European Union

The 25 percent duties were never imposed, but were intended to also target Austria, Italy, Spain and Turkey.

More than 40 percent of adults have now had their first jab, and 15 percent are fully vaccinated.

In the European Union, Denmark, as early as April, and later Norway and Austria, stopped using AstraZeneca in their vaccination campaigns.

The global pandemic has killed over 3.4 million people worldwide since the virus first emerged in late 2019, according to an AFP compilation of official data.

In Paris, demand for tickets to a Renaissance sculpture show was brisk at the world's most visited museum, the Louvre.

The migrants had reached the enclave by swimming or walking at low tide from beaches in neighbouring Morocco a few kilometres to the south.

Pfizer is expected to deliver 250 million doses across the EU during the second quarter of this year

In India cases have soared by around eight million since the end of March

There have also been concerns over the safety of some vaccines -- especially AstraZeneca -- over links to rare blood clots and some countries have restricted its use.

Britain left the EU on January 30 2020, but its new life with Europe only really began after the transition period on December 31.

The European Union has said it wants to launch a vaccine passport for travellers, though plans have not yet been formalized.

The United Kingdom on Wednesday said it will adopt new medical advice to offer most people under 30 an alternative to AstraZeneca if possible.

From Thursday, those living in England will be able to access two free rapid virus tests per week, a measure aimed at curbing symptom-free virus spread.

There had been 62 cases worldwide of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, 44 of them in the European Economic Area.

EU Commission head Ursula von der Leyen released updated figures on how many vaccines the bloc has exported -- 77 million vaccine doses to 33 countries since December.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the bloc risked "long-term damage" to its reputation if it imposed "a blockade, or interruption of supply chains".

Stocks prices of oil companies and airlines, which could lose the crucial summer travel season in Europe if cases continue to rise, suffered.

However Norway and Sweden said they were not ready to resume using the vaccine.

Coronavirus deaths across Europe meanwhile passed the 900,000 mark on Tuesday.

More than 350 million vaccines have now been administered globally, but poorer countries are still lagging far behind.

AstraZeneca became embroiled in a bitter row with European leaders earlier in the year when it announced it would not be able to supply the number of doses it had promised.

Under the EU scheme, a company wanting to export doses out of the bloc needs to apply to the member state government to do so.

While inoculation campaigns are now well under way, the spread of highly infectious Covid variants has fuelled worries that they could prove more resistant to the vaccines.

The UK's vaccination programme has rolled out fast since its start in early December, when it became the first country in the world to begin mass inoculation with a fully trialled vaccine.

Several EU officials and diplomats warned on Wednesday that, while they back a verifiable vaccination record, it is too early to look at using "vaccine passports" to permit easier travel.

The rest of the European Union thinks it is still too soon to open borders freely to tourists.

Agencies like Rainbow Au Pairs said they had warned the government before Brexit without success.

The UK government has vaccinated millions of Britons with the AstraZeneca jab since late last year.

Sergejus Muravjovas, CEO of Transparency International Lithuania, said "the ambition to become a fintech centre comes with a responsibility to take money laundering prevention to a new level.

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen last week admitted that mistakes had been made in procuring vaccines on behalf of all 27 member states.