Coronavirus pandemic The Omicron variant is “spreading at lightning speed” in Europe and will likely become dominant in France by the start of next year, French Prime Minister Jean Castex has warned. He spoke on Friday, hours before France imposed strict travel restrictions on those entering from the United Kingdom. The UK has so far […]
Italian journalist Riccardo Ehrman, who will always be remembered for asking the decisive question that led to communist East Germany opening up the Berlin Wall, has died aged 92. It was Ehrman who in 1989 prompted government spokesman Günter Schabowski to explain that private travel would be allowed outside East Germany. And when pressed on […]
European leaders are expected to warn Russia that hostile action against Ukraine could come at a “high price”, amid concerns over the build-up of Russian forces on the Ukrainian border. The message, to be agreed during a European Council summit in Brussels, will be the latest warning from the West against Russian aggression. The Kremlin […]
Malta has become the first EU country to legalise the cultivation and personal use of cannabis. Adults will be allowed to carry up to seven grams of cannabis, and grow no more than four plants at home. But smoking it in public or in front of children will be illegal. Several other nations have similar […]
French authorities have formally identified 26 of the 27 bodies recovered after last month’s mass drowning in the English Channel. Sixteen Kurdish people from Iraq and four Afghans were among the victims, whose families are being informed. They included two friends from the same town who died in the worst-recorded migrant tragedy in the Channel. […]
The G7 group of rich democracies has warned Russia of “massive consequences” if it invades Ukraine. UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, speaking after a summit in Liverpool, said the group wanted Russia to stop its aggression towards Ukraine However President Putin told President Biden during their video call last week that Russian troops did not […]
German federal election 2021 Olaf Scholz has been been sworn in as Germany’s new chancellor, formally taking power after Angela Merkel’s historic 16 years as leader. He promised he would do all he could to work towards a new start for Germany. As she left the chancellery in Berlin, ending a 31-year political career, […]
Coronavirus pandemic Finland’s Prime Minister Sanna Marin has apologised for going clubbing after coming into close contact with a Covid-19 case. Sanna Marin went on a night out in Helsinki on Saturday, hours after her foreign minister had tested positive. She was initially told she did not need to isolate because she had been fully […]
Ukraine conflict The US says it is preparing “strong economic and other measures” over fears of a Russian invasion of Ukraine, after Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin spoke. In a video call, President Biden voiced worries over Russian troop build-ups near the border with Ukraine and called for a de-escalation of tensions. Russia says it […]
Ukraine conflict US President Joe Biden has held rare talks by video link with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, amid tensions on Ukraine’s eastern frontier. Few expected a breakthrough, but Moscow said talks were needed as tensions in Europe are “off the scale”. Russia has moved thousands of troops to the border, but insists […]
