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Why do central banks raise interest rates?
As the European Central Bank looks set to raise interest rates again, why do central banks raise rates? It's all going up: electricity, diesel, vegetables, the Internet, hotels, flights, and now, interest rates. Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the worldwide energy crisis, on-and-off lockdowns in China ...
Watch: Immersive exhibition recreates the harassment and anxiety suffered by ETA opponents
Fear, anxiety, despair, isolation, grief. For years, these feelings haunted those who dared stand up and speak against the terrorism of ETA, the armed separatist group that inflicted unimaginable suffering upon the population of the Basque Country and the entire Spanish territory. Between its founda ...
Trial of six accused in November 2020 Vienna attack enters final day
A jury in Vienna is considering its verdict in the trial of six men accused of involvement in a terrorist gun attack in the city in November 2020 in which four people died. Prosecutors say the six men either helped or influenced Islamic State sympathiser Kujtim Fejzulai as he prepared for the shooti ...
Irish Catholic Church in 'terminal decline' after sexual abuse scandals
Ireland was once regarded as the most catholic Country in the World. That, though, is no longer the case. Mark Vincent Healy was sexually abused by a member of the Spiritan Order while at school during the 1960s and 70s. He says the sexual abuse he experienced destroyed his life. “It had a profound ...
Spain and Morocco hold first summit in eight years
Spain and Morocco are holding their first summit for eight years as they seek to strengthen their economic ties. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and 12 members of his cabinet will meet their counterparts in Rabat to sign up to 20 agreements aimed at boosting trade and investment. The two countr ...
Sweden tightens anti-terror laws as Finland makes public show of support over NATO application
The Swedish government says it will further tighten its anti-terror laws to ban more activities linked to militant Kurdish groups, in the hopes of persuading Ankara to drop objections to Sweden's NATO membership bid. Stockholm had aleady amended its constitution in November to pave the way for the ...
Sunak marks 100 days as UK prime minister as problems mount
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has angry unions to the left of him, anxious Conservative Party lawmakers to the right and, in the middle, millions of voters he must win over to avert electoral defeat. It’s a daunting situation for Sunak, who on Thursday marks 100 days in office, more than twice ...
Suspected mafioso arrested in France after 16 years on the run
A suspected Mafioso who has spent 16 years on the run has been arrested in St Etienne in central eastern France, Interpol has announced. Edgardo Greco, 63, an alleged member of the Calabrian mafia - the 'Ndrangheta - was arrested on Thursday morning. He was sentenced to life imprisonment for two mur ...
MEPs launch hotline to tip off Big Tech's 'shady lobbying' in EU institutions
A group of cross-party MEPs on Thursday launched a website to allow for the anonymous tip-off of "shady lobbying" of European Union institutions by big tech companies. The hotline website — lobbyleaks.eu — promises to guarantee complete anonymity for staff of EU institutions that come forward to tip ...
In North Macedonia, waning pro-EU sentiment opens the door to malign intentions
I remember how, less than a decade ago, many eyebrows in Brussels were raised when US Secretary of State John Kerry highlighted the growing Russian influence in Europe and said, "when it comes to Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro, [North] Macedonia … they are in the line of fire." Those of us living in the ...