European Union

TikTok Fined 530 Mn Euros in EU Over China Data Transfer

TikTok was hit with a massive EU fine of 530 million euros ($600 million) Friday, accused of sending personal data of Europeans to China and failing to guarantee it was shielded from access by Chinese authorities. The Chinese-owned social media giant, which is also in the crosshairs of the United States, acknowledged during a probe that it has ...

EU Preparing New Sanctions On Russia, French Minister Tells AFP

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Thursday that the European Union is preparing to hit Russia with a 17th round of sanctions, describing President Vladimir Putin as the "sole obstacle" to peace in Ukraine. The 27-nation bloc has imposed unprecedented penalties on Russia in response to its invasion and said this year it would not lift ...

IMF Calls on US, EU to "Negotiate a Deal"

The United States and the European Union need to "de-escalate" and "negotiate a deal" to help boost lackluster growth on the continent, the International Monetary Fund's Europe director said Friday. "In our discussions with European leaders, I don't sense any difference of views with regard to the importance of that relationship," IMF Europe ...

Tesla's EU Sales Plunge as Musk Takes Flak

Tesla electric car sales in Europe plunged in the first three months of the year, industry data showed Thursday, in a fresh blow to its boss Elon Musk who has been criticised for his work in US President Donald Trump's administration. Sales of the sleek machines fell 45 percent to just over 36,000 units in the first quarter of 2025 in the ...

Celebrating European Cinema in Lebanon: 29th European Film Festival

The European Film Festival returns to Beirut for its 29th edition, to be held at Metropolis Cinema (Mar Mikhael) from April 30 to May 11, 2025.  The European Film Festival, which is organized by the Delegation of the European Union to Lebanon, in partnership with the Metropolis Cinema Association and in cooperation with the European Union Member ...

EU Slaps Fines on Apple and Meta, Risking Trump Fury

The EU on Wednesday slapped Apple and Meta with 700 million euros in fines for breaking digital competition rules, risking the wrath of US President Donald Trump. The penalties threaten to cause more tension in the already fraught relationship between the bloc and Trump, as the two sides discuss a deal to avoid his sweeping tariffs on the ...

Iranian Foreign Minister to Visit China on Tuesday

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is set to visit China on Tuesday, the ministry said, ahead of a third round of nuclear talks between Iran and the United States. The visit to China, which was a signatory to a since-abandoned 2015 nuclear agreement that reined in Tehran's nuclear programme, was announced by foreign ministry spokesman ...

The Dollar Slides, Lebanon Worries

The US dollar is weakening against major global currencies amid heightened geopolitical tensions and a tariff escalation spearheaded by President Donald Trump. This open trade war is undermining the dollar’s status in global markets. Can the American currency still maintain its dominant role in international trade? The question is especially ...

Iran: Diplomacy on the Edge of Collapse

Speaking from Tehran on Thursday, April 17, the director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, warned that “time is running out” to reach a new agreement on Iran’s nuclear program. His visit comes at a tense moment, with European diplomatic efforts largely sidelined and fears of military confrontation ...

EBRD Launches New SME Support Programs in Tripoli

The Lebanon office of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), in collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture of Tripoli and the North, and the Business Incubation Association in Tripoli (BIAT), held a session this week to present its latest consulting programs for small and medium-sized enterprises ...

Europe Seeks to Break its US Tech Addiction

With President Donald Trump more unpredictable than ever and transatlantic ties reaching new lows, calls are growing louder for Europe to declare independence from US tech. From Microsoft to Meta, Apple to Uber, cloud computing to AI, much of the day-to-day technology used by Europeans is American. The risks that brings were hotly debated before ...