Europe

COPENHAGEN, April 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Denmark on Wednesday became the first country to stop using AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine altogether over a potential link to a rare but serious form of blood clot.

The decision will push back the scheduled conclusion of Denmark’s vaccination scheme to early August from July 25, health authorities said.

BUCHAREST (Reuters) - Romania’s centrist government on Thursday approved a United States-backed bill that effectively bars China and Huawei from taking part in its 5G network development, a member of the IT&C and National Security Committee told Reuters.

“The government just approved this bill of paramount importance for Romania, sealing a 2019 memorandum signed in Washington, meaning that China and Huawei are ruled out from any would-be partnership on 5G with the Romanian state,” said Pavel Popescu, an architect of the 5G legislation.

WARSAW (Reuters) -Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal ruled on Thursday that the human rights ombudsman be removed from his post, drawing opposition accusations that the court sought to illegally end the mandate of a staunch government critic.

After the nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) won power in 2015, Adam Bodnar emerged as a leading defender of liberal values such as women’s and minority rights, as well as judicial independence, which critics say are under threat from PiS.

LONDON (Reuters) -Oil prices eased on Thursday but remained close to a one-month high driven by more positive demand forecasts from the International Energy Agency and OPEC as major economies recover from the pandemic.

Brent crude was down 25 cents, or 0.4%, cents at $66.33 a barrel by 0945 GMT, after reaching $66.94 earlier, the highest since March 18.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures fell 30 cents, or 0.5%, to $62.85 a barrel, earlier rising to $63.48, also the highest since March 18.

Both contracts rose by about 5% on Wednesday.

MOSCOW (Reuters) -The Kremlin said on Thursday it would respond in kind to any new “illegal” new U.S. sanctions on Russia and warned any new measures would reduce the chances of a summit between U.S. President Joe Biden and President Vladimir Putin taking place.

People familiar with the matter told Reuters on Wednesday that the United States may announce sanctions on Russia as soon as Thursday for alleged interference in U.S. elections and malicious cyber activity, targeting several individuals and entities.

VIENNA, April 14 (Xinhua) -- As Japan's decision to discharge nuclear wastewater into the Pacific Ocean sparked an international backlash, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief said Wednesday he takes these concerns "seriously" and called for "transparency."

"The way to deal with these concerns, for me ... it's very simple. It has one name: transparency," Rafael Mariano Grossi, director general of the IAEA, told Xinhua in an interview here on Wednesday.

Grossi stressed that when the wastewater is released, it should cause no harm to the environment.

ATHENS, April 14 (Xinhua) -- Greece and Libya's new leadership agreed to discuss the delimitation of their maritime zones, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Wednesday during a meeting with the visiting President of the Libyan Presidency Council Mohammad Menfi.

"Greece will stand by you and the Libyan people, in your difficult task of rebuilding your homeland," the Greek prime minister said, welcoming the Libyan leader in Athens in a statement broadcast on Greek national broadcaster ERT.

MOSCOW, April 14. /TASS/: Russia’ Rezonans-N radar, capable of spotting hypersonic missiles and deployed on the Novaya Zemlya archipelago in November last year, will enter service no later than in June 2021, Rezonans Science and Research Center Director General Alexander Shramchenko has told TASS.

"The third Rezonans-N radar station will go on combat duty on Novaya Zemlya this May or June," he said.

Two more stations, the fourth and fifth overall, will enter service in the Arctic region by late 2021, the official added.

VIENNA, April 14. /TASS/: The OSCE member-countries should force Kiev to give up plans for a "bloody and suicidal adventure" in Donbass, an advisor to the Russian delegation at the Vienna talks on military security and arms control Yulia Zhdanova said at an urgent joint meeting of the OSCE Forum for Security Cooperation and the OSCE Permanent Council.

MOSCOW, April 13. /TASS/: Moscow urges Washington to stay away from Crimea and Russia’s Black Sea coast, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told reporters on Tuesday.

"We have warned the US that it should stay away from Crimea and our Black Sea coast for its own good," he said.