Spain cuts taxes, targets ‘excess profits’ to tackle soaring energy prices
By France24
18 September 2021 |
11:32 am
In a bid to tackle soaring energy prices, Spain's government is to cut taxes on electricity and claw back billions of euros in what the prime minister has described as "excess profits". The cost to Spanish consumers has risen by 35 percent in the past year, as wholesale price rises have been passed on to households. Also today, we look at the situation of European economies ahead of the State of the Union address by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Related
15 May 2022
We look at reactions to Finland and Sweden's imminent bid to join NATO. Spanish lawmakers will soon discuss a proposal to offer period pain leave to women, which, if passed, would make Spain the first Western nation to do so. Also, the US wins hosting rights to the Rugby World Cups in 2031 and 2033. We then look at Friday the 13th and why there's even a word for people who fear the day. Finally, Indian parents sue their son... for not giving them grandchildren!
16 May 2022
Coal mining has long polluted the natural environment, with devastating consequences. But today, could it be a source of renewable energy? Down to Earth travels to the UK where disused, flooded coal mines are now reservoirs of geothermal energy.
17 May 2022
Nigerian entrepreneur Mustapha Gajibo has been converting petrol mini-buses into electric vehicles at his workshop, but he is now going a step further to build battery-powered buses from scratch in a push to promote clean energy and curb pollution.
19 May 2022
Spain could become the first European country to cover sick leave for workers experiencing period pain. The draft law, which still has to pass through Parliament, has sparked a debate.
19 May 2022
The European Union plans to invest up to €300 billion to reduce its dependence on Russian fossil fuels, the European Commission announced.
4 Jun 2022
It took the invasion of Ukraine for Europeans to realise that decades of short-sighted energy policy have caught up with them. As Germany strips its former chancellor of parliamentary privileges over his refusal to sever ties with Gazprom, Gerhard Schröder's downfall is a reminder that it's all of Germany and most of Europe that went for a quick buck by buying Russian oil and gas.
22 May 2022
As Berlin seeks to ween itself off Russian energy sources, Chancellor Scholz has said Qatar "plays an important role" in energy policy. The visiting Emir of Qatar has confirmed could start LNG deliveries by 2024.
29 May 2022
Germany's race to cut its reliance on gas from Russia has injected urgency into the first official visit to Africa by Olaf Scholz as he hunts new sources of energy supplies.
24 May 2022
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is in Niger, continuing a three-country tour of Africa. One of the main motivations is that Germany is interested in new sources of energy. We get analysis from Dr. Douglas Yates of the American Graduate School in Paris. Also, as Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is sworn in as president of Somalia, we take a look at the challenges ahead for him. Elsewhere, it's been a year since the explosion of Mount Nyiragongo near Goma in eastern DR Congo, with many still homeless as a result.
30 May 2022
As the first female coach to train a men's soccer team in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Salama Miruho Djasmine is regarded as a trailblazer, but she wears that status lightly, preferring to focus on the job at hand. Djasmine is head coach at Daring Club Virunga, one of the top teams in North Kivu province.
30 May 2022
Latest
40 mins ago
A football and a lot of skill: That's all the "funguiceiros" need to put on a show! In the Angolan city of Malanje, a version of freestyle football is attracting more and more young people. Now, the Sem Stress project is on the search for fresh and creative talent.
40 mins ago
The best places to see the Northern Lights in Europe are in Scandinavia above the Arctic Circle. Finnish photographer Markus Kiili takes amazing pictures of these natural light displays over Lapland.
40 mins ago
About seven million workers have been fired as Pakistan's textile exports dwindle, putting the sector on the edge of collapse, industry representatives warn.
2 hours ago
Struggling with calendar dates? Then it would help if you met a 12-year-old Nigerian genius who can tell you the exact date and days of any calendar month or year. Siju Olawepo has all these dates imprinted on his brain.
2 hours ago
It could be the biggest revolution in the aviation industry since the invention of the jet engine, but there are still many hurdles for electric passenger planes before they take to the skies.
2 hours ago
Conspiracy theories abound as to why animals - from sheep to ants - are mysteriously walking around in circles, in videos shared on social media. We look into what's really behind this strange-looking behaviour, with the help of some researchers.