Greece announced Tuesday that people 60 or older will be required to get the COVID-19 vaccine by Jan. 16 or pay a monthly fine of 100 euros (about $114), Reuters reports. Driving the news: “It’s the price to pay for health,” said Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who added the decision

 954 Views

South Africa said Saturday it’s being “punished” for detecting the new Omicron coronavirus variant as more countries rush to enact travel bans and restrictions. Driving the news: The U.S. imposed air travel restrictions from eight countries Friday in response to the Omicron variant. Countries in Europe and Asia have also

 4,809 Views

The German government has urged members of Congress not to sanction the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, arguing that doing so will “weaken” U.S. credibility and “ultimately damage transatlantic unity,” according to documents obtained by Axios. Why it matters: At a time when roughly 100,000 Russian troops are massing at its

 1,102 Views

Sharbat Gula, who became known internationally as “Afghan girl” after she was featured on a 1985 cover of National Geographic, has arrived in Rome, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi’s office said on Thursday. Driving the news: Gula, who was pictured in National Geographic when she was 12 years old, was

 1,098 Views

A methane gas leak and explosion at a Siberian coal mine killed at least 52 people on Thursday, including six rescuers, Russian officials said. The big picture: Russia’s worst mining disaster in more than a decade occurred at the Listvyazhnaya mine in the Kemerovo region after gas filled a ventilation

 1,089 Views

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) Friday “foreign powers” were to blame for days of unrest in the South Pacific nation. Why it matters: His government’s decision to change alliances from Taiwan to China sparked a wave of anger and massive protests and riots

 1,079 Views

The leader of a U.S. congressional delegation to Taiwan declared during a meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen Friday that the self-governing island was a “force for good,” per Reuters. Why it matters: The group arrived in Taipei on Thursday despite pressure from Beijing to call off the visit, according to

 1,089 Views

Ukraine has uncovered a group of Russians and Ukrainians plotting an attempted coup for next week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters Friday, the Washington Post reported. Driving the news: Zelensky didn’t accuse the Russian government of involvement in the purposed coup, and Kremlin denied any role, Reuters reported. Zelensky

 9 Views

The British and French governments have pledged to increase joint efforts to stop migrant crossings after at least 27 migrants died when their U.K.-bound inflatable boat capsized in the English Channel Wednesday, per Euronews. The big picture: French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin told reporters five women and a girl were

 1,035 Views

Olaf Scholz will become the next chancellor of Germany after his center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) finalized a deal with the Greens and the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP) on Wednesday to form a new governing coalition. Why it matters: Scholz, who serves as finance minister and vice chancellor in the

 2,852 Views