Austria Imposes Vaccine Mandate
Tensions are rising in Austria, which this week became Europe’s first country to introduce a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for adults.
Europe
Biden orders 3,000 U.S. troops to Europe to support allies in Russia-Ukraine conflict
President Biden has ordered the Pentagon to send over 3,000 U.S. troops to assist in the defense of European allies amid the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Russia Accuses West Of Seeking War
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin says the United States and its Western allies are trying to draw his nation into war in Ukraine while ignoring Moscow’s main security demands.
Lockdowns only reduced COVID-19 mortality by .2%, study finds: ‘Lockdowns should be rejected out of hand’
Lockdowns during the first COVID-19 wave in the spring of 2020 only reduced COVID-19 mortality by .2% in the U.S. and Europe, according to a Johns Hopkins University meta-analysis of several studies.
Conflict with Russia would mean full scale war in Europe, Zelenskiy says
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Tuesday that a military conflict with Russia would not just involve Ukraine but lead to a full scale war in Europe.
UK: Christian therapist threatens to sue peers over their opposition to conversion therapy
A Christian therapist in the UK has threatened to sue a number of British counseling and psychotherapy bodies for their endorsement of the 2017 Memorandum of Understanding that opposes “conversion therapy” and would deny therapy to people seeking help for unwanted same-sex attraction, Christian Today (CT) reports.
Bitter Exchanges Over Ukraine At UN
In exchanges resembling the Cold War, Russian and American diplomats were engaged in fierce verbal battles over Moscow’s estimated 127,000 troops near Ukraine.
Kenya’s ‘Most Wanted Terrorist’ Detained In DRC
Rashid Mohamed Salim, one of Kenya’s most wanted suspected terrorists, was cornered and captured by local youths over the weekend in a village in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), several sources confirmed.
Britain Warns Of Russian Invasion Despite Kyiv Concerns
Britain has joined the United States in saying there is a “real threat” of Russia invading Ukraine, despite Kyiv urging the West to avoid panic.
U.S. rotates troops to NATO battle group, equipment in Poland as Russia masses on Ukraine’s border
As Russia continues to threaten Ukraine with troops along the border, the U.S. military on Sunday sent fresh troops to a NATO battle group based in neighboring Poland made up of troops from Croatia, Romania and the United Kingdom.
Iran shifts centrifuge work away from site allegedly struck by Israel — UN watchdog
Iran has informed the International Atomic Energy Agency it has stopped production at one of its nuclear facilities attacked last June and transferred work to another site, the watchdog said Monday.
US Warns Russia Ready For Military Action Against Ukraine
The United States says Russia has enough forces near Ukraine to carry out a range of military options, including actions short of a full-scale invasion. Washington’s warning comes as Moscow made clear that the West rejected its security demands to de-escalate the crisis.
As window closes on reviving Iran deal, door opens on military options
The latest round of talks to save the Iran nuclear deal have neared a final stage, diplomats said, after weeks of intense diplomacy in Vienna.
Poland Building Migration Wall Near Belarus
Poland has begun constructing a wall along its border with Belarus to stop migrants from entering the European Union country as concerns rise over a new refugee crisis in the region.
Catalonia Pardons 1,000 Executed For Witchcraft
The parliament of Spain’s Catalonia region has pardoned up to 1,000 people, most of them women, executed for witchcraft between the 15th and 18th centuries.
US Warns Of Imminent Invasion In Ukraine
U.S. President Joe Biden warns that Russia might invade Ukraine next month. The White House sees “little ground for optimism” in resolving the crisis as the West rejects Russia’s security demands.
World Remembers Holocaust Amid Fears Of Antisemitism
Israel’s parliamentary speaker wept in the German parliament Thursday as he and survivors remembered the Holocaust, or Shoah, amid fears of a resurgence of antisemitism.
Germany, US ‘To Target Russian Pipeline’ If Invasion Goes Ahead
Germany and the United States have warned Russia that they could target a key Russian natural gas pipeline if the country invades Ukraine.
US Makes No Concessions Over Ukraine, Angering Russia
The United States made no concessions to Russia in a written response, despite Moscow threatening “retaliatory measures” if its security demands over Ukraine were not met, the U.S. top diplomat confirmed Wednesday.
Dutch Tourist Fined Over Nazi Salute In Auschwitz
A Dutch tourist has been detained in Poland for giving the Nazi salute at the gate of the former Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp, local police say.