Regulation on EU Digital COVID Certificate officially signed

The social network conglomerate Facebook faced another restrictive measure from the EU, Reuters reported. Facebook and other tech giants found themselves under cross-fire after the top EU court backed national agencies in their intentions to pursue the companies even when they are not their lead regulators. The court's decision opens the gate for series of potential new sanctions.

The United States and the European Union reached a deal Tuesday to end a damaging dispute over subsidies to rival plane makers Boeing and Airbus and phase out billions of dollars in punitive tariffs, the US trade envoy said.

The Dubai based carrier Emirates will receive another multi-billion dollars injection which may ease its way out of the pandemic downturn, Reuters reported. The Covid-19 related restrictions have deteriorated the business of the airline company. Emirates pocketed another $1.1 billion in state support funds from Dubai as demand for long-haul travel slumped due to the coronavirus threat. Emirates posted first full-year loss in over three decades.

The Canada-EU Leaders' Summit ended on 15 June with a joint statement by the Canadian PM Justin Trudeau, the President of the European Council Charles Michel, and the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. During the Summit, the leaders made a firm commitment to work together to end Covid-19 and build a global recovery that creates jobs and opportunities for their people, and grows the middle class, the statement said.

A French court ordered home furnishings giant Ikea to pay some 1.1 million euros ($1.3 million) in fines and damages Tuesday over a campaign to spy on union representatives, employees and some unhappy customers in France, AP reports

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will be in Rome on 22 June with the EC's verdict on Italy's post-Covid National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). The visit is part of her tour to European capitals aimed to give the green lights of national plans, ANSA reported, citing sources in Brussels.

Japan's PM Yoshihide Suga survived a no-confidence vote by the opposition on Tuesday, news wires reported. The opposition move came just over a month before the Tokyo Olympics are due to start on 223 July. The capital is still under a state of emergency until Sunday. The opposition has criticized Suga for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and his unwavering commitment to put on the Olympic Games.

Spain's Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya announced on Tuesday her government is considering including Ceuta and Melilla, Spain’s enclaves in North Africa, fully in Europe’s passport-free Schengen area, Reuters reported. Currently, Moroccans from the towns surrounding the enclaves can enter without a visa, but need one to travel by sea or air into continental Spain or other Schengen member countries.

The flying cars will become shortly part of regular traffic with major producers pushing hard to overcome competition in research and development, Reuters reported. Hyundai and General Motors both unveiled advanced plans with the Hyundai project expected to be introduced in air-taxi service by 2025. GM admitted it could take until 2030 to introduce flying cars as air-taxis for commercial usage by 2030.

An opposition center-right party came top in Sunday’s local election in Finland, surpassing the PM Sanna Marin’s ruling Social Democratic Party, news wires reported.  With all votes counted in the Nordic nation’s municipal election, initial results showed on Monday that the conservative National Coalition Party had taken 21.4% of votes nationwide, while the Social Democrats took 17.7% and centrist government member Center Party 14.9% respectively.