SPAIN

Ukraine war: Pope Francis should learn from his WWII predecessor’s mistakes in appeasing fascism

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Pope Francis has provoked fury by suggesting in a television interview that Ukraine should find “the courage to raise the white flag”.

Key Points: 
  • Pope Francis has provoked fury by suggesting in a television interview that Ukraine should find “the courage to raise the white flag”.
  • As Pope Pius XII, Eugenio Pacelli led the Catholic Church throughout the second world war.
  • However, while Hitler’s determination to eliminate the Jewish people was brought to his attention, he did not publicly condemn it.
  • Though he admired the authoritarian regimes of Franco in Spain and Salazar in Portugal, Pius XII was not pro Nazi.

‘Catholics will be loyal’

  • He told the German chancellor:
    I am certain that if peace between Church and state is restored, everyone will be pleased.
  • The German people are united in their love for the Fatherland.
  • I am certain that if peace between Church and state is restored, everyone will be pleased.
  • He feared that criticism of Hitler’s regime would provoke harm to German Catholics.
  • In August 1942 Pius XII received a letter from Andrej Septyckj, a Ukrainian Cleric, bearing news of the massacre of 200,000 Jews in Ukraine.
  • Pius XII flirted with public criticism of Nazi inhumanity in his 1942 Christmas Eve broadcast.

Evil then and now

  • As I discovered while researching my book, Reporting the Second World War - The Press and the People 1939-1945, he could have learned as much by reading British newspapers.
  • In autumn 1942, titles including The Times and Daily Mail reported the World Jewish Congress’s belief that a million Jews had already died.
  • Today, his successor might contemplate the damage inflicted on his wartime predecessor’s reputation by his meek collusion with the wrong side.
  • Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba responded caustically to Pope Francis’s crass comments with: “Our flag is a yellow and blue one.


Tim Luckhurst has received funding from News UK and Ireland Ltd. He is a member of the Free Speech Union and the Society of Editors

Australian music festivals are increasingly affected by climate change. But is the industry doing enough to mitigate its impact?

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 13, 2024

The live music and festival industry is currently struggling with significant challenges, including expensive insurance premiums and the cost of living crisis impacting ticket sales.

Key Points: 
  • The live music and festival industry is currently struggling with significant challenges, including expensive insurance premiums and the cost of living crisis impacting ticket sales.
  • In particular are the challenges associated with climate change, as extreme weather events becoming more frequent, severe and unpredictable.
  • Severe weather impacts on music festivals and concerts have ranged from delays and cancellations, to the evacuation of venues and areas mid-festival or mid-performance.

Death, injury and cancellations

  • In my research, I also looked at where and why events were being cancelled in the United States, finding at least 21 cancellations in 2022–23.
  • I also found similar cases in New Zealand, Canada, the United Kingdom, Spain and the Netherlands.
  • In November, we saw the tragic death of a fan due to extreme heat at Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in Brazil.

The environmental impact of festivals

  • The UK’s live music industry produces 405,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually.
  • The primary sources of these emissions are audience travel, accounting for 43%, and the operations of live music venues, contributing another 23%.

Music festivals can make a change

  • The live music industry can reduce its environmental impact by adopting more renewable energy, and using sustainable transport options for artists and audiences.
  • Read more:
    The environmental cost of abandoning your tent at a music festival

    Tree planting has emerged as a popular strategy for music festivals and bands to offset their carbon footprint and contribute positively to the environment.

  • Challenges such as rising supply chain costs and the cost of living are testing the viability of festivals.
  • It is important the event industry and festival-goers acknowledge their contributions to these escalating challenges, and take proactive steps towards greening music festivals.


Milad Haghani receives funding from the Australian Research Council (Grant No. DE210100440).

Guerbet strengthens its Executive Committee with two new appointments to consolidate its medium and long-term ambitions.

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Guerbet strengthens its Executive Committee with two new appointments to consolidate its medium and long-term ambitions.

Key Points: 
  • Guerbet strengthens its Executive Committee with two new appointments to consolidate its medium and long-term ambitions.
  • Villepinte, 11 march 2024: Guerbet (FR0000032526 GBT), a global specialist in contrast agents and solutions for medical imaging, announces the strengthening of its management team with two appointments.
  • Christine Allard and Eva Ohlsson have joined the Group as senior Vice-President Public Affairs and Corporate Communications, and Senior Vice President Human Resources respectively.
  • Reporting directly to David Hale, Chief Executive Officer, they will both become members of Guerbet’s Executive Committee.

EQS-News: Preliminary financials for FY2023: Fielmann Group grows sales +12%, EBITDA +21%, EBITDA margin +1 percentage point

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 13, 2024

In the optical and acoustic industry, this is the Fielmann Group.

Key Points: 
  • In the optical and acoustic industry, this is the Fielmann Group.
  • The German family business significantly extended its market shares across major markets, outperformed its Vision 2025 sales goal, and expanded its EBITDA margin.
  • In 2023 the Fielmann Group generated external sales of around €2.27 billion (incl.
  • In Spain, the Fielmann Group generated +42% sales growth over last year and is therefore progressing swiftly on its course to reach market leadership.

EQS-News: ENCAVIS acquires two more solar parks in Spain and surpasses the planned expansion of electricity production in 2023 by a total of 33 percent to reach 1 terawatt hour

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Hamburg, 26 February 2024 – Hamburg-based wind and solar park operator Encavis AG, listed on the MDAX of Deutsche Börse AG (Prime Standard; ISIN: DE0006095003; ticker symbol: ECV) expands its Spanish solar park portfolio with two more solar parks in Andalucia (Spain).

Key Points: 
  • Hamburg, 26 February 2024 – Hamburg-based wind and solar park operator Encavis AG, listed on the MDAX of Deutsche Börse AG (Prime Standard; ISIN: DE0006095003; ticker symbol: ECV) expands its Spanish solar park portfolio with two more solar parks in Andalucia (Spain).
  • In the current mix of acquired wind and solar projects, this corresponds to an annual electricity production of 1,000 GWh or 1 TWh respectively.
  • ENCAVIS thus surpasses its original target of acquiring an additional 750 GWh by a third, or more than 33 percent.
  • Never before in the Company's history has the Group acquired such a large generation portfolio in a financial year as it did in 2023.

EQS-News: Strong earnings power allows for active risk management in 2023 – consolidated operating profit expected to rise to between €300 million and €350 million in 2024

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Consolidated operating profit is projected to rise to between €300 million and €350 million in 2024, even though the Bank anticipates continued above-average risk provisions.

Key Points: 
  • Consolidated operating profit is projected to rise to between €300 million and €350 million in 2024, even though the Bank anticipates continued above-average risk provisions.
  • Aareal Bank Group closed the 2023 financial year with consolidated operating profit of €149 million (2022: €239 million).
  • Thanks to its strong earnings power, the Group nonetheless anticipates consolidated operating profit between €300 million and €350 million.
  • The Bank is expected to achieve operating profit of €250 million to €300 million, despite risk provisions projected to remain at above-average levels.

EQS-News: ENCAVIS successfully signed project refinancing agreements for Spanish solar parks Talayuela & La Cabrera of EUR 203 million

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Hamburg, 7th March 2024 – Hamburg-based wind and solar park operator Encavis AG, listed on the MDAX of Deutsche Börse AG (Prime Standard; ISIN: DE0006095003; ticker symbol: ECV) has signed two non-recourse project refinancing agreements in a total amount of EUR 203 million for its operating solar plants Talayuela and La Cabrera, Spain.

Key Points: 
  • Hamburg, 7th March 2024 – Hamburg-based wind and solar park operator Encavis AG, listed on the MDAX of Deutsche Börse AG (Prime Standard; ISIN: DE0006095003; ticker symbol: ECV) has signed two non-recourse project refinancing agreements in a total amount of EUR 203 million for its operating solar plants Talayuela and La Cabrera, Spain.
  • Both refinancing transactions have been structured, arranged, and managed by ENCAVIS' inhouse Project Finance team.
  • While ABN AMRO, Rabobank and Bankinter are financing partners of ENCAVIS for years, NatWest provides project financing to ENCAVIS for the first time.
  • In total, the refinancing includes EUR 181.5 million Term Loan Facilities (hedged by interest rate swaps), as well as EUR 13 million Letter of Credit Facilities and EUR 8.5 million Debt Service Reserve Facilities.

EQS-News: BIO-Europe Spring® 2024 is only a few days away

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Munich, Germany – March 7, 2024.

Key Points: 
  • Munich, Germany – March 7, 2024.
  • EBD Group is thrilled to welcome the global biopharma community to Barcelona, Spain, March 18–20.
  • Over 3,700 delegates are looking forward to meeting one-to-one to elevate life science partnerships globally.
  • The session “For a greener globe: Biopharma’s journey to a sustainable future” is scheduled for the afternoon on Monday, March 18.

EQS-News: FUCHS concludes financial year 2023 with new record highs

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 13, 2024

„2023 was a very successful year for FUCHS, with new record highs for sales revenues, EBIT and free cash flow.

Key Points: 
  • „2023 was a very successful year for FUCHS, with new record highs for sales revenues, EBIT and free cash flow.
  • With the construction of a new plant in Vietnam, the path is set for expansion in another Asian growth market.
  • A total of up to 8 million shares with a total price of up to EUR 280 million are to be acquired.
  • In all three cases, we were able to excel due to the combination of global support, technological excellence and a motivated on-site FUCHS team.

EQS-News: MC Services Supports BIO-Europe Spring in Barcelona as Media Partner

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 13, 2024

MC Services AG, a leading international public and investor relations firm specializing in communications for the life science and healthcare sectors, will again support BIO-Europe Spring® , Europe’s premier springtime partnering event for the global biopharmaceutical industry, as a media and strategic partner.

Key Points: 
  • MC Services AG, a leading international public and investor relations firm specializing in communications for the life science and healthcare sectors, will again support BIO-Europe Spring® , Europe’s premier springtime partnering event for the global biopharmaceutical industry, as a media and strategic partner.
  • The event, organized by EBD Group, will take place in Barcelona, Spain, March 18-20, 2024, followed by a virtual partnering edition March 26-27, 2024.
  • We’re excited to see it return to vibrant Barcelona,” said Raimund Gabriel, Managing Partner at MC Services.
  • For more detailed information regarding the program and additional activities, please visit the event’s website .