europe

France experienced its hottest average temperature and lowest levels of rainfall on record in 2022, the national weather office said on Friday.

British energy giant Shell on Friday said windfall taxes imposed by the European Union and UK following a surge in profits would cost the group about $2 billion.

European and Asian shares rose on Wednesday thanks to positive news about inflation and China's strict anti-COVID measures, while the dollar backpedalled as investors await minutes from the Federal Reserve's most recent meeting.

An Italian court on Tuesday postponed for a second time a hearing on whether to hand over to Belgium a woman suspected of involvement in a Qatar graft scandal that has rocked the European Parliament.

Europe's wholesale natural gas prices fell Monday to their lowest level since Russia invaded Ukraine, which had driven them to a record high last year.

Peru's economy minister pledged on Thursday to launch an investment program of $1.6 billion to ramp up growth hampered by constant political crises.

The European Union should consider immediately scaling up genomic sequencing of COVID-19 infections and monitoring of waste water, including from airports, to detect any new variants given the virus surge in China, the bloc's health chief said.

Sweden takes over the EU's rotating presidency from January 1 vowing to maintain unity on Ukraine and uphold free trade in the face of calls for a tougher response to US green subsidies.

European stock indexes were mixed on Thursday as global recession fears weighed on markets and soaring COVID-19 cases in China countered earlier optimism about the country dropping its strict zero-COVID policy.

European shares climbed on Tuesday, tracking a global rally in equities after China further relaxed its COVID-19 curbs, raising hopes of a recovery in the world's second-largest economy.

European and Asian markets advanced on Tuesday after China said it would end quarantines for overseas arrivals, spurring hopes for the revival of the world's second-largest economy.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Sunday strongly condemned Afghanistan's Taliban-run administration's order to ban women from working at all local and foreign non-governmental organisations (NGOs), saying this amounts to erasing women from public spaces.

European shares rose for a second straight session on Thursday, boosted by financial and energy stocks, as investors cheered improving consumer sentiment in the United States after inflation expectations eased.

European and US stocks traded higher Wednesday and the yen steadied after its biggest daily gain versus the dollar in 24 years following a shock Bank of Japan tweak to monetary policy.

European Union nations' energy ministers meet in Brussels on Monday in an effort to agree a cap on gas prices, an emergency measure that has split opinion across the bloc as it seeks to tame the energy crisis.

Europe's car repair and spare parts industry is calling for a rewrite of EU competition rules, arguing they allow carmakers and franchise dealers to disadvantage independent operators.

A group of English villagers has declared the Russian president Vladimir Putin "Bellend of the Year."

The European Union will raise an extra 20 billion euros from its carbon market for investments to help end more swiftly the bloc's reliance on Russian fossil fuels, under a political deal reached on Wednesday.

EU ministers meeting in Brussels on Tuesday struggled to bridge differences over a proposed cap on natural gas prices, a challenge stymying other measures designed to mitigate Europe's energy crunch.

A proposed cap on gas prices has divided European Union countries for months, as countries have argued about how high it should be set and whether the measure could hinder rather than help Europe's efforts to cope with an energy crisis.

European shares inched higher on Friday as gains in industrial and financial stocks on China-led optimism offset weakness in the energy sector, while Credit Suisse climbed on news of a capital raise.

The European Union's executive is due to come up with a new assessment on Friday of the state of democracy in Hungary to help the bloc's 26 other member states decide on whether to grant Budapest billions of euros worth of funds.

Croatia looked poised on Thursday to join Europe's 26-nation open travel zone, but Bulgaria and Romania appeared likely to be kept out because of Austrian concerns over growing unauthorised immigration.

European shares fell for the fifth straight session on Thursday, bogged down by weakness in telecom and real estate sectors amid growing fears of an impending recession.

European stock markets and oil prices steadied Friday before key US jobs data and an oil output decision by OPEC and its Russia-led allies.

European equities and the euro rose Wednesday as eurozone inflation slowed but remained elevated on high energy costs.

The UK's most senior police officer of colour has said the duchess of Sussex faced "disgusting" threats to her life during her time in the royal family.

Swedish fashion giant H&M on Wednesday became the first big European retailer to start layoffs by announcing 1,500 job cuts owing to softening demand as consumers cope with soaring inflation.

European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday floated the idea of a "specialised court" to put Russia's top officials on trial over the war in Ukraine.

Three men managed to survive their eleven-day voyage on a ship's rudder.