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BERLIN, Germany (AFP) — Germany’s defense ministry on Wednesday said it planned to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan in early July, after the United States announced plans to pull out by September 11. “The current thinking… is to shorten the withdrawal period. A withdrawal date of July 4 is being considered,” a ministry spokesman told AFP, stressing that the final decision would be made by NATO. NATO had agreed last week to begin their troop […]
HELSINKI, Finland (AFP) — Finland could start lifting coronavirus curbs on businesses and youth activities from next week but borders will stay closed to tourists for at least the coming months, ministers said on Wednesday after agreeing an “exit plan”. A decision to lift the state of emergency, which allows the government to shut businesses and restrict movement, could be made next week “if the situation continues improving,” Prime Minister Sanna Marin told a press […]
PARIS, France (AFP) — France plans to lift travel restrictions and ease a nationwide curfew on May 2 on expectations that daily Covid-19 cases will soon begin falling, a source close to the presidency told AFP. President Emmanuel Macron also intends to stick to a goal of allowing restaurants to serve patrons outdoors from mid-May, while also reopening cinemas, theatres and museums with reduced capacity, the source said. Non-food businesses will also open their doors […]
by Danny KEMP THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AFP) — Blood clots should be listed as a “very rare” side effect of the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine but its benefits still outweigh the risks, the EU’s drug watchdog said Tuesday. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said in a statement that it had found a “possible link” between the J&J jab and the clots, following eight such cases in the United States, one of which was fatal. […]
PARIS, France (AFP) — Sleeping six hours or less per night in your 50s and 60s is associated with an increased risk of dementia, according to a new study of nearly 8,000 British adults followed for more than 25 years. Scientists said that while the research, which was based on data from a long-running survey, could not prove cause and effect, it did draw a link between sleep and dementia as people age. The study, […]
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AFP) — The Dutch government said Tuesday it was relaxing tough coronavirus restrictions, ending a controversial curfew and allowing cafes to serve outdoors from April 28. The introduction of the night curfew in January, the first in the Netherlands since World War II, sparked the country’s worst riots for decades. “We are of course glad that this is possible again because society yearns for more freedom,” Prime Minister Mark Rutte told a […]
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AFP) — Denmark said Tuesday it would give 55,000 doses of its AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine to the neighbouring German state of Schleswig-Holstein after dropping the jab from its vaccination programme amid concerns about side effects. “Following a request from the minister-president of Schleswig-Holstein, the government has decided to put 55,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine at the disposal of the border regions,” the Danish foreign ministry said in a statement. “The vaccine doses […]
ROME, Italy (AFP) — Italy on Tuesday declared the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine to be “safe” and said it would prioritise its use for people over 60. The announcement came hours after the European Medicines Agency (EMA) said blood clots should be listed as a “very rare” side effect of the vaccine. In the light of that ruling, the US-made jab should be considered “definitely safe,” Italian health authorities said in a statement. It […]
LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Britain’s unemployment rate dipped to 4.9 percent in the three months to the end of February, remaining close to multi-year highs on fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, official data showed Tuesday, The rate compared with 5.0 percent in the three months to the end of January, the Office for National Statistics said in a statement. “The UK unemployment rate was estimated at 4.9 percent, 0.9 percentage points higher than a […]
by Jérôme RIVET MONTPELLIER, France (AFP) — French police warned President Emmanuel Macron about rising levels of street violence, as he toured crime hotspots on Monday following a string of shocking assaults. A spate of violent attacks in recent months has made fear of crime a top political issue ahead of presidential elections next year in which Macron is expected to seek a second term. “We are faced with young people who are more organised, […]
GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) — The World Health Organization’s emergency committee said Monday it was against international travellers being required to have proof of vaccination, partly on grounds such a measure would deepen inequities. “Do not require proof of vaccination as a condition of entry, given the limited (although growing) evidence about the performance of vaccines in reducing transmission and the persistent inequity in the global vaccine distribution,” the committee said in a statement summarising its […]
by Robin MILLARD GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) — 2021 must be the year of action for protecting people against the “disastrous” effects of climate change, the United Nations said on Monday ahead of a crucial US-convened summit. Time is fast running out to tackle the climate crisis, the UN warned, with the Covid-19 pandemic having failed to put the brakes on “relentless” climate change. The call comes alongside a major report ahead of US President Joe […]
