state of the union Europe's week: AstraZeneca jab troubles and Turkey's diplomacy mistake The European Medicines Agency said the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine could potentially cause rare blood clots and Commission President von der Leyen got sidelined in Ankara. Here's a look at two key stories making the news in Brussels this week. 09/04/2021
United Kingdom Queen's husband, Prince Philip, dies aged 99 Known for his sense of humour and at times controversial gaffes, Queen Elizabeth II's consort was the longest-serving in British history. 09/04/2021
France AstraZeneca: France says under 55s to receive different second dose France's health authority has recommended that adults under 55 who received a first dose of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine should receive a different vaccine for their second dose. 09/04/2021
United Kingdom The US calls for calm after more violence in Northern Ireland The state department spokesman said the Biden administration was "deeply concerned" by the ongoing violence. 09/04/2021
brussels bureau Omit Mediterranean products from EU-wide food labelling plan, says MEP Spanish MEP Adrián Vázquez Lázara has told Euronews that Mediterranean products like olive oil should be left out of plans to introduce a mandatory food labelling system, designed to inform consumers of healthier choices. 08/04/2021
brussels bureau Turkey and Russia have highest incarceration rate, says report A new report by the Council of Europe shows that the median age of inmates is 36 years, with 95% being men and only 5% women. 08/04/2021
Slovakia Slovakia told to return Sputnik V vaccines amid row over their quality "All Sputnik V batches are of the same quality and undergo rigorous quality control at the Gamaleya Institute," said the official Twitter account of the Sputnik V vaccine. 08/04/2021
United Kingdom Lockdown and vaccine drive saw UK COVID cases drop 60%, says study The study by Imperial College London also found that the relationship between infections and deaths is diverging, "suggesting that infections may have resulted in fewer hospitalisations and deaths since the start of widespread vaccination". 08/04/2021
Ukraine Ukraine: Merkel demands Russia withdraw troops near border The deployment of Russian troops near the border with Ukraine has raised concerns that the conflict could escalate once more. 08/04/2021
Europe Mandatory child vaccinations 'necessary in a democratic society' The ruling came in a case involving several Czech families whose children had been refused admission to school because they had not been fully vaccinated against a panel of diseases. 08/04/2021
brussels bureau EU's Michel 'sad' over chair gaffe but stops short of saying sorry Footage shows the awkward moment Michel and Turkey's president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan took the two top seats, leaving von der Leyen left wondering where she should sit. Eventually, she withdrew to a sofa, some distance from the two men. 08/04/2021
Europe Germany to discuss Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine purchase with Russia Germany will engage in discussions with Russia about potentially purchasing the Sputnik V vaccine if approved by EU regulators. 08/04/2021
Europe Countries change tack on AstraZeneca vaccine despite EU call for unity Countries are changing their recommendations for who should receive the AstraZeneca coronavirus jab after the EMA confirmed a "possible link" between the vaccine and a rare form of blood clot. 07/04/2021
France Bronze Age stone slab believed to be oldest 3D map in Europe The Saint-Bélec slab was first unearthed in Brittany in 1900 but spent the last century in the cellars of the Musée d'Archeologie Nationale in Saint Germain en Laye. 07/04/2021
Europe COVID-19 prompts life expectancy to fall in a majority of EU countries According to Eurostat, the biggest drop was recorded in Spain, with a loss of 1.6 years on 2019. 07/04/2021
brussels bureau Gaffe as EU's Von der Leyen left without chair as male leaders look on The incident comes with Turkey under the spotlight over women's rights after withdrawing from the Istanbul Convention, an international treaty on preventing domestic violence. 07/04/2021
brussels bureau Hurdles ahead for Borissov despite victory in Bulgaria's election Despite his party likely emerging victorious from Bulgaria's election on Sunday, plenty of hurdles lie ahead for Boyko Borissov, an expert has told Euronews. 07/04/2021
Europe Possible link between AstraZeneca jab and rare blood clots, says EMA The EU medicines regulator said there was a "possible link" between the AstraZeneca jab and "very rare" blood clots. They maintained that the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risks. 07/04/2021
France EU banks on homegrown COVID-19 vaccines amid delays and supply issues The EU wants to become the world's leading vaccine producer in a bid to accelerate its sluggish inoculation campaign. Will it work? 07/04/2021
Hungary Hungary to ease lockdown despite COVID-19 surge PM Viktor Orban said the country could start reopening after more than a quarter of the population has been inoculated. 06/04/2021
