Europe

LONDON (AP) — Britain has announced 1 billion pounds ($1.4 billion) of new trade and investment with India, including a deal with the Serum Institute of India to aid in the development of vaccines against COVID-19 and other diseases.

The announcement came before a video meeting Tuesday between U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, who are expected to agree on deeper cooperation that could pave the way for a free-trade agreement between their countries.

04 May 2021; MEMO: The office of the European Union (EU) Representative in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip on Sunday expressed concern over the attack that targeted the residence of an activist in the West Bank, calling on the Palestinian Authority (PA) to "respect freedom of expression."

The office announced on Twitter that it: "Is following with concern the attack on activist Nizar Banat's house last night," in the town of Dura, south of the West Bank.

MINSK, May 3. /TASS/: Belarus does not set any tight deadline for coordination of two remaining integration roadmaps with Russia but would prefer not to put this item on the back burner, Prime Minister of the country Roman Golovchenko said on Sunday on the air with the Belarus-1 TV Channel.

YEREVAN, May 3. /TASS/: Armenian lawmakers convened for a special meeting on Monday and voted down the candidacy of acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan as the new head of government to organize snap parliamentary elections, the meeting was broadcast live by local TV channels.

"One lawmaker voted to elect Pashinyan, three opposed and 75 abstained. Pashinyan is not elected as prime minister," President of the parliament Ararat Mirzoyan said.

03 May 2021; MEMO: Ireland and its parliament have called on Israel to respect its obligation to international law in accordance with the Fourth Geneva Convention regarding the treatment of civilians, Al Watan Voice reported on Sunday.

MOSCOW, May 3. /TASS/: The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Russia went up by 8,489 in the past 24 hours to reach 4,831,744, the national anti-coronavirus crisis center told reporters on Monday.

The relative growth rate stands at 0.18%.

The lowest increase rates in the past 24 hours are reported from the Jewish Autonomous the Nenetsk and the Chukotsk Autonomous Regions (0% each), the Tyva, Altai and Magadan Regions (0.02%), the Murmansk, Sakhalin and Khabarovsk Regions (0.04%).

(Reuters) --- The French prosecutor's department said on Monday that there were no grounds to pursue legal claims that France bore responsibility for enabling the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.

Rwanda last month published a report in which it said that France was aware that genocide was being prepared in Rwanda ahead of the killings. 

(Reuters) --- The European Union summoned Russia's ambassador to the bloc on Monday to condemn Moscow's decision to bar eight officials from entering the country, which the Kremlin said was in retaliation for sanctions imposed on Russian citizens by the EU.

The protest is the latest in rising diplomatic tensions since the start of 2021, when Moscow expelled European diplomats during an official visit by the EU's high representative.

(Reuters) --- The European Union's executive recommended on Monday easing COVID-19 travel restrictions to allow foreign travellers from more countries to enter the EU.

Under current restrictions, people from only seven countries, including Australia and Singapore, are allowed to enter the 27-nation EU on holidays or for other non-essential reasons, regardless of whether they have been vaccinated but subject to tests or quarantine.

(Reuters) --- Foreign ministers of the G7 rich countries gather in London on Monday for their first in-person meeting since the COVID-19 pandemic began, with British host Dominic Raab opening with talks with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

The week is billed by Britain, which holds the group's rotating presidency, as a chance to reassert the West's influence and address issues such as the coronavirus recovery, climate change and how to deal with China and Russia.