Europe

Coronavirus cases in Spain jumped by nearly 1,700 on Wednesday, part of a surge that has prompted the construction of a military field hospital in the hard-hit Aragon region and led authorities in Galicia to practically ban smoking in public places. Health ministry data showed 1,690 new coronavirus cases were …

Russia’s Health Minister Mikhail Murashko has rejected allegations that the country’s pioneering COVID-19 vaccine is unsafe, dismissing them as groundless and leveled by rival competitors. Minister Murashko on Wednesday dismissed concerns raised by Western experts and media about the low number of clinical trials undergone to develop the first officially-approved …

A day after declaring victory in a presidential election in Belarus, leading opposition candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya fled the country for Lithuania and released two video messages to her supporters under apparent duress. On Monday, the 37-year-old Tikhonovskaya—who had refused to concede victory to President Alexander Lukashenko in what critics called …

President Vladimir Putin says Russia has become the first country in the world to grant regulatory approval to a COVID-19 vaccine after less than two months of human testing, a move hailed by Moscow as evidence of its scientific prowess. The development paves the way for the mass inoculation of …

Germany, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Union, has threatened to reactivate EU sanctions against Belarus over a disputed presidential vote that has led to angry street protests with thousands arrested. Referring to sanctions against Belarus previously lifted because of initial progress improving the rule of law, …

The situation remains tense in Belarus which has been the scene of furious public protests in the past few days against President Alexander Lukashenko and a presidential election which they claim was “rigged.” Fierce scuffles broke out between police and protesters when thousands of people poured out into the streets of the capital Minsk …

New clashes between police and protesters broke out in Belarus on Monday after the opposition accused President Alexander Lukashenko of rigging his re-election victory to a chorus of criticism from Western leaders. A Reuters witness saw police dragging protesters out of a crowd and beating them with truncheons in Minsk, …

Protesters in Spain have called for an end to monarchical rule in the country, following the departure of former king Juan Carlos into exile this week in the middle of a corruption scandal. A group of 100 protesters rallied in the Spanish capital, Madrid, on Sunday, calling for regime change. …

Alexander Lukashenko has won a sixth term in office as president of Belarus, in a sweeping victory that was announced after violent clashes between police and opposition supporters who say the vote is rigged. The Belarusian Central Election Commission (CEC) said on Monday that Lukashenko had, according to preliminary results, …

Belarus police fired stun grenades and began detentions in a crackdown on protests that erupted as President Alexander Lukashenko was set to claim another election win on Sunday in the face of the biggest challenge in years to his grip on power. Thousands of people took to the streets of …

Belarus’ incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko wins landslide victory in the presidential elections, exit poll shows. An exit poll conducted at the request of Mir TV shows Lukashenko is winning with 79.7% of the vote. Main opposition challenger Svetlana Tikhanovskaya comes second with 6.8%, according to the poll. Results are expected …

French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday called for speedy international backing for disaster-struck Lebanon and urged its leaders to prevent “chaos” as he opened an emergency aid conference following Beirut’s deadly port blast. Macron hosted US President Donald Trump and other world leaders for the virtual conference to drum up …

At least five people have been killed in flooding caused by thunderstorms and torrential rains on the Greek island of Evia. Officials said victims included an eight-month-old baby and two people in their 80s. Rescuers found their bodies in houses in the village of Politika. Search efforts are continuing for …

France and Germany have quit talks on reforming the World Health Organization in frustration at attempts by the United States to lead the negotiations, despite its decision to leave the WHO, three officials told Reuters. The move is a setback for President Donald Trump as Washington, which holds the rotating …

Egypt and Greece on Thursday signed a maritime deal that sets the sea boundary between the two countries and demarcates an exclusive economic zone for oil and gas drilling rights. The deal is a response to a similar agreement between Turkey and Libya’s Tripoli-based government last year that has spiked …

Wildfires have torn through several towns near Marseille in France, leaving at least 22 people injured and forcing the evacuation of 2,700 people. Around 1,800 firefighters supported by planes and helicopters battled the worst fire through the night around the town of Martigues. They were still working to extinguish the …

The state epidemiologist of Denmark said on Tuesday he could not recommend proceeding to the next phase of reopening society during the coronavirus outbreak, Ingenioeren media reported. “It is not something that I can recommend from a healthcare perspective that you go ahead with,” Kare Molbak, director of the state’s …

Russia has warned the United States against its controversial plan to deploy land-based missiles in various countries around the world, saying the move would be met with an immediate response from Moscow. The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Monday that the planned “deployment of American land-based short- and intermediate-range missiles …

Just over 18 million people have been infected by the coronavirus. But governments around Europe have eased some restrictions that had shuttered vast swathes of the bloc’s economy. To offer support to the ravaged economy, the European Central Bank has ramped up its stimulus measures and European Union leaders have …

A fight broke out onboard a KLM flight to Ibiza after two passengers refused to wear face masks. Video footage appeared to show British holidaymakers were involved in the brawl after the Boeing 737 took off from Amsterdam on Friday. KLM said both men were restrained with the help of …