By CNBC – European nations have confirmed dozens of cases in what’s become the largest outbreak of monkeypox ever on the Continent, according to the German military. – The U.S. has confirmed at least two cases and Canada has confirmed at least five so far. Belgium just introduced a mandatory 21-day quarantine for monkeypox patients.
By Al Jazeera and News Agencies THE monkeypox virus causes fever and a bumpy rash and is usually transmitted to people from wild animals but human transmission is possible. A handful of cases of monkeypox have now been reported or are suspected in the United Kingdom, Portugal, Spain, the United States and Canada. Here’s what we know
By BBC FLIGHT data indicates a China Eastern Airlines plane that crashed in March was intentionally put into a nose-dive, according to US media reports. Investigators have so far not found any mechanical or technical faults with the jet, the reports say, citing a preliminary assessment by US officials. The Boeing 737-800 was flying between
By BBC TURKEY’S president has restated his opposition to Finland and Sweden joining Nato – just hours after they said they would seek membership. Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the two Nordic nations should not bother sending delegations to convince Turkey, a key Nato member, of their bids. He is angered by what he sees as
By VOA RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin told his Finnish counterpart that it would be a “mistake” for Finland to join NATO, according to statement from the Kremlin. The two leaders spoke by phone on Saturday as U.S. Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell led a delegation of Republican senators on a visit to Ukraine. Ukrainian President
Independent UK THE Kremlin has threatened to take “retaliatory steps” if Finland joins Nato, following Helsinki’s announcement that it wants to join the alliance. Finland’s president and prime minister said on Thursday that they are in favour of applying for Nato membership. In a joint statement, President Sauli Niinisto and prime minister Sanna Marin said:
By VOA FINLAND and Sweden are expected to formally apply to join NATO later this month in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Both countries say Moscow’s actions have changed the security dynamic in Europe and the Kremlin’s nuclear threats require the collective self-defence that NATO can provide. Finnish lawmakers are debating joining the alliance
By BBC THERE has been speculation that President Putin may use the occasion of Victory Day to make a major announcement, or even to declare all-out war on Ukraine, as opposed to a “special military operation”, but the Kremlin has denied it has such plans. Something short of full mobilisation could be announced, in response
By Associated Press VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis told an Italian newspaper he had offered to travel to Moscow to meet with President Vladimir Putin to try to end Russia’s war in Ukraine and suggested the invasion might have been provoked by NATO’s eastward expansion. Francis said he made the offer about three weeks into Russia’s
By Associated Press PARIS: Tens of thousands of people marched Sunday in cities around Europe for May Day protests to honor workers and shame governments into doing more for their citizens. In France, protesters shouted slogans against newly elected President Emmanuel Macron, a development that may set the tone for his second term. Tensions erupted
By Reuters NAIROBI: Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta said on Sunday his government would hike the country’s minimum wage by 12% immediately to help workers cope with a surge in consumer prices, driven in part by the war in Ukraine. “There is a compelling case to review the minimum wage so as to cushion our workers
By newsweek.com The Pentagon said Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin “absolutely shouldn’t” take part in this year’s G20 summit in Indonesia. “He [Putin] has isolated Russia by his own actions and should continue to be isolated by the international community,” Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said during an appearance on CNN. Kirby said he
By Agencies The MP accused of watching pornography in the Commons is Conservative Neil Parish, the chief whip has told Sky News. A spokesman for the chief whip said: “Having spoken to the chief whip this afternoon, Neil Parish MP is reporting himself to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards. “Mr Parish has been suspended from the
By Associated Press JOHANNESBURG: South Africa has likely entered a new wave of COVID-19 earlier than expected as new infections and hospitalizations have risen rapidly over the past two weeks, the country’s health minister said on Friday. The increase in new cases has been dominated by the BA.4 and BA.5 lineages of the omicron variant which
By Associated Press BRUSSELS: Cutting off natural gas to Poland and Bulgaria cost Russian President Vladimir Putin very little — but it is adding stress on European countries wrestling with how to reduce the energy imports feeding the Kremlin’s war chest and how to keep a united front on the war in Ukraine. European Union officials say
By Associated Press WASHINGTON: Vice President Kamala Harris tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, the White House announced, underscoring the persistence of the highly contagious virus even as the U.S. eases restrictions in a bid to return to pre-pandemic normalcy. Neither President Joe Biden nor first lady Jill Biden was considered a “close contact” of
By Associated Press PARIS: After winning another five years in the French presidential palace, Emmanuel Macron intends to go back to work straightaway on domestic and foreign policy — but he will soon face crucial parliamentary elections where he may struggle to keep his majority. Here’s a look at what comes next for Macron and
By BBC EMMANUEL Macron has won five more years as France’s president after a convincing victory over rival Marine Le Pen, who nevertheless secured the far right’s highest share of the vote yet. He won by 58.55% to 41.45%, a greater margin than expected. The centrist leader told jubilant supporters at the foot of the
By VOA DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA — The death toll from floods that have battered South Africa’s east coast has risen to 443, including a rescuer, a regional official said on Sunday, as dozens more are still missing. “The death toll now stands at 443,” Sihle Zikalala, the premier of the KwaZulu-Natal province told a media
By Associated Press LONDON: The British government has struck a deal with Rwanda to send some asylum-seekers to the African country, a move that opposition politicians and refugee groups condemned as unworkable and inhumane. Home Secretary Priti Patel is due to announce details in Rwanda on Thursday of what the U.K. government is calling an
