Stockholm, Sweden | AFP | Sweden has taken a soft approach to virus restrictions and although its rules are likely to be in place longer than in other countries, officials are adamant their strategy is a winner in the long term. “This fight against COVID-19 is a marathon,” Prime Minister Stefan …
Read More »Will Italy’s coronavirus epidemic fuel the far right?
Rome, Italy | AFP | Italy is staring down the barrel of the worst recession since World War II, which could bolster the far-right and damage the country’s love affair with the European Union, analysts say. Much will depend on how Rome handles the easing of the national lockdown, how quickly …
Read More »Beyond human toll, coronavirus could shake up global politics
Washington, United States | AFP | Thousands of people have died, the US response has infuriated European allies, and China has gone on a propaganda offensive. The new coronavirus is shaping up to be a cataclysmic event with far-reaching consequences in global politics. The COVID-19 pandemic, which has infected more than …
Read More »President Museveni to EU: Investing in Uganda is key
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | President Yoweri Museveni has hailed the new Uganda-Europe partnership saying it is important for the latter to invest in the country since it is a two way benefit. He was speaking at the closure of a two day Uganda-Europe Business Forum at Speke Resort …
Read More »EU seeks AI champions: Five things to know
Brussels, Belgium | AFP | From translation apps to facial recognition, artificial intelligence is becoming a major part of everyday life and the European Union is eager to bring order to this digital “wild west” where the US and China dominate. On Wednesday, key Brussels officials will unveil ideas to regulate …
Read More »Brexit robs German village of Scottish mayor
BRUNSMARK, Germany | AFP | The tiny village of Brunsmark, an hour outside Hamburg in the lush north German countryside, might seem an unlikely spot to suffer a sudden Brexit shock. But Britain’s departure from the European Union means Iain Macnab, a Scotsman comfortably settled in the area for decades, must …
Read More »‘Very depressing’: No fans of Brexit on Calais-Dover crossing
Aboard the Cote des Dunes, English Channel, United Kingdom | AFP | On a ferry from Calais to Dover, the moment of Britain’s dramatic exit from the European Union arrived without fuss. There were no celebrations among the passengers as the clock struck midnight on one of the last ferries to …
Read More »UK leaves European Union after 47 years
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The United Kingdom officially leaves the European Union, a political and economic bloc bringing together 28 member states in Europe. The UK has been a Member of the European Union for 47 years. The decision to quit EU followed a referendum, commonly referred to as …
Read More »Spain’s ‘Little Britain’ braces for Brexit
Orihuela, Spain | AFP | On the sun-drenched eastern coast of Spain, British retirees, workers and small business owners are braced for an uncertain future after Britain leaves the European Union on Friday. “It is worrying what happens now,” said Karen Watling, 73, who moved to the Orihuela Costa in Alicante …
Read More »EU’s Barnier warns of inevitable Brexit ‘damage’
Belfast, United Kingdom | AFP | The European Union’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier on Monday warned Britain that its departure from the bloc later this week would have “negative consequences” and only ever be an exercise in “damage limitation”. In a speech at Queen’s University Belfast, the Brussels diplomat charged …
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