Tag Archives: Europe

Prime Minister Mario Draghi has appointed diplomat Elisabetta Belloni as the head of Italy’s spy agency, the first woman to lead the Department of Information Security (DIS). Belloni, 62, has since 2016 been secretary-general of the foreign ministry – the top job in the diplomatic service. Previously, she headed the …

A Paris court has ruled that Air France and Airbus will stand trial on charges of involuntary manslaughter over the 2009 crash of flight AF447, killing all 228 people on board, the deadliest crash in the airline’s history. The ruling on Wednesday follows the prosecutor’s recommendation that the Paris court …

At least seven children and one teacher killed in attack in Kazan, Tatarstan’s capital city. At least seven children and a teacher were killed in a shooting at a Russian school in the southwestern city of Kazan, local officials said. Rustam Minnikhanov, governor of the Tatarstan republic, of which Kazan …

As the country emerges from its third partial lockdown, authorities in Cyprus have introduced a coronavirus “safety pass” system to afford at least some semblance of freedom of movement to its (vaccinated) citizens. Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou described the initiative as “a step towards returning to a more normal pace …

Nika Melia’s release is seen as a significant step in an EU-backed plan to help end a prolonged political crisis. Jailed Georgian opposition leader Nika Melia has been freed from prison after a court-ordered his release on bail – a significant step in a European Union-backed plan to help end …

Seven boats packed with hundreds of migrants arrived on the southern Italian island of Lampedusa on Sunday, and officials said more people were expected as the weather improved. More than 1,000 people got off the vessels at Lampedusa, one of the main landing points for people trying to get across …

An annual military parade was held on Moscow’s iconic Red Square as Russia celebrates victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. World War II is often called the Great Patriotic War in Russia, and May 9 is one of the country’s most revered holidays. More than 12,000 uniformed soldiers, …

The EU has concluded a deal with Pfizer-BioNTech for up to 1.8 billion extra doses of its Covid-19 vaccine, according to European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen. “Happy to announce that the EU Commission has just approved a contract for guaranteed 900 million doses (+900 million options) with Pfizer-BioNTech …

The European Union is sceptical about the usefulness of waiving patent rights to COVID-19 vaccines as a way to fight the pandemic but is ready to discuss a concrete proposal, the chairman of EU leaders Charles Michel said on Saturday. Speaking to reporters before the second day of an EU …

French FM slams Lebanese politicians for failing to pull the country out of its economic meltdown or form a government. France’s top diplomat has threatened Lebanon with more sanctions to prevent what he described as a “collective suicide” organised by members of the country’s ruling political class. Lebanon’s leaders had …

Norwegian police have arrested a man suspected of illegally handing information to a foreign power, the PST security police said on Monday. It did not name the man, who is a Norwegian citizen, and did not say which country he was suspected of having worked on behalf of. The man …

Chanting “freedom”, hundreds of people rallied Sunday in Madrid to protest against the mandatory use of facemasks and other restrictions imposed by the Spanish government to contain the coronavirus pandemic. A crowd of clapping and cheering people gathered beneath an enormous yellow and red Spanish flag that stands in the …

The number of migrants landing on Italy’s shores has more than doubled in the last year as an economic crisis in Tunisia fuels migration in boats across the Mediterranean, Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese said on Saturday. More than 21,000 people reached Italy between August 2019 and the end of July, …

 Russian expert believes if Biden wins the US election, there will be some improvements in transatlantic relations but the EU must not expect fundamental changes in US trade, China, and NATO policies. Donald Trump’s victory in 2016 was a real shock for the European allies of the US. Back then, …

The leaders of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia have called on Belarus to hold “free and fair” elections following its disputed presidential vote. In a joint statement, the three prime ministers called for a new election to be held with the involvement of international observers. Mass protests erupted after President Alexander …

Wearing face masks on public transport will be compulsory in Denmark from Aug. 22 following a spike in numbers of new coronavirus cases, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Saturday. In mid-April, Denmark became one the first European countries to ease its coronavirus lockdown as the epidemic appeared to be …

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Saturday he wanted to speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin, warning street protests were not just a threat to Belarus. Mass unrest followed Lukashenko’s re-election victory last week, as tens of thousands of people took to the streets accusing him of rigging the vote. …

Belarusian authorities have released about 1,000 people detained amid demonstrations contesting the results of the presidential election, in an attempt to assuage public anger against a brutal crackdown on peaceful protests and avoid Western sanctions. Crowds of demonstrators have swarmed the streets daily to contest the official results of Sunday’s …

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov called on Friday for an overhaul of the constitution in an apparent effort to defuse weeks of anti-government protests by mostly younger Bulgarians weary of endemic corruption in the European Union member state. Three-times premier Borissov promised to resign if lawmakers approved his call for …

Britain will impose a 14-day quarantine on all arrivals from France, the Netherlands, Malta, and three other countries, transport minister Grant Shapps said on Thursday, citing rising COVID-19 infection rates. The British government, wary of the second wave of coronavirus, has been removing countries from its safe travel list over …