Namibia faces red locust invasion
Namibia’s Ministry of Agriculture said on Wednesday it had detected an outbreak of red locusts in central regions of the southern African country and had sent pest control teams to the affected areas.
Hitler’s birthplace shows that confronting dark past can take decades
As anti-racism protesters topple statues of slave traders and colonisers worldwide, some nations are pondering how to mark their dark past. In Austria, debate over confronting one link to Adolf Hitler has taken decades, and it’s not over yet.
Portugal parliament approves amended budget for coronavirus crisis
Portugal’s parliament approved in the first reading on Wednesday a supplementary budget that increases spending by 4.3 billion euros ($4.8 billion) to help the coronavirus-battered economy.
Amazon forest fires could increase risk of serious coronavirus infections
An intense season of fires in the Amazon rainforest this year could overwhelm health systems and lead to unnecessary deaths, including of coronavirus, as pollution worsens respiratory conditions, public health experts said on Wednesday.
Britain removes protection from Churchill statue for Macron visit
Workmen began removing protective hoarding around a statue of Britain’s wartime leader Winston Churchill on Wednesday ahead of a visit from French President Emmanuel Macron, after the monument was covered up during racial equality protests.
Lithuania mints ‘coin of hope’ to remember year of pandemic
Lithuania began minting a collector’s coin, dubbed a “coin of hope”, on Wednesday to mark the year of the new coronavirus and pay tribute to doctors, nurses and others who helped the country weather the pandemic.
WHO says steroid should be for serious coronavirus cases only
A cheap steroid that can help save the lives of patients with severe COVID-19 should be reserved for serious cases in which it has been shown to provide benefits, the World Health Organization said on Wednesday.
EU chief executive: no post-Brexit deal without ‘level playing field’
The European Union’s chief executive, Ursula von der Leyen, said on Wednesday that the bloc will do its best to seal an agreement on new ties with Britain by the end of the year but will not compromise its core values, notably on fair competition.
Cocaine hotline: police bust elaborate Madrid drug ring
Spanish police have dismantled an elaborate cocaine distribution ring in Madrid which had more than 2,000 customers, delivery time guarantees and a loyalty reward system, and adapted tactics to keep running during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Bosnia’s rival ethnic parties seal a deal on Mostar after a decade
Bosnia’s largest Croat and Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) parties agreed on Wednesday, under international mediation, on the way the southern town of Mostar should be governed, paving the way for the first local vote there in 12 years.
