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ATHENS, Greece (AFP) — A pine forest wildfire fanned by strong winds broke out on Sunday along the pristine northeastern coastline of Corfu, a Greek island dotted with wealthy estates. The fire erupted near the wooded Agios Stefanos beach town in the Erimitis region, which boasts high-profile residents such as the Rothschilds and the Agnellis. Firefighters aboard a dozen vehicles backed by aircraft were deployed to tackle the fire in the area nicknamed Kensington-on-Sea by […]
MOSCOW, Russia (AFP) — Russia said Saturday that it has produced the first batch of its coronavirus vaccine, after President Vladimir Putin announced it had been first in the world to approve a vaccine. Putin’s announcement on Tuesday about the vaccine was met with caution from scientists and the World Health Organization who said it still needed a rigorous safety review.afety review. “The first batch of the novel coronavirus vaccine developed by the Gamaleya research […]
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AFP) — A combination of eased restrictions, less strict rule-following in summer and increased testing explains the rising number of COVID-19 cases seen around Europe, the European chapter of the World Health Organization (WHO) said Thursday. Nevertheless, deaths have not kept pace even as countries around Europe have seen an increase in cases. Richard Peabody, epidemiologist leading the High Threat Pathogens Team at the WHO Regional Office for Europe, insists “there is no […]
BRUSSELS, Belgium (AFP) — The European Union said Thursday it had reserved up to 400 million doses of a potential new coronavirus vaccine being developed by US giant Johnson & Johnson. Preliminary talks concluded Friday for a first purchase of 200 million doses followed by an equal number later, a statement said. “The envisaged contract with Johnson & Johnson would provide for the possibility for all EU Member States to purchase the vaccine, as well […]
EDINBURGH, United Kingdom (AFP) — Investigators were seeking answers Thursday over why a train derailed in northeast Scotland, killing the driver, conductor and a passenger. The 06:38 am passenger service from Aberdeen to Glasgow came off the tracks on Wednesday morning near the town of Stonehaven, which had been hit by flooding following heavy rain. Six people were hospitalized with minor injuries and police said the train had fortunately not been busy, with media reports […]
LONDON, United States (AFP) — A passenger train derailed in northeast Scotland on Wednesday, with reports of “serious injuries” in what First Minister Nicola Sturgeon described as “an extremely serious incident”. The crash, close to the town of Stonehaven around 25 kilometers (15 miles) south of Aberdeen, followed severe flooding across parts of the region overnight. Smoke could be seen rising from the scene in pictures broadcast on television news channels. “The emergency services are […]
GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) — The World Health Organization said any WHO stamp of approval on a COVID-19 vaccine candidate would require a rigorous safety data review, after Russia announced Tuesday it had approved a vaccine. President Vladimir Putin said Russia had become the first country to approve a vaccine offering “sustainable immunity” against the new coronavirus. “We are in close contact with the Russian health authorities and discussions are ongoing with respect to possible WHO […]
by Stuart GRAHAM with Charlotte DURAND in London EDINBURGH, United Kingdom (AFP) — Scottish children began attending schools for the first time in five months on Tuesday as leaders across Britain try to kickstart a return to education despite coronavirus cases increasing again. Scotland’s devolved government has ordered pupils in different parts of the UK nation to return gradually through this week, with all classes set to have resumed fully by next Tuesday. In neighboring […]
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AFP )– New Zealand announced its first locally transmitted coronavirus infections in 102 days on Tuesday, prompting the country’s prime minister to issue a stay-at-home lockdown order for the country’s largest city. Jacinda Ardern said four cases had been detected in a single family in Auckland from an unknown source. “After 102 days, we have our first cases of COVID-19 outside of managed isolation or quarantine facilities… While we have all worked […]
PARIS, France (AFP) — More than 20 million coronavirus cases have been now been registered across the world, over half in the Americas, according to an AFP tally of official sources at 2215 GMT on Monday. At least 20,002,577 cases and 733,842 deaths have now been reported. More than four out of 10 coronavirus cases have been in the United States and Brazil, the two most affected countries in the world. While the US has […]
MOLLINA, Spain (AFP) — A wind-fuelled fire ripped through a holiday park in Spain that is home to a large number of British pensioners, destroying dozens of homes and injuring two people, officials said Monday. The blaze broke out on Sunday afternoon at the Lazy Days holiday park in the southern town of Mollina, about 65 kilometres (40 miles) inland from the port of Malaga, sending huge plumes of black smoke into the air. Firefighters […]
by Denholm BARNETSON with AFP bureaus PARIS, France (AFP) — Face masks became compulsory in tourist hotspots in Paris on Monday amid warnings of a resurgence of coronavirus cases, as infections in the world’s worst-hit country the United States topped five million. The requirement came as France along with much of Western Europe sweltered in a heatwave, with temperatures soaring above 35 degrees Celsius (95 F). The blistering heat sent crowds flocking to beaches at […]
