Europe

France should avoid being dragged into US-China rivalry: Chief of Defense Staff

Paris [France], May 22 (ANI/Sputnik): France should avoid being drawn into the growing rivalry between China and the United States, which will become a central geopolitical confrontation of the future, General Francois Lecointre, Chief of the country's Defense Staff told a daily newspaper.

2021-05-22T11:06:04.420626+00:00 IST

Over 13,000 coronavirus variants detected in Russia, says vaccine developer

Novosibirsk [Russia], May 22 (ANI/Sputnik): Russian scientists have already identified more than 13,000 coronavirus mutations, but most of them do not have any significant impact on the course of the pandemic, Rinat Maksyutov, the director of the Vector research center that developed the EpiVacCorona vaccine, said on Saturday.

2021-05-22T08:35:33.847200+00:00 IST

French President to attend Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony

Paris [France], May 22 (ANI): President Emmanuel Macron will attend the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics on July 23, said France Sports Minister Roxana Maracineanu, reported NKH World.

2021-05-22T07:49:29.356722+00:00 IST

Nigerian Army Chief dies in aircraft crash

Abuja [Nigeria], May 22 (ANI): Nigeria's army chief Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru is said to have died in a plane crash during a visit to the northern state of Kaduna, according to local media reports.

2021-05-21T23:23:01.807806+00:00 IST

China hopes EU will do 'serious reflection' over halt of investment pact

Beijing [China], May 22 (ANI): China has said EU states "disregarded facts" on the human rights issue in Xinjiang after the European Parliament froze the legislative process for ratifying the investment pact with Beijing, in response to sanctions against EU lawmakers.

2021-05-21T20:39:19.481064+00:00 IST

Chinese tech giant Huawei blocked from 5G networks of major Dutch telecom providers: Report

Amsterdam [Netherlands], May 21 (ANI): Chinese tech giant Huawei is no longer supplying components to the core 5G networks of major Dutch telecom providers, local media reported.

2021-05-21T17:21:13.864147+00:00 IST

UK pushes forward "Global Pandemic Radar" to tackle COVID-19 variants

London [UK], May 21 (ANI/Xinhua): British government Friday launched plans for a new "Global Pandemic Radar" to identify emerging COVID-19 variants and track new diseases around the world.

2021-05-21T17:05:51.169136+00:00 IST

Palestinians claim 15 people injured in fresh clashes with Israeli Police, PM warns of 'strict action'

Jerusalem [Israel] May 21 (ANI): At least 15 people were injured in a fresh clash between the Israeli police and Palestinians on Friday on the territory of the Al-Aqsa Mosque on top of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, reported The Times of Israel.

2021-05-21T15:34:11.334768+00:00 IST

France to share at least 30 million COVID vaccine doses by end of year: President Macron

Paris [France], May 21 (ANI/Sputnik): France will share at least 30 million doses of vaccines by different manufacturers by the end of the year through the COVAX COVID-19 vaccines distribution mechanism, President Emmanuel Macron announced on Friday.

2021-05-21T13:39:35.490621+00:00 IST

Tibet Bureau Geneva holds China responsible for enforced disappearance of Tibet's 11th Panchen Lama

Geneva [Switzerland], May 21 (ANI): The Tibet Bureau Geneva held a virtual panel discussion on May 17 to mark the 26th year of the enforced disappearance of Tibet's 11th Panchen Lama Gedhun Choekyi Nyima and held that China is responsible for his enforced disappearance and accused Beijing meddling with the centuries-old religious tradition of reincarnation in Tibetan Buddhism.

2021-05-21T10:45:38.518893+00:00 IST

EU to donate 100 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to low, mid-income countries

Brussels [Belgium], May 21 (ANI/Sputnik): Europe aims at donating at least 100 million doses of vaccines against the coronavirus to low and middle-income countries by the end of the year, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Friday.

2021-05-21T10:23:48.399305+00:00 IST

France to revitalize NATO, needs clarification of alliance's priorities says Macron

Paris [France], May 21 (ANI/Sputnik): France wants to revitalize NATO and believes that the upcoming summit should deliver a political clarification of the alliance's priorities, President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday.

2021-05-21T09:56:09.455451+00:00 IST

EU reaches deal on approving COVID 'travel pass'

Paris [France], May 21 (ANI): European lawmakers have reached an agreement that would allow people to travel among European countries through a digital proof of coronavirus vaccination status, COVID test results, or recovery from an infection, as per DW News.

2021-05-21T09:27:11.370983+00:00 IST

France's constitutional council rejects move to restrict images of police

Paris [France], May 21 (ANI): France's constitutional council rejected on Thursday (local time) a controversial provision of the country's "global security" law which made it an offence to maliciously share images that identify operating police officers, reported euronews.

2021-05-21T08:25:43.010243+00:00 IST

UK launches plans for Global Pandemic Radar to detect COVID-19 variants, emerging diseases

London [UK], May 21 (ANI/Sputnik): UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Friday that the United Kingdom will work with the World Health Organization, other partners and nations to develop an advanced international pathogen surveillance network to identify COVID-19 variants and emerging diseases.

2021-05-20T23:42:53.910194+00:00 IST

Prince William slams BBC after inquiry report finds 'deceitful' methods used to secure Diana interview

London [UK], May 21 (ANI): Prince William on Thursday accused the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) of contributing significantly "to the fear, paranoia and isolation" felt by his late mother, Princess Diana, in the years prior to her death.

2021-05-20T23:42:27.365700+00:00 IST

Activists in exile urge EU states to suspend extradition treaties with China

Munich [Germany], May 21 (ANI): A total of 55 activists in exile have called for "urgent coordinated action" to suspend all bilateral extradition agreements between the EU Member States and China, to "protect the freedom of movement, association, and speech for all."

2021-05-20T19:46:33.220472+00:00 IST

Lithuanian parliament latest to term China's treatment of Uyghurs 'genocide'

Vilnius [Lithuania], May 21 (ANI): The parliament in Lithuania on Thursday became the latest to describe China's treatment of its Uyghur minority as "genocide", voting to call for a UN probe of the internment camps in the country's northwest region of Xinjiang.

2021-05-20T19:27:12.017395+00:00 IST

European Parliament votes to 'freeze' investment deal with China

Brussels [Belgium], May 21 (ANI): Members of the European Parliament on Thursday voted to freeze the legislative process for ratifying the EU's investment pact with China, until Beijing lifts sanctions against EU lawmakers, in retaliation for the condemnation of human rights abuses in Xinjiang province.

2021-05-20T19:15:01.592635+00:00 IST

Demonstration held in front of Pak High Commission in London for release of journalist Tanveer Ahmed

London [UK], May 20 (ANI): Members from several political organisations like UKPNP, JKNAP, and JKLF collectively held a demonstration in front of Pakistan High Commission, London, for the release of Tanveer Ahmed, a British journalist of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK) origin.

2021-05-20T18:21:41.853125+00:00 IST

Hamas targets IDF bus with anti-tank missile, Israeli soldier injured

Tel Aviv [Israel], May 20 (ANI): Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Thursday informed that an Israeli soldier has sustained injuries after Hamas targeted an IDF bus carrying soldiers north of the Gaza Strip with anti-tank missile fired.

2021-05-20T14:44:52.835728+00:00 IST