English

Matthew Holroyd

Slovakia

Slovakia’s prime minister steps down amid Sputnik V vaccine scandal

Prime Minister Igor Matovic has been embroiled in a political scandal triggered by a secret deal to buy Russia's Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine.

Norway

Norway delays decision on AstraZeneca vaccines for three weeks

Norwegian health authorities said they will extend the temporary suspension of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine by three weeks, despite assurances from the EMA.

Slovakia

Slovakia's Sputnik V crisis deepens as PM says he's willing to resign

The decision to buy vaccines from Moscow before their approval by the European Union had generated a political crisis in Slovakia's ruling coalition.

Norway

'This is embarrassing': Norway PM breaks own government's COVID rules

Solberg apologised for holding a birthday party last month in a restaurant with 13 people when public gatherings in Norway were limited to 10 people.

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Netherlands

Dutch election: Rule change to accept wrongly sealed mail-in ballots

Elderly citizens were asked to vote by post for the first time in the elections, which led to some confusion.

Europe Decoded

Voter fraud claims show Dutch far-right 'copying Trump's playbook'

Unfounded claims of voter fraud have published online by far-right accounts in the Netherlands in the lead-up to the elections.

Sport

Football clubs in Belgium vote to merge with Dutch league

Belgian football clubs have voted in favour of merging with Dutch teams to create the BeNeLeague.

Europe Decoded

Viral photo of empty Geneva hospital is 'misinformation'

A viral photo on Twitter of an empty hospital corridor in Geneva is "misinformation", Swiss authorities have said.

Sport

Spain vs. Kosovo World Cup qualifier to go ahead with flags & anthems

Spain does not recognise Kosovo's declaration of independence from Serbia in 2008 but states that this month's match will go ahead with national flags and anthems under FIFA rules.

Spain

Madrid set for early elections after regional government collapses

Spain's political landscape has been shaken after the regional government in Madrid split and called an early election.

Romania

Nine Romanian police officers prosecuted over violent facemask arrest

Prosecutors in Bucharest have opened criminal proceedings against nine police officers for their treatment of two people they arrested for failing to wear facemasks in September.

Portugal

Victims of Portugal's deadly bridge collapse remembered 20 years on

Portugal's president, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, paid tribute to the 59 victims of the 2001 tragedy.

Sweden

Sweden: Terrorist motive probed after seven injured in axe attack

Police in Sweden are still investigating a possible "terrorist" motive behind a stabbing incident in Vetlanda on Wednesday.

Europe Decoded

Twitter 'maliciously violating' Russia's content laws, says watchdog

Russia's communications regulator says Twitter has failed to remove more than 2,800 illegal pieces of content since 2017.

Europe Decoded

Lockdown easing plan circulating on WhatsApp in Portugal is "false"

Portugal's government says there is "no truth" to the document, which has been shared widely on social media.

Turkey

Turkey slams Dutch bid to recognise massacre of Armenians as genocide

Turkey has strongly denounced a motion by the Dutch parliament to formally recognise the 1915 massacre of Armenians as genocide.

France

Illegal workers from Moldova ‘smuggled into France on fake passports’

"The criminal group, organised by a Romanian national living in France, smuggled at least 40 Moldovan nationals to exploit them in the construction business in France," Europol said.

Europe Decoded

Czech arms company denies selling weapons to Hong Kong police

A weapons dealer in the Czech Republic has firmly denied rumours it has sold arms to police in Hong Kong.

Lithuania

Thousands of CityBee users have their personal data leaked online

Lithuanian police are investigating after the personal data of thousands of customers of a car-sharing service were leaked online.

France

France fines Google €1.1 million over 'misleading' hotel rankings

An investigation by the French consumer watchdog and finance ministry found the tech giant was guilty of "misleading commercial practice".

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