Coronavirus: Spanish army finds care home residents ‘dead and abandoned’
Spanish soldiers helping to fight the coronavirus pandemic have found elderly patients in retirement homes abandoned and, in some cases, dead in their beds, the defence ministry has said. Spanish prosecutors said an investigation had been launched. The military has been brought in to help...
Europe must act to stop coronavirus outbreak in Lesbos, say MEPs
As the coronavirus pandemic spreads across Europe, refugees and migrants living in overcrowded camps remain extremely vulnerable. On the island of Lesbos, one suspected coronavirus case would be enough to raise concerns in the Moria camp. Human rights organisations are concerned asylum seekers won’t have...
COVID-19: EU cybersecurity ‘at risk from hackers’
High level meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic take place at a safe distance — and the European Union is no exception. Recent EU talks chaired by Council President Charles Michel saw EU leaders discuss the coronavirus outbreak via video link. But this raises important questions...
COVID-19: Authorities across Europe warn of coronavirus-related scams
Scammers have been taking advantage of the coronavirus pandemic, authorities across Europe have warned. Cyber-security police in the UK have said that coronavirus-related fraud claims have jumped by 400 per cent so far in March, with losses totalling over €1 million to date. The majority...
Coronavirus: Italy approves use of drones to monitor social distancing
Local police in Italy are now permitted to use drones to monitor the movements of citizens during the coronavirus pandemic. The Italian Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC) confirmed their approval on Monday, after receiving requests for additional support from “many local police units”. The authorisation for...
Coronavirus: Human rights alarm as Hungary seeks indefinite extension to state of emergency
Hungarian MPs are considering a new bill which would increase the government’s powers during the coronavirus pandemic. New legislation would allow Viktor Orban’s government to extend the state of emergency indefinitely, even if the spread of COVID-19 made it impossible to sit in Parliament. But...
Coronavirus: Police deny claim Dutch air force was set to disinfect streets
Dutch police have stepped up their warnings against the spreading of misinformation over coronavirus on social media. A false message circulating on Twitter, alongside the police logo, stated that the country’s air force would be disinfecting the streets over the weekend. A similar warning appeared...
Coronavirus: First French hospital doctor dies of COVID-19
A French hospital doctor has died of coronavirus, the French Health minister announced on Sunday, adding that this is the first death of a doctor in the country. “I was informed on Saturday of the death of a hospital doctor”, Health minister Olivier Véran said...
Germany Bans Groups of More Than 2 to Stop Coronavirus as Merkel Self-Isolates
Chancellor Angela Merkel went into isolation after learning that her doctor had tested positive. BERLIN — Germany on Sunday barred groups of more than two people from gathering, except for families, and Chancellor Angela Merkel later said she herself was going into isolation because her...
Boris Johnson warns of ‘tougher measures’ in future if more UK citizens don’t follow coronavirus guidelines
Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned British residents on Sunday that if they do not follow social-distancing rules in public, he’ll introduce “tougher measures” to enforce them. “The best thing that everybody can do, if you’re going outside, is observe social distancing,” the prime minister said...
Former Real Madrid president dies from coronavirus
Former Real Madrid president Lorenzo Sanz died Saturday from the new coronavirus, his family said. He was 76. Sanz had been in intensive care since the beginning of the week while being treated for the virus. Sanz presided over Madrid from 1995 until 2000, leading...
Coronavirus: Dutch PM appoints opposition minister as new Health Secretary
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has appointed an opposition MP as the country’s new health minister to help combat the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. Martin van Rijn, the former Labour party health secretary, has been appointed the Minister for Medical Care on a temporary...
Coronavirus: Spain’s COVID-19 death toll passes 1,000 people
Spain’s coronavirus death toll passed 1,000 people on Friday, health authorities confirmed, as infections surged to nearly 20,000. The spread of the COVID-19 continues to put significant strain on Spain’s health system, with more than 1,100 people fighting the disease in intensive care. “It is...
Ireland ramps up testing amid fears of a surge in coronavirus cases
Ireland is not taking social distancing rules seriously enough, the country’s health minister has warned. Simon Harris made the claim amid fears infections could hit 15,000 by the end of March, even though this is regarded as a worst-case scenario. Ireland currently has 638 COVID-19...
Coronavirus: Did Europe lock down too late amid the COVID-19 outbreak? | Culture Clash
As Asia locked down, Europe looked on. Once the severity of COVID-19 became clear, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore took rapid and uncompromising action. They now appear to have turned the tide. It’s only after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Europe the epicentre of...
International Forest Day: Experts highlight the impact of climate change on Belgium’s forests
Forests are paying a heavy price in the face of climate change. International Forest Day (March 21st) is an opportunity to sound the alarm. In Belgium, repeated droughts and heat waves have weakened ecosystems in local forests, which are particularly affected by insects like bark...
Coronavirus: Generosity is infectious for those on COVID-19 frontline
As the COVID-19 outbreak continues to sweep the United Kingdom, an initiative has begun to support doctors, nurses and other frontline hospital workers. At the centre of the efforts to rally behind health workers, businesses within the food and hospitality sector are offering up their...
‘Please stop all crime’: Polish police plea amid COVID-19 workload
“Please stop all criminal activities until further notice.” They were the light-hearted words of Polish police as they admitted COVID-19 had significantly added to their workload. In a viral tweet, they said the new coronavirus had “caused panic and imposed [them with] many new tasks”....
Coronavirus: London books 300 hotel rooms for the homeless to self-isolate
London will open 300 hotel rooms for the self-isolation of homeless people, the Mayor of London announced on Saturday as the UK prepares to enter weeks of social distancing to fight the coronavirus pandemic. “Homeless Londoners will benefit from vital protection against the coronavirus, as...
French parliament declares ‘state of health emergency’
The French Assemblée National approved on Saturday a legal text that would introduce a “state of health emergency” in France during the coronavirus pandemic. The law would give the French prime minister “the power to declare, by decree and upon recommendation of the Health minister,...
Coronavirus: First French hospital doctor dies of COVID-19
A French hospital doctor has died of coronavirus, the French Health minister announced on Sunday, adding that this is the first death of a doctor in the country. “I was informed on Saturday of the death of a hospital doctor”, Health minister Olivier Véran said...
Orthodox priest arrested in Greece for holding mass during coronavirus lockdown
An orthodox priest was arrested in Greece on Saturday after celebrating mass in a church, following the suspension of religious office ordered by the country during the coronavirus outbreak. Metropolite Seraphim of Cypher island, off the Greek coast, had celebrated religious office on Friday night,...
COVID-19: Italy slows industrial production as Lombardy toughens lockdown rules
In its most far-reaching measures to stop the spread of coronavirus, Italy is slowing industrial production nationwide, while the hardest-hit region of Lombardy has banned any outdoor exercise not on personal property and set distance limits on dog-walking. Franco Locatelli, president of Italy’s Higher Health...
Azerbaijan Grand Prix postponed because of coronavirus outbreak
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix, due to take place on 7 June, has been postponed as a result of the coronavirus crisis. The street race in Baku is the eighth race to be called off at the start of the 2020 World Championship season. Race organisers...
Coronavirus: What is shielding?
More than a million people most at risk of needing hospital treatment if they catch coronavirus are being asked to stay at home for at least 12 weeks. The strategy is called “shielding” and the aim is to protect lives. Why do it? Cases of...
Coronavirus: The fake health advice you should ignore
Coronavirus is emerging in more countries around the world and there’s currently no known cure. Unfortunately that hasn’t stopped a slew of health advice, ranging from useless but relatively harmless, to downright dangerous. We’ve been looking at some of the most widespread claims being shared...
Coronavirus: Marseille soap firm cleaning up as people urged to wash hands to stop COVID-19
While the coronavirus crisis is causing economic headaches across Europe, one manufacturer in southern France has seen a boom in demand. Marseille’s traditional soap is enjoying a surge in popularity as Europeans are urged to wash their hands to prevent COVID-19. With an abundance of...
Coronavirus: Dutch PM appoints opposition minister as new Health Secretary
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has appointed an opposition MP as the country’s new health minister to help combat the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. Martin van Rijn, the former Labour party health secretary, has been appointed the Minister for Medical Care on a temporary...
Coronavirus: France’s homeless ‘fined for not staying indoors’ during COVID-19 lockdown
French police have fined several homeless people for breaching a government order to stay indoors amid the coronavirus crisis, charities claim. President Emmanuel Macron declared a nationwide policy of self-isolation on Monday, with all French people asked to stay home as much as possible and...
Ireland ramps up testing amid fears of a surge in coronavirus cases
Ireland is not taking social distancing rules seriously enough, the country’s health minister has warned. Simon Harris made the claim amid fears infections could hit 15,000 by the end of March, even though this is regarded as a worst-case scenario. Ireland currently has 638 COVID-19...