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While Budapest and Warsaw are haggling with the bloc over rule-of-law strings attached to billions worth of pandemic recovery funds, Romania has already drawn down over 6 billion euros in grants and cheap loans. Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca has said the government aims to tap more than 10 billion euros a year, equivalent to about 4% of GDP, of about 90 billion euros of EU funding available to Bucharest through to 2027. RESHORINGCompanies reshoring from Russia and Ukraine to nearby low-cost manufacturing hubs partially helped push foreign direct investment to 9.39 billion euros in January-October, the largest 10-month figure since Romania joined the EU. "We are optimistic that investment will rise in coming years, also encouraged by EU funds," said Alex Milcev, head of Tax and Legal at E&Y Romania. And relations with the EU are not always smooth: in December, Austrian opposition over unauthorised immigration kept Romania out of Europe's borderless Schengen area.

☆ One dead, another injured after shots fired at Austrian barracks
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

VIENNA, Jan 6 (Reuters) - A soldier was killed and another injured after an exchange of fire at an airfield barracks in the Austrian town of Wiener Neustadt on Friday, a Defence Ministry spokesperson said. Austrian news agency APA reported that the soldier on guard duty had opened fire during an apparent argument and that he was then shot by the higher-ranking military officer. "In the airfield barracks ... the guard soldier was killed and another soldier injured in an exchange of fire shortly before 7 a.m. (0600 GMT)," ministry spokesperson Michael Bauer tweeted. Austrian broadcaster ORF reported that the guard who was killed at the barracks in the town, about 60 km (40 miles) south of Vienna, was aged 20 and from the province of Lower Austria. Writing by Paul Carrel, editing by Miranda Murray and Philippa FletcherOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Meta fined $414 million in latest European privacy crackdown
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Meta and other Big Tech companies have come under pressure from the European Union’s privacy rules, which are some of the world’s strictest. The Irish watchdog — Meta’s lead European data privacy regulator because its regional headquarters is in Dublin — fined the company 210 million euros for violations of E.U. data privacy rules involving Facebook and an additional 180 million euros for breaches involving Instagram. The decision stems from complaints filed in May 2018 when the 27-nation bloc’s privacy rules, known as the General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, took effect. privacy rules.

"As counterintuitive as it may sound, this layoff left me in a really good position," the 24-year-old said. U.S. tech giants including Meta, Microsoft (MSFT.O), Twitter and Snap (SNAP.N) have purged more than 150,000 staff, according to Layoff.fyi, which tracks technology job losses. Day One Ventures, an early stage venture fund in San Francisco, launched a new initiative in November to fund startups founded by people who had been laid off from their tech jobs, touting the slogan "Funded, not Fired". Silicon Valley investor U.S. Venture Partners and Austrian VC firm Speedinvest have meanwhile earmarked a similar amount for newly founded companies. Fong told Reuters that experience in Big Tech firm gave founders a "strong brand that can be leveraged to meet investors, potential customers, and recruit team members".

☆ Final farewell: From Sidney Poitier to Pope Emeritus Benedict a look back at the influential figures who died in 2022
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-01 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +55 min

Other world leaders who died in 2022 include former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who died in August. The final days of 2022 saw the loss of some exceptionally notable figures, including Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. Here is a roll call of some influential figures who died in 2022 (cause of death cited for younger people, if available):___JANUARY___Dan Reeves, 77. A Cuban-born artist whose radiant color palette and geometric paintings were overlooked for decades before the art world took notice. A prolific character actor best known for playing villains and tough guys in “The Manchurian Candidate,” “Ocean’s Eleven” and other films.

☆ UK and France say no plans to follow Italy with Covid tests for China arrivals as EU plans response
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Carlos Barria | ReutersLONDON — The U.K. and France said Thursday morning they currently had no plans to reintroduce mandatory Covid-19 tests or additional requirements for travelers arriving into the country. It comes as several nations announced new measures in response to China's relaxation of Covid restrictions amid a suspected surge of infections but reduced domestic testing. On one Dec. 26 flight from China into Milan's Malpensa Airport, 52% of passengers tested positive for Covid, la Repubblica reported. But Italy's National Institute of Infectious Diseases reportedly called for an increase in testing for those arriving from China. The U.S. said from Jan. 5. all arrivals from mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau must supply a negative Covid test taken within two days of departure.

☆ Swiss Odermatt takes super-G win in Bormio
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Dec 29 (Reuters) - Swiss Olympic champion Marco Odermatt won the super-G event in Bormio, Italy on Thursday to extend his lead atop the overall World Cup standings. Odermatt beat Austria's Vincent Kriechmayr by 0.64 seconds, while Loic Meillard took third place, 1.22 seconds behind his Swiss compatriot. The 25-year-old Odermatt has now racked up five wins this season and leads the overall World Cup standings by 329 points from Norway's Aleksander Aamodt Kilde. Earlier on Thursday, three-time Olympic champion Matthias Mayer of Austria announced his retirement from the sport. "Matthias was our leader and he helped the younger guys and all of us a lot, so it was not easy."

☆ Around 10 people buried in Austrian avalanche - APA
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Dec 25 (Reuters) - Around 10 people were buried in an avalanche in the Lech/Zuers free skiing area in western Austria on Sunday, the Austrian Press Agency (APA) reported, adding that one person had been rescued. The avalanche occurred at about 3 p.m. (1400 GMT), APA said, adding that several helicopters and search teams deployed soon afterwards. "We are doing everything we can to rescue the winter sports enthusiasts," APA quoted the municipality of Lech as saying. Some 100 people were involved in the search, with rescuers requesting headlamps so that they can continue the search in the dark, APA added. Lech/Zuers markets itself as "one of the best ski areas in the world" and part of the cradle of Alpine skiing.

☆ These photos show the many ways Christmas is celebrated around the world
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( Natalie Tham | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

In a yearly series, CNBC Travel highlights diverse Christmas celebrations around the world. The Gavle goat is moving to a new location this year for the first time in 56 years, according to Visit Gavle, the city's visitor's guide. "He means a lot for us in Gavle, and he's a big part of the Christmas spirit," she said. Teachers, students and parents hold Christmas lanterns made from recycled materials during a campaign for sustainable Christmas celebrations at an elementary school in Quezon City, Philippines. "If I'm in Brazil during Christmas, I take my nephew and niece to a Christmas parade, and we have a blast!

☆ From Europe to the Caribbean, there are 11 countries where you can buy citizenship with a 'golden passport'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( Hannah Towey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Austria: estimated $9.5 million investment requiredVienna, Austria. Sylvain Sonnet/Getty ImagesEven if you can afford the multi-million dollar price tag, Austria's citizenship by investment program is incredibly selective. Under Article 10, Section 6 of the Austrian Citizenship Act, the Austrian government is able to award citizenship to foreigners who show "extraordinary merit" and contribute significantly to the state's interests — either scientifically, culturally, or economically. This can include setting up a business, creating jobs, or introducing new technologies, according to Austrian law experts. The exact investment amount required for the award is not clear, but is estimated to be around $9.5 million, Forbes reports.

Lufthansa declined to comment on Rome's decision to offer an initial minority stake. Some of Italy's politicians consider ITA as the heir to cultural icon Alitalia, which they want to preserve. Some also say that ITA does not have to worry so much about losing its national identity should Lufthansa take over. The Certares-led alliance was willing to pay 350 million euros for a 50% stake plus one share of the state-controlled airline, sources had said. ($1 = 0.9412 euros)Reporting by Angelo Amante in Rome and Joanna Plucinska in London; additional reporting by Giuseppe Fonte in Rome.

☆ UAE gets ducks in a row with chemicals reshuffle
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Dec 21 (Reuters Breakingviews) - The United Arab Emirates seems to have done a $4 billion deal with itself. The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company on Wednesday acquired a 25% stake in $16 billion Austrian oil group OMV (OMVV.VI) from Mubadala, the UAE’s wealth fund. The UAE wants to pump more oil and list its gas business. But it also wants to sharpen its focus on petrochemicals, which forecasters have long singled out for its growth potential. At some point, ADNOC might consider using this clout to consolidate these various chemicals businesses even more closely together.

☆ Abu Dhabi's ADNOC to acquire 24.9% stake in Austria's OMV from Mubadala - sources
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Hadeel Al Sayegh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

DUBAI, Dec 21 (Reuters) - Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) has agreed to acquire a 24.9% shareholding in Austrian oil and gas group OMV from Abu Dhabi state fund Mubadala Investment Company, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals, said the sources, declining to be named as the matter is not public. ADNOC and Mubadala did not immediately respond to a request for comment when contacted by Reuters on Wednesday. The transaction comes after Mubadala Petroleum rebranded to Mubadala Energy in September to pursue new energy sectors including blue hydrogen and carbon capture, and as Abu Dhabi's ADNOC looks to increase its presence internationally through mergers and acquisitions. ADNOC in April this year agreed to acquire a 25% stake from Mubadala in European petrochemical maker Borealis, which is 75% owned by OMV.

☆ B2C startup HelloBello delivers healthy dog food to your door. See the 16-slide pitch deck it used to raise $1.8 million.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Maybrit Martschin | Nathan Rennolds | Business Insider Deutschland | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

HelloBello is an Austrian startup that aims to deliver healthy dog food to your door. The startup offers a subscription model for clients to receive customized recipes for their dogs. Insider has a copy of the pitch deck it used to raise $1.8 million. In November 2022, HelloBello raised a seed round of 1.7 million euros, or around $1.8 million. The founders want to use the new capital to build up their team, launch more food recipes, and continue their expansion into Germany.

☆ Berlusconi-backed MFE notifies Austrian watchdog about Prosiebensat.1 holding
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

ZURICH, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Italian businessman Silvio Berlusconi family's MediaForEurope NV vehicle has notified the Austrian competition authority about the "acquisition of de facto sole control of ProSiebenSat1 Media DE Deutschland" (PSMGn.DE), the competition watchdog said. MFE had no comment on the notification, which was first reported by German media portal DE24LIVE. The announcement, dated Dec. 13 on the Austrian regulator's website was made because ProSieben also operates in German-speaking Austria. MFE, controlled by the former Italian prime minister's family, has built, partly through derivatives, a 29.9% voting stake in its German rival, cementing its position as single biggest shareholder. "We haven't really seen ProSieben address the big challenges the industry faces: audience decline, digital transformation ... and the need for scale to compete with digital giants," MFE finance chief Marco Giordani told analysts.

☆ Far from home, 10-year-old Ukrainian's dream of soccer stardom lives on
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/6] Artem, a compatriot of Danylo plays with a ball during practice with his football team in Vienna, Austria, November 17, 2022. REUTERS/Lisa LeutnerVIENNA, Dec 16 (Reuters) - Ten-year-old Danylo Astion fled Ukraine with his family soon after Russia invaded but his dream of becoming a soccer star lives on in Vienna, where training for one of Austria's top teams has rekindled his lust for life. Danylo fled Kyiv in March with his family, taking little more than the clothes on his back, his mother said. After a week at Austria's border with Hungary they arrived in Vienna, where friends had invited them to join them. He didn't smile for weeks when we were in Vienna and all of a sudden when he started playing again he started laughing and said 'Hey Mama, look, I'm playing again'," she said.

[1/4] Chairman Thomas Jordan of the Swiss National Bank (SNB) looks on as he attends a news conference in Bern, Switzerland December 15, 2022. Although Swiss inflation plateaued at 3% in November, it remains elevated by the country's own standards and outside the SNB's price stability goal of annual increases of 0-2%. The European Central Bank is expected to increase its deposit rate by half a percentage point later on Thursday, according to a Reuters poll, while the Bank of England is also forecast to add 50 basis points to its Bank Rate. In its latest forecast on Thursday, the SNB said it expected inflation rates of 2.9% in 2022, 2.4% in 2023 and 1.8% in 2024. Inflation was then expected to rise again, to 2.1% in the third quarter of 2025, the central bank said - above its price stability goal.

☆ GoStudent, a $3 billion education startup backed by Coatue and SoftBank, has started a fresh wave of layoffs that could hit over 100 jobs, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Tasmin Lockwood | Riddhi Kanetkar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

SoftBank-backed education startup GoStudent is cutting jobs for the second time in three months. The Austrian startup has already cut roles in Italy, Germany, and Vienna, Insider understands. GoStudent has raised $686 million to date and is also backed by Coatue and Prosus. GoStudent, a $3 billion edtech startup backed by some of the world's biggest tech investors, has started laying off staff for the second time in three months, Insider understands. According to public layoffs tracker Layoffs.fyi, almost 1,000 tech companies have cut more than 150,000 staff.

☆ Archaeologists have discovered full-color portraits of Egyptian mummies in ancient Philadelphia
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-10 | by ( Bethany Dawson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Archaeologists have uncovered the first full-color portraits of mummies in over a century. Researchers found the two full portraits of Egyptian mummies and fragments of others at the Gerza excavation site in Fayoum, Egypt, making these artworks the first of their kind to be discovered in over 115 years. English archaeologist Flinders Petrie was the last to find similar artwork when he discovered 146 mummy portraits at a Roman cemetery in 1911, Artnet News reports. The collection of paintings, known as the Fayoum portraits, portrays some of the wealthiest people that existed in these ancient communities. A statement from the Egyptian government explains that pharaoh Ptolemy II Philadelphus (309–246 B.C.)

☆ Wirecard bosses' fraud trial begins after scandal that rocked Germany
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Jörn Poltz | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The trial is taking place in Munich's largest and newest courtroom, a bomb-proof underground hall built in the Stadelheim prison complex. Braun, an Austrian born in Vienna, has denied embezzling money from Wirecard and accused others of running a shadow operation without his knowledge. [1/8] Wirecard's former CEO Markus Braun looks on at a courtroom as his trial begins, after the German payments company collapsed in the wake of a fraud scandal in 2020, in Munich, Germany, December 8, 2022. The fraud let Wirecard managers siphon money out of the company with no proper checks and balances. "All three defendants worked together to make Wirecard appear as an extremely successful FinTech company," said Anne Leiding, a spokesperson for the prosecutors.

☆ Wirecard ex-boss on trial for fraud in scandal that rocked Germany
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Jörn Poltz | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The trial is taking place in Munich's largest and newest courtroom, a bomb-proof underground hall built in the Stadelheim prison complex. Braun has denied embezzling money from Wirecard and accused others of running a shadow operation without his knowledge. [1/7] Wirecard's former CEO Markus Braun looks on at a courtroom as his trial begins, after the German payments company collapsed in the wake of a fraud scandal in 2020, in Munich, Germany, December 8, 2022. The fraud let Wirecard managers siphon money out of the company with no proper checks and balances. Scholz also criticised Wirecard's auditor, EY, for failing to detect the fraud.

☆ Europe's free-travel zone set to welcome Croatia but bar Romania and Bulgaria
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Gabriela Baczynska | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, Dec 8 (Reuters) - Opposition led by Austria is set to prevent Bulgaria and Romania from winning approval on Thursday to join Europe's control-free travel zone, though its 26 member countries are expected to admit Croatia. The so-called Schengen zone - a pact between countries to abolish border checks for those travelling between their territories - is among the top achievements of European integration. The Netherlands sides with Austria in opposing the granting of access to Bulgaria, with the Hague citing concerns over governance and migration. Since all member countries must agree for a candidate country to be able to join Schengen, Romania and Bulgaria were in for a disappointment on Thursday. "Croatia can expect a positive decision but Romania, and especially Buglaria will not be able to join Schengen yet," said an EU diplomat.

When Mark arrived at the Sofra e Ariut (Bear's Table) restaurant he was just a cub, said Scherk Trettin, estimating him to have been born in 1998. "Today I am not feeling good because they are taking the bear away. We have been used to living with (him)," said Misir Maxhuku, whose duties have included caring for Mark for the past four years. Four Paws says inadequate legislation means bears and other wild animals remain at risk of being abused as pets or tourist attractions in Albania, where has rescued 11 other bears. Reporting by Fatos Bytyci; editing by John StonestreetOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

[1/2] The headquarters of Wirecard AG in Aschheim near Munich, Germany, September 22, 2020. REUTERS/Michael DalderMUNICH/BERLIN, Dec 6 (Reuters) - Former Wirecard executives go on trial on Thursday, two years after the collapse of the payments company that produced Germany's biggest post-war fraud scandal and sent shockwaves through the country's political and financial establishment. Wirecard, which started out processing payments for pornography and online gambling, rose to be worth $28 billion and displaced Commerzbank (CBKG.DE) in Germany's DAX blue-chip index. But in June 2020, Wirecard was forced to admit that 1.9 billion euros were missing from its balance sheet. In the ructions that followed Wirecard's demise, the head of German financial regulator BaFin resigned and the head of Germany's accounting watchdog also stepped down.

The Irish data protection agency, which oversees Meta because its European headquarters is located in Dublin, has been given a month to issue a ruling based on the European Data Protection Board's (EDPB) binding decision. The Irish case against Meta was triggered by a complaint by Austrian privacy activist Max Schrems in 2018. The 27-country bloc's landmark privacy rules known as the General Data Protection Regulation went into effect in 2018. We have one month to adopt the EDPB's binding decisions and will publish details then," the Irish Data Protection Commission said. Meta may have to change its business model, said Helena Brown, head of data & privacy at London-based law firm Addleshaw Goddard.

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