Latest news with #ID
Time of India
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
Volkswagen halts electric minivan exports to the United States
German auto giant Volkswagen said Thursday it had suspended deliveries of its electric minivan ID. Buzz due to a technical issue amid reports the decision was influenced by costly US tariffs on cars. "No electric ID. Buzz models made in Hanover are currently being delivered to North America due to a technical recall mandated by US authorities," Tobias Riepe, a spokesman for Volkswagen's commercial vehicles division, told AFP. The van's rear seats are "deemed too wide for the vehicle", Riepe said. Citing company insiders, however, German business daily Handelsblatt reported the main reason was high tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump. Manufactured in Hanover, the ID. Buzz has since April been subject to a new US tariff of 25-percent on imported cars that are not largely made within North America. That has made exporting the ID. Buzz into the United States untenable, according to Handelsblatt. Foreign carmakers have scrambled to respond to Trump's levies, with high-end automaker Mercedes-Benz on Monday saying it had delayed some US deliveries in the expectation of tariffs coming back down. Volkswagen itself reported declining US deliveries in the first half of the year, with vehicle shipments plunging 16.2 percent in the three months from April, after the duties came into force. On Wednesday, German chancellor Friedrich Merz said he was "cautiously optimistic" that the United States and European Union could strike a trade agreement by the end of the month that would benefit key German industries like autos and machine-making.
Vancouver Sun
6 days ago
- Politics
- Vancouver Sun
'Keep your shoes on': U.S. airport security ends unpopular security measure
The U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is easing off the policy requiring travellers to take their shoes off for separate scanning while going through the airport security. Kristi Noem, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (which oversees the TSA) made a formal announcement about the move during a press conference at Ronald Reagan Airport in Washington on Tuesday evening . She said that as of today, the TSA will 'no longer require…every single person' to remove their shoes when going through security checkpoints. She said this is an 'immediate nationwide rollout' of passengers being able to keep their shoes on. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. The aim of this policy shift, said Noem, is 'to improve the travel experience' while continuing to 'keep travellers safe.' She referred to several comments the administration has received expressing displeasure over the 'no-shoes' policy. And listed several marquee events that the U.S. will soon be hosting, as reasons for doing so, including the Olympics in Los Angeles, World Cup soccer matches, and events geared toward celebrating the 250th anniversary of America's independence. Noem says security technology has evolved significantly since the shoes-off policy was implemented almost 20 years ago. She said the TSA has 'evaluated the technology at every airport … It's been honed and it's been hardened.' She expressed confidence in the multi-layer security now in place, which involves different types of screening individuals, including the relatively new 'Real ID,' which encompasses any type of federally recognized identification. Meanwhile, she says the department is looking at even more advanced technology, for example, machines that would result in not having to interact with airport security officers. Meanwhile, it should be noted that any passenger who triggers the alarm in the scanner or magnetometer, will still be required by the TSA to take their shoes off for additional screening. So far, reports , the changes have been noticed in Baltimore/Washington (BWI), Fort Lauderdale (FLL), Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky (CVG), Portland (PDX), Philadelphia (PHL), and Piedmont Triad (GSO) in North Carolina. It says passengers at Los Angeles (LAX) and New York's LaGuardia (LGA) have also shared stories about being waved through while keeping their shoes on. National Post reached out to Transport Canada, the government arm responsible for establishing regulations regarding security screening procedures for flights originating in Canada. The question was put whether a similar move is contemplated for Canadian airports. A response has not yet been received. The TSA established this unpopular requirement in 2006. It came into effect shortly after terrorist, Richard Reid, subsequently known as the 'shoe bomber' tried to detonate a liquid explosive in his shoe while aboard an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami. 'As luck would have it, he encountered technical issues and was unable to carry out the attack,' states a report by the International Institute for International Terrorism . After that taking off your shoes at security became just another part of flying. 'While most people never liked it, they grew accustomed to it,' writes . Some American travellers were already able to keep their shoes on. They had to go through a background check and pay an US$80 fee to belong to the TSA's Trusted Traveler PreCheck program. Noem says many fliers will still want to retain their membership in the program for the continued ease it provides in checking through security. The new shift in boarding protocol was first reported by a travel blog, Gate Access . The blog stated that a memo went out to TSA officers across the country last week, setting out the change for all passengers in all screening lanes at many airports across the country. Earlier Tuesday, several media outlets such as the New York Times reported on the move as it unfolded in airports across America, citing unnamed sources. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt responded to the reports on X, calling it 'big news' from the TSA/Department of Homeland Security. Big news from @DHSgov ! ✈️👟 Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our newsletters here .
LeMonde
6 days ago
- Politics
- LeMonde
EU prosecutors open probe into Le Pen's RN party and allies for misuse of funds
The European Union's prosecutor said Tuesday it has launched a formal investigation into a defunct far-right group, which included France's Rassemblement National (RN), over the alleged misuse of European Parliament funds. "The European Public Prosecutor's Office has opened an investigation," said a spokesperson for the agency that probes financial crimes against the bloc, said. A parliamentary report said the far-right Identity and Democracy (ID) political grouping, which was disbanded last year, was suspected of improperly spending 4.3 million euros ($5 million) between 2019 and 2024. The report was revealed earlier this month by Le Monde and its partners, German investigative television program Kontraste, the German magazine Die Zeit, and the Austrian weekly newspaper Falter. The ID group contained MEPs from a range of eurosceptic parties, including the RN of Marine Le Pen, the longtime standard bearer of the French far right, Italy's League and the Alternative for Germany. ID was formally disbanded after elections last year and was succeeded by a new grouping Patriots for Europe. The bulk of the allegedly misused funds benefited companies belonging to a former advisor to Le Pen and his wife. Le Pen ally Jordan Bardella, who now heads the Patriots group, said the probe represented a "new harassment operation by the European Parliament". The European Parliament said it "takes note of the decision" by the prosecutors to open the probe, first reported by Euractiv on Tuesday. "As always, parliament cooperates fully with national or European authorities if requested so," the parliament said. The investigation comes after Le Pen suffered a stunning blow in March when a French court convicted her and other party officials over an EU parliament fake jobs scam. The ruling, which Le Pen has appealed, banned her from standing for office for five years, which would scupper her ambition of taking part in the 2027 presidential vote.
Euractiv
6 days ago
- Politics
- Euractiv
EXCLUSIVE: EU prosecutors open probe into far-right group linked to Le Pen
The European Public Prosecutor's Office has launched a formal investigation into allegations of misuse of EU funds by Identity and Democracy, a defunct far-right group in the European Parliament that included France's Rassemblement National, a spokesperson for EPPO said on Tuesday. The spokesperson confirmed to Euractiv that 'EPPO has opened an investigation,' following media reports that ID allegedly misused over €4.3 million in EU funds between 2019 and 2024. The spokesperson declined to comment further, citing the confidentiality of the investigation. No individuals have yet been charged and all are presumed innocent. The case follows findings from a draft audit by the European Parliament, excerpts of which were reported in early July by Le Monde , Germany's Die Zeit , and Austria's Kontraste . The audit reportedly pointed to irregular spending by ID-affiliated parties, including alleged fictitious service contracts, improper procurement procedures, and donations for non-parliamentary activities to groups with links to far-right figureheads, including France's Marine Le Pen. Philip Claeys, ID's former secretary-general, denied wrongdoing. 'All payments made in the last five years have been duly invoiced, justified and controlled,' he previously told Le Monde. EPPO is in charge of investigating serious crimes affecting the financial interests of the EU and liaises with national law enforcement for its investigations. The ID group was dissolved shortly after the last EU elections in June 2024, when it was suceeded by the Patriots for Europe group that sits in the current Parliament. The investigation adds to a growing pile of legal proceedings involving Le Pen and her party. In a separate case earlier this year, a Paris court convicted Le Pen of misusing EU funds related to parliamentary assistant jobs and deemed her ineligible to stand in elections for the next five years. She is appealing the ruling. Le Pen has dismissed the latest allegations as politically motivated. (om)
Indian Express
7 days ago
- Indian Express
How to download Aadhaar Virtual ID (VID) for free online?
Aadhaar Virtual ID (VID) 2025: VID is a temporary, revocable 16-digit random number that is linked to the Aadhaar number, which can be used instead of the Aadhaar number for authentication or e-KYC services. Only the Aadhaar number holder may generate a VID and can also change their VID (create a new one) on occasion. It's important to note that an Aadhaar number can only have one valid VID at a time. You can use VID or Virtual ID in place of Aadhaar number. To know more about #AadhaarVID see- https: To generate your Virtual ID visit- — Aadhaar (@UIDAI) July 23, 2018 VID will be made available through the UIDAI website ( eAadhaar download, and the mAadhaar mobile application, among others. It can also be produced by sending an SMS to the Aadhaar helpline number 1947. Aadhaar holders must enter 'GVIDLast 4 digits of Aadhaar Number' and submit it to 1947 using their registered mobile number. Step 1: Go to myAadhaar's official page. Step 2: Scroll down and select 'VID Generator', or click on this link: Step 3: Choose 'Generate VID', enter your Aadhaar number and Captcha, then click 'Send OTP'. Step 3: Enter the OTP sent to your registered phone number. Step 4: Click the 'Submit' button at the bottom of the page. Step 5: Your 16-digit Virtual ID number will now be sent to your email address and Aadhaar-registered phone number.
