UAE travellers fly ‘private’ to beat UK airport crisis
Private jet services in the UAE and the Gulf are back in heavy demand as wealthy travellers go back to chartered flights to get to the UK.
Browsing Tag
Europe
UAE travellers need to wait even 3 months to get a visa to Europe
Europe’s searing heat wave isn’t the only factor affecting travel from the UAE – just trying to get a Schengen visa could now take as long as three months, forcing holidaymakers to head for other destinations.
Key gas pipeline from Russia to Europe restarts after break
As per the German news agency, operator Nord Stream AG said that gas started flowing again on Thursday morning but the flow would take a while to ramp up
Europe broils in heat wave that fuels fires in France, Spain
A heat wave broiling Europe spilled northward Monday to Britain and fueled ferocious wildfires in Spain and France, which evacuated thousands of people and scrambled water-bombing planes and firefighters to battle flames in tinder-dry…
What are the 7 Continents of the World?
People tend to think of the seven continents in terms of large land portions. While this understanding is certainly helpful, there is much more to continents!
Germany pleads with Canada to release Russian turbine critical for gas flows
Germany’s vice chancellor made a public plea to the Canadian government to release a turbine that’s caught up in sanctions against Russia and critical for gas flows to Europe.
Russia alert for signs of eroding Western unity on Ukraine
Russian president settled deep into his armchair, wearing an expression of bored nonchalance. In a matter-of-fact tone, he likened himself to a modern-day Peter the Great, the empire-building Russian czar, and suggested that the conquest of…
Denmark keeps F-16 fighter jets flying due to Russia threat
Denmark will keep its fleet of F-16 fighter jets operational three years longer than planned amid a heightened security threat from Russia, the country's Defence Minister Morten Bodskov
Europe swelters in June heat wave
Spain, France and other Western European nations on Saturday sweltered under a blistering June heat wave that has sparked forest fires and concerns such early summer blasts of hot weather will now become the norm.
Europe stocks up, Asia mixed ahead of Fed rate hike decision
Asian stock markets were mixed while Europe opened higher Wednesday ahead of a Federal Reserve decision on how sharply to raise interest rates to cool U.S. inflation.
IFRC, C40 Cities urge cities, residents to prepare for more deadly heatwaves
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFCR) is mobilizing branches and partners in more than 50 cities around the world Tuesday to raise awareness about ways to reduce the severe effects of extreme heat.
Emerging potential of the Middle Corridor
Growing disruption of the Northern Corridor leads to a new discussion about potential alternative routes between China and the EU, particularly in the context of the Middle Corridor
India to boost arms output, fearing shortfall from Russia
India on Thursday said it would ramp up its production of military equipment, including helicopters, tank engines, missiles and airborne
Ukraine appeals for weapons as fight looms on eastern front
Ukraine told residents of its industrial heartland to leave while they still can and urged Western nations to send “weapons, weapons, weapons”
Over 330 Russian diplomats expelled from Europe since Russia-Ukraine war started
More than half of diplomats expelled after release of 'horrifying' footage from Ukrainian city of Bucha
World stocks sink amid worries over US rate hikes, Russia
Global stock markets and Wall Street futures sank Wednesday after a Federal Reserve official’s comments fueled expectations
EU council head suggests giving asylum to Russian deserters
European Council president Charles Michel said on Wednesday that European Union countries should think about ways to offer asylum
Australia and India thank Quad for new free trade deal
India and Australia’s trade ministers say a shared security partnership with the United States and Japan has helped them strike a trade deal
Russian officials charged in years-old energy sector hacks
Russian officials, including hackers with a government intelligence agency, have been charged in malicious intrusions that targeted
Ukraine says Moscow is forcibly taking civilians to Russia
Ukraine accused Moscow on Thursday of forcibly taking hundreds of thousands of civilians from shattered Ukrainian cities to Russia
Biden pledges new Ukraine aid, warns Russia on chem weapons
Joe Biden and Western allies pledged new sanctions and humanitarian aid on Thursday in response to Vladimir Putin’s assault on Ukraine
Asian shares rise, eyeing Ukraine, inflation, energy costs
Asian shares were mostly higher Tuesday as investors eyed the war in Ukraine, inflationary risks and surging energy prices.
As Mariupol hangs on, the extent of the horror not yet known
Russian demands that they surrender, the number of bodies in the rubble of the bombarded and encircled Ukrainian city
Russia-Ukraine war at a glance
Russia is being forced to divert “large numbers” of troops to defend its supply lines rather than continuing its attacks in Ukraine, British
Foreign fighters in Ukraine await weapons in chaos of war
They are idealists who abandoned their jobs for the battlefields of Ukraine, looking for a cause or simply to fight.
Hong Kong, Shanghai shares sink as virus trumps strong data
Share prices tumbled in China on Tuesday, with Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index down nearly 6% and the Shanghai Composite index sinking 5%
Russia-Ukraine war: Key things to know about the conflict
Loud blasts thundered through Kyiv just before dawn Tuesday as Russian forces escalated their bombardment on the Ukrainian capital
Ukraine war may lead to rethinking of US defense of Europe
WASHINGTON
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine and his push to upend the broader security order in Europe may lead to a historic shift in American thinking about defense of the continent. Depending on how far Putin goes,…
Air traffic across Germany disrupted due to walkouts
Air travel was disrupted across Germany on Tuesday as security personnel at several airports in the country staged walkouts to demand
Ukraine’s capital under fire; NATO nation leaders to visit
Ukraine edged closer to central Kyiv on Tuesday, with a series of strikes hitting a residential neighborhood as the leaders of three NATO
Kyiv ‘ready to fight’ as Russian forces close in Ukraine capital
Ukrainian officials have said Kyiv is “ready to fight” as Russian forces renewed their bombardment on the capital and observers warned
Russia-Ukraine war: What we know
The UK government has urged British veterans not to travel to Ukraine to fight. The veterans minister, Leo Docherty, called on ex-service personnel not to join the war in Ukraine and instead help Ukrainians from home, either through…
G7 nations draw up plans to impose heavy tariffs on Russia
Western governments are drawing up plans to impose punitive tariffs on Russian trade amid efforts to further isolate Moscow
Why even a “limited” no-fly zone is a bad idea
Russia’s war on Ukraine, calls for a NATO-imposed no-fly zone over Ukraine have been hampered by one big problem: Enforcing a no-fly zone
Can Russian oligarchs influence Putin’s war?
US and Europe are retaliating against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. These sanctions are throttling the Russian economy,
Europe’s central bank pulled two ways by war in Ukraine
Russia’s war in Ukraine is squeezing the European Central Bank between conflicting pressures, propelling energy prices and inflation
Harris thanks Poland for helping 1 million Ukraine refugees
Kamala Harris on Thursday praised the Polish people for their generosity for taking in more than 1 million refugees since Russia invaded
Amid heavy shelling, Ukraine’s Mariupol city uses mass grave
bodies piling up in Russia’s nine-day siege of Mariupol, the port city of 430,000 in southeastern Ukraine, local authorities
Live updates: No breakthrough in Ukraine-Russia talks
Ukraine’s foreign minister says talks between the top diplomats of Moscow and Kyiv produced no breakthrough on ending the war in Ukraine
How the brutal WWII siege of Leningrad explains Putin’s thinking on Ukraine
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned Russia’s war in Ukraine, citing in particular the siege of Mariupol, a port city on the Sea
Ukraine to pull troops and equipment from U.N. missions
Ukraine will repatriate troops and equipment, including helicopters, involved in U.N. peacekeeping missions in Africa and Europe
Ukraine war at 2-week mark: Russians slowed but not stopped
Ukraine, Russia has achieved less and struggled more than anticipated at the outset of the biggest land conflict in Europe since World War II.
U.S. intel agencies: Russia does not want to engage directly with U.S. military
U.S. intelligence agencies assessed that Russia does not want to engage directly with the U.S. military in worldwide threats
Putin isn’t insane and won’t use nuclear weapons, says ex-Russian foreign minister
Vladimir Putin isn't insane and will not intentionally use nuclear weapons against the West. Andrei Kozyrev, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Biden criticized over report of planned Saudi trip to discuss global oil supply
Joe Biden attracted criticism from both progressives and Republicans after a report indicated the White House was planning
Russia sets cease-fire for evacuations but battles continue
Russia announced yet another cease-fire and a handful of humanitarian corridors to allow civilians to flee Ukraine starting
Sex traffickers exploit Ukrainian refugees as dark side of exodus to Europe emerges
Sex traffickers are taking advantage of young women and unaccompanied children fleeing the war in Ukraine, police and volunteers in Poland
Germans tout return of conscription and say military service could ‘do real good’ for society
Berlin has called for compulsory service to be re-introduced, as Germany re-evaluates its relationship with its armed forces.
How the West Marshaled a Stunning Show of Unity Against Russia
Russian tanks and troops poured across the Ukrainian border on Feb. 24, NATO leaders received a deeply frightening message.
Germany To Russia: We’re ‘Kinda Experts’ On Nazism, And Russia Isn’t…
German diplomats called out their Russian counterparts after Russia’s embassy in South Africa said the nation
Around-the-clock NATO air patrols fly to keep Russia at bay
NATO has nearly doubled the number of military jets on alert across Europe amid concerns that Russia’s reckless flying
US Troops Are Accumulating in Europe as the Pentagon Eyes Putin’s Ukraine War
Russia marches on its warpath, encircling Ukrainian cities and bombing civilian buildings, the Pentagon has deployed some 12,000 troops NATO
Explained: what we know on day 10 of the Russian invasion
Volodymyr Zelensky criticises Nato for refusing to introduce a no-fly zone over Ukraine; UN security council condemns Russia's nuclear
The fighting is in Ukraine, but risk of World War III is real
Conflict could easily escalate into a direct confrontation between Russia and the West, officials and analysts warn.
‘Cyberattack’ knocks thousands offline in Europe
‘Cyberattack’ knocks thousands offline in Europe; across Europe thrown offline cyberattacks at the beginning of Russia’s offensive in Ukraine.
How dangerous was Russia’s nuclear plant strike?
nuclear power plant was hit by Russian shelling, sparking a fire at one of its six reactors and raising fears of a disaster
What are the Weapons used in the Russia-Ukraine war?
Russian invasion of Ukraine is the largest conflict that Europe has seen since World War II, with Russia conducting a multi-pronged
What Happened on Day 8 of Russia’s Assault on Ukraine
Ukraine, shelling a nuclear power station even as the two sides negotiated safe corridors to safely evacuate citizens.
Asian shares slide as Russia shells Ukraine nuclear plant
Asian markets. U.S. futures were lower. The S&P 500 fell 0.5% Thursday and the Nasdaq fell 1.6% as technology companies led the way lower.
China’s legislature to meet with economy, Ukraine backdrop
China’s 3,000-member ceremonial parliament will open its annual session Saturday with the government facing a slowing economy
Europe’s largest nuclear power plant on fire after Russian attack, says local mayor
nuclear power plant in Ukraine, the largest of its kind in Europe, was on fire early on Friday after an attack by Russian troops
Finns warm to NATO in alarmed reaction to Russian invasion of Ukraine
Russia's invasion of Ukraine is causing a rapidly growing number of Finns to support membership of NATO, suggesting the country
Russians across Europe face discrimination, hostility due to war in Ukraine
German retailers decide not to sell Russian-made products, Italy postpones Russian opera conductor Gergiev's performance
Russian gas flow to Europe on rise despite war
Gazprom's gas exports via Ukraine rise from 62 mln. cubic meters on Feb. 23 to 110 mln. cubic meters on Feb. 25, a day after attacks began
US follows Canada, Europe on Russian aircraft ban
US will follow the European Union and Canada in banning Russian flights from its airspace,
UN court to hold Ukraine war hearings on March 7, 8
International Court of Justice said yesterday it would hold genocide hearings on March 7 and 8 over the war in Ukraine
Europe and Canada move to close skies to Russian planes
European destinations after EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the European Union had decided to close its airspace to Russian traffic.
EU energy ministers to meet on Ukraine crisis
Ukraine, France’s ecological transition minister Barbara Pompili will chair the afternoon talks, a statement
Russians push toward Ukraine’s capital; residents take cover
ussian troops pressed toward Ukraine's capital Saturday after a night of explosions and street fighting sent Kyiv
Council of Europe suspends Russia over Ukraine invasion
Council of Europe said yesterday it is suspending all representatives of Russia from participation in the pan-European rights body over Moscow
Asia shares rise after US rebound amid sanctions on Ukraine
Asian shares mostly rose on February 25 after U.S. stocks recovered toward the end of a wild trading day, as governments slapped sanctions
Ukraine’s capital under threat as Russia presses invasion
Russia pressed its invasion of Ukraine to the outskirts of the capital Friday after unleashing airstrikes on cities
Russia-Ukraine Conflict: No ordinary geopolitical issue
No ordinary geopolitical issue. Ukrainian crisis is a symptom of a new reality, the formation of new international relations
‘Speak plainly’: Putin snaps at Russian spy chief during Ukraine discussion
Putin's move to recognise the two regions and deploy Russian troops on a "peace-keeping" mission to Donetsk and Luhansk has been condemned by the international community.
Bond between China and Russia alarms US and Europe amid Ukraine crisis
Current and former US and European officials say they are alarmed over what is effectively a non-aggression pact between China and Russia, that could amount to a realignment of the world order.
NATO to consider new troops on southeastern flank amid Russian threat
NATO defence ministers meet on Wednesday, Thursday.
New forces may go to Hungary, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Romania.
No final decision this week.
NATO defence ministers are expected this week to set in motion a plan that could…
Thousands rally proclaiming ‘Kharkiv is Ukraine’ in city near Russian border
KHARKIV, Ukraine
Thousands took to the streets of Ukraine's second-largest city on Saturday carrying banners saying "Kharkiv is Ukraine" and "stop Russian aggression", as the country braced for a possible military offensive from Russia.…
Denmark finds members of Iranian opposition group guilty of spying for Saudi Arabia
COPENHAGEN
A Danish district court on Friday found three members of an Iranian Arab opposition group guilty of financing and supporting terrorist activity in Iran in collaboration with Saudi Arabian intelligence services as well as…
Satellite images show Russia’s military buildup near Ukraine
Satellite images show an expansion of Russia's buildup near Ukraine's border, with troop tents and shelters now visible at "virtually every deployment location in Belarus, Crimea and western Russia," Maxar Technologies said.
The big…
Red Cross flags dire conditions in east Ukraine as tensions flare anew with Russia
GENEVA
Hundreds of thousands of people in eastern Ukraine are living in dire conditions, with poor access to basic services and under constant threat from shelling and landmines, the Red Cross said on Wednesday (Feb 2), amid escalating…
Ukraine leader insists Kyiv is focused only on peace
KYIV
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday (Feb 2) that Kyiv was focused only on peace, but insisted his country has the right to defend itself amid fears of a potential Russian invasion.
The Kremlin, which has…
Factbox-How Ukraine’s armed forces shape up against Russia’s
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has signed a decree Ukraine-will-increase-size-military-by-100000-president-tells-parliament-2022-02-01 on increasing the size of Ukraine's armed forces by about 100,000 troops over three years and raising…
Bomb shelters, guerrilla war: Building Ukraine’s resistance
KHARKIV, Ukraine
The table tennis coach, the chaplain's wife, the dentist and the firebrand nationalist have little in common except a desire to defend their hometown and a sometimes halting effort to speak Ukrainian instead of Russian.…
Ukraine calls on world to prevent Russia from using blackmail, threats
KYIV, Ukraine
Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, called on the international community Tuesday to prevent Russia from using blackmail and threats of a full-scale invasion against the country.
Lawmakers convened with this agenda…
NATO reinforces presence in Eastern Europe amid Ukraine tensions
Members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) are increasing military activities in Eastern Europe amid tensions regarding Ukraine, despite Russia's warning that strengthened NATO presence near its borders are a "national…
Russia rejects UK claim of trying to replace Ukraine leader
MOSCOW
Russia’s Foreign Ministry on Sunday rejected a British claim that Russia was seeking to replace Ukraine’s government with a pro-Moscow administration, and that former Ukrainian lawmaker Yevheniy Murayev was being considered as a…
Norway mass killer tests limits of lenient justice system
STAVANGER, Norway
Convicted mass murderer Anders Behring Breivik spends his days in a spacious three-room cell, playing video games, exercising, watching TV and taking university-level courses in mathematics and business.
Halfway…
‘Minor incursion’ by Russia could complicate West’s response
WASHINGTON
Short of an all-out invasion, Russian President Vladimir Putin could take less dramatic action in Ukraine that would vastly complicate a U.S. and allied response. He might carry out what President Joe Biden called a “minor…
Russia accuses West of plotting ‘provocations’ in Ukraine
MOSCOW
Russia accused the West on Thursday of plotting “provocations” in Ukraine even as it blames Moscow of planning aggressive military action in the neighboring country.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova alleged…
Russia, US hold working dinner to open Geneva talks
GENEVA
A top Russian diplomat predicted “difficult” talks with the United States this week after attending a working dinner with U.S. officials in Geneva on Sunday as part of the kickoff to a string of meetings in three European cities…
Prospects dim as US, Russia prepare to meet over Ukraine
WASHINGTON
With the fate of Ukraine and potentially broader post-Cold War European stability at stake, the United States and Russia are holding critical strategic talks that could shape the future of not only their relationship but the…
Russia envoy: Moscow may up the ante if West ignores demands
MOSCOW
Russia may take unspecified new measures to ensure its security if the U.S. and its allies continue to take provocative action and ignore Moscow’s demand for guarantees precluding NATO’s expansion to Ukraine, a senior diplomat…
Europeans reimpose restrictions as omicron sweeps continent
LONDON
Nations across Europe are moving to reimpose tougher measures to stem a new wave of COVID-19 infections spurred by the highly transmissible omicron variant, triggering calls for protests from Paris to Barcelona.
As case numbers…
Iran nuke talks adjourn, Europeans say pause disappointing
VIENNA
Talks aimed at salvaging Iran’s tattered 2015 nuclear deal with world powers adjourned Friday to allow the Iranian negotiator to return home for consultations after a round marked by tensions over new demands from Tehran.…
Over Ethiopia’s objections, UN rights body examines conflict
GENEVA
Ethiopia’s government decried a “neocolonialist mentality” as many Western nations sought Friday to boost scrutiny of rights abuses and violations in the conflict-torn country by creating an international team of experts to keep…
Engineer accused of attempting to pass US secrets to Russia
WASHINGTON
An engineer who worked for decades as a federal defense contractor has been arrested on charges of trying to pass classified information to someone he thought was a Russian agent but who was actually an undercover FBI…
Taiwan’s Tsai urges unity against rising authoritarianism
TAIPEI
Addressing a group of visiting French lawmakers, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen called Wednesday for greater unity among democratic nations in the face of rising authoritarianism.
Tsai also said the self-governing island…
Myanmar public urges gas sanctions to stop military funding
The young woman in Myanmar decided to speak out when she realized that money from the company she loved was now in the hands of the military leaders she hated.
She and her parents had long worked for Total Energies, the French company…
‘Russian invasion of Ukraine may trigger biggest conflict since World War II’
A full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine could rival the Second World War, the head of the UK’s armed forces said Wednesday.
In his first speech since taking the post in October, Admiral Tony Radakin said "the significance of the worst…
Biden, Putin to talk next week as tensions grow over Ukraine
MOSCOW
President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin will speak in a video call Tuesday as tensions between the U.S. and Russia escalate over a Russian troop buildup on the Ukrainian border seen as a sign of a potential…
Wary, weary world slams doors shut, fearing omicron variant
BRUSSELS
Taking an act-now-ask-questions-later approach, countries around the world slammed their doors shut again to try to keep the new omicron variant at bay Monday as more cases of the mutant coronavirus emerged and scientists raced…
What we know and don’t know on new COVID variant
LONDON
South African scientists identified a new version of the coronavirus that they say is behind a recent spike in COVID-19 infections in Gauteng, the country’s most populous province.
It’s unclear where the new variant first…
NATO chief: alliance watching Russian troops near Ukraine
BERLIN
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Friday that the alliance is closely monitoring an unusual concentration of Russian forces on the border with Ukraine, warning that similar troops were used by Moscow in the past to…
EU awaits counterproposals from UK in Brexit standoff
BRUSSELS
Another week of Brexit negotiations still left the European Union awaiting a firm counterproposal from the United Kingdom on Friday to ease a standoff over how to deal with the country’s departure from the bloc.
Both sides…
Europe’s central banker: Not adding to pinch with rate hike
FRANKFURT, Germany
The head of the European Central Bank warned that high oil and gas prices are hitting consumers in the 19 countries that use the euro harder than in other major economies and underlined that the bank won’t add to the…
Police in Spain search for isolation-skipping Dutch tourists
MADRID
Authorities in southwestern Spain have issued an international health alert to locate a group of Dutch tourists who left a hotel where they were meant to isolate for 10 days after testing positive for coronavirus.
Spain, which…
Stocks open mostly lower, but tech companies edge higher
BEIJING
Global stocks were mostly higher Friday after Wall Street hit a record and Japan’s Cabinet approved a record stimulus package worth nearly a half-billion dollars.
London, Frankfurt, Shanghai and Tokyo advanced. Hong Kong…
Investors bet massive on climate fight however motives questioned
GLASGOW, Scotland
Governments and large investors introduced fresh steps Wednesday to pour trillions of dollars into curbing world warming, reflecting the economic world’s developing embody of efforts to battle climate change as each a…
Malta vows better journalist protections, reforms
VALLETTA, Malta
The Maltese government on Tuesday responded to a critical European human rights evaluation by vowing to soon propose new legislation to better protect journalists in the wake of the 2017 assassination of investigative…
Russian filmmakers head for Earth from space station
MOSCOW
A Soyuz space capsule carrying a cosmonaut and two Russian filmmakers has separated from the International Space Station and is heading for the Earth.
The separation took place on schedule at 0115 GMT Sunday with Oleg…
How China flights near Taiwan inflame tensions
A recent spate of Chinese military flights off southwestern Taiwan has prompted alarm from the island, which Beijing claims as its own, and is increasing tensions in a region already on edge.
The flights are one piece of a complex puzzle…
Chopin portrait bought at flea market is from 19th century
WARSAW, Poland
A peeling portrait of Frederic Chopin purchased at a flea market in Poland hung modestly in a private house for almost three decades before an expert dated the painting to the 19th century, when the Polish piano composer…
Global shares fallen, China Evergrande’s shares suspended from trading
Global shares have fallen, with Hong Kong’s benchmark down more than 2% after stricken property developer China Evergrande’s shares have been suspended from trading.
Shares opened lower in Paris, Frankfurt, and Tokyo. U.S. futures also…
Global shares mixed after broad slide on Wall Street
Shares rose Wednesday in Europe after sharp declines in Asia that tracked a broad slide on Wall Street on jitters over the economic process and surging U.S. government bond yields.
A swift rise in Treasury yields is forcing investors to…
Party’s big loss won’t tarnish Merkel’s image
BERLIN
Angela Merkel will leave office within the coming months along with her popularity intact among voters and widely admired beyond Germany as a chancellor who deftly steered her country, and Europe, through numerous crises.
Her…
Ukraine on Wednesday marked the 80th anniversary of the Babi Yar massacre
KYIV, Ukraine
Ukraine on Wednesday marked the 80th anniversary of the Babi Yar massacre, one among the most infamous mass slaughters of world war II.
Babi Yar, a ravine within the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, is where nearly 34,000 Jews…
Russia says it’s in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban
UNITED NATIONS
Russia, China, Pakistan, and also the united states are working together to make sure that Afghanistan’s new Taliban rulers keep their promises, especially to make a genuinely representative government and stop extremism…
Tensions grow as US, allies deepen Indo-Pacific involvement
BANGKOK
With increasingly strong talk in support of Taiwan, a new deal to supply Australia with nuclear submarines, and the launch of a European strategy for greater engagement in the Indo-Pacific, the U.S. and its allies are becoming…
Boris Johnson rides rails to meet Amtrak Joe Biden
WASHINGTON
Oh, the conversations that happen when powerful people meet.
Could the “very special relationship” between the U.S. and the united kingdom become even more secure now that President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Boris…
China, US unveil separate big steps to fight climate change
The two biggest economies and largest carbon polluters in the world announced separate financial attacks on climate change Tuesday.
Chinese President Xi Jinping said his country will no longer fund coal-fired power plants abroad,…
2015 Paris attacks suspect: Deaths of 130 ‘nothing personal’
PARIS
The key defendant within the 2015 Paris attacks trial said Wednesday that the Islamic State network which struck the town was attacking France, which the deaths of 130 people were “nothing personal.”
Wearing all black and…
Spain’s govt steps in to halt record rise in power prices
MADRID
Spain’s government is slashing energy taxes as a part of a package of measures aimed toward driving down household electricity costs, which have surged to record highs in recent months and triggered an outcry.
Prime Minister…
EU climate chief, says energy prices hike should boost transition
BRUSSELS
The European Union’s climate czar said Tuesday the 27-nation bloc should make sure that the foremost vulnerable people won’t pay the heaviest price of the green transition, and pledged measures guaranteeing equal burden-sharing…
Putin to self-isolate due to COVID cases among inner circle
MOSCOW
Russian President Vladimir Putin is going into self-isolation because of coronavirus cases in his inner circle, the Kremlin said Tuesday, adding that he tested negative for COVID-19.
The announcement came in the Kremlin’s…
Climate change could see 200 million move by 2050
BARCELONA, Spain
Climate change could push quite 200 million people to go away their homes within the next three decades and build migration hot spots unless urgent action is taken to scale back global emissions and bridge the…
Donors voice concerns over Taliban rule as UN seeks funds
GENEVA
Western governments and therefore the U.N. human rights chief voiced concerns Monday about the Taliban’s first steps as they establish power in Afghanistan.
The United Nations, meanwhile, hosted a donors conference to beat up…
Italy’s youth on show in Serie A after Ronaldo, Lukaku exits
ROME
The departures of Cristiano Ronaldo and Romelu Lukaku from Serie A should open the way for younger players to shine in a league that has historically relied on veterans.
Moise Kean, who replaced Ronaldo at Juventus, and Giacomo…
Brazil-Argentina qualifier suspended in Covid dispute
SAO PAULO
A World Cup qualifier between Brazil and Argentina was suspended in the midst of turbulent scenes after local health officials strolled onto the contribute on Sunday a bid to eliminate three players who didn't conform to Covid…
1,500 Americans still waiting for Kabul evacuation
WASHINGTON
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday that as many as 1,500 Americans might accomplish its highest priority from Afghanistan, a figure that recommends the U.S. may accomplish its most elevated need for the airlift —…
Partiers protest Belgium virus rules; medics demand support
BRUSSELS
Thousands of protesters angry at pandemic-related restrictions marched to European Union headquarters in Brussels on Saturday and had minor tussles with police over their unauthorized gathering.
The crowd initially assembled…
Global shares advance as investors await US growth data
BEIJING
Global stocks and Wall Street futures rose Wednesday as inflation fears eased and investors looked ahead to U.S. data that are expected to show economic growth accelerating.
London and Frankfurt opened higher. Shanghai, Tokyo…
EU leaders agree to donate 100 million doses of vaccines
BRUSSELS
EU leaders agreed Tuesday to donate at least 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to poorer nations by the end of the year as supplies steadily rise across Europe.
Gathered in Brussels for a two-day summit, the 27 leaders…
German regulator probes Google’s market position, data use
BERLIN
German regulators have launched an investigation into Google’s position in the market, and how the search engine and advertising giant handles user data.
The Federal Cartel Office, or Bundeskartellamt, said Tuesday that it has…
Global stocks mixed after Wall St rebound breaks 3-day slump
BANGKOK
World shares were mixed Friday after a rebound on Wall Street broke a three-day losing streak. Benchmarks rose Friday in Paris, Tokyo and Sydney but fell in London and Shanghai.
Investors were encouraged by the latest U.S.…
China defiant after EU warning over trade agreement
BEIJING
China on Friday rejected European Parliament demands that it lift sanctions against European Union legislators in order to save a trade deal between the two sides.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said the sanctions…
Renewed Violence Over Gaza Despite Ceasefire Moves Gaining Speed
GAZA
Diplomatic moves towards a ceasefire in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict gathered pace on Thursday after U.S. President Joe Biden called for a de-escalation, but Israel threatened to step up strikes on Gaza as Hamas rocket fire…
Global shares gain despite pandemic, inflation fears
TOKYO
Global shares advanced Tuesday as investors snapped up bargains after recent sell-offs spurred by a worsening of the pandemic in some countries.
France’s CAC 40 gained 0.4% in early trading to 6,390.95, while Germany’s DAX…
US Embassy in Moscow temporarily resumes halted services
MOSCOW
The U.S. Embassy in Moscow said Friday it will temporarily resume some of the consular services it had halted earlier due to a Russian ban on hiring local residents.
The embassy said last month that the ban forced it to reduce…
Ex-Maldives president flies to Germany to treat blast wounds
MALE, Maldives
Former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed, who was critically wounded in an explosion, was released from the hospital on Thursday and flown to Germany for further treatment, his family and the hospital said.
Nasheed,…
Scientists race to study variants in India as cases explode
NEW DELHI
A potentially worrisome variant of the coronavirus detected in India may spread more easily. But the country is behind in doing the kind of testing needed to track it and understand it better.
On Monday, the World Health…
Ukraine charges Putin ally Medvedchuk with treason
KYIV, Ukraine
Ukraine has indicted a top opposition figure who is a close ally of Russia’s president with treason and attempts to steal natural resources from Russia-annexed Crimea.
Along with the Tuesday indictment of Viktor…
Beyond vaccines, UNESCO wants more global science shared
PARIS
While the U.S. president is calling for suspending patents on COVID-19 vaccines, experts at UNESCO are quietly working on a more ambitious plan: a new global system for sharing scientific knowledge that would outlast the current…
Mexico: Russia’s Sputnik V shortages mean limited 2nd doses
MEXICO CITY
Russian authorities have been having so many problems producing second doses of their Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine that Russia probably will be unable to supply enough to people who already got the first dose, Mexican…
Russian school shooting in Kazan kills 7 students, 1 teacher
MOSCOW
A gunman attacked a school Tuesday morning in the Russian city of Kazan, killing eight people — seven eighth-grade students and a teacher — and leaving 21 others hospitalized with wounds, Russian officials said.
Russian media…
Pipeline officials hope most service will be back by weekend
WASHINGTON
Hit by a cyberattack, the operator of a major U.S. fuel pipeline said it hopes to have services mostly restored by the end of the week as the FBI and administration officials identified the culprits as a gang of criminal…
French demonstrators demand more action on climate change
PARIS
Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Paris and other French cities on Sunday to call for more ambitious measures in the fight against climate change.
The nationwide protests come after the lower house of parliament…
EU, India try again to clinch trade deal, sidelining China
PORTO, Portugal
The European Union and India agreed Saturday to restart negotiations on a bilateral free trade deal, eight years after their first attempt failed and as both sides seek alternatives to China.
Indian Prime Minister…
Talks ‘intensify’ on bringing US back to Iran nuclear deal
VIENNA
World powers held a fourth round of high-level talks Friday in Austria aimed at bringing the United States back into the nuclear deal with Iran, with both sides signaling a willingness to work out the major stumbling blocks.…
Mexico’s Zapatistas to visit Spain 500 years after conquest
ALTAMIRANO, Mexico
The Indigenous rebels of the Zapatista movement said Monday that they are planning to send a delegation by canoes on a trip to “invade” Spain in May and June as Mexico marks the anniversary of the 1519-1521 Spanish…
Can Asia reinvent global trade?
Bilahari Kausikan
Let’s not believe our own propaganda. Asia reinventing global trade is a superficially attractive but problematic proposition. It assumes there once was a free international economy open to reinvention. It assumes there…
Russian authorities suspend operations of Navalny’s offices
MOSCOW
Russian authorities on Monday ordered the offices of imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny to suspend their activities pending a court ruling on whether they should be outlawed as an extremist group.
The injunction from…
Turkey summons US ambassador over genocide announcement
ISTANBUL
Turkey’s foreign ministry has summoned the U.S. ambassador in Ankara to protest the U.S. decision to mark the deportation and killing of Armenians during the Ottoman Empire as “genocide.”
Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal…
Worries grow about Indonesian sub’s crew as oxygen dwindles
JAKARTA, Indonesia
Rescuers continued an urgent search Friday for an Indonesian submarine that disappeared two days ago and has less than a day’s supply of oxygen left for its 53 crew.
The KRI Nanggala 402 went missing after its last…
France to impose entry restrictions on travelers from India
PARIS
France will impose new entry restrictions on travelers from India to fight a contagious coronavirus variant spreading in that country, an official said Wednesday.
The restrictions come in addition to those previously announced…
Germany vows to boost cycling as part of climate effort
BERLIN
Germany, home to the Autobahn and a powerful motor industry, wants its citizens to spend less time driving and more time cycling to help save the planet.
The government on Wednesday agreed a new national cycling strategy to…
US-backed Afghan peace meeting postponed, as Taliban balk
KABUL, Afghanistan
Turkey announced early Wednesday that a conference Washington had hoped would move Afghanistan’s warring sides to a final peace agreement was postponed, as fresh violence rattled the Afghan capital.
The postponement…
Monkey business: 2 dozen monkeys escape German zoo for a day
BERLIN
About two dozen monkeys broke out of a southwestern German zoo and spent the day lolling in the sun near a forest before being recaptured, authorities said Thursday.
The Barbary macaques, commonly known as Barbary apes, escaped…
March food prices at nearly 7-year high: UN body
Building from a 10-month rise, in March world food prices hit their highest monthly average since June 2014, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said Thursday.
The FAO Food Price Index averaged 118.5 points this March, up 2.4…
‘So bad for you’: doctors flee crisis-hit Lebanon
Beirut
US-trained emergency doctor Nour al-Jalbout wanted desperately to serve her fellow Lebanese, but less than two years after returning home she says the country's catastrophes are forcing her to leave.
"I gave everything I had to…
Huawei, controversial in the West, is going strong in the Gulf
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Chinese telecoms giant Huawei is enjoying an extended honeymoon with oil-rich Gulf nations, despite being criticised in the United States and Europe as a potential security threat.
Arab Gulf countries --…
Edging into Christmas Eve, EU and UK near Brexit trade deal
BRUSSELS
European Union and British negotiators inched their way to within touching distance of a trade deal early Thursday, raising hopes a chaotic economic break between the two sides on New Year’s Day could be averted, officials said.…
Lesson not learned: Europe unprepared as 2nd virus wave hits
ROME
Europe’s second wave of coronavirus infections has struck well before flu season even started, with intensive care wards filling up again and bars shutting down. Making matters worse, authorities say, is a widespread case of…
Merkel to meet with German mayors as virus numbers rise
BERLIN
German Chancellor Angela Merkel was meeting Friday with the mayors of the country’s largest cities as Germany’s coronavirus numbers continue to rise, primarily in metropolitan areas.
Merkel was to meet by video conference with…
U.N World Food Program wins Nobel Peace Prize
OSLO, Norway
The United Nations’ World Food Program on Friday won the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize for its efforts to combat hunger and food insecurity around the globe.
The organization provided assistance to almost 100 million people in…
Mali: 3 European hostages, 1 Malian politician freed
BAMAKO, Mali
A prominent Malian politician and three European hostages freed by Islamic extremists in northern Mali this week landed in the country’s capital late Thursday where they held emotional reunions with family members and were…
Large Chinese mitten crab crawls into German woman’s home
BERLIN
Police in southern Germany say a woman got a shock while airing out her home when a 25-centimeter (10-inch) Chinese mitten crab scurried in from the terrace through the open door.
Freiburg police said Thursday that they received a…
EU says that no-deal Brexit becoming ever more likely
BRUSSELS
A top European Union official dealing with the United Kingdom said Tuesday that a cliff-edge rupture between the two without even a basic trade deal by the end of the year is becoming more likely by the day.
European Commission…
German officials express shock over attack on Jewish student
BERLIN
Germany’s justice minister on Monday called an attack on a Jewish student outside a synagogue “a horrible act of violence.”
“The hatred against Jews is a disgrace for our country,” Christine Lambrecht said in a statement. “We have…
EU top official self-isolating after contact with virus case
RUSSELS
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen says she has placed herself in isolation after being in contact with a person infected with the coronavirus.
In a message posted on Twitter Monday, the head of the EU’s executive…
Week of Nobel Prize announcement begins with medicine award
STOCKHOLM
The 2020 Nobel Prizes kick off Monday with the naming of the winner, or winners, in the field of physiology and medicine.
A panel at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm will announce the recipient some time after 11:30 a.m.…
Trump COVID infection thrusts world in uncharted territory
PARIS
News that the world’s most powerful man was infected with the world’s most notorious disease dominated screens large and small, drawing shock, sympathy and some barbs for President Donald Trump.
The outpouring from world leaders and…
Tunisians fleeing economy, not COVID, cause tension in Italy
RAS JEBEL, Tunisia
Once it was just the jobless young men who set off from Tunisia’s rocky northern beaches for Sicily, usually defying their parents in hopes of a better future.
Now Tunisian families, even those with work or seemingly…
Azerbaijan and Armenia brush off suggestion of peace talks
YEREVAN, Armenia
Leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia brushed off the suggestion of peace talks Tuesday, accusing each other of obstructing negotiations over the separatist territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, with dozens killed and injured in…
Armenia, Azerbaijan clash in separatist region for a 2nd day
YEREVAN, Armenia
Armenian and Azerbaijani forces fought over the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh for a second day Monday, with both sides blaming each other for resuming the attacks that reportedly killed and wounded dozens as the…
Worldwide death toll from coronavirus eclipses 1 million
The worldwide death toll from the coronavirus has eclipsed 1 million, nine months into a crisis that has devastated the global economy, tested world leaders’ resolve, pitted science against politics and forced multitudes to change the way…
Uber gets back London license after winning court challenge
LONDON
Uber can keep operating in London after the ride-hailing company won a court appeal on Monday against the refusal by transit regulators to renew its license.
The U.S. company had challenged Transport for London’s decision in late…
Armenia, Azerbaijan keep up deadly fight for disputed region
YEREVAN, Armenia
Armenia and Azerbaijani forces kept fighting Monday over the disputed separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh after hostilities broke out the day before, with both sides blaming each other for resuming the deadly attacks…
UN failures on coronavirus underscore the need for reforms
UNITED NATIONS
The coronavirus that has claimed nearly 1 million lives has underscored the failure of the United Nations to bring countries together to defeat it, prompting renewed calls to reform the world body so that it can meet…
Migrants accuse Greece of pushing them back out to sea
DIKILI, Turkey
Shortly after reaching the Greek island of Lesbos, a group of Afghan migrants say, their hopes for a new life in Europe were cut short when Greek authorities rounded them up, mistreated them, shoved them into life rafts and…
Chinese company says coronavirus vaccine ready by early 2021
BEIJING
A Chinese pharmaceutical company said Thursday the coronavirus vaccine it is developing should be ready by early 2021 for distribution worldwide, including the United States.
Yin Weidong, the CEO of SinoVac, vowed to apply to the…
At UN, China, Russia and US clash over pandemic responses
UNITED NATIONS
The United States butted heads with China and Russia at the United Nations on Thursday over responsibility for the pandemic that has interrupted the world, trading allegations about who mishandled and politicized the virus…
Amnesty: Migrants face ‘vicious cycle of cruelty’ in Libya
CAIRO
Amnesty International said Thursday that thousands of Europe-bound migrants who were intercepted and returned to Libyan shores this year were forcefully disappeared after being taken out of unofficial detention centers run by…
EU says Belarus president’s inauguration will deepen crisis
BRUSSELS
The European Union said Thursday that the swearing in of Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko to a sixth term during a secretive ceremony lacks democratic legitimacy, defies the will of the Belarusian people and will only deepen…
‘Are people to be left to die?’ Vaccine pleas fill UN summit
JOHANNESBURG
If the United Nations was created from the ashes of World War II, what will be born from the global crisis of COVID-19?
Many world leaders at this week’s virtual U.N. summit hope it will be a vaccine made available and…
France wants to require fathers to take parental leave
PARIS
France’s president wants to expand paternity leave to one month — and require fathers to take time off with their newborns.
President Emmanuel Macron announced the plan on Instagram before visiting a child-care facility on…
Key EU states worry South America trade pact may hurt Amazon
BRUSSELS
EU countries remained divided Monday on whether to approve a preliminary free trade deal drafted last year with South American countries because of concerns related to the Amazon deforestation and the respect of European…
Europe scrambles to contain rise in coronavirus cases
BERLIN
Political pressure grew Monday in Europe for governments to tackle the rising number of coronavirus case without resorting to a spring-style lockdown that would hit the continent’s struggling economies.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro…
Pandemic retools diplomacy as world leaders gather virtually
UNITED NATIONS
With COVID-19 still careening across the planet, the annual gathering of its leaders in New York will be replaced this year by a global patchwork of prerecorded speeches, another piece of upheaval in a deeply divided world…
Germany plans reform to avoid bankruptcy wave due to corona
BERLIN
Germany would relax insolvency rules under proposals set out on Saturday to help avert a wave of bankruptcies in Europe’s biggest economy, provided companies hit by the coronavirus crisis have a robust business model.
Keen to…
German hospital hacked, patient taken to another city dies
BERLIN
German authorities said Thursday that an apparently misdirected ransomware attack caused the failure of IT systems at a major hospital in Duesseldorf, and a woman who needed urgent admission died after she had to be taken to another…
Belarus president closes some borders, puts army on alert
KYIV, Ukraine
Belarus’ president, beleaguered by six weeks of mass protests demanding his resignation, on Thursday announced he was putting troops on high alert and closing the country’s borders with Poland and Lithuania.
President…
Are Asian hornet dangerous?
A venomous Asian hornet has been spotted in Hampshire just month after experts predicted a plague of the pests.
The hornet, also referred to as yellow-legged owing to legs that transition from brown to yellow at the ends, are capable of…
Wildfire smoke brings haze, vivid sunsets to East Coast
The smoke from dozens of wildfires in the western United States is stretching clear across the country — and even pushing into Mexico, Canada and Europe. While the dangerous plumes are forcing people inside along the West Coast, residents…
EU chief says UK cannot change EU-UK withdrawal agreement
BRUSSELS
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Wednesday that the United Kingdom cannot unilaterally change the EU-UK bilateral withdrawal agreement without destroying global trust in the country.
Insisting that…
Asian shares mostly higher after Wall Street gains
Shares were mostly higher in Asia on Wednesday after advances for big technology companies carried Wall Street to further gains overnight.
Benchmarks rose modestly in Tokyo, Hong Kong and Seoul but the Shanghai Composite index was almost…
Global stocks rise on improved Chinese, German data
BEIJING
Global stock markets mostly rose on Tuesday as economic data in China and Germany improved and investors looked ahead to a policy meeting by the U.S. Federal Reserve.
Shares in major European and Asian markets rose though…
Greece seeks EU help to run migrant camps after major fire
KARA TEPE, Greece
Greece has called on the European Union to jointly run new refugee camps being built on its eastern islands as part of a planned overhaul of the country’s migration policy.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis…
Merkel leads EU talks with China looking to ease tensions
BRUSSELS
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, top European Union officials and Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks Monday focused on trade, trying to reinvigorate slow-moving discussions on an investment agreement and building trust to…
Germany: Foreign labs confirm Navalny poisoned with Novichok
BERLIN
Specialist labs in France and Sweden have confirmed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was poisoned with the Soviet-era nerve agent Novichok, the German government said Monday.
A German military laboratory previously…
Europe tests gateway for tracing apps to work across borders
BERLIN
Six European Union countries and the bloc’s executive Commission have begun testing a virtual “gateway” to ensure national coronavirus tracing apps can work across borders.
The trial starting Monday will allow national computer…
Belarus leader visits Russia to secure support amid protests
MOSCOW
Belarus’ authoritarian president visited Russia Monday in a bid to secure more loans and political support, as demonstrations against the extension of his 26-year rule entered their sixth week.
Alexander Lukashenko’s talks with…
Berlusconi released from COVID hospitalization
MILAN
Italy’s former Premier Silvio Berlusconi has been released from the hospital after a 10-day stay with COVID-19 and pneumonia, saying he had never feared as much for his life as from this “insidious” disease.
Wearing a suit and…
10,000 women march to demand that Belarus president resign
KYIV, Ukraine
About 10,000 women marched noisily through the Belarusian capital on Saturday, beating pots and pans and shouting for the resignation of the country’s authoritarian president in the 35th consecutive day of large…
Greece: Homeless migrants will be housed ‘in coming days’
LESBOS, Greece
Greek authorities said Sunday that some 12,000 migrants and asylum-seekers left without shelter after fires gutted an overcrowded refugee camp on the island of Lesbos will be moved to a new army-built tent city “in the…
Thousands sleep in open after Greek refugee camp burns down
MYTILENE, Greece
Thousands of refugees and migrants have spent a third night in the open on the Greek island of Lesbos after two successive nights of fires in the notoriously overcrowded Moria camp left them homeless.
Some awoke…
COVID beds fill up as virus pressure builds in Marseille
MARSEILLE, France
All five intensive care beds dedicated to COVID patients are in use at the Laveran Military Training Hospital in Marseille, and its doctors are bracing for more.
It’s a small ward in a mid-sized hospital, but what’s…
India adds 5 French-made fighter jets in military upgrade
NEW DELHI
The Indian air force inducted into service five French-made Rafale fighter jets Thursday amid heightened tensions with China along their disputed frontier.
New Delhi has sent reinforcements of fighter jets and military…
Global stocks mixed after Wall Street rebounds from slump
BEIJING
Global stock markets were mixed Thursday after Wall Street rebounded from a three-day slump for tech stocks.
London opened lower while Tokyo and Frankfurt advanced. Shanghai and Paris declined.
U.S. futures were lower after…
EU: Britain must respect Brexit deal down to the letter
BRUSSELS
The European Union warned Britain on Wednesday that even the most minor breach of the Brexit withdrawal treaty would undermine what little trust is left between the two sides in already fragile trade talks.
“Breaking…
Experts: Libya rivals UAE, Russia, Turkey violate UN embargo
UNITED NATIONS
The warring parties in Libya and their international backers — the United Arab Emirates, Russia and Jordan vs Turkey and Qatar — violated a U.N. arms embargo on the oil-rich north African country that remains “totally…
EU names Dombrovskis as its new trade chief
BRUSSELS
The European Union’s executive commission is proposing its experienced Latvian vice president, Valdis Dombrovskis, to take over the post as trade chief of the bloc following the resignation of Ireland’s Phil Hogan.…
Stocks push higher in Europe, US trading closed for holiday
BEIJING
European stocks rose on Monday after a mixed close in Asia, while Wall Street was set to remain closed for Labor Day after turning in its biggest weekly decline in more than two months.
Investors have been encouraged by hopes…
NATO agrees nerve agent used to try to kill Russia’s Navalny
BRUSSELS
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Friday condemned the “appalling assassination attempt” on Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny and called on Moscow to answer questions about the poisoning to international…
Russia publishes virus vaccine results, weeks after approval
MOSCOW
Russian scientists have belatedly published first results from early trials into the experimental Sputnik V vaccine, which received government approval last month but drew considerable criticism from experts, as the shots had only…
Germany says Soviet-era nerve agent used on Russia’s Navalny
BERLIN
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was poisoned with the same type of Soviet-era nerve agent used in a 2018 attack on a former Russian spy, the German government said Wednesday, provoking outrage from Western leaders who…
Eurozone unemployment spike held down by support schemes
FRANKFURT, Germany
The unemployment rate across the 19 countries that use the euro currency rose modestly to 7.9% in July, official figures showed Tuesday. The number of people losing their jobs has been held down by temporary government…
Venice reclaims spotlight as 1st COVID-era film fest opens
ROME
Venice is reclaiming its place as a top cultural destination with the opening of the Venice Film Festival — the first major in-person cinema showcase of the coronavirus era after Cannes canceled and other international festivals opted…
Wildfire forces over 3,100 to evacuate in Spain’s Andalusia
BARCELONA, Spain
An out-of-control wildfire is raging in Spain’s southern region of Andalusia, forcing more than 3,100 people to evacuate, authorities said Sunday.
The blaze broke out Thursday in the mountains near the town of Almonaster…
Italy acts to reduce migrant overcrowding on Lampedusa
ROME
Italian officials hastily chartered more ferries Sunday and put other measures into place to fight severe overcrowding at migrant centers on the tiny island of Lampedusa, where the arrival of 450 migrants on a rickety fishing boat…
China’s top diplomat dismisses European rights concerns
PARIS
China’s foreign minister defended detention camps in Xinjiang and Hong Kong’s new security law on Sunday, brushing off human rights concerns by European countries and cautioning against interference in Chinese affairs.
Foreign…
Russia blames US for military vehicles’ collision in Syria
MOSCOW
The Russian military on Thursday blamed U.S. troops for a collision of Russian and U.S. military vehicles in Syria’s northeast.
U.S. officials said Wednesday that a Russian vehicle sideswiped a light-armored U.S. military vehicle,…
Germany to end mandatory tests for travelers, bans protests
BERLIN
Germany will end mandatory coronavirus tests for travelers returning from high-risk areas abroad and again focus its testing strategy on people with symptoms or possible exposure to COVID-19 patients, the country’s health minister…
Russia’s Navalny in coma, allegedly poisoned by toxic tea
MOSCOW
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, one of Vladimir Putin’s fiercest critics, lay in a coma Friday at a Siberian hospital, the victim of what his allies said appeared to be a poisoning engineered by the Kremlin.
Navalny’s…
US demands restoration of UN sanctions against Iran
UNITED NATIONS
The Trump administration on Thursday formally notified the United Nations of its demand for all U.N. sanctions on Iran to be restored, setting off an immediate confrontation with Russia and other Security Council members,…
Berlin security services: Highway attacker wasn’t on radar
BERLIN
German authorities said Thursday that a 30-year-old man accused of deliberately driving his car into other vehicles along a major Berlin highway wasn’t previously on the security services’ radar.
The Iraqi citizen crashed into a…
Belarusian ambassador resigns after supporting protesters
MINSK, Belarus
The Belarusian ambassador to Slovakia, who supported protesters rallying against his country’s authoritarian president, said Tuesday he has handed in his resignation, a move indicating growing dissent at a high level of…
German police conduct raids linked to illegal gambling
BERLIN
Hundreds of police officers searched shisha bars, tea houses and illegal gambling halls across western Germany early Sunday.
The officers confiscated 34,000 euros (around $40,000) in cash, 19 gambling machines and three kilograms…
Italy garbage dips with virus lockdowns, but plastics rise
ROME
Italy produced 10% less garbage during its coronavirus lockdown, but environmentalists warn that increased reliance on disposable masks and packaging is imperiling efforts to curb single-use plastics that end up in oceans and seas.…
Pompeo, in Slovenia, pushes 5G security, warns about China
BLED, Slovenia
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in Slovenia making the case for high-speed wireless networks that bar Chinese companies like Huawei.
On the second leg of a four-nation tour of central and eastern Europe, Pompeo met…
Pompeo opens anti-China, anti-Russia tour in Czech Republic
PRAGUE
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the Czech Republic at the start of a four-nation tour of central and eastern Europe expected to focus on threats to the region posed by Russia and China.
Amid post-election violence and…
Russia clears virus vaccine despite scientific skepticism
MOSCOW
Russia on Tuesday became the first country to clear a coronavirus vaccine and declare it ready for use, despite international skepticism. President Vladimir Putin said that one of his daughters has already been inoculated.
Putin…
Police break up protests after Belarus presidential vote
MINSK, Belarus
Phalanxes of Belarusian police in full riot gear violently dispersed thousands of demonstrators who poured into the streets to challenge the early count from Sunday’s presidential election indicating the longtime…
Lebanese vent fury at leaders over blast as Macron visits
BEIRUT
Residents of Beirut vented their fury at Lebanon’s leaders Thursday during a visit by French President Emmanuel Macron, blaming them for the deadly explosion that ravaged the capital. Shouting, “Revolution!” they crowded around the…
Surge in German factory orders bolsters hope for recovery
BERLIN
German factory orders surged in June, according to figures released Thursday, giving hope that Europe’s largest economy is on track for a recovery from declines suffered from the coronavirus pandemic lockdown earlier in the year.…
Siemens Healthineers to buy US cancer care firm Varian
BERLIN
Germany-based Siemens Healthineers said Sunday it will buy U.S. cancer therapy and research company Varian in a deal worth around $16.4 billion.
Siemens Healthineers, in which industrial conglomerate Siemens holds a majority stake,…
A virus cluster in France splits generations, raises fears
PARIS
As the sun went down, their partying got into full flow, with an unwanted guest: the coronavirus.
An outbreak among 18- to 25-year-olds at a seaside resort on the Brittany coast is crystallizing fears that the virus is flaring again…
Airbus plane deliveries halved as airlines scrounge for cash
PARIS
European plane maker Airbus saw its deliveries halve during the first six months of the year as travel collapsed during the pandemic and airlines scrounged for cash.
The company, based in France, said Thursday that its deliveries…
US jabs Russia over claim of spreading virus disinformation
MOSCOW
U.S. officials say Russian intelligence officers are spreading disinformation about the coronavirus pandemic through English-language websites, trying to exploit a crisis that America is struggling to contain before the presidential…
US-China spats rattle world, prompting calls for unity
BEIJING
Antagonisms between the U.S. and China are rattling governments around the world, prompting a German official to warn of “Cold War 2.0” and Kenya’s president to appeal for unity to fight the coronavirus pandemic.
Global trade…
Virus-linked hunger tied to 10,000 child deaths each month
HOUNDE, Burkina Faso
The lean season is coming for Burkina Faso’s children. And this time, the long wait for the harvest is bringing a hunger more ferocious than most have ever known.
That hunger is already stalking Haboue Solange Boue,…
Virus vaccine put to final test in thousands of volunteers
The world’s biggest COVID-19 vaccine study got underway Monday with the first of 30,000 planned volunteers helping to test shots created by the U.S. government -- one of several candidates in the final stretch of the global vaccine race.…
German economic outlook brighter for 3rd month post-shutdown
FRANKFURT, Germany
An important indicator of the German business outlook rose in July for the third month in a row as economic activity continues to pick up after many of the coronoavirus restrictions were eased or lifted.
The Ifo…
Spain takes aim at nightclubs and beaches as virus rebounds
BARCELONA, Spain
Nightclubs, bars and beaches — some of Spain’s most beloved summer venues — are facing new lockdown restrictions after turning into coronavirus hot spots, and some European nations are warning citizens not to visit the…
Massive protest against governor’s arrest challenges Kremlin
KHABAROVSK, Russia
Tens of thousands of people marched Saturday across the Russian city of Khabarovsk on the border with China to protest the arrest of the regional governor on murder charges, continuing a wave of protests that has lasted…
Stocks climb on Wall Street after Europe agrees on virus aid
Energy companies and banks are leading stocks broadly higher on Wall Street in early trading Tuesday, extending the market’s recent run of gains.
The S&P 500 was up 0.6%. The gains followed strength in markets overseas as investors…
Stimulus package breaks new ground in European unity
FRANKFURT, Germany
European leaders took a historic step towards sharing financial burdens among the EU’s 27 countries by agreeing to borrow and spend together to pull the economy out of the deep recession caused by the virus outbreak.…
Report: UK officials ‘avoided’ looking into Russian meddling
LONDON
A long-awaited report published Tuesday on Russian influence in British politics criticized the British government for its slow response to Russian interference in the 2016 Brexit referendum, with its authors saying it was…
Asian shares fall as investors eye EU meeting on pandemic
TOKYO
Asian shares were mostly lower Monday as investors cautiously eyed the summit of European leaders discussing the pandemic crisis and coronavirus cases continued to soar in the U.S.
Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 lost 0.4% in early…
Virus rebounds around the world, deaths top 600,000
BERLIN
The coronavirus pandemic has found fresh legs around the world, as confirmed deaths pass 600,000 and countries from the U.S. to South Africa to India struggle to contain a surge of new infections. Hong Kong issued tougher new rules…
Breathtaking virus numbers show normal life still far away
JOHANNESBURG
South Africa was poised on Saturday to join the top five countries most affected by the coronavirus, while breathtaking numbers around the world were a reminder a return to normal life is still far from sight.
Confirmed virus…
EU leaders resume ‘grumpy’ summit on budget, virus fund
BRUSSELS
European Union leaders were hunting for compromises Saturday as a summit to reach a deal on an unprecedented 1.85 trillion euro ($2.1 trillion) EU budget and coronavirus recovery fund entered its second day with tensions running…
Wall Street drifts lower as markets worldwide retreat
NEW YORK
Wall Street is drifting lower Thursday after mixed reports on the economy highlighted its uncertain path, including one showing that layoffs continue at a stubbornly steady pace.
The S&P 500 was 0.6% lower in morning trading,…
UK-China ties freeze with debate over Huawei, Hong Kong
LONDON
Only five years ago, then-British Prime Minister David Cameron was celebrating a “golden era” in U.K.-China relations, bonding with President Xi Jinping over a pint of beer at the pub and signing off on trade deals worth billions.…
Poland faces momentous choice in tight presidential runoff
WARSAW, Poland
Voters in Poland on Sunday will decide a tight runoff election between populist incumbent President Andrzej Duda and his liberal pro-European Union challenger, Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski.
Recent opinion polls show a…
Russia and West in showdown over aid to Syria’s rebel area
UNITED NATIONS
Russia and the West are in a showdown over continuing the delivery of humanitarian aid to Syria’s mainly rebel-held northwest after the current U.N. mandate expires on Friday.
Germany and Belgium on Thursday called for a…
Global stocks mixed after Wall St slips on economy worries
BEIJING
European stock markets opened higher Friday while Asian prices followed Wall Street lower on worries economic recoveries might fade as coronavirus cases increase in the United States and some other countries.
London and Frankfurt…
France urges Netanyahu not to annex parts of West Bank
PARIS
French President Emmanuel Macron is urging Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to annex Palestinian territory in the West Bank, warning that it would violate international law and threaten long-term peace efforts.
The two…
Asian shares mixed as pandemic saps buying momentum
TOKYO
Shares were mixed in Asia on Wednesday as uncertainty over the pandemic sapped the buying enthusiasm that has been driving prices higher.
The selling followed a deeper pullback on Wall Street and in France, Germany and elsewhere…
Serbs storm parliament after virus lockdown announced
BELGRADE, Serbia
Thousands of protesters fought running battles with police and tried to storm the parliament building in Belgrade on Tuesday after the Serbian president announced that a coronavirus lockdown will be reintroduced in the…
Coronavirus slams Poland’s already-troubled coal industry
WARSAW, Poland
The coronavirus has ripped through Poland’s coal mines, where men descend deep underground in tightly packed elevators and work shoulder-to-shoulder to extract the source of 75% of the nation’s electrical power.
Of Poland’s…
“Mona Lisa” back at work, visitors limited as Louvre reopens
PARIS
The “Mona Lisa” is back in business.
Paris’ Louvre Museum, which houses the world’s most famous portrait, reopened Monday after a four-month coronavirus lockdown and without its usual huge throngs.
The reopening of the world’s…
France-Turkey spat over Libya arms exposes NATO’s limits
BRUSSELS
The festering dispute between France and Turkey over a naval standoff in the Mediterranean Sea has shone a glaring searchlight on NATO’s struggle to keep order among its ranks and exposed weaknesses in a military alliance that can…
Merkel says ‘every day counts’ in passing EU recovery fund
BERLIN
German Chancellor Angela Merkel pushed Friday for a quick agreement on a recovery fund aimed at pulling the European Union out of the coronavirus recession, arguing that “every day counts.”
Germany, which has the EU’s biggest…
Germany finalizing plan to phase out coal energy
BERLIN
Germany’s parliament was preparing Friday to pass new legislation finalizing the country’s long-awaited phase-out of coal as an energy source, over objections from environmental groups the plan is not ambitious enough.
Both houses…
Russia denies supplying weapons to Afghanistan’s Taliban
MOSCOW
Russia’s Foreign Ministry said Thursday that Moscow has never delivered weapons to the Taliban movement in Afghanistan, countering U.S. allegations.
Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova rejected the claim by U.S. Secretary of State…
Serbia virus spike brings stricter measures
BELGRADE, Serbia
Serbia has recorded the highest spike of coronavirus cases since mid-April as authorities mull the reintroduction of a lockdown.
Authorities announced 359 confirmed cases and six deaths in the last 24 hours, with 80% in…
European jobless rise contained by government help
FRANKFURT, Germany
The unemployment rate in the 19 countries that use the euro currency inched higher to 7.4 % in May from 7.3% in April as governments used active labor market support programs to cushion the impact of the virus outbreak…
Wirecard headquarters raided in probe of accounting scandal
BERLIN
Investigators searched the headquarters of German payment systems provider Wirecard and four other locations Wednesday as part of their probe of an accounting scandal that led to the arrest of the company’s longtime CEO and forced…
German jobless rate edges up in June, millions in furlough
BERLIN
Germany’s unemployment rate ticked higher in June, official figures showed Wednesday, but the rise was slower than in the previous two months and extensive use of a government-backed short-time work program kept job losses down.…
Global markets steady as investors gauge length of recovery
TOKYO
World stock markets were steady on Tuesday as investors weighed evidence of an economic recovery against a rise in reported coronavirus contagions in some countries.
Markets were buoyed somewhat by stronger than expected…
Putin a step away from goal as constitutional vote nears end
MOSCOW
Russian President Vladimir Putin is just a step away from completing his main political project of the year — constitutional changes that would allow him to extend his rule until 2036.
A nationwide plebiscite on the amendments that…
Germany takes EU hot seat with big challenges, expectations
BERLIN
Germany, the European Union’s biggest economic power, is taking over the rotating presidency of the 27-nation bloc amid massive challenges and huge expectations as the continent grapples with the fallout from the coronavirus…
Companies prodded to rely less on China, but few respond
BEIJING
The United States, Japan and France are prodding their companies to rely less on China to make the world’s smartphones, drugs and other products. But even after the coronavirus derailed trade, few want to leave China’s skilled…
EU prolongs sanctions against Russia over Ukraine conflict
BRUSSELS
The European Union on Monday prolonged economic sanctions against Russia for six months for failing to live up to its commitments to the peace agreement in Ukraine.
The measures target Russia’s financial, energy and defense…
Dutch minister throws carrier KLM 3.4 billion euro lifeline
THE HAGUE, Netherlands
The Dutch government announced Friday that it will throw national carrier KLM a 3.4 billion-euro ($3.81 billion) lifeline to help the airline survive the aviation slump caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Finance…
VIRUS DIARY: `Across the pond’ becomes an Atlantic chasm
SHEILA NORMAN-CULP
LONDON
“Across the pond …”
The arch phrase describing the Atlantic Ocean has long been an inside joke for those who regularly hopscotched over its untamed expanse. It implied that an ocean known for dashing helpless…
Putin hails Nazi defeat in virus-delayed Red Square parade
MOSCOW
Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed the defeat of Nazi Germany at the traditional massive Red Square military parade in Moscow, which was delayed by more than a month because of the invisible enemy of coronavirus.
The parade is…
Journalists accused of revealing secrets on trial in Turkey
ISTANBUL
Seven journalists went on trial on Wednesday, accused of revealing state secrets for their reports on the funeral of an intelligence officer who was killed in Libya.
The journalists from Odatv news website, the pro-Kurdish…
UN evaluates reports of record Arctic heat in Siberia
GENEVA
The U.N. weather agency is investigating media reports suggesting a new record high temperature of over 38 degrees Celsius (100.4 degrees Fahrenheit) in the Arctic Circle amid a heatwave and prolonged wildfires in eastern Siberia.…
Virus numbers surge globally as many nations ease lockdowns
WELLINGTON, New Zealand
The number of global coronavirus cases continued to surge Tuesday in many large countries that have been lifting lockdowns, including the U.S., even as new infections stabilized or dropped in parts of Western…
Putin uses World War II parade to boost support before vote
MOSCOW
A massive Russian military parade postponed by the coronavirus pandemic will roll through Red Square this week to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe, even though Russia is still registering a steady…
Asian shares advance, tracking Wall Street tech rally
TOKYO
Asian shares were mostly higher on Tuesday, recovering from some early losses as regional markets tracked a late rally on Wall Street led by technology shares.
Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 surged 0.8% to 22,621.84. Hong Kong’s Hang…
Ruling populists look set to win Serbia vote amid pandemic
BELGRADE, Serbia
Serbia’s ruling populists are set to tighten their hold on power in a Sunday parliamentary election held amid concerns over the spread of the coronavirus in the Balkan country and a partial boycott by the opposition.…
Solidarity or frugality? EU leaders discuss coronavirus plan
BRUSSELS
As they brace for the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, leaders of the European Union’s 27 member states started discussing the bloc’s future long-term budget and a multibillion-euro post-coronavirus recovery…
Union calls out ‘sick system’ after slaughterhouse outbreak
BERLIN
A German labor union called Thursday for an end to the practice of using subcontractors in Germany’s meat industry, after a fresh outbreak of COVID-19 sickened hundreds at one of the country’s biggest slaughterhouses.
Authorities…
Kremlin installs special antiseptic tunnels to protect Putin
MOSCOW
The Russian government built special tunnels to protect President Vladimir Putin from the coronavirus at home and at work, Putin’s spokesman said Wednesday.
Reports about tunnels where anyone passing through gets sprayed with…
France sentences Syrian leader’s uncle for money laundering
PARIS
An uncle of Syrian President Bashar Assad was sentenced to four years in prison in France on Wednesday for illegally using Syrian state funds to build a French real estate empire.
The anti-corruption groups that launched the legal…
Germany’s Lufthansa seeks to shore up support for rescue
BERLIN
Germany’s Lufthansa is warning that a 9 billion-euro ($10.2 billion) rescue package for the airline group could be in danger because of criticism from a major shareholder. It urged shareholders on Wednesday to show up to a special…
EU seeks to rein in competition from foreign rivals
BRUSSELS
The European Union unveiled plans Wednesday to fight unfair competition from foreign companies backed by powerful non-EU trade rivals amid China’s growing influence in the bloc’s single market.
With its project, the EU’s…
UN atomic watchdog head calls for more access in Iran
BERLIN
The head of the United Nations’ atomic watchdog agency reiterated Monday that Iran must provide inspectors access to sites where the country is thought to have stored or used undeclared nuclear material.
International Atomic Energy…
What virus? Parisians pack cafes as city gets its magic back
PARIS
Paris is rediscovering its joie de vivre, as cafes and restaurants reopen for the first time since the fast-spreading coronavirus forced them to close their doors on March 14.
Many customers seemed to shrug off masks and social…
Germany to take stake in company working on virus vaccine
BERLIN
The German government said Monday it is taking a 23% stake in CureVac, a German company working on a potential vaccine for the coronavirus, underlining its determination to keep key industries in the country.
The state-owned KfW…
EU’s haphazard route to post-lockdown border reopenings
Vienna, Austria
As European countries emerge from their coronavirus lockdowns and lift travel restrictions to revive their tourist industries, the EU has been aiming to coordinate the border reopening among its 27 members.
The bloc…
UN chief shocked at Libya mass graves in recently freed town
UNITED NATIONS
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed deep shock late Friday at the discovery of mass graves in Libyan territory recently recaptured from forces commanded by Khalifa Hifter, and called for a transparent…
France has millions of unsold face masks after virus crisis
PARIS
The French praised the altruism of their prized textile and luxury goods companies when production facilities got diverted from churning out the latest fashions to making cloth masks designed to protect the general public from the…
International Criminal Court condemns US sanctions order
THE HAGUE, Netherlands
The International Criminal Court has condemned the Trump administration’s decision to authorize sanctions against court staff, saying it amounted to “an unacceptable attempt to interfere with the rule of law and the…
German Cabinet clears way for temporary sales tax cut
BERLIN
Germany’s Cabinet has approved a temporary cut in value-added tax starting next month in a bid to boost consumer demand in Europe’s biggest economy, a centerpiece of the country’s 130 billion-euro ($148 billion) stimulus package.…
Prosecutors question Italy’s Conte over slow virus lockdowns
ROME
Prosecutors went to question Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte on Friday about the lack of a coronavirus lockdown on two towns in northern Italy’s Lombardy region that became one of the hardest-hit areas of the country’s outbreak.…
UK economy shrinks 20% in a month to fall back to 2002 level
LONDON
The British economy has seen nearly two decades worth of growth wiped out as a result of the lockdown measures put in place during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Office for National Statistics said Friday that the economy shrank by…
Historical figures reassessed around globe after Floyd death
The rapidly unfolding movement to pull down Confederate monuments around the U.S. in the wake of George Floyd’s death at the hands of police has extended to statues of slave traders, imperialists, conquerors and explorers around the world,…
Norwegian man gets 21 years for slaying, mosque attack
COPENHAGEN, Denmark
A white nationalist Norwegian man who killed his stepsister and then stormed an Oslo mosque and opened fire, hitting no one, was found guilty Thursday and sentenced to 21 years in prison, the longest jail term under…
EU wants tech giants to do more to counter virus fake news
BRUSSELS
A senior European Union official warned online platforms like Google and Facebook on Wednesday to step up the fight against fake news coming notably from countries like China and Russia, but she praised the approach of Twitter for…
Venezuela, Minneapolis, Iran, Europe – Trump’s Last Gasps of Collapsing World Control. Or Is It?
Peter Koenig
There comes a time when shooting around in circles just hits walls, bullets splinter off sidewalks, and shatter a window here and there. But people are in safety. They watch from a distance and with self-assurance.
Venezuela…
German exports down nearly a quarter in April as virus hits
BERLIN
German exports plunged by nearly a quarter in April compared with the previous month as coronavirus shutdowns dragged down demand, official data showed Tuesday.
The figures from the Federal Statistical Office followed data showing…
France announces $16.9 billion in aid to aviation industry
PARIS
France’s government announced 15 billion euros ($16.9 billion) in rescue money on Tuesday for the pandemic-battered aerospace industry, including plane maker Airbus and national airline Air France.
The ministers of finance,…
German far-right party wins court case against minister
BERLIN
Germany’s top security official violated the rights of a far-right party by posting remarks criticizing it on his ministry’s website, the country’s highest court ruled Tuesday.
The Alternative for Germany party, known as AfD, whose…
World shares mixed on uncertainty over stimulus, pandemic
TOKYO
Shares opened lower in Europe on Tuesday after a day of gains for most Asian markets.
Benchmarks fell in Paris, London and Tokyo on Tuesday and U.S. futures also declined.
Germany reported its exports fell by a quarter in April as…
Asian shares mixed after Nasdaq record as Wall St rallies on
TOKYO
Shares were mixed in Asia on Tuesday after the Nasdaq composite touched a fresh record as enthusiasm about reopening the economy pushed Wall Street still higher.
Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 lost 0.5% to 23,064.75 and South Korea’s…
Virus cases hit seven million as Latin America crisis deepens
Santiago, Chile
The number of coronavirus infections globally topped seven million on Monday as deaths mounted in Latin America, but New Zealand's declaration of victory against the pandemic offered some hope for the rest of the world.…
German industrial production down nearly 18% in April
BERLIN
German industrial production plunged by nearly 18% in April compared with the previous month at the height of Europe’s coronavirus lockdowns, official data showed Monday.
The 17.9% decline reported by the Economy Ministry followed…
Vietnam ratifies significant trade deal with European Union
HANOI, Vietnam
Vietnam on Monday ratified a significant trade deal with the European Union, which is expected to boost the country’s manufacturing sector and exports, as it recovers from a dip caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Lawmakers…
Workers to begin untangling charred metal web on Notre Dame
PARIS
Workers suspended from ropes will be lowered into the charred remains of scaffolding that melted atop Notre Dame when the cathedral went up in flames and begin the delicate job of dismantling the 200 tons of metal.
An announcement…
Russia has 9,000 new virus infections, no letup
MOSCOW
As other nations in Europe report sharply lower new coronavirus cases, Russia has recorded nearly 9,000 new infections over the past day.
The number is roughly in line with those reported over the past week as the spread of the…
COVID-19 pandemic: Sweden’s economy takes a dive despite no lockdown
The Swedish economy has taken a hit despite the country imposing no coronavirus lockdown.
Unlike most countries, Sweden never locked down during the coronavirus pandemic, largely keeping businesses operating, but the economy appears to be…
Global death toll from COVID-19 passes 400,000
LONDON
The worldwide death toll from COVID-19 has surpassed 400,000, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University that health experts say is still an undercount because many who died were not tested for the virus.
The milestone was…
China’s exports and imports fall amid coronavirus woes
BEIJING
China’s exports and imports both fell in May as the coronavirus and trade tensions with the U.S. weighed on demand at home and abroad.
Exports fell 3.3% compared to a year earlier to $206.8 billion and imports dropped 16.7% to…
Protests support Floyd, Black Lives Matter on 3 continents
BERLIN
Tens of thousands of people gathered Saturday in cities far from the United States to express their anger over the death of George Floyd, a sign that the Black Lives Matter movement against police brutality is resonating with wider…
The loneliest of D-Day remembrances is hit by pandemic
COLLEVILLE-SUR-MER, France
At daybreak on Saturday, Charles Shay stood lonesome without any fellow veteran on the very same beach where he waded ashore 76 years ago, part of one of the most epic battles in military historic that came to be…
George Floyd’s death an American tragedy with global echoes
LONDON
When black men died at the hands of U.S. police in recent years, the news made international headlines. The name of George Floyd has reached the world’s streets.
Since his death while being detained by Minneapolis police last week,…
Venice flooded by unusual high tide, 3rd highest for June
ROME
A quarter of Venice has been submerged by a near-record high tide for June, a time of year when such flooding is rare.
The water level in Italy’s lagoon city reached 116 centimeters (3 feet, 9.7 inches) late Thursday, the…
Asian shares higher after jobless data snaps Wall St rally
Shares were mostly higher in Asia on Friday after U.S. unemployment data gave the S&P 500 its first loss in five days.
Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 index gained 0.4% to 22,790.65 after opening lower. The Hang Seng in Hong Kong edged 0.1% higher,…
European Central Bank nearly doubles pandemic support scheme
FRANKFURT, Germany
The European Central Bank has boosted its pandemic emergency support program by 600 billion euros to 1.35 trillion euros ($1.5 trillion) in an effort to keep affordable credit flowing to the economy during the steep…
No crowds delight art lovers in Italy at reopened museums
FLORENCE, Italy
The Uffizi Galleries, the most-visited museum in Italy, is open after three months of COVID-19 lockdown, delighting art lovers who don’t have to jostle with throngs of tourists thanks to new social distancing rules.
Uffizi…
Tensions mar Paris protest as Floyd outrage goes global
PARIS
Tear gas choked Paris streets as riot police faced off with protesters setting fires Tuesday amid growing global outrage over George Floyd’s death in the United States, racial injustice and heavy-handed police tactics around the…
VIRUS DIARY: Sweden stayed open. I stayed at home.
PHELAN CHATTERJEE
STOCKHOLM
Early April.
A buzz of my phone. “Free for a walk?” asks a friend. Another notification. “Coffee on Wednesday?” “Come for drinks!”
I’m at a loss. I’m working remotely from Stockholm, out of the London office.…
Parisians return to cafes; Latin America sees virus surge
PARIS
Parisians returned to the City of Light’s beloved sidewalk cafes as lockdown restrictions eased Tuesday, but health experts expressed deep concerns as several Latin American countries opted to reopen their economies despite a rapid…
Protests spark virus fears in US; South Korea sees new cases
MIAMI
Protests around the U.S. against police brutality have sparked fears of a further spread of the coronavirus, while South Korea is reporting a steady rise in cases around the capital after appearing to bring the outbreak under…
Rome: Demonstrators protest weak response to pandemic
ROME
Hundreds of demonstrators blocked traffic and scuffled with police Saturday in central Rome as they protested against government institutions considered unfit to shield residents from the coronavirus pandemic fallout.
Waving national…
Spectre of oil giant Rosneft looms over Russian independent media
Moscow
Russian oil giant Rosneft, run by a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, is wielding growing influence over Russia's remaining independent media outlets, already squeezed by tightening press freedoms and pressure from the…
EU HR panel slams India for arresting human rights activists
BRUSSELS
The chairperson of the Subcommittee of Human Rights of the European Parliament, in a letter to Indian Home Minister Amit Shah, has condemned the arrest of human rights defenders under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
In…
EU reaffirms support to WHO, urges U.S. to reconsider termination
BRUSSELS
The European Union(EU)'s chief executive and top diplomat said in a statement on Saturday that the bloc continues to support the World Health Organization (WHO) and urges the U.S. to reconsider its termination of ties with the…
$10 billion bailout for Germany’s Lufthansa passes hurdle
BERLIN
German flagship airline Lufthansa agreed Saturday to a compromise worked out between the government and the European Union, overcoming a major hurdle toward final approval of a 9 billion-euro ($10 billion) bailout from Berlin.…
Merkel won’t attend G7 summit in person if US goes ahead
BERLIN
Chancellor Angela Merkel will not personally attend a meeting in the U.S. with the leaders of the world’s major economies if President Donald Trump goes ahead with it, unless the course of the coronavirus spread changes by then, her…
Russia slams US decision to withdraw from WHO
MOSCOW
A Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said Friday that Washington damages international law on cooperation in health after the US terminated its relationship with the World Health Organization (WHO).
Maria Zakharova told the TASS…
Trump takes aim at WHO as US economic outlook worsens
WASHINGTON
With new U.S. economic numbers highlighting the rough road ahead for a hoped-for rebound, President Donald Trump on Friday took aim at the World Health Organization and China, blaming both for their roles in the pandemic’s…
No Eiffel, Mona Lisa or Versailles: Iconic sites stay closed
LE PECQ, France
Hold that smile, Mona Lisa. The Eiffel Tower and the Palace of Versailles will remain off-limits for the immediate future, too.
None of France’s three most iconic tourist sites will reopen when the country lifts most of…
Hello and welcome: Robot waiters to the rescue amid virus
RENESSE, Netherlands
You can always count on a robot for perfect timing.
When Shaosong Hu saw robotic waiters serving food in China last fall, he knew exactly what he wanted for his restaurant in the Dutch beachside town of Renesse. He…
Germany confronts Russian ambassador over cyberattack
BERLIN
Germany said Thursday it is seeking EU sanctions against a Russian man over his alleged role in the hacking of the German parliament at a time when evidence shows he was working for Russian intelligence.
Germany’s Foreign Ministry…
Russia sees highest daily COVID-19 fatalities
MOSCOW
Russia on Thursday reported the highest-ever number of fatalities caused by the novel coronavirus infection, with 174 people claimed over the past day, raising the death toll to 4,142.
But recoveries also outnumbered new cases for…
EU proposes 750 billion-euro coronavirus recovery fund
BRUSSELS
The European Union proposed Wednesday a 750 billion-euro ($825 billion) recovery fund to help countries weather a painful recession triggered by the coronavirus and bridge divisions over the conditions that should be attached for…
Spike in South Korea virus cases shows perils of reopening
SEOUL, South Korea
As Mediterranean beaches and Las Vegas casinos laid out plans to welcome tourists again, South Korea announced a spike in new infections Wednesday and considered reimposing social distancing restrictions, revealing the…
France’s virus tracing app ready to go, parliament to vote
PARIS
French lawmakers were set to vote Wednesday on whether to endorse a contact-tracing app designed to contain the spread of the coronavirus amid sharp debate over privacy concerns.
If approved, France’s StopCovid app will be made…
Serbia bans Montenegro flights amid escalating tensions
BELGRADE, Serbia
Serbian authorities have banned Montenegro’s national carrier from operating flights out of Belgrade after the small nation’s government excluded Serbia from a list of countries with which Montenegro will reopen its…
COVID-19 cases in Russia cross 370,000
MOSCOW
The coronavirus cases in Russia crossed 370,000 on Wednesday, while recoveries continued to outnumber new infections for the second day in a row.
According to the country's emergency task force, 11,079 recoveries were reported over…
European cities are taking advantage of the pandemic to reduce car traffic
It was one of the most immediate consequences of the lockdown: more people stayed inside, fewer cars were on the street, and the air was suddenly cleaner. A report found that in Europe alone this saved 11,000 lives, whereas a study in China…
Serbia criticizes Montenegro for keeping border ban on Serbs
PODGORICA, Montenegro
Montenegro, the first European country to declare itself free of the coronavirus, plans to open its borders to citizens of several European countries except for former ally Serbia — drawing angry reaction Tuesday from…
As the US opens up, infections are still on the rise in many states
The pandemic hit the US later than many countries in Europe, and yet many parts of the US are quicker to reopen than European countries. This might end up being a costly decision, as the number of cases was still growing before the lockdown…
Brussels Airlines to resume flights on downsized summer sked
Struggling Brussels Airlines will restart commercial flights next month with a significantly downsized summer schedule following a 12-week interruption due to the coronavirus.
The company said in a statement Monday it will restart flying…
NASA astronauts go back to the future with capsule launch
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.
It’s back to the future as NASA astronauts launch again from the U.S. — aboard a retro-style “Right Stuff” capsule.
Make no mistake: This is not your father’s — or grandfather’s — capsule.
SpaceX’s Dragon crew…
White House imposes coronavirus travel ban on Brazil
WASHINGTON
President Donald Trump on Sunday further limited travel from the world’s coronavirus hotspots by denying entry to foreigners coming from Brazil, which is second to the U.S. in the number of confirmed cases.
Trump had already…
Migrant shipwrecks off Tunisia leave 1 dead, over 80 rescued
TUNIS, Tunisia
At least one migrant has drowned, six are missing and over 80 have been rescued off Tunisia’s coast, authorities said, amid a new wave of dangerous attempts to traffic migrants across the Mediterranean Sea into Europe.
The…
Top UN official warns malicious emails on rise in pandemic
UNITED NATIONS
The U.N. disarmament chief warned Friday that cyber crime is on the rise, with a 600% increase in malicious emails during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Izumi Nakamitsu told an informal meeting of the U.N. Security Council that…
After weeks of COVID-19 cases, Russian doctor craves quiet
MOSCOW
As he strides down the sidewalk outside Moscow’s Filatov Hospital in blue jeans and garish crimson shoes, Dr. Osman Osmanov shows no signs of the rigors he’s just been through.
But behind the veneer of calm is a yearning for relief…
Record virus infections, deaths are ravaging Latin America
RIO DE JANEIRO
A surging coronavirus is ravaging parts of Latin America, setting records for cases and deaths Friday in some countries in the world’s most unequal region even as the pandemic’s march slows in much of Europe, Asia and the…
Russia disputes with Armenia, Belarus on gas prices
MOSCOW
Russia disagreed Tuesday with Armenia and Belarus about gas transportation prices at a videoconference meeting of Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) presidents.
The meeting was called by Belarusian President Alexandr Lukashenko to…
As US, Europe reopen more, big nations see rising virus toll
WELLINGTON, New Zealand
American car makers are getting back to work and Europe is continuing to reopen. But while new coronavirus cases have been declining in many countries that were initially hit hard by the pandemic, cases are rapidly…
Germany, France propose EU economic recovery fund
BERLIN
The leaders of Germany and France proposed Monday a 500 billion-euro ($543 billion) recovery fund for European economies hit by pandemic.
In a joint statement, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron…
China announces $2 billion in virus help at WHO assembly
GENEVA
China will provide $2 billion over two years to fight the coronavirus pandemic and the economic fallout from it, President Xi Jinping said Monday, rallying around the World Health Organization even as the United States has slashed…
French actor Michel Piccoli, arthouse star, is dead at 94
PARIS
French actor Michel Piccoli, a prolific screen star who appeared in landmark films by directors such as Luis Bunuel - including in his Academy Award winning “The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie” —and Jean-Luc Godard, has died. He…
VIRUS DIARY: Starting a life, as life withdraws around her
ATLANTA
In December, I sat in a Manhattan building booming with shouts of praise and listened intently as a speaker from my church spoke about the end of the decade. A large crowd took in his excitement about the coming year, but in…
European airlines hope to resume flights but outlook is dim
COPENHAGEN, Denmark
European airlines are planning for a return to the skies this summer after being grounded almost completely for weeks over the coronavirus pandemic.
The outlook, however, remains uncertain, with companies forecasting a…
Albanian protesters, police clash over theater demolition
TIRANA, Albania
Albanian police have clashed with opposition supporters who were protesting the demolition of the country’s National Theater building in the capital of Tirana.
Police pulled a group of artists and some opposition leaders…
‘COVID toes,’ other rashes latest possible rare virus signs
Skin doctors suddenly are looking at a lot of toes — whether by emailed picture or video visit — as concern grows that for some people, a sign of COVID-19 may pop up in an unusual spot.
Boston dermatologist Esther Freeman expected to see…
European leaders are blunt: Vaccines won’t come soon enough
SOAVE, Italy
In separate, stark warnings, two major European leaders have bluntly told their citizens that the world needs to adapt to live with the coronavirus and cannot wait to be saved by the development of a vaccine.
The comments by…
Pizzas (and haircuts) back on the menu, but with warnings
VENICE, Italy
Venice geared up to receive tourists, Milan’s pizzerias prepared to open and Australians headed out to eat for the first time in weeks Saturday, but the reopening of restaurants, pubs and cafes came with a warning: Don’t…
China uses trade as weapon to silence virus criticism
WELLINGTON, New Zealand
Trying to silence criticism over the coronavirus pandemic, China is deploying a well-used weapon — trade sanctions.
Beijing has blocked some imports of Australian beef after Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s…
European countries offer more economic relief from pandemic
ROME
European governments promised more relief to their citizens on Thursday as a top U.S. immunologist told Congress that America faces its “darkest winter in modern history” unless leaders act decisively to prevent a rebound of the…
Montenegro: Detentions, injuries in priest arrests clashes
PODGORICA, Montenegro
Montenegrin police said Thursday they have detained “a number of citizens” following clashes at protests demanding the release of eight Serbian Orthodox Church priests jailed for leading a religious procession despite…
Dentists re-open in France after two-month lockdown
PARIS
Anyone who suffered through France’s two-month lockdown with a toothache or other oral affliction of a non-emergency nature has a hope of licking the pain.
Dental practices around the country are cautiously reopening and accepting…
UN health agency chief unbowed amid attacks, Trump criticism
GENEVA
The World Health Organization’s director-general has faced many challenges during the coronavirus pandemic: racial slurs, death threats, social media caricatures — he was once depicted as a ventriloquist’s dummy in the hands of…
New Zealand barber snips away at midnight as nation reopens
WELLINGTON, New Zealand
The raggedy hairstyles and scruffy beards have been there for all to see on video calls, so barber Conrad Fitz-Gerald decided to reopen his shop at midnight Wednesday — the moment New Zealand dropped most of its…
Italy’s South Tyrol invokes autonomy to pry open lockdown
BOLZANO, Italy
The blazing orange letters of fire spelled out a familiar message in Italy’s South Tyrol province, an old call to resistance repurposed for the days of the coronavirus: ’’Los von Rom” and ‘’Freiheit,’’ German for ‘’Away from…
Russia sees new 10,000+ growth in coronavirus cases
MOSCOW
The number of coronavirus cases in Russia reached a staggering total of 242,271 with 10,028 new infections on Wednesday.
The number of fatalities rose to 2,212 after 96 more people died over the last 24 hours, the emergency task…
Merkel: Let’s not jeopardize what we’ve achieved on coronavirus
BERLIN
Chancellor Angela Merkel urged Germans on Wednesday not to endanger what the country has achieved in slowing the spread of the coronavirus, adding the pandemic will be with us for some time.
“It would be depressing if we have to…
France confirms border controls with Germany to stay in place until June 15
PARIS
France will maintain border controls with Germany until June 15, although there will be some relaxation of measures to help the day-to-day lives of those who have to make regular crossings, said French Interior Minister Christophe…
Virus hit on Europe’s corporate profits seen growing further
Expectations for second- and third-quarter corporate profits have deteriorated in Europe, Refinitiv data showed on Wednesday, as fears grow over the extent of the recession triggered by the coronavirus pandemic.
Companies listed on the…
Russia: Putin’s spokesman hospitalized with coronavirus
MOSCOW
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says he is hospitalized with the coronavirus.
Peskov, a key aide of Russian President Vladimir Putin, told the Interfax news agency on Tuesday, “Yes, I’ve gotten sick. I’m being treated.”
Peskov,…
Brussels Airlines slashes jobs, fleet as COVID-19 bites
BRUSSELS
Brussels Airlines, part of Germany’s Lufthansa (LHAG.DE), said on Tuesday it would reduce its fleet by 30% and its workforce by a quarter to guarantee its survival during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
The company, which has…
Fire at Russian hospital kills 5 coronavirus patients
MOSCOW
A fire Tuesday morning at St. George Hospital in St. Petersburg killed five coronavirus patients who were on ventilators, Russian emergency officials said.
The unnamed emergency officials spoke to the state Tass new agency.
The…
Plexiglass houses: Parliaments adapt to the coronavirus age
ATHENS, Greece
“Pfft, pfft...” The sound came through loud and clear on Greece’s parliament TV during a change of speakers: the sound of disinfectant sprayed onto microphones and the new plexiglass box installed around the podium.
This is…
New Zealand sticks with support for Taiwan at WHO despite Chinese rebuke
WELLINGTON
New Zealand’s foreign minister on Tuesday said the country has to stand up for itself after China warned its backing of Taiwan’s participation at the World Health Organization (WHO) could damage bilateral ties.
Taiwan, with the…
Germany’s confirmed coronavirus cases rise by 933 to 170,508: RKI
BERLIN
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 933 to 170,508, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Tuesday.
The reported death toll rose by 116 to 7,533, the tally showed.
EU says ready to act against Israel’s W.Bank annexation
BRUSSELS
Should Israel continue its illegal annexation of the West Bank, the EU will take action, EU foreign policy spokesperson Peter Stano said on Monday.
“Annexation is not in line with international law. If it goes ahead, the EU will…
As lockdown eases in Europe, spike in Asia coronavirus cases warns of second wave
PARIS
A resurgence of new cases in China's ground zero Wuhan has warned the world of a sceond wave of new cases, causing worries for many as many European countries start easing the restrictions on the coroanvirus led lockdowns on Monday,…
Italian woman returns home after 18-month African kidnapping
ROME
Wearing a surgical mask, disposable gloves and booties to guard against COVID-19, a young Italian woman returned to her homeland Sunday after 18 months as a hostage in eastern Africa.
Silvia Romano lowered her mask briefly to display…
COVID-19: European airlines in for hard landing
PARIS
As the worst of the coronavirus pandemic passes and lockdown restrictions are being eased, the European continent will gradually return to a semblance of life as we knew it, and with it, the crippled airline industry.
Attempting to…
French parents anguish over sending children back to school
PARIS
As France prepares to start letting public life resume after eight weeks under a coronavirus lockdown, many parents are deeply torn over a question without a clear or correct answer: Should I send my child back to school?
The French…
Russian volunteers search for fallen World War II soldiers
KHULKHUTA, Russia
Crouching over the sun-drenched soil, Alfred Abayev picks up a charred fragment of a Soviet warplane downed in a World War II battle with advancing Nazi forces.
“You can see it was burning,” he says, pointing at the…
Chinese hacking group targeting governments across Asia to gather geopolitical intelligence
Paris
A renowned technology blog network site, Engadget, has claimed that a Chinese hacking group, Naikon, has been conducting ongoing operations on foreign governments across Asia to gather "geopolitical intelligence".
According to a…
Putin-Trump call focuses on coronavirus, arms control, oil
MOSCOW
U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed progress in combating the coronavirus pandemic along with arms control issues and oil prices in a phone call Thursday, the White House and the Kremlin said.…
EU forecasts ‘recession of historic proportions’ this year
BRUSSELS
The European Union predicted Wednesday “a recession of historic proportions this year” due to the impact of the coronavirus with a drop in output of more than 7%, as it released its first official forecast of the damage the…
Putin awards commemorative WWII medal to Kim Jong Un
MOSCOW
Russian President Vladimir Putin has awarded Kim Jong Un a commemorative war medal marking the 75th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany, the Russian embassy in Pyongyang said Tuesday.
The medal was awarded to the North…
Vatican urges internal migrants get same rights as refugees
ROME
The Vatican says internal migrants should have the same legal protections as refugees and says their children should have the right to birth certificates, education and being reunited with their parents if separated.
The Vatican on…
German court asks ECB to justify bond purchase stimulus
FRANKFURT, Germany
Germany’s Constitutional Court has cast doubts on key eurozone stimulus efforts by ruling Tuesday that the European Central Bank must demonstrate within three months that its main bond-buying program is needed and…
EU hosts pledge drive for COVID-19 vaccine, treatment
BRUSSELS
Today could mark a turning point in the fight against coronavirus, European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday at the opening of a pledge drive for funds to fight coronavirus.
The international Coronavirus Global…
EU green-lights 7 billion euros in state aid for Air France
Brussels
The European Union's top executive arm has green-lighted France's plans to provide 7 billion euros in urgent liquidity support to Air France in light of the coronavirus crisis, according to its official website.
Last week, Air…
Leaders aim to drum up billions for virus vaccine research
BRUSSELS
An alliance of world leaders is holding a virtual summit later Monday hoping to drum up billions of dollars to fund research into a vaccine for the new coronavirus as well as develop new treatments and more efficient testing.…
Russia to launch first Arktika-M satellite for monitoring Arctic climate this year
Moscow
Russia will launch its first Arktika-M satellite for monitoring the Arctic climate and environment at the end of the year, General Director of the Lavochkin aerospace company Vladimir Kolmykov told.
"As of now, the number one…
End of lockdown to uncork pent-up mourning for the lost
PARIS
As body after body has passed through his rubber-gloved hands, sealed in double-layered bags for disposal, Paris undertaker Franck Vasseur has become increasingly concerned about the future after the coronavirus pandemic.
All these…
Germany relaxes lockdown for playgrounds, churches and zoos
BERLIN
German authorities agreed Thursday to reopen playgrounds, churches and cultural institutions such as museums and zoos that have been shuttered because of the coronavirus pandemic, but postponed a decision on whether to relax the…
Russian prime minister tests positive for coronavirus
MOSCOW
Russia's prime minister announced on Thursday that he had contracted the novel coronavirus at a video conference with the country's President Vladimir Putin.
Premier Mikhail Mishustin, who was appointed to the position in January…
Italy reports largest drop in active COVID-19 cases
ROME
Italy on Thursday reported 285 new fatalities from the novel coronavirus, bringing the total to 27,967, with the largest daily drop in active cases since the beginning of the outbreak.
The data released by the Italian Civil…
Top Russian diplomat dismisses Czech claims of poison plot
MOSCOW
Russia’s top diplomat on Thursday angrily dismissed media reports alleging a Russian plot to poison the mayor of Prague and another official in the Czech capital amid a tug-of-war over a Soviet military commander’s statue.
Respekt…
Journalists’ working conditions hit hard by coronavirus
BRUSSELS
The working conditions of news reporters around the globe have deteriorated during the coronavirus pandemic amid job losses and attacks on media freedom, according to a survey published Thursday by the International Federation of…
VW car sales, profits plunge during coronavirus crisis
FRANKFURT, Germany
Automaker Volkswagen saw car sales and operating profit plunge in the first quarter as the coronavirus outbreak closed dealerships and halted production. But the company said it had strong cash reserves and aimed to make…
Russian doctors, nurses face more risks as virus cases grow
MOSCOW
A patient who had routine surgery at a hospital in St. Petersburg suddenly developed a fever after an operation. Doctors insisted on testing him for coronavirus and results showed that he had it.
And so did the Russian doctors,…
Germany hopes for rain to avoid 3rd straight summer drought
BERLIN
Germany’s farmers, foresters, and firefighters are eagerly awaiting widespread rain forecast for later this week, as a warm, dry spring has raised fears of a third summer drought in as many years.
Ahead of a virtual climate meeting…
New Zealand tames virus; France, Spain reveal lockdown exits
PARIS
France and Spain, two of the worst-hit countries in the coronavirus pandemic, were laying out separate roadmaps Tuesday for lifting their lockdowns, while signs emerged that the virus has been all but vanquished in New Zealand and…
Spain: Kids allowed out as new virus deaths drop to 288
OVIEDO, Spain
Spain registered its lowest daily death toll in more than a month on Sunday, coinciding with the first day that children are allowed to leave their homes in six weeks.
In the last 24-hour period, 288 more people were…
Perfect storm: Lombardy’s virus disaster is lesson for world
ROME
As Italy prepares to emerge from the West’s first and most extensive coronavirus lockdown, it is increasingly clear that something went terribly wrong in Lombardy, the hardest-hit region in Europe’s hardest-hit country.
Italy had the…
Russian cargo ship docks with space station
MOSCOW
An unmanned Russian cargo capsule docked with the International Space Station, bringing more than 2 tons of supplies to the three-person crew.
The Progress spacecraft docked at 0512 GMT Saturday, about 3 1/2 hours after blasting…
At least $9.7 billion in state bailouts for Air France, KLM
PARIS
The French and Dutch governments announced at least 9 billion euros ($9.7 billion) in bailout money Friday to rescue Air France and KLM, which are fighting for survival as most of their planes are grounded by virus lockdowns around…
Spain sees fewest daily COVID-19 deaths in a month
OVIEDO, Spain
With 367 more official deaths registered on Friday, Spain saw the lowest COVID-19 daily death toll since March 20.
After being devastated by the virus since mid-March, Spain has confirmed a total of 22,524 COVID-19 deaths.…
EU: Malaria drugs used for virus could cause side effects
The European Union’s medicines regulator on Thursday warned countries that malaria drugs being used experimentally to treat the new coronavirus have potentially serious side effects, including seizures and heart problems.
The European…
Russia yet to reach COVID-19 peak, death toll tops 500
MOSCOW
Russia has yet to see a let down in fatalities and infections from coronavirus indicating the outbreak has not reached its peak.
The emergency team said Wednesday 5,236 more people tested positive for COVID-19 – a 9.9% increase –…
Politicians debate lockdown as Spain sees 435 more deaths
OVIEDO, Spain
As Spain’s politicians discuss what a partial return to normalcy could look like, the country registered another 435 deaths on Wednesday, bringing the total official death toll to 21,717.
More than 4,000 new cases were also…
Germany approves first human trials of COVID-19 vaccine
BERLIN
Germany has approved first clinical trials of a COVID-19 vaccine on humans, officials announced on Wednesday.
Biotechnology company BioNTech’s vaccine program was authorized for human clinical trials after a careful assessment of…
New Zealand could pull off bold goal of eliminating virus
WELLINGTON, New Zealand
While most countries are working on ways to contain the coronavirus, New Zealand has set itself a much more ambitious goal: eliminating it altogether.
And experts believe the country could pull it off.
The virus…
Syria refugees to face their torturers in German court
BERLIN
Six years ago Wassim Mukdad fled Syria, demoralized and fearing for his life as the country spiraled ever deeper into all-out war.
This week, the 34-year-old will come face-to-face with the man accused of running a government…
Watchdog: Pandemic worsening threat to global media freedom
PARIS
Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders is sounding the alarm that the coronavirus pandemic poses a threat for press freedom around the world.
In its annual evaluation of global media freedoms, the group warned Tuesday that the…
COVID-19: UN fund calls for action to avoid food crisis
ROME
The UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) warned on Monday that immediate action is needed to avoid that the COVID-19 pandemic transforms into a food crisis.
As the economic slowdown due to the global health…
Belgian hospitals treat less than 5,000 virus patients
BRUSSELS
Currently, 4,920 patients are treated in hospitals in Belgium's, with 1,071 of them in intensive care units, the health authorities announced on Monday.
While 232 patients were admitted to hospitals, 138 were discharged after…
Germany starts loosening coronavirus measures
BERLIN
Germany on Monday started to loosen restrictions to stem the spread of coronavirus in the country.
Most shops smaller than 800 square meters (8,600 square feet) are being allowed to open again.
Newly reopened shopping centers and…
World cruise, begun before pandemic, nears end of odyssey
ROME
Passengers on a luxury liner’s around-the-world cruise, begun before the globe was gripped by the coronavirus pandemic, are finally approaching the end of their odyssey after 15 weeks at sea.
Their ship, the Costa Deliziosa, heads to…
Nursing home supports not happening fast enough: Irish PM
DUBLIN
New measures to help protect residents in Irish nursing homes from the coronavirus are not being implemented fast enough, Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said as his acting government faced criticism for the speed of its response.…
Poland’s parliament sends abortion bill to parliamentary commission
WARSAW
Poland’s lower house of parliament voted on Thursday to send a bill on tightening abortion rules in the staunchly Catholic country to a parliamentary commission for further work.
Proposed by citizens who collected signatures…
`Am I going now to my execution?’ One doctor’s very long day
PARMA, Italy
It was March 7, in the afternoon. Dr. Giovanni Passeri had just returned home from Maggiore Hospital, where he is an internist, when he was urgently called back to work. His ward at the hospital was about to admit its first…
Economic pain from virus spreading quickly as the pandemic
PARIS
Economic pain from the coronavirus pandemic spread even more widely Thursday, weighing heavily on nations, businesses and ordinary people as countries struggled to restore confidence that stores, factories, airplanes and schools…
Wildfire almost reaches Chernobyl nuclear plant
A forest blaze that has been raging in the Chernobyl exclusion zone in northern Ukraine for several days almost reached the abandoned nuclear power plant, according to local reports on Tuesday.
The distance from the nearest boundary of the…
China’s ‘mask diplomacy’ wins support in Eastern Europe
BELGRADE, Serbia
When China’s first shipment of coronavirus medical aid landed in Belgrade, the president of Serbia was there to kiss the Chinese flag. In Hungary, officials have played down assistance from the European Union and praised…
Russia, Iran discuss anti-virus cooperation
MOSCOW
Russian and Iranian foreign ministers discussed cooperation in combatting the coronavirus pandemic in a phone talk on Monday, according to an official statement.
Sergey Lavrov and his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif…
As virus deaths rise, Sweden sticks to ‘low-scale’ lockdown
STOCKHOLM
Crowds swarm Stockholm’s waterfront, with some people sipping cocktails in the sun. In much of the world, this sort of gathering would be frowned upon or even banned.
Not in Sweden.
It doesn’t worry Anders Tegnell, the…
Spain’s virus outbreak continues to slow down
MADRID
The spread of the coronavirus outbreak in Spain continues to slow down, with 517 new deaths recorded overnight and with the lowest number of infections logged in more than three weeks, nearly 3,500.
The Spanish health ministry’s…
Coronavirus upends Putin’s political agenda in Russia
MOSCOW
Spring is not turning out the way Russian President Vladimir Putin might have planned it.
A nationwide vote on April 22 was supposed to finalize sweeping constitutional reforms that would allow him to stay in power until 2036, if…
Russia confirms new daily high of coronavirus cases
MOSCOW
Russian authorities confirmed 2,186 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, the new daily record, bringing the total infections to 15,770.
The death toll rose to 130 as 24 more people died from the COVID-19, disease caused by the…
New virus hot spots sprout; World marks Easter at a distance
BARCELONA, Spain
The world celebrated Easter at a distance on Sunday, with most churches closed and family gatherings canceled amid wide-ranging coronavirus shutdowns. Huge uncertainties loomed about the outlook not just for the next few…
Italy begins to grapple with how to ease virus restrictions
SOAVE, Italy
With warmer weather beckoning, Italians are straining against a strict lockdown to halt the coronavirus that is just now showing signs of ebbing at the end of five weeks of mass isolation.
Italy was the first Western…
Fire at replica Prussian palace in Berlin quickly controlled
BERLIN
One person was injured after a fire broke out Wednesday at a replica of a Prussian palace being rebuilt on the city’s historic Unter den Linden boulevard, which was brought quickly under control, the fire department said.
Two tar…
Italy, Spain ICU pressures decline, but emotional toll rises
ROME
Maddalena Ferrari lets herself cry when she takes off the surgical mask she wears even at home to protect her elderly parents from the coronavirus that surrounds her at work in one of Italy’s hardest-hit intensive care units.
In the…
European Union science official resigns
BRUSSELS
The chief of the European Union’s top science organization has resigned at the height of the Coronavirus crisis.
Mauro Ferrari had only become president of the European Research Council on Jan. 1, but EU Commission spokesman…
Spain coronavirus toll rises to 12,418
Madrid
Spain on Sunday reported new 774 deaths linked to coronavirus, bringing the toll to 12,418. The number of cases in the European country has risen to 130,759 after 6,023 people tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 24 hours.…
7,026 new coronavirus cases in Spain, toll reaches 11,744
Madrid
Spain has reported 7,026 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, Spanish Heath Ministry said on Saturday.
Around 809 people died in the last 24 hours; toll in the European country reached 11,744, Sputnik reported.
The overall…
Europe’s hospitals bow under the weight of coronavirus crush
MADRID
Setting up makeshift ICU wards in libraries and conference centers, embattled European medical workers strained Friday to save thousands of desperately ill coronavirus patients as stocks of medicine, protective equipment and…
Sex workers stranded in Germany as coronavirus shuts brothels
BERLIN
Thousands of foreign prostitutes working in Germany have been made homeless after brothels closed due to the coronavirus outbreak and borders snapped shut, making it difficult for them to return home.
Authorities in the country,…
Poland divided over having presidential vote during pandemic
WARSAW, Poland
Poland’s parliament is preparing to vote Friday on legislation that would transform the country’s May presidential election entirely into a mail-in ballot due to the health risks of having public voting stations during the…
100,000 tourists stuck in New Zealand to leave as rules ease
WELLINGTON, New Zealand
About 100,000 tourists stuck in New Zealand since it began a lockdown last week were starting to fly to their home countries Friday.
The initial problem for many tourists had been that they were banned from…
Russia’s Putin orders month of non-work to curb coronavirus
MOSCOW
President Vladimir Putin on Thursday ordered most Russians to stay off work until the end of the month as part of a partial industrial shutdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
Speaking in a televised address to the nation on…
Coronavirus: Death toll in Spain crosses 10,000
Madrid,Spain
The number of deaths caused by coronavirus in Spain surged past 10,000 on Thursday after the country recorded as many as 950 fatalities over the last one day. .
South China Morning Post reported that coronavirus casualties in…
COVID-19: Confession of fragility of West
We have known for a long time that hardships are indicative of strengths and weaknesses, the greatness and the baseness of individuals or societies who face them.
The COVID-19 outbreak unsurprisingly also revealed in France, among the…
Adidas apologises for deferring store rent, will pay up
BERLIN
German sportswear maker Adidas (ADSGn.DE) apologised on Wednesday for saying it would stop paying rent for stores forced to close by coronavirus lockdowns after a storm of criticism, saying it would pay up for April after all.…
Europe faces ICU bed crunch, rushes to build field hospitals
ROME
Facing intense surges in the need for hospital ICU beds, European nations are on a building and hiring spree, throwing together makeshift hospitals and shipping coronavirus patients out of overwhelmed cities via high-speed trains and…