Rome undertakers protest over coffin backlog as city battles to find enough burial plots for Covid dead

Italy’s federation of funeral workers held a protest in Rome on Friday demonstrating against a major backlog of coffins caused by the lack of burial plots as the Covid death toll around the country continues to rise. … Read More >Rome undertakers protest over coffin backlog as city battles to find enough burial plots for Covid dead

Merkel says she’s ‘happy’ after receiving AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine as blood clot concerns persist

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has received her first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine against Covid-19 just days after her government agreed a new age limit on the beleaguered jab over blood clot concerns. … Read More >Merkel says she’s ‘happy’ after receiving AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine as blood clot concerns persist

Indonesia arrests two hackers over $60-million fraud that targeted US jobless during Covid pandemic

Indonesia has charged two hackers over a $60-million scam targeting Americans who lost their jobs during the Covid pandemic, directing people to fake websites, stealing data then using it to defraud millions from an aid program. … Read More >Indonesia arrests two hackers over $60-million fraud that targeted US jobless during Covid pandemic

‘Highly probable’ EU won’t renew AstraZeneca or J&J Covid-19 vaccine contract, French minister says

France’s minister for industry has said she thinks it will be highly unlikely that the EU will seek new contracts with AstraZeneca and J&J for their Covid vaccines, but says discussions with Pfizer and Moderna have already begun. … Read More >‘Highly probable’ EU won’t renew AstraZeneca or J&J Covid-19 vaccine contract, French minister says

France finally outlaws sex with children under 15 after Duhamel-Kouchner incest scandal reignites age-of-consent debate

French lawmakers have adopted a law cracking down on sex with children and incest, following a social media firestorm touched off by allegations of incestuous abuse against a prominent intellectual earlier this year. … Read More >France finally outlaws sex with children under 15 after Duhamel-Kouchner incest scandal reignites age-of-consent debate

Hong Kong billionaire and newspaper tycoon Jimmy Lai gets 12 months in prison for role in anti-Beijing protests

A prominent businessman and media tycoon has been jailed for one year by Chinese authorities for organizing and taking part in the unauthorized demonstrations which swept across Hong Kong in 2019 and 2020. … Read More >Hong Kong billionaire and newspaper tycoon Jimmy Lai gets 12 months in prison for role in anti-Beijing protests

Russia to expel ten American diplomats & limit staff, also considering ‘painful’ measures aimed at US businesses – FM Lavrov

Ten US diplomats will have to leave Russia in response to Washington’s expulsion of Russian diplomats, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said, adding that Moscow is looking at other sanction options if unfriendly steps continue. … Read More >Russia to expel ten American diplomats & limit staff, also considering ‘painful’ measures aimed at US businesses – FM Lavrov