Europe

MOSCOW, February 1. /TASS/: The Anti-Corruption Foundation (non-profit organization recognized as foreign agent in Russia) created by Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny has reaffirmed its foreign agent status by calling on US President Joe Biden to introduce sanctions against several dozens of Russian businessmen and politicians, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

"As for this foundation and all these letters and calls, the foundation de jure and de facto demonstrated its status of foreign agent," the Kremlin spokesman stressed.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - EU antitrust enforcers have claimed a court made legal errors when it scrapped their order for iPhone maker Apple to pay 13 billion euros ($15.7 billion) in Irish back taxes, in a filing to have the verdict overturned.

The stakes are high for the European Commission in its crackdown against what it sees as aggressive tax planning by multinationals.

It has a mixed record to date, winning court backing in its case against Fiat Chrysler but losing in the Starbucks and Belgian tax break cases.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union governments condemned the military’s seizure of power in Myanmar on Monday and demanded the immediate release of people arrested in raids across the country.

From tiny Luxembourg to European powers France and Germany, leaders and foreign ministers reacted swiftly in statements and on Twitter to criticise the coup, expressing grave concern but avoiding any details of a possible response.

“We call for the immediate release of all those detained and to reestablish the democratic process,” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said.

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain made a formal request to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership on Monday, seeking membership of the 11-country deal to open new avenues for post-Brexit trade.

Announcing the move, trade minister Liz Truss said it would position Britain “at the heart of some of the world’s fastest-growing economies”.

The request comes on the first anniversary of Britain’s formal departure from the European Union before a transition period that ended at the end of 2020.

LONDON (Reuters) - The leader of the Scottish Conservative Party accused Scotland’s first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, on Monday of putting her “party before pandemic”, saying the timing of her plans to hold a second independence vote was reckless.

Sturgeon said this month she was hoping a strong performance by her Scottish National Party (SNP) in an election to the Scottish parliament in May would give her a mandate to hold a second referendum on independence from the United Kingdom.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he will not approve a second referendum.

ROME (Reuters) - Italy’s co-ruling Democratic Party (PD) will not let Economy Minister Roberto Gualtieri be shunted aside in any cabinet reshuffle that might arise from the ongoing government crisis, political sources said on Monday.

Separately, a source who had spoken with President Sergio Mattarella -- the man tasked with finding a solution to the turmoil -- said the head of state wanted “continuity” in the main ministries, including the economy, health and defence portfolios.

BERLIN (AP) — Pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca has agreed to supply 9 million additional doses of its coronavirus vaccine to the European Union during the first quarter, the bloc’s executive arm said Sunday.

The new target of 40 million doses by the end of March is still only half what the British-Swedish company had originally aimed for before it announced a shortfall due to production problems, triggering a spat between AstraZeneca and the EU last week.

MOSCOW (AP) — Chanting slogans against President Vladimir Putin, tens of thousands took to the streets Sunday across Russia to demand the release of jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny, keeping up nationwide protests that have rattled the Kremlin. More than 5,100 people were detained by police, according to a monitoring group, and some were beaten.

TBILISI, January 31. /TASS/: In February, Georgia will receive 29,250 doses of the vaccine against the novel coronavirus, produced by US company Pfizer, Deputy Health Minister Tamar Gabunia told reporters on Saturday.

"Today, the Health Ministry was officially notified that starting from mid-February and until the end of the month, the country will receive the first batch of 29,250 doses of the Pfizer vaccine. They are intended for healthcare workers," she said.

MOSCOW, January 31. /TASS/: US President Joseph Biden will make an address to outline his vision of the US foreign policy on Monday, NBC reported on Sunday citing a source in the US administration.

According to the TV channel, the address will be made during the previously announced visit to the US Department of State, where Biden is to meet with Secretary of State Antony Blinken.