European Union

Your glass of Scotch whisky, French wine may get cheaper soon

Tuesday June 18, 2013

According to reports, Commerce and Industry Anand Sharma has made an offer to the European Union (EU) as part of a free trade agreement (FTA) to slash the import duty on spirits and wine to 40 per cent from 150 per cent currently.

Spy sweeps test Barack Obama's rock star status in Europe

Agence France-Presse | Sunday June 16, 2013

Explosive revelations about US phone and Internet surveillance programs will challenge President Barack Obama's popularity and moral authority when he lands in Europe on Monday.

World powers cautiously welcome new Iran leader Hassan Rowhani

Agence France-Presse | Sunday June 16, 2013

World powers offered cautious welcome to moderate cleric Hassan Rowhani after he was declared Iran's new president, amid persistent concerns over Tehran's nuclear program.

Hassan Rowhani, Iran's new president, is a moderate pledged to engage with world

Agence France-Presse | Sunday June 16, 2013

Hassan Rowhani, the cleric who won Iran's presidential election on Saturday, is a moderate who has pledged to engage more with world powers in hopes of easing crippling economic sanctions.

Turkey's PM Recep Erdogan meets protesters, no clear resolution to end crisis

Associated Press | Friday June 14, 2013

A meeting between Turkey's prime minister and representatives of anti-government protesters ended early today without a clear resolution on how to end the occupation of a central Istanbul park that has become a flashpoint for the largest political cr...

France hit by train strike after airport action

Associated Press | Thursday June 13, 2013

After two days of air traffic controller strikes, French rail workers are now walking off the job to protest a reorganisation of the national rail and train companies.

Turkish protesters party in Taksim Square despite government's call to end agitation

Reuters | Thursday June 13, 2013

Hundreds of anti-government demonstrators chanted and sang in Istanbul's Taksim Square early on Thursday, defying an order to end almost two weeks of protests against Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan.

Council of Europe suggests controls to curb online snooping

Agence France-Presse | Thursday June 13, 2013

The Council of Europe has proposed introducing export controls of surveillance technology to protect citizens from abusive online snooping after a whistleblower revealed a US spy programme that sparked a fierce debate on privacy.

France gripped by travel chaos as rail, air strikes intensify

Agence France-Presse | Wednesday June 12, 2013

Thousands of flights in and out of French airports were cancelled on Wednesday as a strike by air traffic controllers intensified just hours before a nationwide rail strike was due to start.

Greece shuts down state broadcaster to cut costs

Associated Press | Wednesday June 12, 2013

Greek state TV and radio were gradually pulled off the air late Tuesday, hours after the government said it would temporarily close all state-run broadcasts and lay off about 2,500 workers as part of a cost-cutting drive demanded by the bailed-out co...

America's snooping scandal: 10 things to know

Edited by Amit Chaturvedi (With inputs from agencies) | Wednesday June 12, 2013

Amid global outrage at the revelation that US National Security Agency has been conducting secret surveillance on Web users around the world, India has said it is "unacceptable" if its privacy laws have been violated. The European Union is worried th...

Strike hits France airports, half of flights cancelled

Reuters | Tuesday June 11, 2013

French air traffic controllers walked off the job at the start of a three-day strike on Tuesday, grounding hundreds of flights across the country in a Europe-wide protest against European Union plans to liberalize civil airspace.

No plans to end broad surveillance program, says US

Associated press | Tuesday June 11, 2013

The Obama administration is considering whether to charge a government contractor with leaking classified surveillance secrets while defending the broad U.S. spy program that it says keeps America safe from terrorists.

Chancellor Angela Merkel, Barack Obama to discuss NSA surveillance program

Associated Press | Monday June 10, 2013

Germany's chancellor will raise the issue of NSA's eavesdropping on European communications when she meets President Barack Obama here next week - the latest sign of the international backlash over leaks about America's sweeping electronic surveillan...

Indonesian plane with 52 passengers on board crash-lands, two injured

Agence France-Presse | Monday June 10, 2013

An Indonesian passenger plane carrying 52 people crash-landed at an eastern airport Monday, injuring two, officials said, the latest accident to hit the country's fast-growing aviation sector.