English

More about this topic

Travel News

France suspends all flights to and from Brazil over variant fears

“We note the situation is getting worse,” said France's prime minister Jean Castex. “And so we have decided to suspend all flights between Brazil and France until further notice.”

Travel News

Wish you were there? Tourists in Greek holiday test can't leave hotel

The tourists are staying on the Greek island of Rhodes for a week but will not be allowed to leave their hotel.

World News

Europe's Muslims prepare for second Ramadan under shadow of pandemic

From London to Madrid, Islam's holiest month will be marked under pandemic restrictions for the second consecutive year.

United Kingdom

UK COVID variant not more dangerous than original, say studies

Two teams of researchers in the UK found the new strain discovered in September 2020 has higher transmission rates but does not lead to more severe symptoms than the original.

ADVERTISEMENT

World News

Europe's COVID deaths top 1 million as pandemic hits 'critical point'

Europe is the world's worst-hit region with a coronavirus death toll of at least 1,000,288 on Monday.

World

Shoppers and pubgoers flock to streets as venues reopen in England

A handful of venues in England with 24-hour licences opened their doors to punters at 00:01 am, with customers braving the freezing temperatures to enjoy an outdoor pint for the first time since January.

Germany

Germany's COVID-19 cases top 3 million amid calls for tighter rules

The number of confirmed cases in Germany passed the three-million mark as federal and state politicians struggled to agree on tougher coronavirus rules.

World News

UK eases COVID restrictions as much of mainland Europe fights surge

As UK nations gradually loosen measures, many continental European countries are trying to control souring cases of COVID.

Brazil

Brazil's virus outlook darkens amid COVID vaccine delays

The Health Ministry has cut its outlook for vaccine supplies in April three times already, to half their initial level, and the country’s two biggest laboratories are facing supply constraints.

China

COVID-19: Chinese official says homegrown vaccines not very powerful

Chinese vaccines "don’t have very high protection rates," said the director of the Chinese Center for Disease Control, Gao Fu, at a conference Saturday.

Finland

Arrests across Europe as people flout or protest COVID-19 restrictions

Police in Paris, France, have arrested nine people and issued more than 150 fines since the beginning of the weekend to people who clandestinely met in restaurants and bars.

Germany

Germany: Far-right AfD attempts to bridge rifts ahead of key election

The AfD is holding a two-day congress this weekend ahead of Germany's September federal election, which will mark the end of Chancellor Angela Merkel's era.

Japan

COVID patient in Japan gets world's first living donor lung transplant

After the woman was free of the virus, her lungs were no longer functional or treatable, and the only option for her to live was to receive a lung transplant.

World News

EU received only half of AstraZeneca doses it was meant to this week

AstraZeneca's deliveries to the European Union have been beset by delays.

World News

EMA launches blood clots probe related to Johnson & Johnson vaccine

It comes after the regulator said there was a possible link between very rare cases of blood clots and the AstraZeneca vaccine.

My Europe Series

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.

Travel News

UK raises hopes of easing travel restrictions after months of lockdown

The UK government has announced travel restrictions could ease next month, just in time for summer travel.

Green News

Greta Thunberg explains why she isn’t planning to attend COP26

In a series of Tweets, the Swedish climate activist has explained why she isn't planning to travel to Glasgow.

Norway

Norway's PM fined €2k for breaking her own government's COVID rules

Solberg planned a meal with 13 other people for her 60th birthday celebrations, despite public gatherings in Norway being limited to 10 people.

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.