countries | Common News Update

Mar242021 by adminNo Comments

AstraZeneca denies ‘stockpile’ claims, saying 29m doses in factory are for EU and developing countries

World

AstraZeneca has hit back after claims of a stockpile of 29 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine at a factory near Rome, saying the jabs are for the EU and developing countries.It follows an inspection of the Catalent plant in Anagni over the weekend by Italian authorities at the request of the European Commission. An official at the French presidency said this week that the destination for those doses "still needs to be clarified," and noted that if the jabs were for export, they could be blocked.The plant is in charge of bottling AstraZeneca vaccines produced at the Halix factory in the Netherlands. Live COVID updates from across the UK and around the world ...

Feb162021 by adminNo Comments

UK to appeal to individual European countries over arts touring ‘crisis’

Entertainment

Getty ImagesThe government has said it hopes to open negotiations with individual EU countries "very shortly" to help UK artists to tour after being told Brexit had created an "absolute crisis".Musicians, actors and their crews will face extra red tape and fees for visas to tour in some European countries.Speaking to MPs on Tuesday, arts figures said ministers must "act now".Culture minister Caroline Dinenage said there were no current talks to reach agreements with individual countries.She admitted there were "certainly a lot of obstacles to overcome", resulting in "quite a lot of sleepless nights for those across my department at the moment".With the main Brexit deal not allowing British artists to work freely across the continent, she said striking deals on work permits and visas with i...

Feb62021 by adminNo Comments

COVID-19 pandemic’s economic shock hit less-developed countries hardest

Science

Feb. 5 (UPI) -- Few nations have escaped the economic downturn brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, but new research suggests low- and middle-income countries have been hit the hardest, suffering sharper declines in standard of living and food security. To account for the scope of economic shockwaves triggered by the pandemic, researchers conducted several thousand phone surveys in Burkina Faso, Colombia, Ghana, Kenya, Nepal, Philippines, Rwanda and Sierra Leone, amassing large amounts of data on job and income losses. Advertisement The data -- detailed Friday in the journal Science Advances -- suggests the socioeconomic drop-off in less-developed countries has been especially harsh, resulting in higher levels of food insecurity. Many of the surveyed households said they were struggling t...

Jan302021 by adminNo Comments

France to close borders to all non-EU countries from Sunday

World

France is to close its borders to all countries outside the European Union from Sunday, according to prime minister Jean Castex.All people looking to enter from the EU will need a negative PCR test, except for commuters. UK transport secretary Grant Shapps later clarified the ban would not apply to hauliers, adding "trade will continue to flow smoothly".Live COVID updates from the UK and around the world French PM Jean Castex has announced that France is to close its borders to all countries outside the EU from Sunday. However, I can confirm that this does NOT apply to hauliers, so trade will continue to flow smoothly.— Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) January 29, 2021 Mr Castex said all large shopping centres will close and travel to the na...

Dec222020 by adminNo Comments

Coronavirus: EU urges countries to lift UK travel bans

World

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