Europe

  By Ivan Couronne Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON (AFP) — Pfizer and its partner BioNTech confirmed they will apply Friday for emergency use authorization for their coronavirus vaccine, becoming the first to do so in the US or Europe as the …

  MADRID (AFP) — Spain’s prime minister on Tuesday hailed Joe Biden’s presidential election win in the United States, saying it was “very good news for Spain and the European Union”. The Democrat, who is to replace Republican Donald Trump …

  VATICAN CITY (AFP) — A hotly-awaited internal probe into ex-US cardinal Theodore McCarrick, who was expelled from the Catholic priesthood last year over sexual abuse, will be published on Tuesday, the Vatican said. Pope Francis promised a “thorough” investigation …

  By Gokan Gunes Agence France-Presse ISTANBUL, TURKEY (AFP) — A powerful earthquake hit Greece and Turkey on Friday, causing buildings to collapse and a sea surge that flooded streets in the Turkish resort city of Izmir. Greek public television …

  By Levi Fernandes Agence France-Presse LISBON, PORTUGAL (AFP) — Portugal’s government is in damage control mode after it triggered widespread outrage and ignored EU guidelines with plans to make a Covid-19 contract tracing app compulsory. Dubbed “Stay Away Covid”, …

  By Phil Hazlewood Agence France-Presse LONDON (AFP) — Eight new English areas, including London, will be subject to more stringent coronavirus restrictions because of a rising number of cases, the government announced on Thursday. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said …

  By Alice Ritchie with Paul Barker in Liverpool Agence France-Presse LONDON (AFP) — Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday said a new UK-wide lockdown would be a “disaster” but refused to rule it out as demands grew for a …

LONDON (AFP) — Two inmates in Britain convicted of trying to murder a prison officer in an Islamist terror attack behind bars earlier this year were on Thursday handed life sentences. Brusthom Ziamani, 25, and Baz Macaulay Hockton, 26, wore …

  By Daphne Rousseau / Tiphaine Le Liboux Agence France-Presse PARIS, FRANCE (AFP) — A man wielding a knife seriously wounded two people in Paris on Friday in a suspected terror attack outside the former offices of satirical weekly Charlie …

  By Jonathan Brown Agence France-Presse MOSCOW (AFP) —Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed Friday concluding a pact with Washington against interfering in one another’s elections and internal affairs, just weeks before the US hosts a divisive presidential vote. Foreign Minister …

  STOCKHOLM (AFP) — Seven EU countries are of “high concern” because of rising virus death rates, with worrying trends in several other countries, the EU’s disease control agency warned on Thursday. The seven have “an increased proportion of hospitalised …

  PARIS, FRANCE (AFP) — Bars and restaurants in France’s Mediterranean city of Marseille will have to close as part of new restrictions designed to stop the spread of Covid-19, the health minister said on Wednesday. Olivier Veran’s comments to …