In parts of Italy, 16 million people went into lockdown Friday as the country moved to prevent another wave of coronavirus in hard-hit areas despite stiff opposition from local authorities. Italian health authorities have zoned the country into red, orange and yellow, depending on identified risk factors — red for high risk and yellow for low …
Read more “16 Million Italians Begin Lockdown as Death Toll Hits Six-month High”
A lockdown in Denmark began Friday as officials ordered millions of minks – farmed for their fur – to be destroyed after a mutated variation of COVID-19 was discovered on more than 200 farms in the region. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the lockdown was aimed at containing the spread of the coronavirus. It comes …
Read more “Denmark Starts Lockdown, Millions of Minks Culled Due to COVID Mutation”
The European Union is poised to move next week to impose tariffs on $4 billion of U.S. imports in retaliation for U.S. subsidies for plane-maker Boeing, EU diplomats said, teeing up an eleventh-hour showdown with U.S. President Donald Trump.A majority of EU governments have backed imposing the widely expected tariffs once EU trade ministers meet …
Read more “EU Set to Impose Tariffs on $4 Billion in US Goods Next Week”
Health officials in Poland reported a record number of coronavirus-related deaths on Friday as the first treatments began for patients at a makeshift hospital in the country’s national stadium. The government reported 445 deaths and 27,086 new infections in its latest report. The caseload was the second highest number of in a single day during the …
Austria has closed a mosque and an Islamic association frequented by a man who shot four people dead in a rampage Monday through Vienna, Integration Minister Susanne Raab said Friday. The two sites had contributed to the attacker’s radicalization, she told a news conference. The 20-year-old convicted jihadist was shot dead by police …
Read more “Austria Shuts Mosques Frequented by Vienna Attacker”
Russia reported 20,582 new COVID cases Friday, a record daily high. Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesman, did not give any details about what steps public health officials would take to curb the uptick. With more than 1.7 million COVID infections in Russia, only the United States, India and Brazil have more coronavirus cases. India reported more than 47,000 new COVID cases Friday. Anyone traveling from …
Greece has ordered a three-week nationwide lockdown to help contain a dramatic resurgence of COVID-19 infections. It is the second shutdown this year after a sudden surge in infections this week.Under restrictions taking effect Saturday, retail businesses will be closed, except for supermarkets, pharmacies and banks.Greeks will need state-authorized permits to venture out of their …
The 90-year-old leader of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Irinej, was sent to a military hospital in Belgrade this week after testing positive for the coronavirus, according to the church.His hospitalization Wednesday came days after the patriarch led prayers at the funeral of the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro, Bishop Amfilohije, who …
Read more “Leader of Serbian Orthodox Church Hospitalized With Coronavirus “
Former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci, a wartime hero turned politician, was arrested and transferred Thursday to the detention center of the Kosovo Tribunal in The Hague, the Netherlands, to face charges of war crimes.Thaci had resigned, effective immediately, earlier in the day after learning that the tribunal confirmed a war crimes indictment against him.Thaci and …
Read more “Kosovo’s Thaci Arrested, Moved to Hague to Face War Crimes Charges”
U.S. President Donald Trump and Democratic Party challenger Joe Biden clearly had much on their minds just hours before polls opened in Tuesday’s presidential election. Yet both found time to tweet their condolences to the Austrian people for a terror attack that took place more than 7,000 kilometers away in Vienna.After tonight’s horrific terrorist attack …
Read more “Austrian Envoy Lauds Concern From US Presidential Candidates “
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz is urging fellow European leaders to form a common front against what some leaders call “political Islam.” “I expect an end to the misconceived tolerance and for all the nations of Europe to finally realize how dangerous the ideology of political Islam is for our freedom and the European way …
Read more “In Europe, Calls Grow Louder for United Front Against ‘Political Islam’”
As people wait to see who will be confirmed the winner of the U.S. presidential election, politicians and analysts in France discuss the ongoing process and outcome of the vote, but especially its future impact on the relationship between the two countries.The U.S. election is all over the news in France and, since Tuesday, the …
People in London packed pubs and bars late Wednesday for one last drink before all of England shutdown for one month in an attempt to halt a surge in COVID-19 infections. Streets in London’s Soho neighborhood were blocked so pubs could put out tables for outdoor seating, but that appeared to be the only …
Read more “Ignoring COVID-19 Surge, London Revelers Swarm Bars Before Lockdown”
Kosovo President Hashim Thaci has confirmed that he has been indicted for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Thaci told a news conference on Thursday that, because of the indictment, he was following through on a pledge to resign from his position. Thaci was a commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army (UCK), an …
Read more “Kosovo President Resigns to Face War Crimes Charges”
The recent repatriation of an Islamic State (IS) woman and four children from the Kurdish-controlled al-Hol camp in northeastern Syria is being applauded as an important step by Albania to deal with its citizens abroad who have been affiliated with the terror group.Some observers say they are expecting a long journey ahead for the country …
Read more “Albanian IS Repatriation From Syria Will Be Long Journey, Experts Say”
Pope Francis is urging people in Italy to follow the latest strict measures imposed by authorities to curb the spread of the coronavirus. VOA’s Mariama Diallo has more. …
A former senior commander of ethnic Albanian separatist fighters in Kosovo’s 1998-1999 war who was also the country’s former Parliament speaker was arrested Wednesday and taken to a special court in the Netherlands for war crimes, his lawyer said.Jakup Krasniqi, 69, was arrested by policemen of the European Union rule of law mission (EULEX) at …
Read more “Kosovo Former Separatist Commander Taken to War Crimes Court “
Turkey has fined global companies including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube $1.18 million (10 million lira) for not complying with a new social media law, Deputy Transport and Infrastructure Minister Omer Fatih Sayan said on Wednesday.Critics have said the law, approved in July, will muzzle dissent from people who resorted to online platforms after the government …
Read more “Turkey Fines Social Media Platforms for Flouting New Law”
The British Parliament has approved a four-week coronavirus lockdown plan to begin Thursday morning.Lawmakers approved the plan Wednesday, 516-38.Beginning 1 a.m. Thursday, all nonessential businesses including pubs, restaurants, hairdressers, golf courses, gyms, swimming pools, entertainment and sporting venues will close until at least December 2.The vote on Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s lockdown plan was never …
Read more “British Parliament Approves Second National COVID-19 Lockdown”
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan urged Western nations Wednesday to desist from using freedom of speech as an “instrument” to hurt the feelings of Muslims, warning it will lead to more radicalization and violence.Khan told a joint news conference with visiting Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Sefik Dzaferovic the two leaders condemned …
Read more “Pakistan, Bosnia Seek Interfaith Dialogue to Stem Islamophobia in West”
The death toll in last week’s Aegean Sea earthquake rose to 116 on Wednesday as rescuers in the Turkish city of Izmir finished searching buildings that collapsed in the quake.All but two of the victims were killed in Izmir, Turkey’s third-largest city. Two teenagers died on the Greek island of Samos, which lies south of …
Read more “Quake Toll Rises to 116 in Turkey; Rescuers Finish Searches “
Austrian authorities continue to investigate whether more than one attacker was involved in the terrorist shootings in Vienna Monday night that left four people dead and scores wounded. As Henry Ridgwell reports from London, it’s the latest in a series of terrorist incidents in Europe in recent days. Camera: Henry Ridgwell Video editor: Jon Spier …
Read more “Europe Vows to Defend Values After Terror Attacks”
Britain’s Home secretary announced Tuesday the nation was raising its terrorism threat level from “substantial” to “severe” following recent terrorist activity in France and Austria. According to Britain’s MI5 domestic intelligence agency, the severe alert means a terrorist attack is highly likely. It is the fourth highest of the nation’s five threat levels. Speaking …
Read more “Britain Raises National Terror Alert Level to ‘Severe’”
Austrian officials said Tuesday a perpetrator of an attack in Vienna, Austria that killed at least four people and wounded 14 others was a sympathizer of the Islamic State terror group. “We experienced an attack last night by at least one Islamist terrorist,” Interior Minister Karl Nehammer told reporters. He said the assailant was armed …
Read more “Vienna Attacker Was Islamic State Sympathizer, Officials Say”