Michel invites for EU Summit

President Charles Michel issued an invitation letter to the members of the European Council ahead of their video conference on 23 April 2020: “I would like to invite you to our fourth videoconference dedicated to the fight against the coronavirus pandemic and its negative effects. We have moved quite some way over the past weeks,…

Assange detention degrades UK press freedom

The UK has dropped two places to 35th out of 180 countries in Reporters Without Borders’ (RSF’s) 2020 World Press Freedom Index, published today. Although the UK government played a key role in promoting media freedom globally, its efforts were undermined by domestic developments, including the murder of Lyra McKee and active threats to the…

GIs sales value of €75bln

Agri-food and drink products whose names are protected by the European Union as “Geographical Indications” (GIs) represent a sales value of €74.76 billion, according to a study published today by the European Commission. Over one fifth of this amount results from exports outside the European Union. The study found that the sales value of a…

II round of EU-UK talks

“Second round of negotiations on future EU/UK relations starts tomorrow. Michel Barnier and David Frost leading large delegations. Looking forward to progress across the board , in spite of COVID-19 -related logistical constraints #NewBeginnings” tweeted EU Ambassador to UK Joao Vale De Almeida. Second round of negotiations on future EU/UK 🇪🇺 🇬🇧 relations starts tomorrow….

NATO Stoltenberg adresses COVID19 crisis

The alliance’s defence ministers met on April 15 to discuss the long-term implications of the COVID-19 pandemic that has left 1,878,489 infected globally, according to the latest estimates by the World Health Organisation (WHO) release. #NATO Secretary General @jensstoltenberg says Allied military forces have delivered ⤵️ 1️⃣ +100 supply missions flown 🛫 2️⃣ 25 field…

Switzerland travel restrictions till June

Health Minister Alain Berset said that he was pleased with people’s behaviour in Switzerland, respecting the lockdown during the Easter period. There will be no passenger*allowed to enter Switzerland by air until June 13th. Travel restrictions have been updated today and are available on IATA Timatic tool. (*)Exceptions apply as hereunder and subject to permanent…

Hermitage cats enjoy fame

Russian media monitoring company, Medialogia has prepared a list of the most popular cats on Russian social networks in the period of the COVID-19 confinement, with Hermitage cats making the top of the list, TASS news agency reports. Hermitage cats among most popular felines on Russian social networks:https://t.co/uzXJGefuD1 pic.twitter.com/rypLASly4O — TASS (@tassagency_en) April 14, 2020…

Ukraine jet crash probe continues

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba renied media reports claiming that Iran is allegedly insisting Ukraine to drop legal action regarding the case of the Ukraine International Airlines Boeing 737 plane that was by accident destroyed near Tehran in January, confirming that talks on the crash investigation continue. While #COVID19 is first priority for most countries…

COVID19: Luxembourg hosts migrant minors

A group of unaccompanied refugee children was relocated from Greek islands to Luxembourg, the European Commission said. First group of migrant children relocated to #Luxembourg amid #COVID19 outbreak#Greece pic.twitter.com/t6bFAsgq55 — Ruptly (@Ruptly) April 15, 2020 Twelve children between the ages of 11 and 15 were taken from Lesvos, Samos and Chios to Luxemburg, and 50…