Europe

As Spain cases soar, school return comes too soon for some

  by Thomas PERROTEAU Agence France Presse MADRID, Spain (AFP) — With coronavirus cases surging as a new school year begins, many Spanish parents are refusing to send their children back to class despite the threat of sanctions. “You have your whole life to learn, but if you lose your health, that’s it,” says Aroa Miranda, a 37-year-old mother-of-two who won’t send her boys to school this week when term resumes in the coastal town […]

UK police launch hunt for suspect after mass stabbing

  by Joe JACKSON, with Phil HAZLEWOOD in London Agence France Presse BIRMINGHAM, United Kingdom (AFP) — Detectives in Britain’s second city of Birmingham on Sunday launched a hunt for a knifeman who killed one and critically injured two in a series of random stabbings over several hours. Five others suffered minor injuries in the attacks, which happened at four separate locations in the busy city centre between 12:30 (2330 GMT Saturday) and 2:30 am. […]

Mother allegedly suffocates five children to death in Germany

BERLIN, Germany (AFP) — A 27-year-old German woman is suspected of smothering five of her children as she was feeling “emotionally overwhelmed”, investigators said Friday, a day after the lifeless bodies were found in their family apartment. The suspect then attempted suicide by throwing herself under a train, before being rescued with serious but not life threatening injuries, said lead investigator Marcel Maierhofer. She is believed to have “carried out the act while she was […]

Soldier killed, two injured in Ukraine forest fire

KIEV, Ukraine (AFP) — One Ukrainian soldier died and two others were injured in forest fires in Ukraine’s eastern Lugansk region, near the front line of the country’s war with Moscow-backed separatists, authorities said Thursday. The soldiers were evacuating equipment and weapons from the blaze, Oleksandr Motuzanyk, a spokesman for the defense ministry told AFP. The fire spread over 500 hectares (1,235 acres) to the neighboring Kharkiv region, where about 20 houses were destroyed and […]

Sanofi halts trial of Covid-19 drug after tests

PARIS, France (AFP) — French pharma giant Sanofi said Tuesday that international Phase 3 clinical tests of its Kevzara drug for serious Covid-19 cases had proved inconclusive and it was halting the trial. The Phase 3 test — normally the last before official approval for use — “did not meet the primary or secondary evaluation criteria compared with a placebo, and in both cases, compared with established hospital care,” it said in a statement. Sanofi […]

Greek wildfire spares key archaeological site

ATHENS, Greece (AFP) — One of Greece’s most important archaeological sites escaped serious damage after firefighters tamed a wildfire that lashed the surrounding countryside, officials said on Monday. The fire erupted at noon on Sunday near the ruins of Mycenae, one of the centres of ancient Greek civilisation, about 120 kilometres (75 miles) south-west of Athens, prompting the evacuation of visitors and staff. “The damage caused to the archaeological site was the least possible, as […]

Tens of thousands march in Belarus capital despite crackdown

  by Tatiana Kalinovskaya Agence France Presse MINSK, Belarus (AFP) — Tens of thousands of opposition supporters marched through Minsk Sunday, calling for an end to strongman Alexander Lukashenko’s rule amid a heavy security presence and despite dozens of arrests. Belarus protests have entered a third week since the disputed presidential election on August 9 in which Lukashenko claimed victory. Opposition rival Svetlana Tikhanovskaya says she was the true winner, meanwhile. An AFP journalist and […]

Nigerians attack medics at Rome coronavirus centre

  ROME, Italy (AFP) — Three Nigerian migrants attacked staff in a military hospital in Rome after testing positive for the new coronavirus, the defence ministry said Saturday. The incident at the Celio military hospital, now turned into a COVID-19 treatment centre, occurred when they saw a Bangladeshi migrant walking out after testing negative and then tried to flee but were stopped. They are accused of violence, resistance and causing bodily harm. “The attacks at […]

France notes ‘exponential’ rise in coronavirus cases as over 7k new cases reported in 24 hours

  PARIS, France (AFP) — France on Friday said there had been an “exponential” rise in coronavirus cases with more than 7,000 new infections in 24 hours. “The dynamic of the progression of the epidemic is exponential,” France’s directorate general of health said, adding that there were 7,379 new infections in mainland France against 6,111 on Thursday and 5,429 on Wednesday. This was the highest figure recorded since testing was expanded in France. The 4,000-mark […]

Government urges UK to get back to work as job losses mount

  LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Britain’s government on Friday urged people to return to work amid concern about the impact of the coronavirus lockdown on the economy and struggling high street businesses. “It is now safe to go back to work,” Transport Secretary Grant Shapps told Sky News television in an interview. “I think there’s a limit, just in human terms, to remote working. And there are things where you just need to spark […]

WHO opens door to change for global public health alerts

GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) — The WHO said Thursday it was setting up a committee to consider changing the rules on declaring an international health emergency, following criticism of its Covid-19 pandemic response. The World Health Organization declared a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) over the new coronavirus on January 30 — at which time the respiratory disease had infected fewer than 100 people outside China, and claimed no lives beyond its borders. But […]

Masks compulsory in all Paris as virus cases rise

  PARIS, France (AFP) — France’s prime minister on Thursday announced face masks will become compulsory throughout Paris, expressing concern over an “undeniable” trend of expanding coronavirus infection in the country. Jean Castex said 19 more departments have been added to a map with “red” zones of active virus circulation, meaning 21 of France’s 94 departments are classified as such. Official figures released Wednesday showed more than 5,400 confirmed new cases in just 24 hours, […]