More cases of new coronavirus variant found in Europe
Spain has confirmed four cases of the more contagious coronavirus variant recently identified in the UK – the latest European country to do so. The infections – all in Madrid – were linked to recent UK travel, the regional deputy health chief said. France, Denmark and the Netherlands have also reported cases in the past […]
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Alexei Navalny ally Lyubov Sobol ‘held after raid’
An ally of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been detained in Moscow after an early morning raid on her home, Mr Navalny’s supporters say. They say Lyubov Sobol is suspected of threatening an agent who Mr Navalny said was involved in poisoning him in a near-fatal attack in August. Ms Sobol was also detained […]
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Belgium and Netherlands ban flights from UK over coronavirus variant
A number of European countries have or are considering banning travel from the UK to prevent the spread of a more infectious variant of coronavirus. Both the Netherlands and Belgium have suspended flights. Trains to Belgium have also been banned. Germany is considering similar action. UK PM Boris Johnson on Saturday scrapped a planned relaxation […]
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Romanians vote in parliamentary polls amid coronavirus pandemic
Romanians are voting in parliamentary elections, with the governing pro-European liberals tipped to win despite criticism for their handling of the coronavirus pandemic. Polling stations opened at 7am (05:00 GMT) on Sunday and are scheduled to close at 9pm (19:00 GMT), when an exit poll will be published by the local media. The first official […]
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Lebanon arrests businessman linked to former French president’s corruption case
Lebanese authorities have arrested a Lebanese French businessman who allegedly funnelled millions of euros from former Libyan ruler Muammar Gaddafi to former French President Nicolas Sarkozy during the latter’s 2007 election campaign, a judicial source said. Ziad Takiedinne was arrested by Lebanon’s elite Information Branch on Thursday night, based on an Interpol arrest warrant originally […]
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France gears for more security law protests amid police violence
Dozens of rallies are planned on Saturday against a new French law that would restrict sharing images of police, only days after the country was shaken by footage showing officers beating and racially abusing a Black man. The case shocked France with celebrities and politicians alike condemning the officers’ actions, and has brought the debate […]
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Police hunt suspects after four killed on Indonesian island
A manhunt is under way after a group of sword and gun-wielding attackers killed four people in a remote part of the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, including one who was beheaded and one burned to death. The ambush took place in Lembantongoa village in Central Sulawesi province on Friday morning. Authorities said the victims were […]
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Indian premier to lay foundation of new parliament building amid outcry
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is to lay foundations for a huge new Indian parliamentary building, the centrepiece of a grand but contentious redevelopment of New Delhi’s colonial-era core. Critics say the 200 billion rupees ($2.7bn) that the Hindu-nationalist government is reportedly spending on the vast project could be better directed to fighting COVID-19 and repairing […]
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