Europe

John Kerry thanks Europe for keeping climate efforts going

11:15 pm January 21, 2021

Washington: US climate envoy John Kerry thanked Europeans on Thursday for keeping up the fight to slow global warming during the Trump administration and said the US must recover lost time in the effort. Kerry spoke remotely to an Italian climate meeting, in his first international address for the Biden administration. He said the United States was returning to the Paris climate accord with humility and ambition. President Joe Biden signed […]

Europe’s court condemns Russia over 2008 war with Georgia

11:11 pm January 21, 2021

Tbilisi: Europe‘s top human rights court on Thursday found Russia responsible for a swathe of violations in Georgia’s breakaway regions after the 2008 Russia-Georgia war. Georgia hailed the verdict by the European Court of Human Rights as a major victory. President Salome Zurabishvili described the ruling as “historic,” noting that Georgia was “recognised as a victim of this war and it is a […]

Russia: gas pipeline to Germany at risk after US sanctions

11:30 pm January 19, 2021

Moscow: Russian state gas company Gazprom acknowledged there is a risk that its undersea pipeline to Germany could be suspended or canceled after the U.S. on Tuesday imposing sanctions on a Russian ship involved in its construction. Germany’s Economy Ministry said it had been informed in advance of the new U.S. sanctions against the Russian pipe-laying ship Fortuna and its owner. ”We take note of this announcement with regret,” the ministry […]

US and South Korea agree on new cost-sharing deal for troops

US STOCKS-Wall St set to open higher ahead of Yellen speech; spotlight on earnings

8:42 pm January 19, 2021

Washington: Wall Street was set to open higher on Tuesday after upbeat earnings from big U.S. banks and Halliburton, while investors awaited a speech from U.S. Treasury Secretary nominee Janet Yellen that is expected to advocate hefty fiscal spending. Shares of Goldman Sachs Group Inc added 2.5% as its fourth-quarter profit more than doubled, dwarfing estimates after another blowout performance at its […]

Vaccine skepticism hurts East European anti-virus efforts

3:26 pm January 17, 2021

Belgrade: Vaccines from the West, Russia or China? Or none at all? That dilemma faces nations in southeastern Europe, where coronavirus vaccination campaigns are off to a slow start — overshadowed by heated political debates and conspiracy theories. In countries like the Czech Republic, Serbia, Bosnia, Romania and Bulgaria, vaccine skeptics have included former presidents and even some doctors. Serbian tennis champion Novak Djokovic was among those who said […]