European Union

An US official who later tested positive for Covid-19 had met with his European counterparts despite showing symptoms, reports the New York Times. Peter Berkowitz, a senior department official, had held face-to-face meetings with British officials and French diplomats before flying back to the US. His two week October tour also included Budapest. "What's the cost to America's image if we infect our foreign interlocutors?", said another US official.

The UK's Nigel Farage has rebranded his Brexit Party as an anti-lock down party called Reform UK as he rails against measures meant to prevent the spread of the pandemic caused by Covid-19. "It's time to end the political consensus that there is no alternative to shutting people up in their homes," he said in an op-ed in the Daily Telegraph newspaper.

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Artillery strikes on civilians in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict could amount to war crimes, the UN human rights chief said on Monday (2 November), reiterating a call for Azerbaijan and Armenia to halt attacks on towns, schools and hospitals in the...

The Serbian president said on Monday that the Balkans could be a driving force behind European growth in the future. Speaking at a Regional Youth Leadership forum organised by the European Movement in Serbia and attended by the Albanian and...

The coronavirus situation in Serbia is becoming increasingly difficult, particularly as hospitals continue to fill up, President Aleksandar Vučić told a press conference in Belgrade on Monday. This is why it is extremely important for citizens to strictly adhere to...

Social Democratic Party (SDP) leader Pedja Grbin said it was necessary to find a formula that will remove the octopus of corruption in the City of Zagreb adding, however, that it was too early to say who SDP’s candidate for...

Economy Minister Virgil Popescu announced on Monday that he tested positive for the coronavirus, meaning he will miss the Romanian government’s two-day visit to Israel and Palestine. Though Popescu had developed flu-like symptoms Sunday night, the government said that the...

The 2020 US presidential election has been different than any other in history. Here is the rundown of key things to watch out for as the results roll in. 

Hungary has started negotiations regarding the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines last Friday and Monday over the phone with Russian Trade and Industry Minister Denis Manturov and Health Minister Mikhail Murashko “with whom we have agreed to maintain ongoing contact to...

Polish nationalists announced that the Independence March will still take place on 11 November as scheduled, despite public gatherings of more than five people currently prohibited according to the country’s COVID-19 restrictions. Organisers argue that the Independence March will be...

The Polish government placed an order for 308 new cars as part of a project called “logistic support in the field of providing assistance II”, which, as official documents show, will be co-financed by the EU’s Asylum, Migration and Integration...

Thessaloniki and the neighbouring region of Serres have been put in lockdown for 14 days as COVID-19 cases rose dangerously in recent weeks. Wholesale, industry, hotels, and schools remain open. Tele-education will be compulsory for all high schools, as well...

Spanish Health Minister Salvador Illa ruled out declaring a full lockdown like the one imposed during the first wave on Monday in the region of Asturias (northern Spain) to contain the fast spread of COVID-19 in the region, EFE reported....

30% of the EU's €1.8 trillion budget and recovery plan for 2021-2027 will be made available for the green transition. That amount is no longer up for negotiation and the focus must now shift to spending it well, said Kadri Simson, the EU's energy commissioner.

A top aide to President Donald Trump, two former EU Commissioners and a current EU head of state are among 10 candidates to lead the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, the OECD said Monday (2 November).

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte outlined before parliament on Monday the latest planned COVID-19 restrictions to be included in the new decree by Wednesday at the latest, including a nationwide 9pm curfew. “Infections are rising all over the world. Italy...

Finland’s government plans to set up a task force to deal with human trafficking, announced Interior Minister Maria Ohisalo (Greens) on Monday in an interview with daily broadsheet Helsingin Sanomat. The announcement came as a response to the “2020 Trafficking...

England will go back into lockdown on Thursday in a bid to avoid thousands of daily deaths from the second wave of COVID-19, Prime Minister Boris Johnson told UK lawmakers on Tuesday. Pubs, restaurants, gyms, and non-essential shops will be...

Walloon Minister-President Elio Di Rupo urged citizens to respect Belgium’s second lockdown rules or face an even stricter one because of a lack of compliance. “Bear, support, withstand now in the hope of having a more humane month of December,...