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Lebanon faces even tougher times

France urged Lebanon on Friday to designate a prime minister as soon as possible after Saad al-Hariri abandoned efforts to form a government, but prospects for a new cabinet being…

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Europe’s climate masterplan aims to slash emissions within a decade

The European Union is set to take the lead in climate policy action among the world's biggest greenhouse gas emitters this week, with a raft of ambitious plans designed to…

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Why did Pope Francis need surgery?

Pope Francis is currently in hospital, recovering after a planned surgery to remove one side of his intestine for a medical condition known as symptomatic diverticular stenosis of the colon.…

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Why were Colombian ex-soldiers in Haiti? Experts say they are popular mercenaries

Highly-trained Colombian soldiers left at a loose end after retirement have frequently been tempted by opportunities to ply their trade abroad as private military contractors from Iraq to Yemen, military…

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Slow progress in Balkan countries’ bids to join EU

German Chancellor Angela Merkel this week hosted a summit with six Balkan countries to forge closer cooperation as they make slow progress in their goal of joining the European Union.…

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A look at the unmarked graves found at Canadian former residential school sites

Canada has been rocked by the disclosures of more than 1,000 unmarked graves at the sites of former residential schools - institutions that were part of an abusive system that…

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Rising Delta virus, absent Brits dampen Europe’s tourism hopes

While not a complete wash-out, the summer tourism season vital to southern Europe's economies will be less than sizzling as the Delta coronavirus spreads and travel hurdles keep British and…

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EU digital COVID certificate, the key to summer travel

The European Union launched on Thursday it digital COVID certificate system designed to help citizens travel more freely across the 27-nation bloc and open up summer tourism. WHAT IS IT?…

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A hundred years on, how the Communist Party dominates China

China's ruling Communist Party celebrates the 100th anniversary of its founding on July 1. WHAT ARE THE ORIGINS OF THE PARTY? The Communist Party of China (CCP) was founded in…

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COVID-19: The first study to look at whether fake news actually changes people’s behaviour

“The spread of COVID-19 is linked to 5G mobile networks.” “Place a halved onion in the corner of your room to catch the COVID-19 germs.” “Sunny weather protects you from…

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What is the Delta variant of coronavirus with K417N mutation?

India said on Wednesday it has found around 40 cases of the Delta coronavirus variant carrying a mutation that appears to make it more transmissible, and advised states to increase…

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Brexit: five years after the referendum, here are five things we’ve learned

On June 23 2016 the UK went to the polls to decide the future of the country’s EU membership. The vote to leave the EU – decided by a slim…

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EXPLAINER-Untangling the crisis in Libya

Germany and the United Nations host an international conference on Libya in Berlin on Tuesday. On the agenda will be political progress there, national elections scheduled for December, and the…

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‘We are not communists’: Castillo seeks to allay fears in divided Peru

Pedro Castillo, a former teacher and political outsider on the verge of being named president of Peru, has looked to temper fears in the divided Andean nation after a slow…

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Reaction to Biden-Putin summit ranges from ‘positive’ to ‘disturbing’

U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed at their first summit on Wednesday to hold talks on arms control and cybersecurity. Here is some reaction to their…

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U.S.-Russia summit: The American presidents Putin has confronted

Russia's Vladimir Putin has been in power as president or prime minister since 1999 and has held talks with and seen four U.S. presidents leave office. Joe Biden, whom the…

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Biden and Putin summit: Where they disagree and where they might compromise

Don’t expect a major breakthrough at a summit on Wednesday between U.S. President Joe Biden and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, a U.S. official said on Tuesday, given relations between…

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Who’s who in Israel’s new patchwork coalition government

Israel's new government is a hodgepodge of political parties that had little in common other than a desire to unseat veteran right-wing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The coalition, sworn in…

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Out, but not down, Netanyahu could be tough opposition leader

Long the familiar face of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu is headed to the political sidelines after serving as prime minister for more than a decade. But even as he battles in…

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Biden’s to-do list on foreign trip: Rally allies against COVID, Putin

President Joe Biden’s meeting with leaders of the G7 leading industrial economies in an English seaside village this week will usher in a new focus on rallying U.S. allies against…

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Why are EU, UK arguing over Northern Ireland?

David Frost, the UK’s minister in charge of ties with the European Union, and Maros Sefkovic, vice head of the European Commission, meet on Wednesday to try and resolve differences…

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Bosnia’s Mladic, commander of Europe’s worst atrocities since World War Two

Ratko Mladic was dubbed the "Butcher of Bosnia" for terrorising the capital Sarajevo with a 43-month siege and presiding over the 1995 massacre of up to 8,000 Muslims in a…

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Big vs Small – How bigger countries’ tax deal will reveal rift in Europe

A global deal on corporate tax looks set to bring to a climax a deep-seated European Union battle, pitting large members Germany, France and Italy against Ireland, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Although the smaller EU…

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What is a global minimum tax and what will it mean?

Finance Ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) rich nations have said they are close to a landmark accord setting a global minimum corporate tax rate, an agreement that could…

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Israel is set for a change of government. Who? When? Why?

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, is on the verge of being toppled from power after more than a decade in office. The 71-year-old right-winger looks set to be ousted…

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Death threats and arrests: Belarus opposition media struggles at home and abroad

In an elegant apartment building in central Warsaw flying a red and white flag from its first floor balcony, a symbol of the Belarusian opposition, remnants of the anti-government media…

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Gaza truce shifts focus to Egypt’s regional role

Egypt's work to broker and secure a truce in the Gaza Strip this month has thrust it into the diplomatic spotlight, prompting top-level reengagement from Washington and overshadowing moves by…

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Swiss to pay economic price for ditching EU treaty

Switzerland will pay the price in lost exports, higher costs and diminished attractiveness as a business centre after deciding this week to pull the plug on a draft treaty binding…

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Who is the journalist Belarus arrested by forcing a Ryanair plane to land?

Authorities in Belarus scrambled a fighter jet and flagged what turned out to be a false bomb alert to force a Ryanair plane to land on Sunday and then detained…

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UK government to target money in Scotland to counter independence drive

Scottish businesswoman Marie Macklin voted for independence seven years ago. Now, she does not see it as a priority. As the Scottish National Party (SNP) pushes for a second referendum…

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Beyond Migration – Western Sahara leader’s treatment in Spain angers Morocco

Brahim Ghali, leader of the Polisario Front which wants independence for Western Sahara, is receiving medical treatment in Spain, angering Morocco which annexed the former Spanish colony decades ago. Here…

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What is going on between Israel and the Palestinians?

Weeks of violent clashes in East Jerusalem have ignited the heaviest fighting in years between Israel and Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip. At the core of the violence that…

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Disputes and divisions in the Eastern Mediterranean are not on maps but in the hearts and minds of all of us involved, our histories and traditions – Evarist Bartolo

The following is a speech delivered by Malta's Foreign Minister Evarist Bartolo on Friday 14th May, which CDEIU is carrying as it presents a timely invitation to 'dare to dream'…

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Analysis – Israel-Palestinian violence: why East Jerusalem has become a flashpoint in a decades-old conflict

Weeks of tensions between Palestinian protesters and Israeli security forces in East Jerusalem have boiled over in recent days, unleashing some of the worst violence between Israel and the Palestinians…

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Regional election win boosts Spanish conservatives’ ambitions

Spain's conservative People's Party (PP) said on Wednesday that its resounding win in Madrid in regional elections signalled "the beginning of the end" for Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's government.…

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Britain, Germany in role reversal on AstraZeneca vaccine risks

LONDON/BERLIN, May 7 (Reuters) - Britain restricted the use of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine on Friday while Germany said it would give the shot to anyone who wants it, in a…

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Analysis – What’s wrong with Britain’s Labour?

Voters in an opposition stronghold turned en masse to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservatives, boosting his parliamentary majority on Friday despite a high COVID-19 death toll, last year’s record…

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Explainer: What does it mean to be on the UK travel Amber list?

Britain will allow international travel to resume from May 17 but is limiting the number of destinations open for quarantine-free holidays to just 12 countries as it cautiously emerges from…

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How the EU and AstraZeneca ended up in court, and what next

BRUSSELS, April 28 (Reuters) - The European Commission has launched legal proceedings against Anglo-Swedish drugmaker AstraZeneca for not respecting its contract for the supply of COVID-19 vaccines, and for not…

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Analysis-Viable plan or security theatre? Europe embraces digital health pass

MADRID, April 26 (Reuters) - As Europe races to set up a digital health pass scheme to save the holiday season from the pandemic, technical and political obstacles are showing just how big a challenge the…

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South Africa remains a nation of insiders and outsiders, 27 years after democracy

Twenty seven years into democracy, South African politics is still for the few. And those who complain the most have the least to grumble about. Since South Africa is highly…

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Who and how is making use of AstraZeneca, J&J COVID vaccines

April 24 (Reuters) - Following is an outline of countries that have restricted or suspended use of COVID-19 vaccines from AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson, after Europe confirmed possible links…

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Analysis – Biden declares Armenian genocide Here’s what we know about 1915 and its link with the US

April 24 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden on Saturday formally recognized the massacre of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire during World War One as an act of genocide, a…

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Recent legal history shows that Super League can happen

A leading sports competition lawyer says he would feel more confident representing the proposed breakaway Super League than UEFA if the row that has engulfed the world of football ends up in the…

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Analysis – European Super League teams’ owners and Champions League records

April 19 (Reuters) - Following are the ownership details and Champions League records of the 12 top European clubs who announced on Sunday the launch of a breakaway Super League,…

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COVID-19 variants – How did the U.K., South Africa and Brazil variants emerge?

The Conversation - More and more countries around the world are struggling with a new wave of infections, with an alarming increase in COVID-19 cases. Mostly these new surges are…

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Why do the age recommendations keep changing? – AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine FAQ answered

The Conversation - Many people have questions about the changing guidelines for the use of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine. Here are some answers from infectious disease specialist Dr. Alexander Wong. ChADOx1…

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Archaeology in West Africa could rewrite the textbooks on human evolution

Our species, Homo sapiens, rose in Africa some 300,000 years ago. The objects that early humans made and used, known as the Middle Stone Age material culture, are found throughout…

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Is that a good egg? How chocolate makers rate on social and environmental measures

Easter is the biggest chocolate-buying time of the year. But who’s really paying for the cost of that chocolate? The second annual report on the social and environmental performance of…

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FACTBOX-Global train accidents with highest fatalities over past decade

A Taiwan express train with almost 500 aboard derailed in a tunnel on Friday, killing at least 48 passengers and injuring 66 in the island's worst rail disaster in almost…

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Suez Canal blockage: how cargo ships like Ever Given became so huge, and why they’re causing problems

The six-day blockage of the Suez Canal by a megaship named Ever Given came to an end on March 29 after salvage teams used dredging and tug boats to heave…

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Opinion – Europe really needs to get its shot together

Italy, the first developed nation to get thoroughly thwacked by the coronavirus, earlier this week began allowing some pharmacies to provide Covid-19 vaccines to eligible citizens. While that’s more than…

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Opinion – AstraZeneca could use a shot of under-promising

Pascal Soriot must be wondering what he has done to deserve it. Having developed a cheap and effective Covid-19 vaccine in super-quick time and offered to the world at cost,…

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When can kids get the COVID-19 vaccine? A paediatrician answers 5 questions parents are asking

A big question among parents and teachers right now is whether their kids will be vaccinated against COVID-19 in time for the fall school semester. Some have wondered whether the…

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Analysis – Countries resuming use of AstraZeneca vaccine after blood clot investigation

March 19 (Reuters) - Many countries are resuming use of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine after the European Medicines Agency and the World Health Organization said the benefits outweighed the risks following…

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Scientific review – Virus variants found to be deadlier, more contagious; some may thwart vaccines

March 17 (Reuters) - The following is a roundup of some of the latest scientific studies on the novel coronavirus and efforts to find treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, the…

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Explainer: How worried should we be about reports of blood clots and AstraZeneca’s vaccine?

FRANKFURT/PARIS (Reuters) - Europe’s drug watchdog is reviewing a small number of reports of bleeding, blood clots and low platelet counts in people who have received AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine. The…

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