Europe

Lava engulfs 100 homes as Canary Islands volcano erupts

by Desiree Martin LLANOS DE ARIDANE, Spain (AFP) — A surge of lava destroyed around 100 homes on Spain’s Canary Islands a day after a volcano erupted, forcing 5,500 people to leave the area, local authorities said on Monday. The Cumbre Vieja erupted on Sunday afternoon, sending vast plumes of thick black smoke into the sky and belching molten lava that oozed down the mountainside on the island of La Palma. “We haven’t had any […]

At least eight dead in Russian campus shooting

A student opened fire on a university campus in central Russia on Monday killing at least eight people, investigators said, in the second mass shooting at an education facility this year. Russia’s Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, said several people were also injured in the attack at Perm State University and that the suspect had been wounded while being detained. Investigators previously said that five people were killed and another six wounded. Russia has relatively […]

Spanish police wrong-footed as 25,000 party at Madrid uni

MADRID, Spain (AFP) — Around 25,000 people joined a massive outdoor drinking party marking the start of term at a Madrid university without observing safety precautions, police said Saturday, admitting they were caught off-guard. Spanish media said it was the biggest such gathering since the start of the Coronavirus pandemic when large public gatherings were halted to stop the spread of the virus. “There were thousands of people on the grounds of Complutense University, about […]

Vaccine bookings spike after Italy extends Covid pass

ROME, Italy (AFP) — Bookings for coronavirus vaccines in Italy spiked this week after the government said all employees must show proof of a jab, negative test or recent recovery from Covid-19, authorities said. “On a national level, there was a generalized increase in bookings for the first dose of between 20 and 40 percent compared to last week,” coronavirus commissioner Francesco Figliuolo said in a statement late Saturday. Reservations for the first dose of […]

Biden asks for early talks with Macron amid submarine row

by Stuart WILLIAMS with Holly ROBERTSON in Sydney PARIS, France (AFP) — US President Joe Biden has requested early talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, France said on Sunday, in an apparent effort to mend fences after a row over a submarines contract sparked rare tensions between the allies. The announcement came after Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison rejected French accusations that Canberra had lied about plans to cancel the contract to buy French submarines, […]

Major fire at migrant camp on Greek island of Samos

SAMOS, Greece (AFP) — A major fire that broke out Sunday evening at the Vathy migrant camp on the Greek island of Samos, was brought under control, the Greek Ministry of Migration said. “There is no danger for those who are still there because the fire broke out in abandoned sheds in the western side of the camp,” the ministry statement added. Thirteen firefighters with six engines were fighting the blaze, according to the Fire […]

Iceland’s volcanic eruption the longest in half a century

It will be six months on Sunday that the volcanic eruption currently mesmerising spectators near Reykjavik first began, making it the longest Iceland has witnessed in more than 50 years. The first lava began spewing out of a fissure close to Mount Fagradalsfjall on the evening of March 19 on the Reykjanes peninsula to the southwest of Reykjavik. And the ensuing spectacle — ranging from just a slow trickle of lava at times to more […]

Volcano erupts on Spain’s Canary Islands

The Cumbre Vieja volcano erupted on Spain’s Canary Islands on Sunday spewing out lava, ash and a huge column of smoke after days of increased seismic activity, sparking evacuations of people living nearby, authorities said. Cumbre Vieja, which last erupted 50 years ago, straddles a ridge in the south of La Palma island, home to around 80,000 people. “The eruption started in the Cabeza de Vaca zone, in El Paso,” the local government said on […]

Putin’s party set to retain parliament majority after polls

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s party was set Sunday to retain a majority in parliament on the last day of three-day elections in which most Kremlin critics were barred from running. The vote comes in the wake of an unprecedented crackdown on the opposition this year, with Russian authorities jailing Putin’s best-known domestic foe Alexei Navalny and banning his organisations as “extremist”. In the lead-up to this weekend’s vote, all of his top allies were arrested […]

Australia rejects French accusations of lying over subs deal

  Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Sunday rejected France’s accusations Canberra lied about plans to cancel a contract to buy French submarines, saying he had raised concerns over the deal “some months ago”. Australia’s decision to tear up a deal for the French submarines in favour of American nuclear-powered vessels sparked outrage in Paris, with President Emmanuel Macron recalling France’s ambassadors to Canberra and Washington in an unprecedented move. Canberra has stood firm as […]

France suspends 3,000 unvaccinated health workers

PARIS, France (AFP) — Thousands of health workers across France have been suspended without pay for failing to get vaccinated against Covid-19 ahead of a deadline this week, Health Minister Olivier Veran said Thursday. “Some 3,000 suspensions were notified yesterday to employees at health centres and clinics who have not yet been vaccinated,” Veran told RTL radio. He added that “several dozens” had turned in their resignations rather than sign up for the jabs. That […]

Australia submarine decision ‘regrettable’: France

PARIS, France (AFP) — Australia’s decision to build nuclear-powered submarines in a new partnership with the United States and Britain rather than buy them from a French firm was “regrettable”, the French government said Thursday. “This is a decision contrary to the letter and the spirit of the cooperation that prevailed between France and Australia,” the foreign ministry said in a statement. “The American choice, which leads to the removal of an ally and a […]