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MEPs urge evacuation of hotspots on Greek islands to stop COVID-19 spread
As Lesvos island has confirmed its first COVID-19 case, MEPs are urging the European Commission to evacuate migrant camps, the so-called 'hotspots' on Greek...
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Trials for coronavirus vaccine could start next month in the UK
The British government’s health agency said that safety trials of a coronavirus vaccine developed by researchers at Oxford University could start on humans next...
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Czech Republic sends masks to Italy after Chinese shipment seized by mistake
The Czech Republic is due to send 110,000 masks to Italy after a Chinese shipment of medical equipment heading to Italy to help tackle...
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European Parliament to hold extraordinary plenary on March 26
With the number of COVID-19 cases dramatically rising every day across the EU27 bloc, the European Parliament decided to hold an extraordinary plenary session...
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First Coronavirus-related death in EU institutions recorded
A 42-year-old external contractor to the European Parliament is the first victim of COVID-19 in the EU institutions, a spokesperson of the Parliament confirmed...
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EU enables immediate support to hard-hit fisheries sector
As the novel Coronavirus pandemic has driven several member-states across the European bloc to impose a nationwide lockdown, with restaurants and canteens closing down...
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Spain moves to extend state of emergency as virus death toll rises
Spain's prime minister Pedro Sanchez said Sunday he would ask parliament to extend a state of emergency until April 11 in a bid to...
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Chancellor Merkel into self-quarantine
German Chancellor Angela Merkel went into self-quarantine on Sunday, after coming into contact with a doctor who tested positive for COVID-19.
Merkel, 65, had received...
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MEP Asimakopoulou sees up to 18-month transition for 'return to normality'
As the novel Coronavirus hits the EU and the death toll continues to climb each day, Anna Michelle Asimakopoulou, an MEP of the European...
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Commission announces creation of 'rescEU' stockpile of medical equipment
Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič announced on Thursday the creation of a 'rescEU' stockpile of medical equipment with the aim of tackling shortages...
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With Covid-19 travel restrictions, US takes a further step towards isolation
While having not completely terminated international travel, the US took a major step in that direction on March 19 with the issuance of a...
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Cannes Film Festival postponed over COVID-19 concerns
The 2020 edition of Cannes Film Festival, the mecca of movies, has been postponed due to COVID-19 outbreak and its rapid spread across the...
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UK to close schools and cancel exams amid Coronavirus pandemic
Schools, colleges and nurseries across the UK are to close on Friday for an unspecified period of time, in an effort to stem the...
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Following talks with Brussels, Netflix cuts streaming quality to ease internet congestion in Europe
Netflix will reduce its streaming quality across Europe for at least 30 days, to reduce the strain on internet service providers, following talks with...
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ECB announces €750 bn Pandemic Emergency Purchase Programme (PEPP)
A surprise €750 bn scheme for the purchase of "emergency" bonds was announced on Wednesday night by the European Central Bank (ECB), in an...
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Google developing coronavirus website
Google said on Saturday that it was working with the US government to develop a nationwide website that would help Americans with questions about...
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Prince Albert of Monaco tests positive for COVID-19
Prince Albert II of Monaco has tested positive for COVID-19, according to an announcement issued by the Prince's Palace on Thursday.
According to the statement,...
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Italy reports 475 new coronavirus deaths in a day
Italy reported new 475 coronavirus deaths on Wednesday, as the European Union, now at the epicenter of the pandemic, sealed off its borders.
The total...
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EU's chief Brexit negotiator Barnier tests positive for COVID-19
Michel Barnier, EU's chief Brexit negotiator announced he has tested positive for COVID-19.
In a tweet published on Thursday, the 69-year-old official said he is...
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Von der Leyen optimistic about COVID-19 vaccine before autumn
In a video published prior to Tuesday's teleconference meeting with EU27 leaders, Ursula von der Leyen, European Commission President and a trained doctor herself...
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European Commission's latest response to COVID-19
After having faced sharp criticism from within the EU over its inactivity in assisting the country's within the bloc that have been the hardest...
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EIB to mobilise €40 bn to fight COVID-19 crisis
On Monday, Eurozone finance ministers held a videoconference on the response to the crisis cause by COVID-19 outbreak in Europe, as the EU and...
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EU27 leaders greenlight European border shutdown
The leaders of the EU27 bloc gave the nod on Tuesday to the Commission's proposal for a 30-day non-essential travel ban from third countries...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
A Chinese virus has shown why telecom networks are a vital infrastructure for modern society
Over the past two years, much has been written about the use of Chinese equipment in modern telecommunications networks. Huawei, given its cosiness with...
Medicine
Why everyone is buying toilet paper and how you can manage this period of isolation due to Coronavirus
The trigger for writing this article was the difficulty we had in understanding why so many people are buying big quantities of toilet paper. ...
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The Coronavirus III
This article originally referred to the Coronavirus Covid-19 as Chinese Flu, not as a political statement but as a geographic indication of origin. The...
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Belgium in lockdown until April 5
A few hours after Sophie Wilmès’ emergency government was sworn in by King Philippe, the Prime Minister announced that as of Wednesday 11am GMT,...
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EP Civil Liberties Chairman Aguilar demands proportionality and solidarity within the EU
Juan Fernando Lopez Aguilar, a member of the Socialists and Democrats group in the European Parliament and Chairman of the Committee on Civil Liberties,...
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MEPs ready to respond to COVID-19 emergency, deplore 're-use' of existing funds
MEPs of the European Parliament's Budget committee, labelled the Commission's proposals for a coordinated response to COVID-19 emergency in the field of economy as...
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France fines Apple $1.2 bln for anti-competition acts
France’s Competition Authority fined Apple a staggering €1.1 billion on Monday for striking deals to keep prices high, saying that its operations hurt consumers.
The...
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Commission offers financing to German biopharma CureVac for COVID-19 vaccine
The European Commission announced on Monday it had offered €80bn of financial support to the German pharmaceutical company CureVac, to speed up the development...
Asia & Pacific
The Coronavirus II
This article originally referred to the Coronavirus Covid-19 as Chinese Flu, not as a political statement but as a geographic indication of origin. The...
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Ireland to ban menthol cigarettes and rolling tobacco from May
Ireland will ban the selling of menthol cigarettes and rolling tobacco from May 20, to be in compliance with the EU Tobacco Product Directive,...
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EU Council President calls for second online summit on COVID-19
Charles Michel, EU Council President has called for another EU summit on Coronavirus response, to be held on Tuesday, March 17, through videoconference.
"Containing the...
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Bill Gates leaves Microsoft board
Microsoft on Friday announced that its co-founder Bill Gates has left its board of directors to devote more time to philanthropy. He served as...
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European Parliament President: COVID-19 most dramatic crisis since Second World War
"Not since the end of the Second World War have we faced such a dramatic crisis," European Parliament President, David Sassoli said on Friday,...
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Swedish authority fines Google €7 mln for breaching 'right to be forgotten' under GDPR
The Swedish Data Protection Authority (DPA) is imposing a fine of SEK 75 million (€7 million) on Google for its failure to comply with...
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WHO declares Coronavirus outbreak a ‘pandemic’
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the Coronavirus (now known as COVID-19) outbreak as a “pandemic”.
A pandemic is a disease that is spreading...
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UK lawmakers challenge government over Huawei
The Conservative UK government of Prime Minister Boris Johnson narrowly defeated an attempt led by some of its own lawmakers to ban Chinese tech...
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European Parliament to 'shut down'
All European Parliament's meetings and activities were suspended until March 30 and staff were asked to telework as much as possible, due to the...
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External trainer in Brussels diagnosed with COVID-19
An external trainer giving classes to staff in Brussels has tested positive for COVID-19, according to an internal communications e-mail circulating in the European...
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European Parliament’s President Sassoli in quarantine
David Sassoli, EU Parliament’s President has decided to put himself into quarantine, following the Italian government's emergency measures to place entire Italy on lockdown...
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Portuguese president to enter preemptive isolation amid fears of COVID-19 exposure
Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa will be quarantined for the next two weeks after hosting students from school affected by the COVID-19 (coronavirus)...
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COVID-19: European Parliament holds one-day plenary session
After moving its plenary session from Strasbourg to Brussels last week as a precautionary measure, the European Parliament eventually is holding a special one-day...
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COVID-19: EU Health Ministers call for solidarity after member states restrict medical exports
Health Ministers across the EU27 bloc have raised concerns over the unilateral moves of France, Germany and the Czech Republic to restrict the export of...
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Most of Northern Italy under quarantine in latest effort to halt coronavirus
Italy has placed up to 16 million people under quarantine, in the government’s effort to contain the spread of coronavirus across the country.
Prime minister...
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Italy in the time of coronavirus
More than a month after the first confirmed cases of coronavirus were recorded in Europe, Italy has quickly become the Western world’s worst-hit country,...
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WHO director-general criticises countries for lack of commitment to stop COVID-19 outbreak
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus condemned the efforts made by some countries in dealing with the worldwide COVID-19 outbreak.
Tedros showed concerns over the actions...
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France says Huawei’s investments will not influence its 5G position
French finance minister Bruno Le Maire said that investments by the Chinese tech giant Huawei will not influence France’s 5G expansion plans.
Last week, Huawei...
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Italy asks for extension of CAP deadlines due to coronavirus
Italy has asked the EU Commission for postponing of some of Common Agricultural Policy’s administrative procedures to relieve Italian farmers impacted by the coronavirus...
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