Europe

No holds barred: Meghan and Harry’s historic interview

  by Thomas URBAIN, with Ben SHEPPARD in Washington Agence France Presse NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Meghan Markle opened up about battling suicidal thoughts, Prince Harry disclosed a painful rift with his father — and both settled a fair few scores in their history-making interview with Oprah Winfrey. The gloves came off as the pair lifted the veil on their dramatic exit from royal life, holding little back as they alleged racism in […]

France donates 15,000 vaccine doses to Slovakia

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AFP) —  Slovakia, a country suffering the world’s highest mortality rate from Covid-19, has received a donation of 15,000 coronavirus vaccine doses from France, Slovak Prime Minister Igor Matovic said on Sunday. Matovic described the Oxford-AstraZeneca doses as a “very kind and useful gift” and a “great gesture of friendship”, at a news conference with French Ambassador Christophe Leonzi, local press agency TASR reported. Speaking in Bojnice, western Slovakia, the premier added that […]

Denmark approves AstraZeneca vaccine for over-65s

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AFP) — Following several other European countries, Danish health officials on Friday approved the use of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine for people over 65, citing evidence from a study on the vaccine in Scotland. Until now, the Scandinavian country has argued there was insufficient evidence for the effectiveness of the British-Swedish pharmaceutical company’s vaccine to recommend to people over the age of 65. “The results from Scotland are pleasing. They show a strongly […]

Russia’s Sputnik vaccine takes key step to EU approval

by Danny KEMP THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AFP) — Europe’s drug regulator launched a rolling review of Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine on Thursday, putting it on course to be the first non-Western jab used across the 27-nation EU. Russia quickly said it was ready to provide jabs for 50 million Europeans as soon as the shot gets the green light from the Amsterdam-based European Medicines Agency (EMA). Moscow has pushed Europe to follow the lead […]

Paris spared as France expands local lockdowns

PARIS, France (AFP) — France placed the northern Pas-de-Calais region under weekend lockdown over the spread of Covid-19, the third area to be singled out for tighter restrictions as the government battles to avoid a third national lockdown. Announcing the measure, Prime Minister Jean Castex said that with more than 400 confirmed cases per 100,000 people the Pas-de-Calais had nearly twice the national average. The lockdown will start at 8:00 am on Saturday and end […]

Mass evacuations as large quakes spark Pacific-wide tsunami alert

WELLINGTON, United States (AFP) — Tens of thousands of coastal residents in New Zealand, New Caledonia and Vanuatu fled for higher ground Friday as a cluster of powerful earthquakes sparked a Pacific-wide tsunami alert. Warning sirens sounded across Noumea as authorities ordered evacuations amid fears that waves of up three meters (10 feet) were headed towards the French territory. “People must leave beach areas and stop all water activities, and should not pick their children […]

New Zealand orders tsunami evacuations after strong Pacific quake

WELLINGTON, United States (AFP) — New Zealand ordered coastal communities across swathes of the North Island to evacuate Friday after three powerful offshore earthquakes sparked tsunami fears in the Pacific nation. A 7.8-magnitude quake, which followed earlier tremors of 7.4 and 6.9 in the same region, struck at 8:28 am (1928 Thursday GMT) around 1,033 kilometers (640 miles) off the New Zealand coast, the US Geological Survey said. “People near the coast… must move immediately […]

Germany, Belgium to recommend AstraZeneca jab for seniors

BERLIN, Germany (AFP) — Germany will soon authorize the AstraZeneca/Oxford Covid-19 vaccine for people over the age of 65, Chancellor Angela Merkel said Wednesday, the same day Belgium authorized its rollout to seniors. The countries — both criticized for the slow pace of their inoculation drives — had previously said there was insufficient data about the effect of the vaccine on older age groups. But both Merkel and the Belgian health minister said recent studies […]

Queen’s husband Prince Philip improving ‘slightly’

LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Queen Elizabeth II’s husband Prince Philip was making slight progress after being admitted to hospital more than two weeks ago, his daughter-in-law said on Wednesday. Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, said the 99-year-old Duke of Edinburgh, who was moved to a specialist unit for heart tests on Monday, is “slightly improving”. But she said on a visit to a vaccination center in London that he “hurts at moments”. “We keep our […]

Germany to gradually ease virus curbs from Monday: Merkel

BERLIN, Germany (AFP) — German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday unveiled plans to gradually ease virus curbs in Europe’s top economy, caving to pressure from regional leaders and the public for more freedom after months of shutdowns. Declaring a “new phase” in the pandemic, Merkel said more socializing between households would be allowed from Monday. Book shops, flower stores and garden centers will also reopen nationwide. Further reopenings will be closely tied to local infection […]

Fake Covid-19 vaccines seized in South Africa, China: Interpol

LYON, France (AFP) — Police in China and South Africa have seized thousands of fake doses of Covid-19 jabs, global police organization Interpol said on Wednesday, warning this represented only the “tip of the iceberg” in vaccine-related crime. The Lyon-based Interpol said 400 vials — equivalent to around 2,400 doses — containing the fake vaccine were found at a warehouse in Germiston outside Johannesburg in South Africa, where officers also recovered fake masks and arrested […]

Eight injured in ‘suspected terrorist’ stabbings in Sweden

by Johannes LEDEL STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AFP) — A man attacked eight people Wednesday with a “sharp weapon,” seriously injuring two in the Swedish city of Vetlanda, police said, adding they were investigating a potential “terror motive”. The assailant was taken to hospital after being shot in the leg by police as he was taken into custody following the mid-afternoon attack in the southern city of 13,000 inhabitants. Speaking to AFP, police said the man in […]