situation in Afghanistan, said Tolo News. As per the report, political and economic issues along with humanitarian aid was discussed. "Taliban and European delegates met yesterday and today and discussed issues related to various issues in Afghanistan," Tolo tweeted quoting spokesman of the Islamic Emirate`s political office in Qatar, Mohammad Naeem as sayingtweeted Mohammad Naeem, spokesman of the Islamic Emirate`s political office in Qatar. Afghanistan has plunged into economic crisis after Taliban took to power in August this year. A day before Taliban's meet with the EU, the Talibani delegation met the special envoy of Qatar's ministry of foreign affairs, Mutlaq Al Qahtani. to discuss ways to improve humanitarian assistance for Afghan citizens. This meeting comes as a delegation from the Taliban is currently visiting Qatar, where a new round of negotiations between the outfit and the US will start next week. "The delegations discussed topics related to counterterrorism, enhancing human rights and humanitarian aid. The two sides stressed on the importance of having humanitarian aid reach its beneficiaries, especially with the winter season approaching," Qatar`s ministry of foreign affairs said in a statement on Friday, as quoted by Russian News agency Sputnik. The US Special Representative for Afghanistan, Tom West will be meeting with the Taliban leaders in Doha next week."They`ll discuss ... our vital national interests when it comes to Afghanistan," said State Department spokesperson Ned Price, reported Tolo News. "That includes counterterrorism, that includes a safe passage for US citizens and for Afghans to whom we have a special commitment and that includes humanitarian assistance and the economic situation of the country," he added. On November 8, West started his first trip in this role to Europe and Asia as the US special envoy for Afghanistan. He visited Brussels and consulted with EU and US allies on Afghanistan.Further, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in its report has mentioned that the Afghan economy could shrink by 30% or more year on year which could lead to a famine situation. (With inputs from agencies)

Taliban-EU delegates hold discussion on situation in the country

European countries desperate for a long-term and reliable source of energy to help reach ambitious climate goals are turning to an answer that caused earlier generations to shudder: nuclear power.

Poland wants a fleet of smaller nuclear power stations to help end its reliance on coal. Britain is betting on Rolls-Royce to produce cheap modular reactors to complement wind and solar energy. And in France, President Emmanuel Macron plans to build on the nation’s huge nuclear program.

As world leaders pledge to avert a climate catastrophe, the nuclear industry sees an opportunity for a revival. Sidelined for years after the disasters at Fukushima and Chernobyl, advocates are wrangling to win recognition of nuclear energy, alongside solar and wind, as an acceptable source of clean power.

More than half a dozen European countries recently announced plans to build a new generation of nuclear reactors. Some are smaller and cheaper than older designs, occupying the space of two football fields and costing a fraction of the price of standard nuclear plants. The Biden administration is also backing such technology as a tool of “mass decarbonization” for the United States.

“Nuclear is going mainstream in the climate movement,” said Kirsty Gogan, a member of Britain’s Nuclear Innovation Research and Advisory Board and a founder of TerraPraxis, a nonprofit that supports nuclear energy in the shift to a green economy. “This is a critical decade, and I think we’re going to see real change.”

But not everyone is buying the idea that nuclear is a solution to climate change.

Ten years ago, a few months after an earthquake and tsunami caused a meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan, which forced the evacuation of over 150,000 people, the German government announced it would gradually shut down its nuclear program. Now Germany is at the head of a group of nations that want to defuse efforts to include more nuclear power in Europe’s green energy mix. They are worried about a proliferation of nuclear plants on European soil, and the radioactive waste they produce.

The pushback is creating tensions with France, Europe’s largest nuclear energy producer, which has forged an unusual alliance with Eastern European countries that want to attract more investment for nuclear power, including Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Romania.

The group is pressing the European Union to classify nuclear energy as a “sustainable” investment, a move that would unlock billions of euros of state aid and investment from pension funds, banks and other investors seeking to put money in environmental causes. Austria, Denmark, Luxembourg and Spain have joined Germany in trying to beat back the initiative in Brussels.

The nuclear industry’s main selling point is a technology involving scaled-down plants, or small modular reactors, that supporters say are safe, cheap and efficient. The argument is that wind and solar power alone won’t be enough to help countries meet the goals outlined at the U.N. climate summit this month in Glasgow, Scotland.

Nearly 200 countries at the conference pledged new efforts to prevent Earth from heating more than 1.5 degrees Celsius, or 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit, compared with preindustrial levels. Past that threshold, the risk of deadly heat waves and storms, water scarcity and ecosystem collapse escalates immensely, scientists warn.

But countries are falling far short even as they step up investments in wind and solar power, whose output varies with the elements. The reopening of the global economy from the coronavirus pandemic caused a recent spike in energy prices and set European governments scrambling to secure alternative supplies of power.

Nuclear advocates say that experience shows the need for a new generation of nuclear power.

“Nuclear has a really important role to play in getting to net zero for many countries,” said Tom Samson, chief executive of Rolls-Royce SMR, which has been working for six years on a commercial small modular nuclear reactor design — and feels its moment has arrived.

Rolls-Royce, which announced the venture this month, is jumping into a multibillion-dollar market for small nuclear reactors, competing with companies like NuScale, GE Hitachi and TerraPower (which has Bill Gates as its chairman) in the United States; Électricité de France, the French state-owned power company; China’s National Nuclear Corp.; and KEPCO in South Korea.

Samson pitches the venture as a new approach to an industry notorious for delays and cost overruns, and mostly avoided by investors. Rolls-Royce, which makes jet engines and supplies the power plant for the Royal Navy’s nuclear submarine fleet, hopes to build 16 of the plants in Britain and generate export sales as well.

The cookie-cutter components will be factory-built and transportable by truck or ship. Initially the plants are expected to cost 2.2 billion pounds ($3 billion) each, compared with an estimated 22.5 billion pound price tag for a full-size plant now under construction in western England.

Drawings of the Rolls-Royce reactor show a compact, futuristic building in a verdant landscape. One reactor would have roughly one-seventh the output of the largest modern nuclear stations and could power 1 million homes.

Labor unions in Britain and Europe back the initiatives, arguing that nuclear plants generate jobs and are preferable to renewable technologies like a solar field, which don’t require many workers to maintain.

Critics say nuclear power is hardly a solution for accelerating the push to net-zero emissions.

For one thing, new nuclear stations, even small ones, will take up to a decade or more to come online, in part because of regulatory requirements, nowhere near fast enough to address a climate emergency. The first Rolls-Royce reactor wouldn’t be in operation until 2031.

And safety questions have lingered after high-profile nuclear accidents, along with unresolved concerns over the storage of radioactive waste.

Croatia is opposing a nuclear reactor project in Slovenia that would deposit some nuclear waste near their border. Germany is objecting to a planned Polish reactor that the German Green party said would most likely contaminate Germany in the event of an accident.

The ability of small nuclear reactors to produce energy quickly or cheaply enough to matter for countries is also unclear, said Mark Hibbs, a senior fellow and a nuclear expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Hibbs, who is based in Germany, noted that 10 such reactors might be required to do the same job as one large modern nuclear power station.

Said Doug Parr, chief scientist for Greenpeace in Britain: “It doesn’t solve the problems for society; it solves the problems for the nuclear industry.” He added, “They want to come up with a new concept that does not have the bad image of large nuclear.”

Those pushing for a nuclear revival say such concerns are overblown.

In France, Macron this month announced he would reboot the nation’s atomic program to “live up to” France’s commitments to slash carbon emissions. A recent government-commissioned report concluded France probably can’t achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 with only renewable energy.

His government is expected to authorize state-owned Électricité de France to build six new pressurized reactors and spend billions to help EDF produce small modular nuclear reactors by 2030. The work would be a lifeline for EDF, which is over 40 billion euros ($45 billion) in debt after contending with nuclear plant construction delays and cost overruns.

In Eastern Europe, the rush is already underway.

Poland, Romania and Ukraine, long reliant on coal-burning power plants, are among those signing contracts with U.S. and European companies for small-reactor technology. Poland alone plans to build large nuclear reactors and at least half a dozen small ones at coal sites to produce power and create jobs.

“The ability to bring new electric power generation in a shorter time frame and with a lower total project cost is a primary driver,” said John Kotek, vice president for policy development and public affairs at the Nuclear Energy Institute, an industry group in Washington.

Still, Europe’s divide over nuclear power remains sharp enough that policymakers may not be ready to support a nuclear buildup program — even if they sorely want to achieve climate change targets.

“It would be impossible to build any consensus policy in Brussels that would strongly support member states’ investment in nuclear power,” said Hibbs of the Carnegie Endowment. “It would be left up to the national governments to do that.”

But as investors look at where to deploy trillions of dollars in assets in the shift away from fossil fuels, nuclear power is becoming harder to ignore.

“The general consensus in climate circles is nuclear is a clean energy source,” said Marisa Drew, chief sustainability officer at Credit Suisse. “If someone can deliver something that is economically viable and scalable and truly green, and do it in a safe way, then we have to embrace that.”

European countries desperate for a long-term and reliable source of energy to help reach ambitious climate goals are turning to an answer that caused earlier generations to shudder: nuclear power.

European countries desperate for a long-term and reliable source of energy to help reach ambitious climate goals are turning to an answer that caused earlier generations to shudder: nuclear power. Poland wants a fleet of smaller nuclear power stations to help end its reliance on coal. Britain is betting on Rolls-Royce to produce cheap modular reactors to complement wind and solar energy. And in France, President Emmanuel Macron plans to build on the nation’s huge nuclear program. As world leaders pledge to avert a climate catastrophe, the nuclear industry sees an opportunity for a revival. Sidelined for years after the disasters at Fukushima and Chernobyl, advocates are wrangling to win recognition of nuclear energy, alongside solar and wind, as an acceptable source of clean power. More than half a dozen European countries recently announced plans to build a new generation of nuclear reactors. Some are smaller and cheaper than older designs, occupying the space of two football fields and costing a fraction of the price of standard nuclear plants. The Biden administration is also backing such technology as a tool of “mass decarbonization” for the United States. “Nuclear is going mainstream in the climate movement,” said Kirsty Gogan, a member of Britain’s Nuclear Innovation Research and Advisory Board and a founder of TerraPraxis, a nonprofit that supports nuclear energy in the shift to a green economy. “This is a critical decade, and I think we’re going to see real change.” But not everyone is buying the idea that nuclear is a solution to climate change. Ten years ago, a few months after an earthquake and tsunami caused a meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan, which forced the evacuation of over 150,000 people, the German government announced it would gradually shut down its nuclear program. Now Germany is at the head of a group of nations that want to defuse efforts to include more nuclear power in Europe’s green energy mix. They are worried about a proliferation of nuclear plants on European soil, and the radioactive waste they produce. The pushback is creating tensions with France, Europe’s largest nuclear energy producer, which has forged an unusual alliance with Eastern European countries that want to attract more investment for nuclear power, including Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Romania. The group is pressing the European Union to classify nuclear energy as a “sustainable” investment, a move that would unlock billions of euros of state aid and investment from pension funds, banks and other investors seeking to put money in environmental causes. Austria, Denmark, Luxembourg and Spain have joined Germany in trying to beat back the initiative in Brussels. The nuclear industry’s main selling point is a technology involving scaled-down plants, or small modular reactors, that supporters say are safe, cheap and efficient. The argument is that wind and solar power alone won’t be enough to help countries meet the goals outlined at the U.N. climate summit this month in Glasgow, Scotland. Nearly 200 countries at the conference pledged new efforts to prevent Earth from heating more than 1.5 degrees Celsius, or 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit, compared with preindustrial levels. Past that threshold, the risk of deadly heat waves and storms, water scarcity and ecosystem collapse escalates immensely, scientists warn. But countries are falling far short even as they step up investments in wind and solar power, whose output varies with the elements. The reopening of the global economy from the coronavirus pandemic caused a recent spike in energy prices and set European governments scrambling to secure alternative supplies of power. Nuclear advocates say that experience shows the need for a new generation of nuclear power. “Nuclear has a really important role to play in getting to net zero for many countries,” said Tom Samson, chief executive of Rolls-Royce SMR, which has been working for six years on a commercial small modular nuclear reactor design — and feels its moment has arrived. Rolls-Royce, which announced the venture this month, is jumping into a multibillion-dollar market for small nuclear reactors, competing with companies like NuScale, GE Hitachi and TerraPower (which has Bill Gates as its chairman) in the United States; Électricité de France, the French state-owned power company; China’s National Nuclear Corp.; and KEPCO in South Korea. Samson pitches the venture as a new approach to an industry notorious for delays and cost overruns, and mostly avoided by investors. Rolls-Royce, which makes jet engines and supplies the power plant for the Royal Navy’s nuclear submarine fleet, hopes to build 16 of the plants in Britain and generate export sales as well. The cookie-cutter components will be factory-built and transportable by truck or ship. Initially the plants are expected to cost 2.2 billion pounds ($3 billion) each, compared with an estimated 22.5 billion pound price tag for a full-size plant now under construction in western England. Drawings of the Rolls-Royce reactor show a compact, futuristic building in a verdant landscape. One reactor would have roughly one-seventh the output of the largest modern nuclear stations and could power 1 million homes. Labor unions in Britain and Europe back the initiatives, arguing that nuclear plants generate jobs and are preferable to renewable technologies like a solar field, which don’t require many workers to maintain. Critics say nuclear power is hardly a solution for accelerating the push to net-zero emissions. For one thing, new nuclear stations, even small ones, will take up to a decade or more to come online, in part because of regulatory requirements, nowhere near fast enough to address a climate emergency. The first Rolls-Royce reactor wouldn’t be in operation until 2031. And safety questions have lingered after high-profile nuclear accidents, along with unresolved concerns over the storage of radioactive waste. Croatia is opposing a nuclear reactor project in Slovenia that would deposit some nuclear waste near their border. Germany is objecting to a planned Polish reactor that the German Green party said would most likely contaminate Germany in the event of an accident. The ability of small nuclear reactors to produce energy quickly or cheaply enough to matter for countries is also unclear, said Mark Hibbs, a senior fellow and a nuclear expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Hibbs, who is based in Germany, noted that 10 such reactors might be required to do the same job as one large modern nuclear power station. Said Doug Parr, chief scientist for Greenpeace in Britain: “It doesn’t solve the problems for society; it solves the problems for the nuclear industry.” He added, “They want to come up with a new concept that does not have the bad image of large nuclear.” Those pushing for a nuclear revival say such concerns are overblown. In France, Macron this month announced he would reboot the nation’s atomic program to “live up to” France’s commitments to slash carbon emissions. A recent government-commissioned report concluded France probably can’t achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 with only renewable energy. His government is expected to authorize state-owned Électricité de France to build six new pressurized reactors and spend billions to help EDF produce small modular nuclear reactors by 2030. The work would be a lifeline for EDF, which is over 40 billion euros ($45 billion) in debt after contending with nuclear plant construction delays and cost overruns. In Eastern Europe, the rush is already underway. Poland, Romania and Ukraine, long reliant on coal-burning power plants, are among those signing contracts with U.S. and European companies for small-reactor technology. Poland alone plans to build large nuclear reactors and at least half a dozen small ones at coal sites to produce power and create jobs. “The ability to bring new electric power generation in a shorter time frame and with a lower total project cost is a primary driver,” said John Kotek, vice president for policy development and public affairs at the Nuclear Energy Institute, an industry group in Washington. Still, Europe’s divide over nuclear power remains sharp enough that policymakers may not be ready to support a nuclear buildup program — even if they sorely want to achieve climate change targets. “It would be impossible to build any consensus policy in Brussels that would strongly support member states’ investment in nuclear power,” said Hibbs of the Carnegie Endowment. “It would be left up to the national governments to do that.” But as investors look at where to deploy trillions of dollars in assets in the shift away from fossil fuels, nuclear power is becoming harder to ignore. “The general consensus in climate circles is nuclear is a clean energy source,” said Marisa Drew, chief sustainability officer at Credit Suisse. “If someone can deliver something that is economically viable and scalable and truly green, and do it in a safe way, then we have to embrace that.”

Europe revisits nuclear power as climate deadlines loom

The European Union's drug regulator has approved the use of Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine for children between the ages of 5 and 11. The approval comes as Europe is again the epicenter of the pandemic.

EU regulator gives go-ahead to first COVID-19 shot or 5-11-year-olds

Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko said that the European Union was refusing to discuss the fate of 2,000 migrants wishing to go to Europe.

Belarus says EU refused to discuss fate of 2,000 migrants

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is planning to meet European Council President Charles Michel on November 29 to discuss closer ties in the Indo-Pacific, reported Kyodo News citing government sources. As per the report, Kishida and Michel are expected to raise importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan strait and also increasing Chinese assertiveness in East and South China.

The European Union is already strengthening its commitment to Indo-Pacific region.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/japan-announces-490-billion-stimulus-package-to-tackle-covid-knockdown-430557">Japan announces $490 billion stimulus package to tackle Covid knockdown</a>

The meet between Michel and Kishida will take place in Japan. This will be Michel's first visit to Japan since he took office in December 2019. His Japan visit is taking place after the EU released its new Indo-Pacific strategy in September that includes bolstering relations with Taiwan amid repeated intrusions of Chinese military planes into the self-governed island`s air defense identification zone, said the Japanese news outlet.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-taiwan-opens-de-facto-embassy-china-downgrades-diplomatic-relations-with-lithuania-430869">After Taiwan opens de-facto embassy, China downgrades diplomatic relations with Lithuania</a>

Earlier this month, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen held talks with a European Parliament delegation during their historic first visit to the democratic island. Taiwan is a democracy of almost 24 million people located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. Despite being governed separately for more than seven decades, Beijing claims sovereignty over Taiwan. China has also threatened that "Taiwan`s independence" means war. On June 1, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to complete reunification with self-ruled Taiwan and vowed to smash any attempts at formal independence for the island. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is planning to meet European Council President Charles Michel on November 29 to discuss closer ties in the Indo-Pacific, reported Kyodo News citing government sources.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is planning to meet European Council President Charles Michel on November 29 to discuss closer ties in the Indo-Pacific, reported Kyodo News citing government sources. As per the report, Kishida and Michel are expected to raise importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan strait and also increasing Chinese assertiveness in East and South China. The European Union is already strengthening its commitment to Indo-Pacific region. Also Read | Japan announces $490 billion stimulus package to tackle Covid knockdown The meet between Michel and Kishida will take place in Japan. This will be Michel's first visit to Japan since he took office in December 2019. His Japan visit is taking place after the EU released its new Indo-Pacific strategy in September that includes bolstering relations with Taiwan amid repeated intrusions of Chinese military planes into the self-governed island`s air defense identification zone, said the Japanese news outlet. Also Read | After Taiwan opens de-facto embassy, China downgrades diplomatic relations with Lithuania Earlier this month, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen held talks with a European Parliament delegation during their historic first visit to the democratic island. Taiwan is a democracy of almost 24 million people located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. Despite being governed separately for more than seven decades, Beijing claims sovereignty over Taiwan. China has also threatened that "Taiwan`s independence" means war. On June 1, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to complete reunification with self-ruled Taiwan and vowed to smash any attempts at formal independence for the island. (With inputs from agencies)

Amid Chinese assertiveness, Japan PM to meet EU Council chief to discuss Indo-Pacific region

The&nbsp;EU's drug watchdog on Friday backed Merck's anti-Covid&nbsp;pill&nbsp;for emergency use ahead of its formal authorisation and started reviewing Pfizer's antiviral treatment as cases soar across Europe.

The two pills by the US pharma giants represent a potentially groundbreaking step in the fight against coronavirus as studies show they cut the risk of hospitalisation and death in high-risk patients.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said that while the Merck&nbsp;pill&nbsp;was not yet approved, it had "issued advice" so that individual countries in the 27-nation&nbsp;EU&nbsp;could decide whether to use it in case of a surge in infections.

"The medicine, which is currently not authorised in the&nbsp;EU, can be used to treat adults with&nbsp;COVID-19 who do not require supplemental oxygen and who are at increased risk of developing severe&nbsp;COVID-19," the EMA said in a statement.

"EMA issued this advice to support national authorities who may decide on possible early use of the medicine prior to&nbsp;marketing authorisation, for example in emergency use settings, in light of rising rates of infection and deaths due to&nbsp;Covid-19 across the&nbsp;EU."

The Merck&nbsp;pill&nbsp;should not be used by pregnant women or women who are not using contraception and could get pregnant, the EMA said.

"These recommendations are given as laboratory studies in animals have shown that high doses of (the Merck&nbsp;pill) can impact the growth and development of the foetus," it added.

The&nbsp;pill&nbsp;should be given as soon as possible after&nbsp;Covid&nbsp;symptoms start, at the latest within five days. It should then be taken for five days, the EMA said.

The Amsterdam-based watchdog says it hopes to decide on formal approval for the Merck&nbsp;pill, also known as molnupiravir, by the end of the year.

<h2>&nbsp;'Shortest possible timeframe'&nbsp;</h2>

Separately&nbsp;the EMA said it had started a review of Pfizer's&nbsp;pill&nbsp;so that it could give similar advice.

"EMA is reviewing currently available data on the use of Paxlovid, an oral treatment for&nbsp;COVID-19 developed by Pfizer," the EMA said.

A full "rolling review" for formal approval is expected to start next week, but the EMA said it wanted to be able to help national authorities "in the shortest possible timeframe".

Trials show both pills are particularly effective in treating newly-infected high-risk patients when given within days of the onset of the disease.

They are both cheaper and easier to administer than other antivirals which need to be taken intravenously, and also cheaper than vaccines to make, with a simpler supply chain.

Merck's&nbsp;pill&nbsp;decreases the ability of the coronavirus to multiply by increasing the number of mutations in its genetic material (or RNA).

The Pfizer&nbsp;pill&nbsp;uses a different method, belonging to a class of antivirals called "protease inhibitors", which block the action of an enzyme that is critical to viral replication.&nbsp;

It is a combination of a new molecule, PF-07321332, and HIV antiviral ritonavir.

Europe has been searching for whatever methods it can to curb a fourth wave of&nbsp;Covid&nbsp;cases that has already prompted several countries to tighten restrictions.

The EMA warned on Thursday that countries should "close the gap" on vaccinations as many of those in hospitals were unvaccinated.

The EU's drug watchdog on Friday backed Merck's anti-Covid pill for emergency use ahead of its formal authorisation and started reviewing Pfizer's antiviral treatment as cases soar across Europe.

The EU's drug watchdog on Friday backed Merck's anti-Covid pill for emergency use ahead of its formal authorisation and started reviewing Pfizer's antiviral treatment as cases soar across Europe. The two pills by the US pharma giants represent a potentially groundbreaking step in the fight against coronavirus as studies show they cut the risk of hospitalisation and death in high-risk patients. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said that while the Merck pill was not yet approved, it had "issued advice" so that individual countries in the 27-nation EU could decide whether to use it in case of a surge in infections. "The medicine, which is currently not authorised in the EU, can be used to treat adults with COVID-19 who do not require supplemental oxygen and who are at increased risk of developing severe COVID-19," the EMA said in a statement. "EMA issued this advice to support national authorities who may decide on possible early use of the medicine prior to marketing authorisation, for example in emergency use settings, in light of rising rates of infection and deaths due to Covid-19 across the EU." The Merck pill should not be used by pregnant women or women who are not using contraception and could get pregnant, the EMA said. "These recommendations are given as laboratory studies in animals have shown that high doses of (the Merck pill) can impact the growth and development of the foetus," it added. The pill should be given as soon as possible after Covid symptoms start, at the latest within five days. It should then be taken for five days, the EMA said. The Amsterdam-based watchdog says it hopes to decide on formal approval for the Merck pill, also known as molnupiravir, by the end of the year. 'Shortest possible timeframe' Separately the EMA said it had started a review of Pfizer's pill so that it could give similar advice. "EMA is reviewing currently available data on the use of Paxlovid, an oral treatment for COVID-19 developed by Pfizer," the EMA said. A full "rolling review" for formal approval is expected to start next week, but the EMA said it wanted to be able to help national authorities "in the shortest possible timeframe". Trials show both pills are particularly effective in treating newly-infected high-risk patients when given within days of the onset of the disease. They are both cheaper and easier to administer than other antivirals which need to be taken intravenously, and also cheaper than vaccines to make, with a simpler supply chain. Merck's pill decreases the ability of the coronavirus to multiply by increasing the number of mutations in its genetic material (or RNA). The Pfizer pill uses a different method, belonging to a class of antivirals called "protease inhibitors", which block the action of an enzyme that is critical to viral replication. It is a combination of a new molecule, PF-07321332, and HIV antiviral ritonavir. Europe has been searching for whatever methods it can to curb a fourth wave of Covid cases that has already prompted several countries to tighten restrictions. The EMA warned on Thursday that countries should "close the gap" on vaccinations as many of those in hospitals were unvaccinated.

EU regulator grants emergency nod to Merck's anti-Covid pill

European Union's watchdog said that Europe must close the COVID-19 vaccination gap to stop its Coronavirus surge, with the un-jabbed driving a rise in hospitalisations.

Watchdog: Europe must close COVID-19 vaccination gap

Josep Borrell, foreign policy chief of European Union warned Belarus of not using people as weapons. Borrell on Sunday spoke with Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei on phone and discussed migrant crisis on the country's border with Poland. Borrell also spoke of EU sanctions against Belarus.

Borrell wrote on Twitter that he had raised "the precarious humanitarian situation at the border with the EU".

"Peoples lives must be protected and humanitarian agencies allowed access," he wrote. "The current situation is unacceptable and must stop. People should not be used as weapons."

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Spoke to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Belarus?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Belarus</a> Foreign Minister Makei to raise the precarious humanitarian situation at the border with the EU. Peoples lives must be protected and humanitarian agencies allowed access. 
 
The current situation is unacceptable and must stop. People should not be used as weapons.
— Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) <a href="https://twitter.com/JosepBorrellF/status/1459897935181848576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 14, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The EU and Belarus held talks the day before the EU plans to impose new sanctions on Minsk to include airlines and travel agencies thought to be involved in bringing migrants to the bloc's border.

"Futility of sanctions was highlighted... by the Belarusian side," the Belarusian foreign ministry said in a statement.

Thousands of migrants, seeking to cross into Poland have travelled to Belarus. However, they have found themselves trapped on the border in freezing conditions.

Belarus faces accusations from Europe that it is mounting "a hybrid attack' by flying in migrants and pushing them to cross illegally into Poland. Belarus denies the accusations.

Makei informed his counterpart about steps taken by Belarus to reduce the migrant flow and providing them with humanitarian aid on the border, the ministry said.

(With inputs from agencies)

Josep Borrell, foreign policy chief of European Union warned Belarus of not using people as weapons. Borrell on Sunday spoke with Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei on phone and discussed migrant crisis on the country's border with Poland.

Josep Borrell, foreign policy chief of European Union warned Belarus of not using people as weapons. Borrell on Sunday spoke with Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei on phone and discussed migrant crisis on the country's border with Poland. Borrell also spoke of EU sanctions against Belarus. Borrell wrote on Twitter that he had raised "the precarious humanitarian situation at the border with the EU". "Peoples lives must be protected and humanitarian agencies allowed access," he wrote. "The current situation is unacceptable and must stop. People should not be used as weapons." Spoke to #Belarus Foreign Minister Makei to raise the precarious humanitarian situation at the border with the EU. Peoples lives must be protected and humanitarian agencies allowed access. The current situation is unacceptable and must stop. People should not be used as weapons. — Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) November 14, 2021 × The EU and Belarus held talks the day before the EU plans to impose new sanctions on Minsk to include airlines and travel agencies thought to be involved in bringing migrants to the bloc's border. "Futility of sanctions was highlighted... by the Belarusian side," the Belarusian foreign ministry said in a statement. Thousands of migrants, seeking to cross into Poland have travelled to Belarus. However, they have found themselves trapped on the border in freezing conditions. Belarus faces accusations from Europe that it is mounting "a hybrid attack' by flying in migrants and pushing them to cross illegally into Poland. Belarus denies the accusations. Makei informed his counterpart about steps taken by Belarus to reduce the migrant flow and providing them with humanitarian aid on the border, the ministry said. (With inputs from agencies)

Don't use people as weapons, EU chief diplomat warns Belarus

British Army General Sir Nick Carter has said that an ''accidental'' war can break out between the West and Russia.

"I think we have to be careful that people don't end up allowing the bellicose nature of some of our politics to end up in a position where escalation leads to miscalculation," he said in an interview.

According to Carter, in the new era of a "multipolar world", where there is a greater risk of war than at any time since the Cold War.

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/how-belarus-became-gateway-to-eu-for-middle-east-migrants-428982" hreflang="en">How Belarus became gateway to EU for Middle East migrants</a>

He highlighted that ''the character of warfare has changed'' and ''traditional diplomatic tools and mechanisms of the previous war were no longer available.''

"So I think that's the real challenge we have to be confronted with."

Carter said authoritarian rivals were willing to use any tool at their disposal, such as migrants, surging gas prices, proxy forces, or cyber-attacks.

His statement comes amid the mounting tensions in Europe due to the surge of migrants on its border demanding shelter and political asylum.

Britain said on Friday that a small team of UK military personnel had been deployed to explore "engineering support" for Poland on its border with Belarus.

The bloc has accused Russia of aiding Belarus in orchestrating a humanitarian crisis on its border.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/we-have-nothing-to-do-with-it-says-putin-on-belarus-poland-migrant-crisis-429022" hreflang="en">We have nothing to do with it, says Putin on Belarus-Poland migrant crisis</a>

Russian President Vladimir Putin has hit back at claims from Poland and others that Russia is working with Belarus to send migrants to the border of the European Union.

"I want everyone to know. We have nothing to do with it," he said in an interview with the state television broadcast.

Putin said European leaders needed to talk to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to resolve the crisis and that "as I understand it" German Chancellor Angela Merkel was ready to do so.

"We should not forget where these crises associated with migrants came from... Western countries themselves, including European countries," he said.&nbsp;

The migrants, mainly Kurds, have been stuck for days in a no-man's land on the border in near-freezing temperatures, setting up a tent camp and burning wood to keep warm.

(With inputs from agencies)

British Army General Sir Nick Carter has said that an ''accidental'' war can break out between the West and Russia. "I think we have to be careful that people don't end up allowing the bellicose nature of some of our politics to end up in a position where escalation leads to miscalculation," he said in an interview.

British Army General Sir Nick Carter has said that an ''accidental'' war can break out between the West and Russia. "I think we have to be careful that people don't end up allowing the bellicose nature of some of our politics to end up in a position where escalation leads to miscalculation," he said in an interview. According to Carter, in the new era of a "multipolar world", where there is a greater risk of war than at any time since the Cold War. Also see | How Belarus became gateway to EU for Middle East migrants He highlighted that ''the character of warfare has changed'' and ''traditional diplomatic tools and mechanisms of the previous war were no longer available.'' "So I think that's the real challenge we have to be confronted with." Carter said authoritarian rivals were willing to use any tool at their disposal, such as migrants, surging gas prices, proxy forces, or cyber-attacks. His statement comes amid the mounting tensions in Europe due to the surge of migrants on its border demanding shelter and political asylum. Britain said on Friday that a small team of UK military personnel had been deployed to explore "engineering support" for Poland on its border with Belarus. The bloc has accused Russia of aiding Belarus in orchestrating a humanitarian crisis on its border. Also read | We have nothing to do with it, says Putin on Belarus-Poland migrant crisis Russian President Vladimir Putin has hit back at claims from Poland and others that Russia is working with Belarus to send migrants to the border of the European Union. "I want everyone to know. We have nothing to do with it," he said in an interview with the state television broadcast. Putin said European leaders needed to talk to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to resolve the crisis and that "as I understand it" German Chancellor Angela Merkel was ready to do so. "We should not forget where these crises associated with migrants came from... Western countries themselves, including European countries," he said. The migrants, mainly Kurds, have been stuck for days in a no-man's land on the border in near-freezing temperatures, setting up a tent camp and burning wood to keep warm. (With inputs from agencies)

Britain's army chief says 'accidental' war can break out between the West and Russia

How Belarus became gateway to EU for Middle East migrants

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has issued a warning to the European Union against the imposition of new sanctions amid the ongoing border dispute between them.

Vowing retaliation, Lukashenko said he will shut down the transit of natural gas and goods via Belarus to the bloc.

"We are heating Europe, they are still threatening us that they will close the border. And if we shut off natural gas there? Therefore, I would recommend that the Polish leadership, Lithuanians and other headless people think before speaking," Lukashenko said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amid-poland-belarus-border-migrant-crisis-russia-flies-bombers-over-belarus-428313">Also read |&nbsp;Amid Poland-Belarus border migrant crisis, Russia flies bombers over Belarus</a>

Migrants have been trying to cross the Belarus-Poland border for months but the crisis reached a new level when hundreds made a concerted effort this week and were pushed back by Polish borders guards.

Western governments accuse Belarusian strongman Alexander Lukashenko of luring them to his country and sending them to cross into EU member Poland in retaliation for the sanctions.

Poland has accused Minsk of "state terrorism" for using intimidation to force migrants to breach the border.

Belarus has in turn accused Poland of violating international norms by blocking the migrants and beating them back with violence.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/putin-masterminding-the-migrant-crisis-at-poland-belarus-border-claims-polish-pm-428130">Putin masterminding the migrant crisis at Poland-Belarus border, claims Polish PM</a>

Caught in between, the migrants -- who are mainly from the Middle East -- are stuck in freezing conditions.

Belarus has received strong support from its main ally, Russia, which has helped buttress Lukashenko’s government with loans and political support.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the migrants flows resulted from the US-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and Western-backed Arab Spring uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa. He challenged the EU to offer financial assistance to Belarus to deal with the influx.

At the same time, the Kremlin angrily rejected Poland’s claim that Russia bears responsibility for the crisis.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has issued a warning to the European Union against the imposition of new sanctions amid the ongoing border dispute between them.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has issued a warning to the European Union against the imposition of new sanctions amid the ongoing border dispute between them. Vowing retaliation, Lukashenko said he will shut down the transit of natural gas and goods via Belarus to the bloc. "We are heating Europe, they are still threatening us that they will close the border. And if we shut off natural gas there? Therefore, I would recommend that the Polish leadership, Lithuanians and other headless people think before speaking," Lukashenko said. Also read | Amid Poland-Belarus border migrant crisis, Russia flies bombers over Belarus Migrants have been trying to cross the Belarus-Poland border for months but the crisis reached a new level when hundreds made a concerted effort this week and were pushed back by Polish borders guards. Western governments accuse Belarusian strongman Alexander Lukashenko of luring them to his country and sending them to cross into EU member Poland in retaliation for the sanctions. Poland has accused Minsk of "state terrorism" for using intimidation to force migrants to breach the border. Belarus has in turn accused Poland of violating international norms by blocking the migrants and beating them back with violence. Also Read: Putin masterminding the migrant crisis at Poland-Belarus border, claims Polish PM Caught in between, the migrants -- who are mainly from the Middle East -- are stuck in freezing conditions. Belarus has received strong support from its main ally, Russia, which has helped buttress Lukashenko’s government with loans and political support. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the migrants flows resulted from the US-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and Western-backed Arab Spring uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa. He challenged the EU to offer financial assistance to Belarus to deal with the influx. At the same time, the Kremlin angrily rejected Poland’s claim that Russia bears responsibility for the crisis.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko warns European Union against new sanctions

The top court in Britain has blocked a class action against Google, accused of illegally tracking millions of iPhone users.

The Supreme Court said in a statement that it "unanimously dismisses" the legal action brought by campaigners against the US-based tech giant on behalf of 4.4 million people in England and Wales.

The country's first such data privacy case is bound to upset a string of similar claims against technology giants such as Facebook and TikTok, already waiting in the wings.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/google-wants-to-work-with-the-pentagon-again-despite-employee-concerns-426580">Also read |&nbsp;Google wants to work with the Pentagon again, despite employee concerns</a>

If the court had allowed the lawsuit to proceed, a fine worth 3.2 billion pounds ($4.3 billion) would have been imposed on Google in the hotly-anticipated judgment.

However, Google suffered a major setback after Europe's second-highest court dismissed its challenge to an EU antitrust ruling and 2.42 billion euro ($2.8 billion) fine in a major win for EU competition chief Margrethe Vestager.

The matter could be challenged again, however, if Google decides to turn to the EU's highest court, the European Court of Justice, for a final say.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/google-collects-data-in-incognito-mode-consumers-allege-in-lawsuit-370408">Also read |&nbsp;Google collects data in incognito mode, consumers allege in lawsuit</a>

The case centres on Google's shopping service and is one of three against the search engine giant currently moving through the EU's drawn-out appeals system.

The shopping case was the first of a trio of decisions that have seen Google rack up a total of 8.25 billion euros in EU antitrust fines in the last decade.

"The General Court largely dismisses Google's action against the decision of the Commission finding that Google abused its dominant position by favouring its own comparison shopping service over competing comparison shopping services," the Court said.

(With inputs from agencies)

The top court in Britain has blocked a class action against Google, accused of illegally tracking millions of iPhone users. The Supreme Court said in a statement that it "unanimously dismisses" the legal action brought by campaigners against the US-based tech giant on behalf of 4.

The top court in Britain has blocked a class action against Google, accused of illegally tracking millions of iPhone users. The Supreme Court said in a statement that it "unanimously dismisses" the legal action brought by campaigners against the US-based tech giant on behalf of 4.4 million people in England and Wales. The country's first such data privacy case is bound to upset a string of similar claims against technology giants such as Facebook and TikTok, already waiting in the wings. Also read | Google wants to work with the Pentagon again, despite employee concerns If the court had allowed the lawsuit to proceed, a fine worth 3.2 billion pounds ($4.3 billion) would have been imposed on Google in the hotly-anticipated judgment. However, Google suffered a major setback after Europe's second-highest court dismissed its challenge to an EU antitrust ruling and 2.42 billion euro ($2.8 billion) fine in a major win for EU competition chief Margrethe Vestager. The matter could be challenged again, however, if Google decides to turn to the EU's highest court, the European Court of Justice, for a final say. Also read | Google collects data in incognito mode, consumers allege in lawsuit The case centres on Google's shopping service and is one of three against the search engine giant currently moving through the EU's drawn-out appeals system. The shopping case was the first of a trio of decisions that have seen Google rack up a total of 8.25 billion euros in EU antitrust fines in the last decade. "The General Court largely dismisses Google's action against the decision of the Commission finding that Google abused its dominant position by favouring its own comparison shopping service over competing comparison shopping services," the Court said. (With inputs from agencies)

UK's top court blocks class action lawsuit against Google

The cancer rates in a Serbian town called Radinac have quadrupled due to the spread of red dust by a Chinese mill.

The situation is so bad that residents have to dry their laundry indoors and use vinegar to clean the dust from their cars.

Known as the Smedrevo steel mill, the plant was bought from the Serbian state for 46 million euros ($53 million) five years ago.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/xis-further-grip-on-power-at-china-communist-party-meet-will-make-him-another-mao-427948" hreflang="en">Xi set to be another Mao, with a firm power grip at the Communist Paty meet</a>

300 million euros has been invested in technology and pollution reduction as per the owners. It was originally acquired by Hesteel, China's biggest steelmaker.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-third-term-for-xi-jinping-will-it-raise-the-threat-of-war-427831/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The village, located in central Serbia, has a population of around 100,000 people. Out of these 6,866 reported cancer cases in 2019.

This was a massive surge from the 1,738 cases reported in 2011 according to data from the Smederevo public health body, which a watchdog called Tvrdjava.

''The air in the town is far below European standards for 120 days per year. Red dust is greasy, it sticks to lungs, makes breathing difficult,'' said Nikola Krstic, the head of Tvrdjava.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-delivers-advanced-warship-to-pakistan-with-air-defence-capability-427977">China delivers advanced warship to Pak with air defence capability</a>

Ljubica Drake, the plant's manager for environmental protection said, ''We are all citizens of Smederevo... Would we be working despite pollution, against ourselves and our children?''

She said the disease could be a result of NATO's bombing of Serbia in 1999 during a war in Kosovo.

Ljubica added that three new production facilities will significantly reduce pollution after their completion in 2022.

China has invested billions of euros in Serbia, which is a candidate to join the EU but has an uneasy relationship with the West more than two decades after the wars that followed the breakup of Yugoslavia, and has pursued close ties with Beijing.

The authorities in Belgrade say they are prepared to challenge Chinese-owned companies over pollution.

(With inputs from agencies)

The cancer rates in a Serbian town called Radinac have quadrupled due to the spread of red dust by a Chinese mill. The situation is so bad that residents have to dry their laundry indoors and use vinegar to clean the dust from their cars.

The cancer rates in a Serbian town called Radinac have quadrupled due to the spread of red dust by a Chinese mill. The situation is so bad that residents have to dry their laundry indoors and use vinegar to clean the dust from their cars. Known as the Smedrevo steel mill, the plant was bought from the Serbian state for 46 million euros ($53 million) five years ago. Also read | Xi set to be another Mao, with a firm power grip at the Communist Paty meet 300 million euros has been invested in technology and pollution reduction as per the owners. It was originally acquired by Hesteel, China's biggest steelmaker. The village, located in central Serbia, has a population of around 100,000 people. Out of these 6,866 reported cancer cases in 2019. This was a massive surge from the 1,738 cases reported in 2011 according to data from the Smederevo public health body, which a watchdog called Tvrdjava. ''The air in the town is far below European standards for 120 days per year. Red dust is greasy, it sticks to lungs, makes breathing difficult,'' said Nikola Krstic, the head of Tvrdjava. Also read | China delivers advanced warship to Pak with air defence capability Ljubica Drake, the plant's manager for environmental protection said, ''We are all citizens of Smederevo... Would we be working despite pollution, against ourselves and our children?'' She said the disease could be a result of NATO's bombing of Serbia in 1999 during a war in Kosovo. Ljubica added that three new production facilities will significantly reduce pollution after their completion in 2022. China has invested billions of euros in Serbia, which is a candidate to join the EU but has an uneasy relationship with the West more than two decades after the wars that followed the breakup of Yugoslavia, and has pursued close ties with Beijing. The authorities in Belgrade say they are prepared to challenge Chinese-owned companies over pollution. (With inputs from agencies)

Cancer rates quadrupled in this Serbian town due to red dust from a Chinese-owned steel mill

We are getting the first visuals of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with the leaders of the European Union.

Indian PM Narendra Modi holds meet with leaders of EU

Iran has agreed to resume talks with superpowers of the world after a gap of nearly about 5 months. The talks are expected to resume before the end of next month. The decision comes after Iran's FM met with European Union.

Iran to resume talks with superpowers of the world after 5 months

The European Union has imposed a fine of $1.16 million per day on Poland over a dispute of the rule of the law.

EU court fines Poland $1.16 million per day over judicial reform

The European Investment Bank published a survey on Wednesday showing that a majority of European Union citizens believe their governments will fail to tackle climate change, which Europeans see as the biggest challenge humanity faces in the 21st century.

In the EIB's climate survey of 27,700 respondents in 27 EU countries, 58 per cent of respondents believed that their countries would fail to drastically cut CO2 emissions by 2050.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australian-indigenous-islanders-file-lawsuit-against-government-demand-climate-action-424150" hreflang="en">Australian indigenous islanders file lawsuit against government, demand climate action</a>

However, EU citizens' lack of confidence in their governments' climate credentials contrasts with their own support for tougher policies.

70 per cent of EU respondents said they supported measures to reduce emissions by imposing changes on people's behaviour.

87 per cent of respondents said they would either completely or somewhat support the replacement of short-haul flights with trains, while 69 per cent said they would support a tax on polluting products.

Furthermore, 81 per cent of European Union citizens believe climate change is the biggest challenge humanity faces this century, and 75 per cent say they are more concerned about the climate crisis than their governments.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics-youths-take-to-streets-in-fridays-for-future-climate-protests-423195" hreflang="en">In pics: Youths take to streets in Fridays for Future climate protests</a>

This poll was conducted after the devastating wildfires and fatal floods in August and September highlighted the reality of climate change for many Europeans.

With COP26,&nbsp;the UN climate summit in Scotland&nbsp;beginning on Sunday, Ambroise Fayolle, Vice-President of EIB, said that these demands from the public are a clear mandate for them to strengthen their efforts and give momentum to the green transition.

Among the world's largest economies, the European Union has set some of the most ambitious climate goals. The bloc has legally committed to reduce its net emissions to zero by 2050 and rapidly reduce them this decade.

Even though these goals apply to the EU's overall emissions, EU countries, including Denmark, France, Germany and Ireland, have also set their own national net-zero emissions goals.

Watch |&nbsp;UN sounds alarm on climate crisis ahead of high stakes COP26 summit

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EU policymakers are negotiating new measures to deliver its climate goals, including higher taxes on polluting fuels and a new carbon market - proposals facing resistance from some countries that fear a public backlash to measures that would increase costs for households.

Policymakers in the EU are negotiating new measures to achieve these climate goals. The new measures will include higher taxes on polluting fuels and a new carbon market. However, the proposals are facing resistance from some countries which fear a negative reaction from the public on measures that could increase household costs.

The European Investment Bank published a survey on Wednesday showing that a majority of European Union citizens believe their governments will fail to tackle climate change, which Europeans see as the biggest challenge humanity faces in the 21st century.

The European Investment Bank published a survey on Wednesday showing that a majority of European Union citizens believe their governments will fail to tackle climate change, which Europeans see as the biggest challenge humanity faces in the 21st century. In the EIB's climate survey of 27,700 respondents in 27 EU countries, 58 per cent of respondents believed that their countries would fail to drastically cut CO2 emissions by 2050. Also read | Australian indigenous islanders file lawsuit against government, demand climate action However, EU citizens' lack of confidence in their governments' climate credentials contrasts with their own support for tougher policies. 70 per cent of EU respondents said they supported measures to reduce emissions by imposing changes on people's behaviour. 87 per cent of respondents said they would either completely or somewhat support the replacement of short-haul flights with trains, while 69 per cent said they would support a tax on polluting products. Furthermore, 81 per cent of European Union citizens believe climate change is the biggest challenge humanity faces this century, and 75 per cent say they are more concerned about the climate crisis than their governments. Also read | In pics: Youths take to streets in Fridays for Future climate protests This poll was conducted after the devastating wildfires and fatal floods in August and September highlighted the reality of climate change for many Europeans. With COP26, the UN climate summit in Scotland beginning on Sunday, Ambroise Fayolle, Vice-President of EIB, said that these demands from the public are a clear mandate for them to strengthen their efforts and give momentum to the green transition. Among the world's largest economies, the European Union has set some of the most ambitious climate goals. The bloc has legally committed to reduce its net emissions to zero by 2050 and rapidly reduce them this decade. Even though these goals apply to the EU's overall emissions, EU countries, including Denmark, France, Germany and Ireland, have also set their own national net-zero emissions goals. Watch | UN sounds alarm on climate crisis ahead of high stakes COP26 summit EU policymakers are negotiating new measures to deliver its climate goals, including higher taxes on polluting fuels and a new carbon market - proposals facing resistance from some countries that fear a public backlash to measures that would increase costs for households. Policymakers in the EU are negotiating new measures to achieve these climate goals. The new measures will include higher taxes on polluting fuels and a new carbon market. However, the proposals are facing resistance from some countries which fear a negative reaction from the public on measures that could increase household costs.

75% of Europeans are more concerned about the climate crisis than their governments: Survey

Taliban’s regime in Afghanistan has been longing for international support or recognition of any sorts for a long time.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A report in the Financial Times claiming that the European Union is looking to restart its political activities in a limited way in Kabul seems to have come as a sigh of relief in the government of war-torn country. &nbsp; &nbsp;

On Monday, the Islamic Emirate welcomed the reopening of the European Union’s office in Kabul. It said that the step could be the beginning of engagement with European countries. &nbsp; &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-facing-food-crisis-warns-un-423948" hreflang="en">Afghanistan facing food crisis, warns UN</a>

Ahmadullah Wasiq, deputy spokesman, Islamic Emirate, said, “The decision of the European Union to reopen its office in the near future is a good step and it is in the interest of the people of Afghanistan. They will evaluate their work from the vicinity.” &nbsp;&nbsp;

The report, however, also said that the move is not intended to recognise Taliban regime in Afghanistan. &nbsp;

Nabila Massarali, spokesperson, EU, said, “As we have repeatedly said, this is not a sign of recognition. We want to be able to better assist the Afghan people who need our help by being closer and, inevitably, we need to engage with the Taliban.”

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/former-afghan-governments-collapse-was-not-in-nations-interest-says-talibans-minister-zabiullah-mujahid-423693" hreflang="en">Former Afghan government’s collapse was not in nation’s interest, says Taliban's Minister Zabiullah Mujahid</a> &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

In a tweet on Monday, foreign ministry’s spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi, said that the Islamic Emirate would guarantee the security of the European countries’ embassies and personnel. &nbsp; &nbsp;

“Resumption of EU mission in Afghanistan is sound and positive step which we welcome. Just as security of other embassies in Kabul is guaranteed, the security of EU embassy &amp; personnel will also be guaranteed,” Balkhi said. &nbsp; &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Taliban’s regime in Afghanistan has been longing for international support or recognition of any sorts for a long time. A report in the Financial Times claiming that the European Union is looking to restart its political activities in a limited way in Kabul seems to have come as a sigh of relief in the government of war-torn country.

Taliban’s regime in Afghanistan has been longing for international support or recognition of any sorts for a long time. A report in the Financial Times claiming that the European Union is looking to restart its political activities in a limited way in Kabul seems to have come as a sigh of relief in the government of war-torn country. On Monday, the Islamic Emirate welcomed the reopening of the European Union’s office in Kabul. It said that the step could be the beginning of engagement with European countries. Also Read: Afghanistan facing food crisis, warns UN Ahmadullah Wasiq, deputy spokesman, Islamic Emirate, said, “The decision of the European Union to reopen its office in the near future is a good step and it is in the interest of the people of Afghanistan. They will evaluate their work from the vicinity.” The report, however, also said that the move is not intended to recognise Taliban regime in Afghanistan. Nabila Massarali, spokesperson, EU, said, “As we have repeatedly said, this is not a sign of recognition. We want to be able to better assist the Afghan people who need our help by being closer and, inevitably, we need to engage with the Taliban.” Also Read: Former Afghan government’s collapse was not in nation’s interest, says Taliban's Minister Zabiullah Mujahid In a tweet on Monday, foreign ministry’s spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi, said that the Islamic Emirate would guarantee the security of the European countries’ embassies and personnel. “Resumption of EU mission in Afghanistan is sound and positive step which we welcome. Just as security of other embassies in Kabul is guaranteed, the security of EU embassy & personnel will also be guaranteed,” Balkhi said. (With inputs from agencies)

Taliban welcomes reopening of European Union’s office in Kabul  

The European Union and Iran officials are set to meet in Brussels this week for talks on restarting negotiations over Iran’s nuclear deal. This comes after International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said that Iran is once again expanding its Uranium enrichment program beyond the allowed limit.

Iran, EU to hold nuclear talks in Brussels this week

The European Union medicines agency has approved Moderna's COVID-19 booster vaccine for people aged 18 and above. It is the second booster vaccine to be approved in the EU.

EU medicines agency approves Moderna's booster shot for people aged 18 and above

The European Union must deepen ties with Taiwan and start work on an investment deal with the island, EU lawmakers said in a resolution adopted on Thursday, a move likely to anger Beijing as a similar EU-China deal struck in 2020 has been put on ice.

The European Parliament in the French city of Strasbourg, with a majority of 580 to 26 votes, backed the non-binding resolution requesting the bloc's executive European Commission "urgently begin an impact assessment, public consultation and scoping exercise on a bilateral investment agreement".

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/satellite-images-show-china-has-upgraded-military-bases-facing-taiwan-420955">Also read |&nbsp;Satellite images show China has upgraded military bases facing Taiwan</a>

The lawmakers also demanded the bloc's trade office in Taipei to be renamed the European Union office in Taiwan, in effect upgrading the mission though neither the EU nor its member states have formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory.

Military tensions between China and Taiwan have increased, with Taipei saying Beijing will be capable of mounting a "full scale" invasion of the island by 2025.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-taiwan-tensions-tsai-ing-wens-remarks-incite-confrontation-distort-facts-says-beijing-spokesperson-419777">Also read |&nbsp;China-Taiwan tensions: Tsai Ing-wen's remarks incite confrontation, distort facts, says Beijing spokesperson</a>

The EU added Taiwan to its list of trade partners eligible for an investment deal in 2015, but has not held talks with the democratically ruled island on the issue since then, although Taipei is keen on striking an agreement.

A similar investment deal agreed last year between the EU and its major trade partner China has been blocked for months. The European Parliament put its ratification on ice after Beijing imposed sanctions on EU lawmakers in a human rights dispute.

The tech powerhouse Taiwan, meanwhile, has become increasingly attractive for the EU amid a global shortage of semiconductors that has Brussels lobbying for key Taiwanese chip makers to invest in the bloc as they have done in the United States.

The European Union must deepen ties with Taiwan and start work on an investment deal with the island, EU lawmakers said in a resolution adopted on Thursday, a move likely to anger Beijing as a similar EU-China deal struck in 2020 has been put on ice.

The European Union must deepen ties with Taiwan and start work on an investment deal with the island, EU lawmakers said in a resolution adopted on Thursday, a move likely to anger Beijing as a similar EU-China deal struck in 2020 has been put on ice. The European Parliament in the French city of Strasbourg, with a majority of 580 to 26 votes, backed the non-binding resolution requesting the bloc's executive European Commission "urgently begin an impact assessment, public consultation and scoping exercise on a bilateral investment agreement". Also read | Satellite images show China has upgraded military bases facing Taiwan The lawmakers also demanded the bloc's trade office in Taipei to be renamed the European Union office in Taiwan, in effect upgrading the mission though neither the EU nor its member states have formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory. Military tensions between China and Taiwan have increased, with Taipei saying Beijing will be capable of mounting a "full scale" invasion of the island by 2025. Also read | China-Taiwan tensions: Tsai Ing-wen's remarks incite confrontation, distort facts, says Beijing spokesperson The EU added Taiwan to its list of trade partners eligible for an investment deal in 2015, but has not held talks with the democratically ruled island on the issue since then, although Taipei is keen on striking an agreement. A similar investment deal agreed last year between the EU and its major trade partner China has been blocked for months. The European Parliament put its ratification on ice after Beijing imposed sanctions on EU lawmakers in a human rights dispute. The tech powerhouse Taiwan, meanwhile, has become increasingly attractive for the EU amid a global shortage of semiconductors that has Brussels lobbying for key Taiwanese chip makers to invest in the bloc as they have done in the United States.

EU lawmakers push for closer ties with Taiwan amid rising Chinese pressure

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki accused the EU of "blackmail" during a public clash with the EU chief over Poland's rejection of parts of EU law.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Speaking during a public confrontation with European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen,&nbsp;Morawiecki said that&nbsp;"it is unacceptable to talk about financial penalties... I will not have EU politicians blackmail Poland."

In her remarks, Von der Leyen warned that her Commission, which is tasked as the guardian of EU treaties, would "act" to rein Poland in.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/polish-court-calls-parts-of-eu-law-unconstitutional-dispute-escalates-419090">Polish court calls parts of EU law unconstitutional, dispute escalates</a>

Enumerating the legal, financial, and political options being considered, she said, "We cannot and we will not allow our common values to be put at risk."&nbsp;

A Polish Constitutional Court ruling on October 7 had raised questions about parts of EU law, igniting long-simmering tensions between Poland and Brussels.

This dispute, which took place in the European Parliament, emphasized the severity of the topic, which both Brussels and Warsaw claim threatens the cohesion of the 27-nation bloc.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/france-calls-poland-court-ruling-attack-against-eu-419132">France calls Poland court ruling 'attack against EU'</a>

Analysts said the partial rejection of EU supremacy could be the first step in Poland's eventual departure from the European Union.

Morawiecki maintained, however, that Poland's place was in the European Union, with EU law derived from the EU's treaties only applicable in specified areas and Poland's national constitution supreme in all other areas.

What can the EU do?

Withholding recovery cash from a pooled EU fund that was established for the bloc to recover from the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic could be one of the measures the Commission uses against Poland.

Poland's request for 23 billion euros in grants and 34 billion euros in cheap loans, is still being considered by the Commission, which it&nbsp;said&nbsp;could be subject to conditions.

In a letter released on Monday, Morawiecki described this as "financial blackmail, punishment, 'starving' of unsubordinated states".

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/poland-eu-spat-will-respect-european-law-says-polish-foreign-ministry-419484">Poland-EU spat: Will respect European law, says Polish foreign ministry</a>

For its part, Poland can play a spoiler in a number of key EU policy areas that require unanimity among the 27 member states, including its position on climate change and migration.&nbsp;It also has the support of Hungary, another bete noire for Brussels, seen to be flouting the rule of law.

On Thursday and Friday, EU leaders will meet in Brussels. With the Netherlands and Luxembourg particularly critical of Warsaw, Poland could rise to the top of its agenda.

Jean Asselborn, Luxembourg's foreign minister, said ahead of an EU European affairs ministers meeting on Tuesday: "Europe will not survive if rule of law falls. That's very clear."

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Will Poland leave the European Union?

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-will-poland-leave-the-european-union-420257/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The European Commission and Parliament have taken Warsaw to task, for moves to scrap judges' independence and other policies that are seen as regressive to democratic norms.

Additionally, they have sharply criticized Poland's extreme social policies, including restrictions on LGBTQ rights and a near-total ban on abortions pushed by the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki accused the EU of "blackmail" during a public clash with the EU chief over Poland's rejection of parts of EU law. Speaking during a public confrontation with European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, Morawiecki said that "it is unacceptable to talk about financial penalties.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki accused the EU of "blackmail" during a public clash with the EU chief over Poland's rejection of parts of EU law. Speaking during a public confrontation with European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, Morawiecki said that "it is unacceptable to talk about financial penalties... I will not have EU politicians blackmail Poland." In her remarks, Von der Leyen warned that her Commission, which is tasked as the guardian of EU treaties, would "act" to rein Poland in. Also read | Polish court calls parts of EU law unconstitutional, dispute escalates Enumerating the legal, financial, and political options being considered, she said, "We cannot and we will not allow our common values to be put at risk." A Polish Constitutional Court ruling on October 7 had raised questions about parts of EU law, igniting long-simmering tensions between Poland and Brussels. This dispute, which took place in the European Parliament, emphasized the severity of the topic, which both Brussels and Warsaw claim threatens the cohesion of the 27-nation bloc. Also read | France calls Poland court ruling 'attack against EU' Analysts said the partial rejection of EU supremacy could be the first step in Poland's eventual departure from the European Union. Morawiecki maintained, however, that Poland's place was in the European Union, with EU law derived from the EU's treaties only applicable in specified areas and Poland's national constitution supreme in all other areas. What can the EU do? Withholding recovery cash from a pooled EU fund that was established for the bloc to recover from the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic could be one of the measures the Commission uses against Poland. Poland's request for 23 billion euros in grants and 34 billion euros in cheap loans, is still being considered by the Commission, which it said could be subject to conditions. In a letter released on Monday, Morawiecki described this as "financial blackmail, punishment, 'starving' of unsubordinated states". Also read | Poland-EU spat: Will respect European law, says Polish foreign ministry For its part, Poland can play a spoiler in a number of key EU policy areas that require unanimity among the 27 member states, including its position on climate change and migration. It also has the support of Hungary, another bete noire for Brussels, seen to be flouting the rule of law. On Thursday and Friday, EU leaders will meet in Brussels. With the Netherlands and Luxembourg particularly critical of Warsaw, Poland could rise to the top of its agenda. Jean Asselborn, Luxembourg's foreign minister, said ahead of an EU European affairs ministers meeting on Tuesday: "Europe will not survive if rule of law falls. That's very clear." Watch | Gravitas: Will Poland leave the European Union? The European Commission and Parliament have taken Warsaw to task, for moves to scrap judges' independence and other policies that are seen as regressive to democratic norms. Additionally, they have sharply criticized Poland's extreme social policies, including restrictions on LGBTQ rights and a near-total ban on abortions pushed by the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party.

EU-Poland spat: Polish PM accuses EU of 'blackmail'

The European Union is offering to reduce custom checks and paperwork on British products intended for Northern Ireland. The Brexit trade arrangement for Northern Ireland created a de-facto trade border within the United Kingdom, it required new checkpoints at ports to stop the flow of certain goods into the EU.

EU: European Union to scrap border checks on British goods

In hope of averting a new Brexit-related spat, the European Union put forward a host of proposals to solve trading arrangements in Northern Ireland. The EU offered to reduce custom checks and paperwork on British products intended for northern Ireland.

European Union puts forward proposals to solve trading arrangements in Northern Ireland

The European Union(EU) pledged $1.2-billion in aid for Afghanistan to avert a "major humanitarian" crisis, chief Ursula von der Leyen announced on Tuesday.

The announcement was made during the virtual G20 summit. Von der Leyen said the money would be channelled through international organisations and not through the Taliban which is not recognised by the European body.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/afghan-interpreter-who-helped-rescue-biden-in-2008-escapes-taliban-regime-420043">Also Read:&nbsp;Afghan interpreter who helped rescue Biden in 2008 escapes Taliban regime</a>

"We must do all we can to avert a major humanitarian and socio-economic collapse in Afghanistan. We need to do it fast," von der Leyen said, adding," We have been clear about our conditions for any engagement with the Afghan authorities, including on the respect of human rights."

"Afghan people should not pay the price of the Taliban's actions," the EU chief added. Taliban has been urging international aid to kickstart reconstruction efforts. The aid package is aimed at addressing Afghanistan's health issues.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/under-pressure-taliban-to-meet-eu-us-in-diplomatic-push-420100">Also Read:&nbsp;Under-pressure Taliban to meet EU, US in diplomatic push</a>

The aid is also meant for Afghanistan's neighbours who have been taking Afghan refugees fleeing the Taliban with money needed for migration management.

Turkey's president Erdogan while speaking at the G20 special session on Afghanistan said that the country cannot afford another influx of Afghan refugees even as the Italian prime minister declared that the interim Taliban government hasn't been able to deliver.

Meanwhile, reports claimed the second plane of Afghan refugees was expected to arrive in Spain from Pakistan. Spain had evacuated 2,000 people from Afghanistan mostly Afghans.

(With inputs from Agencies) 
&nbsp;

The European Union(EU) pledged $1.2-billion in aid for Afghanistan to avert a "major humanitarian" crisis, chief Ursula von der Leyen announced on Tuesday. The announcement was made during the virtual G20 summit.

The European Union(EU) pledged $1.2-billion in aid for Afghanistan to avert a "major humanitarian" crisis, chief Ursula von der Leyen announced on Tuesday. The announcement was made during the virtual G20 summit. Von der Leyen said the money would be channelled through international organisations and not through the Taliban which is not recognised by the European body. Also Read: Afghan interpreter who helped rescue Biden in 2008 escapes Taliban regime "We must do all we can to avert a major humanitarian and socio-economic collapse in Afghanistan. We need to do it fast," von der Leyen said, adding," We have been clear about our conditions for any engagement with the Afghan authorities, including on the respect of human rights." "Afghan people should not pay the price of the Taliban's actions," the EU chief added. Taliban has been urging international aid to kickstart reconstruction efforts. The aid package is aimed at addressing Afghanistan's health issues. Also Read: Under-pressure Taliban to meet EU, US in diplomatic push The aid is also meant for Afghanistan's neighbours who have been taking Afghan refugees fleeing the Taliban with money needed for migration management. Turkey's president Erdogan while speaking at the G20 special session on Afghanistan said that the country cannot afford another influx of Afghan refugees even as the Italian prime minister declared that the interim Taliban government hasn't been able to deliver. Meanwhile, reports claimed the second plane of Afghan refugees was expected to arrive in Spain from Pakistan. Spain had evacuated 2,000 people from Afghanistan mostly Afghans. (With inputs from Agencies)

EU pledges $1.2 billion in aid for Afghanistan to avert humanitarian collapse

Amir Khan Muttaqi, acting foreign minister for the Taliban, announced that after meeting with the United States, the group will now meet representatives of the European Union in Doha on Tuesday.

Speaking at an event organised by Qatar's Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies, Muttaqi said that Afghans had already met officials from the German government and a parliamentarian from the United Kingdom.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/doha-talks-candid-taliban-to-be-judged-based-on-its-actions-us-419772">Doha talks 'candid', Taliban to be judged based on its actions: US</a>

"Tomorrow we are meeting the EU representatives. We are having positive meetings with representatives of other countries," he said in the Qatari capital.

"We want positive relationships with the whole world. We believe in balanced international relations. We believe such a balanced relationship can save Afghanistan from instability," Muttaqi added.

Despite the hardline Islamists' diplomatic push following their return to power in August, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres slammed the group.

Speaking to the press, Guterres said that the Taliban have "broken" promises to Afghan women and girls, and urged the world to donate more money to Afghanistan to head off its economic collapse.

Watch |&nbsp;Worry about women's rights restricted under the rule of the Taliban

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/worry-about-womens-rights-restricted-under-the-rule-of-the-taliban-419922/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"I am particularly alarmed to see promises made to Afghan women and girls by the Taliban being broken," Guterres told reporters.&nbsp;

"I strongly appeal to the Taliban to keep their promises to women and girls and fulfill their obligations under international human rights and humanitarian law."

In his statement, Guterres stated the United Nations will not give up on the issue and that it is constantly discussed with Taliban officials.

"Broken promises lead to broken dreams for the women and girls of Afghanistan," Guterres said, noting that three million girls have enrolled in school since 2001, and the average amount of education for girls has increased from six years to 10.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/dont-try-to-destabilise-regime-taliban-warns-us-in-first-face-to-face-talks-after-withdrawal-419514">Don't try to 'destabilise' regime, Taliban warns US in first face-to-face talks after withdrawal</a>

"Eighty percent of Afghanistan's economy is informal, with a preponderant role of women. Without them, there is no way the Afghan economy and society will recover," the UN chief warned.

With food prices increasing, international aid cut off, and unemployment at a record high, Afghanistan's economy is on the verge of collapse.

In addition to the economic troubles, the Taliban's attempts to consolidate their rule have been undermined by a series of attacks by the Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K), which claimed responsibility for a bomb attack on a Shiite mosque on Friday that killed more than 60 people.

(With inputs from agencies)

Amir Khan Muttaqi, acting foreign minister for the Taliban, announced that after meeting with the United States, the group will now meet representatives of the European Union in Doha on Tuesday.

Amir Khan Muttaqi, acting foreign minister for the Taliban, announced that after meeting with the United States, the group will now meet representatives of the European Union in Doha on Tuesday. Speaking at an event organised by Qatar's Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies, Muttaqi said that Afghans had already met officials from the German government and a parliamentarian from the United Kingdom. Also read | Doha talks 'candid', Taliban to be judged based on its actions: US "Tomorrow we are meeting the EU representatives. We are having positive meetings with representatives of other countries," he said in the Qatari capital. "We want positive relationships with the whole world. We believe in balanced international relations. We believe such a balanced relationship can save Afghanistan from instability," Muttaqi added. Despite the hardline Islamists' diplomatic push following their return to power in August, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres slammed the group. Speaking to the press, Guterres said that the Taliban have "broken" promises to Afghan women and girls, and urged the world to donate more money to Afghanistan to head off its economic collapse. Watch | Worry about women's rights restricted under the rule of the Taliban "I am particularly alarmed to see promises made to Afghan women and girls by the Taliban being broken," Guterres told reporters. "I strongly appeal to the Taliban to keep their promises to women and girls and fulfill their obligations under international human rights and humanitarian law." In his statement, Guterres stated the United Nations will not give up on the issue and that it is constantly discussed with Taliban officials. "Broken promises lead to broken dreams for the women and girls of Afghanistan," Guterres said, noting that three million girls have enrolled in school since 2001, and the average amount of education for girls has increased from six years to 10. Also read | Don't try to 'destabilise' regime, Taliban warns US in first face-to-face talks after withdrawal "Eighty percent of Afghanistan's economy is informal, with a preponderant role of women. Without them, there is no way the Afghan economy and society will recover," the UN chief warned. With food prices increasing, international aid cut off, and unemployment at a record high, Afghanistan's economy is on the verge of collapse. In addition to the economic troubles, the Taliban's attempts to consolidate their rule have been undermined by a series of attacks by the Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K), which claimed responsibility for a bomb attack on a Shiite mosque on Friday that killed more than 60 people. (With inputs from agencies)

As Taliban prepares to meet EU representatives, UN chief slams Taliban over 'broken promises'

Poland has a legal and moral obligation as a member of the European Union to abide by the bloc's rules completely and unconditionally, the foreign ministers of France and Germany said in a joint statement issued on Friday.

Poland's Constitutional Tribunal on Thursday ruled that parts of EU law are incompatible with the Polish constitution, undermining the legal pillar on which the 27-nation EU stands, and prompting expressions of dismay from politicians across Europe.

The joint statement, issued by French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and his German counterpart Heiko Maas, said the ministers had taken note of the Polish tribunal's decision.

"We remind you that membership of the European Union goes hand in hand with a complete and unconditional adherence to common values and rules," the statement said.

"It is incumbent on each member, and therefore of course on Poland, which occupies a vital place within the European Union, to respect these rules and values."

"This is not simply a moral commitment. It is also a legal commitment," the statement said.

Poland has a legal and moral obligation as a member of the European Union to abide by the bloc's rules completely and unconditionally, the foreign ministers of France and Germany said in a joint statement issued on Friday.

Poland has a legal and moral obligation as a member of the European Union to abide by the bloc's rules completely and unconditionally, the foreign ministers of France and Germany said in a joint statement issued on Friday. Poland's Constitutional Tribunal on Thursday ruled that parts of EU law are incompatible with the Polish constitution, undermining the legal pillar on which the 27-nation EU stands, and prompting expressions of dismay from politicians across Europe. The joint statement, issued by French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and his German counterpart Heiko Maas, said the ministers had taken note of the Polish tribunal's decision. "We remind you that membership of the European Union goes hand in hand with a complete and unconditional adherence to common values and rules," the statement said. "It is incumbent on each member, and therefore of course on Poland, which occupies a vital place within the European Union, to respect these rules and values." "This is not simply a moral commitment. It is also a legal commitment," the statement said.

France and Germany say Poland must abide by EU rules

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