Turkey resumes limited mass prayers at mosques as virus curbs ease
Turkey resumed mass prayers at a limited number of mosques on Friday after a break of more than two months, as Ankara eased restrictions imposed to curb the coronavirus outbreak.
EU seeks tougher China policy, concerned by Hong Kong law
European Union foreign ministers agreed to toughen their strategy on China on Friday to counter Beijing’s increasingly assertive diplomacy against a backdrop of concern about China’s new security law for Hong Kong.
French mortality rate in May below previous years despite epidemic
Fewer people died in France in early May than in the same period in the two previous years following high excess death rates during the peak of the coronavirus epidemic in March-April, statistics agency INSEE said on Friday.
Romanian cobbler keeps people apart with size 75 shoes
Soon after a two-month lockdown to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus eased in Romania in mid-May, Grigore Lup, a Romanian shoemaker from the Transylvanian city of Cluj, noticed people were not respecting the rules of social distancing.
Foreign powers in Libya risk ever bloodier stalemate
As Turkish drones helped drive eastern Libyan forces back from Tripoli this month, Russia was said to be reinforcing them with warplanes, raising the stakes in a stalemated civil war that has partitioned the country.
Factbox: Who’s involved in Libya’s war and why
The conflict between Libya’s Government of National Accord (GNA), recognised by the United Nations, and the eastern-based forces of Khalifa Haftar has become a cauldron for foreign rivals.
City of Moscow revises up its coronavirus death toll for April after criticism
The city of Moscow has issued a revised version of its coronavirus death toll for April after criticism of its initial figures, more than doubling the original tally by using what it said was an alternative counting method.
North Korea accuses U.S. of hurting its image with cyber threat warning
North Korea accused the United States of smear tactics on Friday after Washington renewed accusations last month that Pyongyang was responsible for malicious cyber attacks.
Britain urges China to reconsider Hong Kong law: PM’s spokesman
Britain has urged China to reconsider imposing a new security law on Hong Kong and hopes Beijing is listening, a spokesman for Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday.
Denmark and Norway create travel bubble, excluding Sweden: media
Norway and Denmark will resume free travel between the two countries, three Norwegian media outlets reported on Friday, creating a travel bubble that excludes Scandinavian neighbour Sweden, where the number of COVID-19 infections is higher.
