US President Donald Trump has turned on his deputy, accusing him of lacking courage after Mike Pence said he would not intervene in the election result. In a tweet, the president wrote: “Mike Pence didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution, giving States a
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Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine has been approved for use by the EU’s drug regulator. The decision by the European Medicines Agency came on the same day as the Netherland’s began administering its first doses against coronavirus. EMA executive director Emer Cooke said: “This vaccine provides us with another tool to overcome the current emergency.” The decision,
Critics of the National Security Law (NSL) imposed by Beijing on Hong Kong have described its powers as sweeping – and today authorities swept wide. More than 50 pro-democracy figures have been arrested under the law. It is the largest, most high profile, most significant crackdown since the NSL came into force in June last
A dog has been found alive in the rubble of a deadly landslide in Norway, boosting hopes among rescuers who are still searching for missing people. The landslide, which carried away homes in the Norwegian village of Ask, took place on 30 December. Seven people have died, and three others remain missing. The dog was
Two Democratic members of Congress have asked the FBI to open an “immediate criminal investigation” after Donald Trump was heard pleading with an election official to “find” him some more votes in Georgia. Representatives Ted Lieu and Kathleen Rice have written to FBI Director Christopher Wray, saying they “believe Donald Trump engaged in solicitation of,
At least 100 people are now known to have been killed in attacks by suspected jihadists on two villages in Niger, the country’s prime minister has said. Brigi Rafini said 70 people were killed in the village of Tchombangou and 30 others in Zaroumdareye, both near Niger’s western border with Mali, on Saturday. During remarks
Donald Trump’s hour-long call urging Georgia’s Republican secretary of state to “find 11,780 votes” sounded desperate and deluded. The recording was a worrying insight into the president’s state of mind – seemingly convinced by the many conspiracy theories about why he lost the election, and unwilling to listen to the facts from members of his
Three bodies have been recovered and seven people are still missing after a landslide in Norway. Rescue teams in the village of Ask, near Oslo, have yet to find any signs of life after the disaster tore down buildings in the area on Wednesday. Two bodies were recovered from the rubble on Saturday after the
On the quayside in Boulogne-sur-Mer, a small crowd is gathering. As they watch, a boat ties up and starts to unload its haul. In this fishing town, they know the significance of this. The tradition is that nobody goes to sea on New Year’s Day, so this is the first catch of 2021 – crabs,
More than 2,500 people have attended an illegal rave in France, clashing with police who attempted to stop the event. The rave, held in a disused warehouse at Lieuron near Rennes in Brittany, started on New Year’s Eve and came to an end on Saturday morning. Mass gatherings are not allowed under French COVID-19 restrictions
New Year’s Eve celebrations were muted by coronavirus restrictions in London and New York, while countries including Australia and New Zealand welcomed in 2021 with impressive firework displays. Big Ben ushered in 2021 with its chimes in an eerily subdued London, which would typically be packed with swathes of people waiting to watch a dazzling
Britain and Spain have reached an initial agreement over Gibraltar’s post-Brexit status, Spain’s foreign minister has said. Under the deal the territory will remain part of European Union agreements such as the Schengen free movement area, Arancha Gonzalez Laya told reporters. London and Madrid had been negotiating how to police the land border between Spain
The Pacific Island of Tonga has become the first country to mark the start of 2021, with millions around the world celebrating the New Year at home because of COVID-19. Many New Year celebrations have been disrupted by the pandemic as officials seek to limit crowds that can spread COVID-19. France has mobilised 100,000 police
Ireland will return to Level 5 restrictions for a least one month in an effort to limit the spread of the coronavirus, the prime minister Micheal Martin has said. Addressing the nation, he described the situation as “extremely serious”, saying the new variant of the virus is “spreading at a rate that has surpassed the
Ten people have been wounded and 26 are missing after a landslide in southern Norway, police said. One of the victims was critically injured and more than a dozen buildings were swept away early on Wednesday in the municipality of Gjerdrum, about 19 miles north of Oslo. The missing people were from homes in Ask
A 6.3 magnitude earthquake has hit Croatia, with reports of injuries and damaged buildings near Zagreb. The European Mediterranean Seismological Centre said the tremor hit 28 miles southeast of the capital city. The same area was struck by a 5.2 magnitude quake on Monday. Croatia’s PM Andrej Plenkovic tweeted to say he was on his