By Paul Kirby BBC News, Berlin German federal election 2021 Germany’s centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) have narrowly won the country’s federal elections, beating the party of outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel, according to preliminary results. The SPD secured 25.7% of the vote, while the ruling conservative CDU/CSU bloc gained 24.1%. The Greens achieved the best result […]
By Paul Kirby BBC News, Berlin German federal election 2021 The fight to succeed popular, long-serving chancellor Angela Merkel could barely be tighter as Germans go to the polls in parliamentary elections. The streets of Berlin are hosting the annual marathon, but the biggest race is taking place across the country. In a final […]
By The Visual Journalism Team BBC News Hundreds of properties have been destroyed and thousands of people have fled their homes after a volcanic eruption on La Palma in the Spanish Canary Islands. What happened? Lava has been flowing down the mountain and through villages since the crack opened in the Cumbre Vieja volcano on […]
Firefighters on the Spanish Island of La Palma have retreated due to intensifying volcanic explosions. The Cumbre Vieja volcano started erupting on Sunday with thousands evacuated and more than 350 homes destroyed. On Friday, authorities in three more towns told residents to evacuate. A thick plume of smoke now extends four kilometres (2.4 miles) into […]
Aukus France and the US have made efforts to end a row which started last week with the announcement of the Aukus defence pact between the US, UK and Australia. The pact cost France a deal worth $37bn (£27bn) to build submarines for Australia. Paris said it found out only hours before the public […]
President Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party looks set for a majority in the country’s parliamentary election, after a vote dogged by allegations of fraud. An exit poll predicted a resounding victory for the ruling party. The Kremlin’s most vocal critics were barred from running in the election, and there have been numerous reports of ballot […]
A Smart Voting app devised by jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been removed from Apple and Google stores on the day Russians start voting in parliamentary elections. Russian authorities had threatened to fine the two companies if they refused to drop the app, which told users who could unseat ruling party candidates. Parliamentary […]
Coronavirus pandemic About 3,000 health workers in France have been suspended because they have not been vaccinated against Covid-19. A new rule, which came into force on Wednesday, made vaccination mandatory for the country’s 2.7 million health, care home and fire service staff. But French Health Minister Olivier Véran said on Thursday that “most […]
Pope Francis has warned the threat of anti-Semitism is “still lurking” in Europe, during a brief trip to Hungary. He was speaking after meeting Hungary’s populist and anti-immigrant PM Viktor Orban, with whom he has stark differences on the issue of refugees. Mr Orban has also been accused of an anti-Semitic stance, but he has […]
By Francesca Gillett BBC News Europe migrant crisis France has hit out at the UK over plans to turn back some boats carrying migrants across the Channel to England. The government wants the Border Force to turn away boats – but only in limited circumstances under a pre-authorised policy signed off by Home Secretary […]
