Europe

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain’s easyJet (EZJ.L) plans to cut up to 4,500 jobs and shrink its fleet to adjust to the smaller travel market which is forecast to emerge from the coronavirus crisis.

EasyJet, which employs more than 15,000 people in eight countries across Europe, is moving later than others in announcing job cuts as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, which has brought airlines across the world to their knees.

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The United States’ decision to end sanctions waivers that had allowed some work to proceed at Iranian nuclear sites will only provoke Tehran into developing nuclear weapons, Interfax cited Russian Senator Vladimir Dzhabarov as saying on Thursday.

“The U.S. is pushing them and in the end they are provoking Iran to create a nuclear bomb, unequivocally,” said Dzhabarov, adding that Russia would continue to cooperate with Iran.

LONDON (Reuters) - European shares rose for the fourth straight session on Thursday and the euro perched at a two-month high, as businesses returning to work and a 750 billion euro EU stimulus plan outweighed rising U.S.-China tensions.

Asian markets had been subdued overnight after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had warned Hong Kong no longer warranted special treatment under U.S. law, but there was no stopping Europe.

GENEVA, May 27 (Xinhua) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday announced the creation of the WHO Foundation, an independent grant-making entity that will support the organization's efforts to address the most pressing global health challenges.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a virtual press conference from Geneva that the idea to support the establishment of the WHO Foundation dated back to February 2018, and "today it gives us enormous pleasure to launch it officially."

MOSCOW, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Russia has decided to postpone the 2020 summits of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and BRICS initially scheduled to be held in St. Petersburg in July, the Kremlin announced Wednesday.

The new dates for the summits will be determined depending on the further development of the epidemiological situation in member countries and around the world, the Kremlin said in a statement.

The summits will be probably held in autumn, local media reported citing sources. 

LONDON, May 28 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The UN environmental agency said it has received a request from host nation Britain to postpone this year’s global climate conference until November 2021 because of the coronavirus.

This year’s COP 26 summit had been due to take place in the Scottish city of Glasgow in November before the pandemic forced a rethink and the possibility of rescheduling for March 2021.

But it now appears it could take place much later.

MADRID (AP) — Spain’s government says that Japanese carmaker Nissan Motor Co. has decided to close its manufacturing plants in the northeastern Catalonia region, resulting in the loss of some 3,000 direct jobs.

Spain’s Industry Ministry says in a statement on Thursday that it regrets the company’s decision despite proposals to keep the plant running, and urges the car manufacturer’s executives to consider alternatives.

MOSCOW, May 27. /TASS/: The Tupolev Aircraft Company (part of the United Aircraft Corporation) confirmed on Wednesday it was testing the second prototype of the heavily upgraded Tu-22M3M long-range missile-carrying bomber at supersonic speed.

"The press office of the Tupolev Aircraft Company confirms entering the stage of testing new equipment and systems in supersonic flight modes of the heavily upgraded plane," the Tupolev told TASS.

MOSCOW, May 27. /TASS/: Consumers’ oil expenses will drop by $1 trillion in 2020 to $2.5 trillion as a result of the pandemic-related quarantine measures globally, the International Energy Agency (IEA) wrote in its report on energy investment on Wednesday.

MOSCOW, May 27. /TASS/: Economic activity in Russia reached 79% of the pre-crisis figure, Minister of Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov said on Wednesday.

"From May 12, when the regions started to gradually lift restrictions, signs of recovery began to appear. At the moment, we have reached 79% of the pre-crisis level of economic activity," Reshetnikov said.

According to him, the epidemiological situation is gradually improving and the restrictions imposed on business activities can be phased out.