From the capitals
EU seals deal with Novavax for up to 200 million COVID-19 vaccines
The European Commission has approved a supply contract with U.S. firm Novavax for the purchase of up to 200 million COVID-19 vaccines, the European Commission said on Wednesday.
Turkey saves power plant from ‘unprecedented’ wildfires
Rescuers used helicopters and water cannon Wednesday to beat back fires encircling a Turkish power plant in the second week of deadly blazes testing the leadership of President Recept Tayyip Erdogan.
Athens suburbs brace for night inferno as blaze burns homes
A wildfire raged uncontrolled north of Athens on Tuesday (3 August), burning homes and forcing authorities to order more evacuations as they grappled with 81 forest fires during Greece's worst heatwave in over 30 years.
Belarus sprinter heads for Austria in fresh twist to Tokyo diplomatic drama
Belarusian sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya left Tokyo for Austria on Wednesday (4 August), adding another dramatic twist to a diplomatic saga in which she had sought refuge at the Polish embassy.
Macron hosts new Lebanon fundraiser a year after port blast
French President Emmanuel Macron will seek to raise more than $350 million in aid for Lebanon at a donors' conference marking the anniversary of the Beirut port blast, and send yet another warning to its squabbling political class.
Analysis: Why the EU is paying more for new COVID shots
The EU has agreed to pay a premium on new orders of COVID-19 vaccines because it is requiring tougher terms to be met, officials said, as the bloc tries to protect supplies after a rocky start to its vaccination campaign.
Half of EU vaccinated as Covid returns to China’s Wuhan
Half of the European Union's population has now been fully vaccinated against Covid-19, an AFP tally showed Tuesday, as China's Wuhan said it would test all 11 million residents after the virus returned to where it first emerged.
Ukraine vows to probe case of hanged Belarusian activist
Ukraine will do its best to investigate the death of Belarusian activist Vitaly Shishov who was found hanged in a Kyiv park, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Tuesday.
Portugal, Luxembourg, Belgium get first tranches of EU recovery funds
Portugal, Luxembourg and Belgium on Tuesday received their first tranches of money from the 800 billion euro ($950.8 billion) EU recovery fund aimed at helping them rebound from the pandemic and make their economies greener and more digitalised.
NATO warns Iran to respect shipping after tanker attack
The NATO alliance Tuesday condemned a deadly attack on an Israeli-operated tanker last week, and urged Iran to respect international shipping rules.
Russian and Uzbek militaries begin joint Afghan border drills
Troops from Russia and Uzbekistan began joint military drills on Monday (2 August) near the Afghan border, amid fears in both countries that a worsening security situation in Afghanistan could spill over into Central Asia.
Israel says EU diplomat should not attend Iran inauguration
Israel's foreign ministry on Monday (2 August) said a European Union decision to send diplomat Enrique Mora to this week's inauguration of Iran's new president Ebrahim Raisi showed "poor judgment".
Germany to offer Covid booster shots from September
Germany will start offering Covid booster shots from September and make it easier for 12-to-17 year olds to get a jab, the health ministry said Monday (2 August), amid concerns about the spread of the Delta variant.
Bosnia’s new top international envoy takes office amid tensions
German politician Christian Schmidt on Monday (2 August) took over as the top international envoy in Bosnia despite opposition from Russia and Bosnian Serbs who consider him "illegal" and say they won't work with him.
EU bolsters probe into Facebook buyout of Kustomer
The EU on Monday (2 August) deepened its probe into Facebook's acquisition of Kustomer over concerns the social network giant could restrict the US start-ups' rivals' use of its WhatsApp and Instagram platforms.
EU sanctions Nicaraguan leader’s wife, son over repression
The EU imposed sanctions Monday on Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega's wife Rosario Murillo, who is his vice president, as well as one of his sons and six more officials.
EU extends tariffs on U.S. biodiesel for five years
The European Union will retain its tariffs on U.S. biodiesel for a further five years after concluding that removing them would likely lead to a surge of imports at artificially low prices.
EU sends help to Turkey as wildfire toll reaches eight
The European Union sent help to Turkey on Monday and volunteers joined firefighters in battling a week of violent blazes that have killed eight people and put pressure on President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
One Free Press Coalition: ’10 Most Urgent’ List of August 2021
Ahead of World Photography Day on August 19, the monthly 10 Most Urgent list focuses on cases of photographers, filmmakers and video journalists who are targeted for their work. Photojournalists experience a unique set of challenges, as the nature of...
Empty words and slogans will not decarbonise Europe
Empty words and slogans will not decarbonise Europe. The EU's leaders must stop paying lipservice to the climate emergency, writes Helena Marschall.
The climate crisis is here and it is already killing people
This is the moment for urgent and equitable action to prevent dangerous global warming and address the climate crisis, ensuring that those responsible for it do not end up paying the heaviest price, argue climate activists.OpinionPromoted content
The third dimension
Technological and ecological change, along with rapidly changing consumer behavior, challenges our democratic values. The quality of decisions is at stake. Worker's voice based on rights and strong representation of interests by the trade unions should play a bigger role in mastering better solutions for society!
US to begin new Afghan refugee program
US President Joe Biden's administration will launch a new program to resettle certain Afghans as refugees in the United States, an administration official and two knowledgeable sources said on Sunday (1 August).