From the Heart of Europe | 14.02.2013, 15:00 UTC

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From the Heart of Europe 14.02.2013 | 15:00 UTC World Extremism Before election, Italy slides to the right As Italian elections draw near, the economic crisis is providing a breeding ground for far-right and extremist politics. DW examines how feelings of anger, frustration and racism are spilling over into politics. Ukrainians veer toward right-wing nationalism Germany confronts right-wing extremism Nationalism on the rise in southeastern Europe Politics Is the EU beholden to lobbyists? How much influence do interest groups have on EU legislation? Experts are divided, but the online platform LobbyPlag sees a lot. Sometimes, they say, MEPs even copy and paste directly from lobby proposals. Brussels suffers from lobbying excess German MPs face calls to reveal side earnings German giants spend millions lobbying US News Food Security European horsemeat scandal spreads with positive equine drug test British authorities believe a horse medication may have entered the food chain in France. The growing horsemeat has caused supermarkets across Europe to pull food products from their shelves. European horse meat scandal gallops on Agriculture EU ministers call for emergency testing amid horsemeat scandal European Union ministers have called for more intensive meat product testing for a month amid a growing scandal involving horsemeat being sold as beef. The affair led to food recalls across the continent. European horse meat scandal gallops on Germany Dresden protesters block neo-Nazis Some 10,000 citizens have formed a cordon inside Dresden to prevent neo-Nazis from misusing an anniversary of the Allied bombing of the German city during World War II. A march by neo-Nazis was stopped by police. Court allows murder charges against NSU suspect Zschäpe Labor Market Jobless French man kills himself in self-immolation France's labor minister (pictured above) has confirmed that a man has died after setting himself on fire outside a state employment agency. He had reportedly warned of his intentions after being denied jobless benefits. Poverty is on the rise in Europe Business European Union EU unveils transaction tax details The European Commission has disclosed details on what its planned financial transaction tax will look like. It's a levy that's scheduled to come into force in 11 states, after a pan-EU deal has failed to materialize. Growth Eurozone logs third straight quarter in recession The latest figures from the European Union's statistics agency have revealed that the 17-member euro area is in a deepened recession. The final quarter of 2012 saw the bloc's economy contract more than expected. Corporate Reports Sportswear giant Puma reels from restructuring costs German sportswear producer Puma has said high restructuring costs have affected profit margins. The firm has to grapple with price pressures on its products in debt-stricken Europe and a management reshuffle. Auto Industry Renault eyes 2013 profit despite disappointing sales Despite crumbling profits in 2012, French carmaker Renault has said it's planning to increase vehicle sales in the current year and enhance its profitability. The company hopes to score with new models.   Unsubscribe   Personal Data   Feedback   Imprint © Deutsche Welle 2013