Two major auto trade groups on Wednesday warned the Trump administration that imposing up to 25 percent tariffs on imported vehicles would cost hundreds of thousands of auto jobs, dramatically hike prices on vehicles and threaten industry spending on self-driving cars. A coalition representing major foreign automakers including Toyota Motor Corp, Volkswagen AG, BMW AG and Hyundai Motor Co, said the tariffs would harm automakers and U.S. consumers. The administration…

Britain’s Prince William strolled along a trendy Tel Aviv boulevard with Israeli Eurovision song contest winner Netta Barzilai on Wednesday to the delight of cheering onlookers. But there was no “chicken-dance,” Barzilai’s signature move performed as part of her women’s empowerment hit “I’m Not Your Toy” during the 2018 song-fest. William, second in line to the throne, is on the first official visit by a British royal to Israel and…

The Senate in the Netherlands has approved a bill that bans wearing full-face cover in many public places. The 44-31 vote Tuesday ends a sensitive debate on religious freedom and women’s right to wear what they want. The bill bans wearing any type of clothing that completely covers the face except for the eyes in educational institutions, on public transportation, in hospitals and in government institutions. VOA’s Zlatica Hoke reports.…

Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said on Tuesday he met with U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to discuss energy issues and U.S. sanctions on Russia. Russia is one of the world’s biggest crude oil and natural gas producers, and the United States has been urging global energy producers to boost output to stem an increase in prices. “We met. We discussed energy issues, among other things. We touched upon questions…

European Union governments on Tuesday delayed by at least a year a decision to allow membership negotiations with Macedonia and Albania after France and the Netherlands faced down Germany and demanded more reforms. The unexpected outcome, despite broad EU support, showed French President Emmanuel Macron’s determination to postpone the decision until after European Parliament elections in May, for fear of stoking anti-immigrant sentiment, diplomats said. It also puts a brake…