International tourists arrivals plunged by an annualised 70 percent during the first eight months of 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic, according to the World Tourism Organization (WTO). The Northern Hemisphere’s peak summer season was ravaged by travel restrictions, with tourist arrivals down by 81
London Heathrow has said Paris Charles de Gaulle had overtaken it to become Europe’s top airport in terms of passenger numbers, blaming delayed coronavirus testing and travel restrictions. “For the first time, Paris Charles de Gaulle has overtaken Heathrow as Europe’s largest airport, with Amsterdam
Shell-shocked hospital staff, some of whom have tested positive for the coronavirus, are fighting a losing battle in the Belgian city of Liege against Europe’s second wave of Covid-19. It is the second time that Belgium, a small EU country of 11.5 million people, has
Long-term exposure to air pollution may be linked to 15 percent of Covid-19 deaths globally, according to research that highlights the health risks posed by greenhouse gas emissions. Previous research has shown how air pollution from exhaust fumes and factories takes two years off the
Nearly 230,000 tonnes of plastic is dumped into the Mediterranean Sea every year, a figure which could more than double by 2040 unless “ambitious” steps are taken, according to a report by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Egypt, Italy and Turkey are
Sweden is seeing an uptick in coronavirus infections and introducing targeted measures, but the country that famously refused to lock down is sticking to its guns and insisting coercive methods are not the way to go. After two months of declining cases in July and
France was preparing to begin a new month-long national lockdown as Germany imposed drastic new curbs, with European leaders set to meet Thursday to discuss the explosive spikes in coronavirus infections on the continent. The pandemic is surging worldwide, with hundreds of thousands of new
EU environment ministers have adopted a biodiversity strategy aimed at protecting ecosystems, a move deemed essential to tackling climate change and reducing the risk of future pandemics. Meeting in Luxembourg, the 27 national ministers on Friday backed the EU Commission’s strategy of placing at least
The discovery in recent years of huge natural gas reserves in the eastern Mediterranean has whetted the appetite of nearby countries but exacerbated geopolitical tensions between Turkey and its neighbours. Relations have been strained in recent months following Turkish exploration and drilling operations in waters
EU environment ministers on Friday gave their backing for a proposed new climate law, paving the way for legislation aimed at creating a greener Europe. Ministers however left it up to government leaders to strike a consensus on the most contentious issue of carbon emissions