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by Agence France Presse Bureaus BERLIN, Germany (AFP) — The European Union on Wednesday tightened vaccine export controls in a bid to ramp up its stuttering inoculation campaign while the United States said its inoculation drive was already showing results for over-65s. Under the EU’s new rules, the bloc’s European Commission executive will weigh how needy countries are as well as how readily they export doses to the EU before approving shipments. “Open roads […]
BRUSSELS, Belgium (AFP) — Belgium announced a renewed partial lockdown on Wednesday of four weeks, with schools closed and non-essential stores open to customers by appointment only. The decision came as a potential third wave of the coronavirus was gaining momentum in the small EU country of 11.5 million, with hospitalizations on the rise. The pandemic “is a big lesson in humility for politicians, for everyone,” said Prime Minister Alexander De Croo in announcing the […]
PARIS, France (AFP) — France’s culture minister Roselyne Bachelot has been hospitalized after testing positive for Covid-19 over the weekend, a source close to the minister told AFP on Wednesday. The worsening symptoms for Bachelot, 74, comes after the announcement Monday that her cabinet colleague Elisabeth Borne, the 59-year-old labour minister, had also been hospitalized with the coronavirus. “Her condition is stable and is not worrying,” the source said, adding that Bachelot’s doctor ordered “increased […]
by Dave CLARK Agence France Presse BRUSSELS, Belgium (AFP) — The European Commission will tighten its export guidelines on Wednesday to prevent what it sees as an unfair one-way flow of vaccines, according to a draft seen by AFP. Brussels has been infuriated that Britain has laid claim to vaccines produced at a plant in the Netherlands by AstraZeneca, while the UK-based firm falls short on deliveries promised to the EU. While negotiations with […]
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AFP) — Denmark, which has been under a partial lockdown for the last three months, says it will reopen most of society once everyone over 50 years old are vaccinated. In an announcement late Monday, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen unveiled the plan for a return to normal which will see schools and universities, shops, restaurants and bars, libraries, museums and cinemas gradually reopen over a period of two months. “With a few exceptions, […]
BERLIN, Germany (AFP) — Germany is poised to prolong and tighten its partial lockdown into April as new virus cases soar, according to a draft document seen by AFP ahead of a strategy meeting on Monday. Europe’s biggest economy had begun easing restrictions, first reopening schools in late February, before allowing hairdressers and some shops to resume business in March. The strategy meeting between Chancellor Angela Merkel and the leaders of Germany’s 16 states was […]
MADRID, Spain (AFP) — Spain on Monday raised the maximum age limit for people to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine, which has faced setbacks in Europe due to safety concerns, from 55 to 65. When the AstraZeneca vaccine was approved for use by European Union regulators in January, Spain said it would only be used on those under 55 for lack of data from trials in older age groups. But since then, more trial data has […]
by Jeremie RICHARD FAGRADALSFJALL, Iceland (AFP) — Thousands of curious onlookers have flocked to an erupting volcano in Iceland to marvel at the hypnotic display of glowing red lava, the bravest of them grilling hot dogs and marshmallows over the smoldering embers. The eruption of a fissure near Mount Fagradalsfjall, which began late Friday, was the first in the same volcanic system in about 900 years. The volcano is located only about 40 kilometres (25 […]
LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Trust in AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine in many European countries has plunged following controversy around the jab in recent weeks, according to a new survey unveiled Monday by British pollsters YouGov. A majority of people in the biggest European Union member states, including Germany, France, Spain and Italy, now see the inoculation as unsafe, the recent poll found. However, views of the Anglo-Swedish pharma giant’s jab remain overwhelming positive in […]
LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — The British government on Saturday hailed its coronavirus vaccination programme as “a huge success” after announcing half of the adult population had now received a jab. Health Secrtary Matt Hancock said the biggest vaccine drive in the country’s history, which began in early December, was “making massive strides” following a record number of inoculations Friday. Prime Minister Boris Johnson was among those to get a jab that day, receiving […]
by Katy LEE with AFP bureaus PARIS, France (AFP) — Several European countries introduced new lockdown measures Saturday as they battled surging coronavirus infections, while Tokyo Olympics organizers were forced to announce an “unavoidable” ban on overseas fans to keep the Games safe. Residents in Poland, parts of France and Ukraine’s capital Ukraine all faced new restrictions, with most shops shut and people urged to work from home. Elsewhere in Europe, frustrations with Covid-19 curbs […]
by Jeremie RICHARD GRINDAVIK, Iceland (AFP) — A volcano that spewed glowing red lava near Iceland’s capital Reykjavik after awakening for the first time in 900 years appeared to be subsiding on Saturday, posing no danger to people, experts said. Streams of red lava bubbled and flowed out of a fissure in a valley in Geldingadalur, close to Mount Fagradalsfjall on the Reykjanes peninsula in southwestern Iceland. As the lava flow slowed under rain showers […]
