Netanyahu vows to uproot Hamas as ceasefire proposals discussed
03/07/2025
Tributes pour in for Diogo Jota after Liverpool star killed in car crash
03/07/2025
Trump close to victory on flagship 'Big Beautiful' tax bill
03/07/2025
Israel orders evacuation of West Bank's Tulkarem
03/07/2025
A 'tsunami of need' feared as US House close to final vote on Trump tax bill
03/07/2025
French diplomat visits detainees held in Iran in first 'proof of life' since Israeli strikes
03/07/2025
Sean 'Diddy' Combs denied bail after prostitution conviction
03/07/2025
Ukraine scrambling for clarity as US downplays halt to arms shipments
03/07/2025
Italy to issue half million non-EU work visas over next three years
03/07/2025
Palestinians mourn director of key Gaza hospital killed in Israeli strike
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Euronews
an hour ago
- Euronews
Shoplifting hits record high in Germany: Are criminal gangs behind it?
German retailers noticed a gaping hole of missing merchandise worth €4.95bn when they completed their inventories in 2024. That's according to a new publication by the country's EHI Retail Institute, based on a survey they carry out each year. And while the overall loss is 3% more than in the previous year and a new record, the nearly €5bn is not entirely due to crime. The report estimates that approximately €4.2bn of losses are linked to theft, and the rest can be blamed on companies' own mistakes, such as incorrect price labelling, and recording and valuation errors. The survey collected responses from 98 companies, operating more than 17,000 shops in Germany. The report suggests that shoplifting, including organised crime, cost approximately €2.95bn to the sector last year, an increase from €2.82bn in 2023. Companies' own employees were also behind losses of €890mn, and a loss of €370mn was attributed to theft by suppliers and service companies. According to EHI's report, shoplifting, theft committed by customers, has been on the rise since the COVID-19 pandemic, despite police reports showing a 5% decline in reported cases in 2024. 'A total of 98% of all thefts go undetected in Germany, meaning that counting losses requires checking inventories for missing items,' the report said. Shoplifting is increasingly controlled by organised crime Professional theft rings have become a significant retail threat. The study estimates that, compared to last year, shoplifting linked to organised criminal activity increased by 5%. In 2024, organised activity accounted for around one-third of all the customers' theft, or almost €1bn. 'Many retailers are certain that organised theft is becoming increasingly professional and will continue to increase,' the report said. It added: 'Larger groups enter stores and mercilessly pack products. Security and staff usually have no chance. The unmanageable development of gang crime, its connection to large online sales platforms, and the lack of action against it are problems.' Poverty could also fuel shoplifting 'Another challenge remains 'ordinary' customer theft, which is partly attributed to rising living costs and higher unemployment,' the report said. Germany, the biggest economy in the EU, has been struggling with inflated energy prices and lower productivity, partly linked to the war in Ukraine and the COVID-19 pandemic. The country's manufacturing sector is now facing major uncertainties in global trade, coupled with elevated energy prices and supply chain issues. The ailing economy has contracted every other quarter since the end of 2022. Housing costs rose to the extent that 12% of the population spent more than 40% of their income on it last year, according to the country's statistics office. The EU average is 8.2%. One-fifth of the people are at risk of poverty or social exclusion, and though inflation has eased to around 2%, unemployment is at the highest level since late 2020, sitting at 6.2%, according to the Federal Employment Agency. The agency also said in its latest report that the number of unemployed people is nearing the 3 million mark for the first time in a decade. Where does shoplifting occur the most? Nearly €2bn worth of stolen goods were missing from food stores, and smaller supermarkets were the most targeted. Drugstores and hardware stores also saw significantly increased losses in some cases. Meanwhile, official police records, which don't cover each case, show a 5% decline in shoplifting cases for 2024, according to Police Crime Statistics data (Polizeiliche Kriminalstatistik). This follows two dramatic increases in 2022 and 2023 when the reported cases showed a double-digit jump each year, rising by 34.3% and 23.6% respectively. However, the survey by EHI Retail Institute said that an estimated 98% of shoplifting cases go undetected. In 2024, retailers' damage, worth €4.2bn, also translated into losses for the federal budget. 'The economic damage resulting from theft due to lost sales tax amounts to approximately €570mn per year,' the report said, assuming that three-quarters of the stolen items are subject to a VAT rate of 19% and the remaining quarter to 7%. Increased security budgets Retail companies spend around 0.33% of their turnover on security measures, including staff training, camera surveillance, targeted use of store detectives, and anti-theft display units. The total cost of all related investments was around €3.1bn, bringing the total cost of theft and prevention to €7.3bn last year. This comes down to around 1.5% of the sales prices of the average purchase, meaning that customers had to shoulder the costs, too, the study concluded.
Euronews
an hour ago
- Euronews
Trump's trade war with Europe - the clock is ticking
The clock is ticking. On July 9th, Donald Trump's punitive tariffs could go into effect, unless some last-minute miracle could avoid repercussions for European exporters from cars to pharmaceuticals. Should the EU push for a quick trade agreement or keep fighting for a better deal? At last week's EU summit, Germany and France were at odds over how to proceed. Are there any good options at all? This is one topic for the guests of our talk show this week: Frank Furedi, executive director of the Hungarian think tank MCC Brussels, Cynthia Ni Mhurchu, member of the European Parliament for Renew (Ireland) and Dirk Gotink, member of the European Parliament from the European People's Party (Netherlands). Since taking office for the second time in January, Donald Trump has antagonized the EU more than ever. And as of July 9th, European goods going to the United States could face a 50 percent duty, as threatened. Trump's pressure is forcing the European Union to make difficult choices: to fold, hold the line or even escalate the trade dispute. Peace offers by Commission president Ursula von der Leyen have fallen on deaf ears in Washington so that Brussels recently floated the idea of teaming up with the Asia Pacific trade bloc, which also includes the United Kingdom. It's until mid-July that the EU has suspended levies on certain US goods to allow more time for negotiations. But time is now running out! Second topic: The illegal march that was so popular… Hungary's ban of this year's pride parade ended up being a slap in the face of prime minister Viktor Orban. A few months ago, the ruling parties in Hungary attempted to ban the annual Budapest Pride march through a series of constitutional and legislative amendments on the grounds that it violated the rights of children and endangered their healthy development. We all know what happened then. The march became a municipal event in which well over a hundred thousand people participated. It morphed into a powerful statement on the rights of the LGBTQ community not only in Budapest, but across Europe. The strong presence of EU politicians testified to that. What are the consequences for Viktor Orban? Is he weakened now politically, at least on the European level? Was this just a battle in the culture war that he lost or did he lose the war as well? Finally, the panel discussed the heatwave that continues to grip large parts of Europe, from England to Romania, with authorities in many regions issuing health warnings amid searing temperatures. Southern Spain has been the worst-affected, with temperatures in the mid-40s Celsius recorded in Seville and neighboring areas. Heatwaves are becoming more common and more intense, if greenhouse gas emissions are not significantly curtailed. But that is easier said than done. Scientists say, June heatwaves with three consecutive days above 28 degrees are about 10 times more likely to occur now compared to pre-industrial times. Are we prepared for that as a society? This week, the European Commission presented its proposals for reducing CO2 emissions at a time when the European Green Deal is being called into question. What is wrong with Europe's climate policy?
LeMonde
3 hours ago
- LeMonde
For the Tour de France, the lack of French winners hasn't hurt business
Every summer brings attacks, high hopes, and ultimately, disappointment or regret. For 40 years, since Bernard Hinault's triumph in 1985, French riders have been unable to claim final victory in the Tour de France. Following the Hinault's fifth overall win, six French cyclists have reached the top 3: Hinault himself (2 nd in 1986), Laurent Fignon (2 nd in 1989), Richard Virenque (3 rd in 1996 and 2 nd in 1997), Jean-Christophe Péraud (2 nd in 2014), Thibaut Pinot (3 rd in 2014) and Romain Bardet (2 nd in 2016, 3 rd in 2017). But none have made it to the top step. Does this lack of French victories in the Tour's final overall standings harm the health of the event? Not at all. For four decades, the Tour's economic model has continued to boost the finances of Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO). "The Tour de France is a phenomenon in itself, synonymous with happy summers," said Jean Durry, author of La Véridique Histoire des Géants de la Route ("The True Story of the Giants of the Road," 1973). According to the sports historian, the Tour's economy does not depend on strong performances from French riders. "The public is ecstatic if a Frenchman is in contention, but for them, it's a celebration no matter what happens."
