European Union
US passes 600,000 deaths from coronavirus – live | US news
The Guardian’s Sam Levine reports: Joe Biden is officially tapping a leading voting rights lawyer for a role on a federal appellate court. Biden is nominating Myrna Pérez, the director of the voting rights and elections program at the Brennan Center for Justice, to serve on the US Court of Appeals for the 2nd circuit, …
China and Brazil have world’s greenest central banks, activists say
FRANKFURT (Reuters) – China has the world’s greenest central bank, followed by Brazil, both beating richer countries thanks to concrete steps such as lower interest rates on loans for pollution-fighting projects, an activist group said on Wednesday. FILE PHOTO: A man wearing a mask walks past the headquarters of the People’s Bank of China, the …
Italy’s health minister expects COVID cases to start falling in late spring
ROME (Reuters) – Italy is seeing a steady rise in coronavirus infections but a national vaccination campaign and tougher restrictions mean numbers should start improving in late spring, the health minister said. FILE PHOTO: Italian Health Minister Roberto Speranza speaks to reporters after European health ministers from neighbouring countries to Italy held a meeting to …
Make-or-break EDF restructuring talks seen concluding in March: sources
PARIS (Reuters) – Negotiations between Paris and Brussels over an overhaul of state-controlled power group EDF are entering a final stage, with an outcome expected by the end of March, two union sources and a third person familiar with the discussions said. FILE PHOTO: The company logo for Electricite de France (EDF) is seen in …
WHO health regulations need tweaks but not major change – panel
FILE PHOTO: A general view shows the headquarters of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, Switzerland, June 25, 2020. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse GENEVA (Reuters) – The International Health Regulations remain a cornerstone of public health security and need improving in some areas, but not major changes, the chair of a World Health Organization (WHO) panel …
Breaking the echo chamber: Divisions, culture wars and how to end them
Issued on: 24/12/2020 – 10:09 In France, 28 percent of people get their news from social networks and almost half of under 35s say it’s their main source of information. An information revolution – but there’s a downside to it too. Internet giants like Google and Facebook use algorithms to tailor future results just for you, in …
EU leaders break deadlock to impose sanctions on Belarus
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – EU leaders broke a diplomatic deadlock on Friday and imposed sanctions on Belarus after hours of summit talks, assuring Cyprus that the bloc would also punish Turkey if it continues oil and gas drilling in disputed areas of the Mediterranean. The deal on sanctions against about 40 officials accused of rigging August’s …
Brexit – UK minister: My answer on breaking the law was correct
LONDON, Sept 16 (Reuters) – Britain’s minister for Northern Ireland said on Wednesday his answer last week in parliament saying that the government’s plans broke international law was accurate. Asked on Tuesday if anything in the proposed legislation did breach or potentially breached international legal obligations or arrangements, Northern Ireland minister Brandon Lewis said: “Yes, …
UK coronavirus live: report your neighbours to police if they’re breaking rule of six, says policing minister | Politics
Good morning. We’ve got another busy day ahead, with Britain moving into a new phase in the fight against coronavirus – the “rule of six” is coming into force in England, Scotland and Wales (in slightly different forms), joining Northern Ireland (where a version already applies) and MPs will get their first chance to vote …
Jonathan Jones’ resignation over Brexit law-breaking met with dismay | Politics
Friends and former colleagues of the government lawyer Sir Jonathan Jones said his resignation suggested he had been put in an intolerable position, with a cabinet minister admitting the government intended to break the law. Jones resigned on Tuesday, giving no reason in his departure email to colleagues, but Whitehall sources and former colleagues said …
