Europe has a world-leading warning system that issued regular alerts for days before floods engulfed entire villages. But at least 200 people still died in Germany and Belgium, in floods that came quickly and forcefully.

Deadly floods inundated parts of Europe

Although rain has stopped in the worst-affected areas of Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands, storms and downpours have persisted in other parts of Western Europe.

Over 180 killed in Europe's flood catastrophe

More than 100 people died after flooding in Western Europe, triggered by intense rainfall. Scientists have attributed the super-charged floods to climate change. Will this deluge be enough to force leaders to act?

Gravitas: Europe's worst deluge in 20 years

More than 120 people have been killed in excessive flooding in western Europe. Several hundred are still missing, as per authorities on Friday. Full scale rescue efforts are ongoing even as rising water, landslides and power outages continue to hamper the exercise.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In Germany and Belgium, the devastation is widespread as entire villages are under water. All left is collapsed buildings, damaged cars and debris. The extreme rainfall has also affected the Netherlands and Luxembourg.&nbsp;&nbsp;

At least 105 people have been killed in Germany's two western states. Over 1,300 people are missing in Ahrweiler district, Rhineland-Palatinate state, authorities told CNN. The rescue operations continue and phone lines are being restored.&nbsp;&nbsp;

According to the regional government, a dam along the river Rur in German state of North Rhine-Westphalia broke on Friday night. The evacuation of about 700 residents have also started in the Ophoven neighbourhood in Wassenberg.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Several officials are closely monitoring reservoirs in the region as they are of the view that more dams can break.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Bundeswehr, Germany’s armed forces, said on Friday in a tweet that the country has deployed around 850 troops to assist with disaster relief.&nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

More than 120 people have been killed in excessive flooding in western Europe. Several hundred are still missing, as per authorities on Friday. Full scale rescue efforts are ongoing even as rising water, landslides and power outages continue to hamper the exercise.

More than 120 people have been killed in excessive flooding in western Europe. Several hundred are still missing, as per authorities on Friday. Full scale rescue efforts are ongoing even as rising water, landslides and power outages continue to hamper the exercise. In Germany and Belgium, the devastation is widespread as entire villages are under water. All left is collapsed buildings, damaged cars and debris. The extreme rainfall has also affected the Netherlands and Luxembourg. At least 105 people have been killed in Germany's two western states. Over 1,300 people are missing in Ahrweiler district, Rhineland-Palatinate state, authorities told CNN. The rescue operations continue and phone lines are being restored. According to the regional government, a dam along the river Rur in German state of North Rhine-Westphalia broke on Friday night. The evacuation of about 700 residents have also started in the Ophoven neighbourhood in Wassenberg. Several officials are closely monitoring reservoirs in the region as they are of the view that more dams can break. The Bundeswehr, Germany’s armed forces, said on Friday in a tweet that the country has deployed around 850 troops to assist with disaster relief. (With inputs from agencies)

Over 120 dead in western Europe after record rainfall wreaks havoc 

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Saturday that storms and subsequent floods that have inundated Europe are "without doubt" the result of climate change. Germany and Belgium are the worst-hit countries but several towns on southern Netherlands have suffered damage due to floods as well.

No deaths have been reported in the Netherlands. Germany has not been so lucky and accounts for most of the 150+ deaths that have been recorded till now.

Rutte was visiting the Netherlands' southern province of Limburg on Friday (local time) when he held Global Warming responsible for the deadly floods. He said that was "without a doubt the case".

"I don't want to make hasty declarations," he said. "But something is really happening, let's be clear."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics-fatal-flooding-in-western-germany-398443">In Pics | Fatal flooding in Western Germany</a> 
 
ANP news agency reported that more than one million Euros had been collected for a fund to help worst-hit areas in the Netherlands

To stop any future flood disasters, "the first thing to do, and fortunately we are doing it in the Netherlands, is to give space to rivers", Rutte said.

The Dutch reshaped the areas around rivers in the country after major flooding in 1993 and 1995 when 250,000 people and one million animals had to be evacuated.

More than two billion euros was invested to widen riverbanks. The project was completed in 2019.

(With inputs from agencies)

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Saturday that storms and subsequent floods that have inundated Europe are "without doubt" the result of climate change. Germany and Belgium are the worst-hit countries but several towns on southern Netherlands have suffered damage due to floods as well.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Saturday that storms and subsequent floods that have inundated Europe are "without doubt" the result of climate change. Germany and Belgium are the worst-hit countries but several towns on southern Netherlands have suffered damage due to floods as well. No deaths have been reported in the Netherlands. Germany has not been so lucky and accounts for most of the 150+ deaths that have been recorded till now. Rutte was visiting the Netherlands' southern province of Limburg on Friday (local time) when he held Global Warming responsible for the deadly floods. He said that was "without a doubt the case". "I don't want to make hasty declarations," he said. "But something is really happening, let's be clear." In Pics | Fatal flooding in Western Germany ANP news agency reported that more than one million Euros had been collected for a fund to help worst-hit areas in the Netherlands To stop any future flood disasters, "the first thing to do, and fortunately we are doing it in the Netherlands, is to give space to rivers", Rutte said. The Dutch reshaped the areas around rivers in the country after major flooding in 1993 and 1995 when 250,000 people and one million animals had to be evacuated. More than two billion euros was invested to widen riverbanks. The project was completed in 2019. (With inputs from agencies)

Climate Change responsible for Europe floods, says Dutch PM

In the German states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate, widespread swathes registered 24-hour rainfall total between 100 and 150 millimeters.

At least 103 dead in western Germany, Belgium, more than 1,300 missing

Iran has begun the process of producing enriched uranium metal, the UN&nbsp;atomic watchdog said on Tuesday, a move that could help it develop a nuclear weapon and that three European powers said threatened talks to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. 
 
Iran's steps, disclosed by the International Atomic Energy Agency,&nbsp;also drew criticism from the United States, which called them an 'unfortunate step backwards'. Meanwhile,&nbsp;Tehran said it is taking these steps to develop fuel for a research reactor. 
 
US&nbsp;and European officials made clear that Iran's decision would complicate, and potentially torpedo, indirect US-Iranian talks seeking to bring both nations back into compliance with the 2015 deal, which was abandoned by former President Donald Trump. 
 
The deal imposed curbs on Iran's nuclear programme to make it harder for Tehran to develop fissile material for nuclear weapons in return for the lifting of economic sanctions. After Trump withdrew, Iran began violating many of the restrictions. 
 
Tehran has already produced a small amount of uranium metal this year that was not enriched. That is a breach of the deal, which bans all work on uranium metal since it can be used to make the core of a nuclear bomb. 
 
"Today, Iran informed the Agency that UO2 (uranium oxide) enriched up to 20% U–235 would be shipped to the R&amp;D laboratory at the Fuel Fabrication Plant in Esfahan, where it would be converted to UF4 (uranium tetrafluoride) and then to uranium metal enriched to 20% U–235, before using it to manufacture the fuel," an IAEA statement said. 
 
A confidential IAEA report said the agency had confirmed that Iran had taken steps to begin the process of producing enriched uranium metal.

Britain, France and Germany said on Tuesday they had 'grave concern' about Iran's decision, which violates the nuclear deal, formally named the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). 
 
"Iran has no credible civilian need for uranium metal R&amp;D and production, which are a key step in the development of a nuclear weapon," they said in a joint statement issued by Britain's foreign ministry. 
 
"With its latest steps, Iran is threatening a successful outcome to the Vienna talks despite the progress achieved in six rounds of negotiations," they said, and urged Iran to return to the talks in the Austrian capital, which began in April and adjourned on June 20. No date has been set for a next round.

(With inputs from agencies)

Iran has begun the process of producing enriched uranium metal, the UN atomic watchdog said on Tuesday, a move that could help it develop a nuclear weapon and that three European powers said threatened talks to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

Iran has begun the process of producing enriched uranium metal, the UN atomic watchdog said on Tuesday, a move that could help it develop a nuclear weapon and that three European powers said threatened talks to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. Iran's steps, disclosed by the International Atomic Energy Agency, also drew criticism from the United States, which called them an 'unfortunate step backwards'. Meanwhile, Tehran said it is taking these steps to develop fuel for a research reactor. US and European officials made clear that Iran's decision would complicate, and potentially torpedo, indirect US-Iranian talks seeking to bring both nations back into compliance with the 2015 deal, which was abandoned by former President Donald Trump. The deal imposed curbs on Iran's nuclear programme to make it harder for Tehran to develop fissile material for nuclear weapons in return for the lifting of economic sanctions. After Trump withdrew, Iran began violating many of the restrictions. Tehran has already produced a small amount of uranium metal this year that was not enriched. That is a breach of the deal, which bans all work on uranium metal since it can be used to make the core of a nuclear bomb. "Today, Iran informed the Agency that UO2 (uranium oxide) enriched up to 20% U–235 would be shipped to the R&D laboratory at the Fuel Fabrication Plant in Esfahan, where it would be converted to UF4 (uranium tetrafluoride) and then to uranium metal enriched to 20% U–235, before using it to manufacture the fuel," an IAEA statement said. A confidential IAEA report said the agency had confirmed that Iran had taken steps to begin the process of producing enriched uranium metal. Britain, France and Germany said on Tuesday they had 'grave concern' about Iran's decision, which violates the nuclear deal, formally named the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). "Iran has no credible civilian need for uranium metal R&D and production, which are a key step in the development of a nuclear weapon," they said in a joint statement issued by Britain's foreign ministry. "With its latest steps, Iran is threatening a successful outcome to the Vienna talks despite the progress achieved in six rounds of negotiations," they said, and urged Iran to return to the talks in the Austrian capital, which began in April and adjourned on June 20. No date has been set for a next round. (With inputs from agencies)

Iran takes steps to make enriched uranium metal; US, Europe powers dismayed

In a new revelation, a study found that planting extra trees could help in contributing to rainfall in the UK. The study says that converting agricultural land to the forest would boost summer rains by 7.6 per cent on average.

Also, researchers found that adding trees changed rainfall patterns far downwind of the new forests. The authors believe that extra rain could partially offset the rise in dry conditions expected with climate change.

As per Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the UK is aiming to plant some 30 million new trees every year by 2025.

In this study, the authors used an observation-based statistical model to estimate how changes to forest cover would impact rainfall across the continent.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/six-school-kids-among-nine-hong-kongers-arrested-for-bomb-plot-396124">Also read |&nbsp;Six school kids among nine Hong Kongers arrested for ‘bomb plot’</a>

It was then concluded that there was a 20 per cent increase in the forest, uniformly across Europe. Also, this would boost local rainfall, especially in winter and with greater impacts felt in coastal regions.

However, in the case of local rain, the planting of new forests causes impacts downwind. It was found that rainfall in these locations was increased particularly in the summer months.

Ronny Meier from ETH Zurich deemed it as a 'significant finding'.&nbsp;

While speaking to BBC News, he said, "Probably the most threatening climate change signal that we expect in relation to percipitation, is this decrease in summer precipitation that is expected in the southern parts of Europe like the Mediterranean".&nbsp;

He further added, "And there, according to our study, forestation would lead to an increase in precipitation. So the forestation would probably be very beneficial in terms of adapting to the adverse effects of climate change".&nbsp;

In a new revelation, a study found that planting extra trees could help in contributing to rainfall in the UK. The study says that converting agricultural land to the forest would boost summer rains by 7.

In a new revelation, a study found that planting extra trees could help in contributing to rainfall in the UK. The study says that converting agricultural land to the forest would boost summer rains by 7.6 per cent on average. Also, researchers found that adding trees changed rainfall patterns far downwind of the new forests. The authors believe that extra rain could partially offset the rise in dry conditions expected with climate change. As per Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the UK is aiming to plant some 30 million new trees every year by 2025. In this study, the authors used an observation-based statistical model to estimate how changes to forest cover would impact rainfall across the continent. Also read | Six school kids among nine Hong Kongers arrested for ‘bomb plot’ It was then concluded that there was a 20 per cent increase in the forest, uniformly across Europe. Also, this would boost local rainfall, especially in winter and with greater impacts felt in coastal regions. However, in the case of local rain, the planting of new forests causes impacts downwind. It was found that rainfall in these locations was increased particularly in the summer months. Ronny Meier from ETH Zurich deemed it as a 'significant finding'. While speaking to BBC News, he said, "Probably the most threatening climate change signal that we expect in relation to percipitation, is this decrease in summer precipitation that is expected in the southern parts of Europe like the Mediterranean". He further added, "And there, according to our study, forestation would lead to an increase in precipitation. So the forestation would probably be very beneficial in terms of adapting to the adverse effects of climate change".

Planting extra trees will boost rainfall across Europe

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has sent out a warning to Europe after two months of decline in COVID-19 cases. The organisation said that there will be a new wave in the European region unless we remain disciplined. The number of new cases across Europe rose by 10 percent last week.

WHO warns Europe against a new wave of COVID-19 as cases rise again

The World Health Organization on Thursday said that over two months of declining Covid cases in Europe had come to an end, warning a new wave would come "unless we remain disciplined."

WHO's regional director for Europe Hans Kluge, in a press conference, said, "Last week, the number of cases rose by 10 per cent, driven by increased mixing, travel, gatherings and easing of social restrictions".

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🎥🔴 Watch LIVE as <a href="https://twitter.com/hans_kluge?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@hans_kluge</a> and experts from WHO/Europe provide a situation update on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> in the European Region before answering questions from journalists <a href="https://t.co/3hBj0dn5Mj">https://t.co/3hBj0dn5Mj</a>
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Kluge further said that if people decide to travel and gather, they should assess the risks carefully and do it safely, keeping all life-saving reflexes of masks and self-protections especially indoor and in crowd.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/scientists-urge-uk-to-expand-official-list-of-symptoms-for-covid-19-395089">Also Read |&nbsp;Scientists urge UK to expand official list of symptoms for Covid-19</a>

"We see many countries doing well, but the truth is that the average vaccine coverage in the region is 24% only, and more serious, half of our elders and 40% of our health care workers are still unprotected", Kluge said.

He further highlighted that the vaccine is 'effective' against the Delta variant. Urging people to get vaccinated, he said that a delay may cost lives and the economy.

Meanwhile, scientists have urged the UK to expand its official list of Covid symptoms to reduce the number of missed cases.

This will also help in people knowing if they should self-isolate.&nbsp;

Prof Calum Semple, a member of the government’s Sage committee of experts argues that the 'narrow' clinical definition of covid in the UK leads to delays in identifying people with the disease.&nbsp;

Semple, of the University of Liverpool, along with Dr Alex Crozier at UCL and others describe how Covid patients do not always experience the official UK symptoms of a high fever, a new continuous cough, or a loss of sense of smell or taste early on, or at any time in the course of the disease.

The World Health Organization on Thursday said that over two months of declining Covid cases in Europe had come to an end, warning a new wave would come "unless we remain disciplined.

The World Health Organization on Thursday said that over two months of declining Covid cases in Europe had come to an end, warning a new wave would come "unless we remain disciplined." WHO's regional director for Europe Hans Kluge, in a press conference, said, "Last week, the number of cases rose by 10 per cent, driven by increased mixing, travel, gatherings and easing of social restrictions". 🎥🔴 Watch LIVE as @hans_kluge and experts from WHO/Europe provide a situation update on #COVID19 in the European Region before answering questions from journalists https://t.co/3hBj0dn5Mj — WHO/Europe (@WHO_Europe) July 1, 2021 × Kluge further said that if people decide to travel and gather, they should assess the risks carefully and do it safely, keeping all life-saving reflexes of masks and self-protections especially indoor and in crowd. Also Read | Scientists urge UK to expand official list of symptoms for Covid-19 "We see many countries doing well, but the truth is that the average vaccine coverage in the region is 24% only, and more serious, half of our elders and 40% of our health care workers are still unprotected", Kluge said. He further highlighted that the vaccine is 'effective' against the Delta variant. Urging people to get vaccinated, he said that a delay may cost lives and the economy. Meanwhile, scientists have urged the UK to expand its official list of Covid symptoms to reduce the number of missed cases. This will also help in people knowing if they should self-isolate. Prof Calum Semple, a member of the government’s Sage committee of experts argues that the 'narrow' clinical definition of covid in the UK leads to delays in identifying people with the disease. Semple, of the University of Liverpool, along with Dr Alex Crozier at UCL and others describe how Covid patients do not always experience the official UK symptoms of a high fever, a new continuous cough, or a loss of sense of smell or taste early on, or at any time in the course of the disease.

Covid cases in Europe up again after 10 weeks of decline, says WHO

IN PICS | Thousands turn out for Pride marches all across the globe

German carmaker Volkswagen will stop selling combustion engines cars in Europe by 2035 as it shifts to electric vehicles, but later in the United States and China, a board member was quoted as saying on Saturday. 
 
"In Europe, we will exit the business with internal combustion vehicles between 2033 and 2035, in the United States and China somewhat later," Klaus Zellmer, Volkswagen board member for sales, told the Muenchner Merkur newspaper. 
 
"In South America and Africa, it will take a good deal longer due to the fact that the political and infrastructure framework conditions are still missing." 
 
By 2050 at the latest, the entire Volkswagen fleet should be CO2-neutral, Zellmer told the newspaper. 
 
In Europe, he is aiming for electric cars to account for 70% of total sales by 2030. This would prepare the company for a possible tightening of the European Union's climate targets and even go beyond them. 
 
EU policymakers have clamped down on exhaust emissions, forcing carmakers to spur development of low-emission technology or face penalties if they exceed limits on CO2 emissions.

German carmaker Volkswagen will stop selling combustion engines cars in Europe by 2035 as it shifts to electric vehicles, but later in the United States and China, a board member was quoted as saying on Saturday.

German carmaker Volkswagen will stop selling combustion engines cars in Europe by 2035 as it shifts to electric vehicles, but later in the United States and China, a board member was quoted as saying on Saturday. "In Europe, we will exit the business with internal combustion vehicles between 2033 and 2035, in the United States and China somewhat later," Klaus Zellmer, Volkswagen board member for sales, told the Muenchner Merkur newspaper. "In South America and Africa, it will take a good deal longer due to the fact that the political and infrastructure framework conditions are still missing." By 2050 at the latest, the entire Volkswagen fleet should be CO2-neutral, Zellmer told the newspaper. In Europe, he is aiming for electric cars to account for 70% of total sales by 2030. This would prepare the company for a possible tightening of the European Union's climate targets and even go beyond them. EU policymakers have clamped down on exhaust emissions, forcing carmakers to spur development of low-emission technology or face penalties if they exceed limits on CO2 emissions.

Volkswagen to end sales of combustion engines in Europe by 2035

The potent greenhouse&nbsp;gas&nbsp;methane&nbsp;is spewing out of natural&nbsp;gas&nbsp;infrastructure&nbsp;across&nbsp;the&nbsp;European Union because of leaks and venting, video footage made available to Reuters shows.

Using a 100,000 euro ($119,000) infrared camera, non-profit Clean Air Task Force (CATF) found&nbsp;methane&nbsp;seeping into the atmosphere at 123 oil and&nbsp;gas&nbsp;sites in Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland and Romania this year.

Methane, the biggest cause of climate change after carbon dioxide (CO2), is the main component of natural&nbsp;gas&nbsp;and over 80 times more potent than CO2 in its first 20 years in the air.

Currently, the EU does not regulate&nbsp;methane&nbsp;emissions in the energy sector, meaning companies running the sites surveyed by CATF are not breaking laws because of leaks or venting.

While some member states require firms to report some emissions there is no overarching framework forcing them to monitor smaller leaks, or fix them.

That's set to change.

The EU is proposing laws this year that will force oil and&nbsp;gas&nbsp;companies to monitor and report&nbsp;methane&nbsp;emissions, as well as improve the detection and repair of leaks.

In the energy sector,&nbsp;methane&nbsp;is emitted intentionally through venting and by accident from sites such as&nbsp;gas&nbsp;storage tanks, liquefied natural&nbsp;gas&nbsp;(LNG) terminals, pipeline compressor stations and oil and&nbsp;gas&nbsp;processing sites.

CATF visited over 200 sites in seven EU countries and filmed emissions with the infrared camera in public vantage points to detect hydrocarbons invisible to the naked eye, such as&nbsp;methane.

"Once you see it, you can't unsee it," said CATF's James Turitto, who filmed the emissions. "If we have any hope of achieving only a 1.5 Celsius rise in average global temperatures, we must stop these leaks."

Altogether, CATF counted 271 incidents, with some sites leaching&nbsp;methane&nbsp;from several places.

Turitto said over 90% of the sites he visited in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Poland and Romania were emitting&nbsp;methane&nbsp;while his hit rate in Germany and Austria was lower.

LEAKS AND HOLES

A selection of the CATF thermography, which shows hydrocarbons and volatile organic compounds, was reviewed by five technical experts contacted by Reuters.

Given emissions were at installations handling natural&nbsp;gas&nbsp;- and&nbsp;methane&nbsp;is its main component - they concluded the emissions recorded by CATF were almost certainly&nbsp;methane.

At one&nbsp;gas&nbsp;plant owned by Italy's Eni near the town of Pineto on the country's Adriatic coast,&nbsp;methane&nbsp;appears to be&nbsp;leaking&nbsp;from a rusty hole in the side of a tank.

The footage captures a snapshot of each site's emissions on a given day so it cannot quantify the amount of&nbsp;methane&nbsp;being emitted over longer periods.

What it does reveal is emissions that could be avoided if&nbsp;infrastructure&nbsp;owners used commercially available measurement and abatement technology, emissions experts said.

"If there are cracks in the storage tanks, it is a relatively easy fix to patch the tanks," said Jonathan Dorn, an air quality expert at Abt Associates.

Turitto said he called an emergency number for reporting leaks at the Eni site but the line was dead.

Eni said the leak at Pineto was from a water tank which would have had negligible amounts of&nbsp;gas&nbsp;and that it had been detected and fixed during regular maintenance.

"We are strengthening our efforts in the implementation of periodic leak detection and repair monitoring campaigns," Eni said, adding that it was supportive of EU regulations to address&nbsp;methane&nbsp;emissions.

COMPANIES ON NOTICE

Brussels put energy companies on notice in October that it would target them with new rules on&nbsp;gas&nbsp;leaks and was also considering restrictions on venting or flaring of&nbsp;methane.

"The Commission calls on companies in the oil,&nbsp;gas&nbsp;and coal sectors to set up more robust leak detection and repair programmes to prepare for upcoming proposals for legislation that would make such programmes mandatory," it said.

An EU official told Reuters this month that because the EU has few&nbsp;methane&nbsp;"super emitters", the legislation would focus on tackling the smaller but far more frequent emissions that occur throughout energy sector&nbsp;infrastructure.

"The first thing is to really try to address these more diffused emissions of&nbsp;methane, covering the whole energy sector," the official, who declined to be named, said.

Experts say the new rules will shake things up for every oil and&nbsp;gas&nbsp;firm in&nbsp;Europe, not least because the EU is considering forcing companies to find and fix even the smallest leaks.

"Each company has a lot to do," said Andris Piebalgs, professor at the Florence School of Regulation and a former EU energy commissioner.

It is unlikely the new rules would take effect before 2023 but Brussels wants to get them in place early enough to contribute to its goal of cutting net emissions of all greenhouse&nbsp;gases by 55% by 2030 from 1990 levels.

INTENTIONAL EMISSIONS

The EU is not alone. US&nbsp;President Joe Biden's administration plans to propose new rules this year to reduce&nbsp;methane&nbsp;emissions.

The New York Times used an infrared camera to identify large&nbsp;methane&nbsp;leaks at U.S. oil and&nbsp;gas&nbsp;sites in 2019 while satellite footage made available to Reuters revealed massive&nbsp;methane&nbsp;leaks from Russian&nbsp;gas&nbsp;pipelines. https://nyti.ms/3iCpJyn

CATF's footage shows Italian energy company SNAM was venting hydrocarbons consistently over three dates during a two-week period from two stacks at its Panigaglia LNG terminal near La Spezia on the Mediterranean coast.

Tim Doty, a consultant in thermographic imaging in the energy sector and a former official at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, said the footage showed the stacks were "openly venting hydrocarbon emissions".

At a SNAM underground storage facility at Minerbio near Bologna, the infrared footage showed a plume of&nbsp;methane&nbsp;flowing out of a vent stack.

SNAM said it was a member of the Oil and&nbsp;Gas&nbsp;Methane&nbsp;Partnership (OGMP), a voluntary group of energy companies that is committed to improving&nbsp;methane&nbsp;measurement and abatement. Eni is also a member.

"Emissions recorded by CATF at the Minerbio and Bordolano storage sites are fugitive emissions resulting from blowdown valves that are internally&nbsp;leaking&nbsp;... the full replacement, starting in 2021, will be completed in 2024," SNAM said.

"The (Panigaglia) emission recorded by CATF at the vent stacks was due to the temporary mechanical failure of an air compressor," it said. "We are confident to be able to fix the air compressor during the second half of 2021."

HUNTING THE SOURCE

An expert with nearly two decades of experience at major oil companies who advises U.S. firms and authorities on&nbsp;methane&nbsp;emissions said the CATF footage showed the EU had a problem.

"There is this urban legend that the U.S. natural&nbsp;gas&nbsp;system is disproportionately leaky compared to the rest of the world," said the expert, who declined to be named. "When I look at these videos, they don't seem very different than the United States."

Globally, the concentration of&nbsp;methane&nbsp;in the atmosphere is rising. The U.N. said in April that without deep cuts in&nbsp;methane&nbsp;emissions this decade, the Paris Agreement's goal of limiting&nbsp;warming&nbsp;to 1.5 Celsius would slip out of reach.

Once&nbsp;methane&nbsp;is in the atmosphere, it is all but impossible to trace it back to a specific source which means better monitoring at the point of emission is key.

A growing web of satellites searching for&nbsp;methane&nbsp;means major leaks of thousands of tonnes a year are easier to identify but many smaller leaks go unnoticed.

In Hungary, the footage showed a MOL site which separates&nbsp;gas&nbsp;from oil venting emissions.

The Hungarian energy company said it was aware of the emissions and they were an unavoidable part of normal and safe operations to avoid pressure building up in storage tanks.

MOL said there were no existing regulations requiring it to measure or report emissions but it aimed to end routine&nbsp;methane&nbsp;emissions from&nbsp;gas&nbsp;activities by 2030.

In Austria, at an OMV oil facility near onshore wells north of Vienna, the camera showed a number of smaller leaks.

OMV said it fully supported new EU&nbsp;methane&nbsp;rules. It said the minor leaks at the site had been fixed and it was planning to replace pressure regulation systems that release&nbsp;methane&nbsp;with equipment that stops such emissions.

"The presence of these emissions indicates that this site has ongoing maintenance issues," said Doty, pointing to four different sources. "These emissions are very troubling."

The potent greenhouse gas methane is spewing out of natural gas infrastructure across the European Union because of leaks and venting, video footage made available to Reuters shows.

The potent greenhouse gas methane is spewing out of natural gas infrastructure across the European Union because of leaks and venting, video footage made available to Reuters shows. Using a 100,000 euro ($119,000) infrared camera, non-profit Clean Air Task Force (CATF) found methane seeping into the atmosphere at 123 oil and gas sites in Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland and Romania this year. Methane, the biggest cause of climate change after carbon dioxide (CO2), is the main component of natural gas and over 80 times more potent than CO2 in its first 20 years in the air. Currently, the EU does not regulate methane emissions in the energy sector, meaning companies running the sites surveyed by CATF are not breaking laws because of leaks or venting. While some member states require firms to report some emissions there is no overarching framework forcing them to monitor smaller leaks, or fix them. That's set to change. The EU is proposing laws this year that will force oil and gas companies to monitor and report methane emissions, as well as improve the detection and repair of leaks. In the energy sector, methane is emitted intentionally through venting and by accident from sites such as gas storage tanks, liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals, pipeline compressor stations and oil and gas processing sites. CATF visited over 200 sites in seven EU countries and filmed emissions with the infrared camera in public vantage points to detect hydrocarbons invisible to the naked eye, such as methane. "Once you see it, you can't unsee it," said CATF's James Turitto, who filmed the emissions. "If we have any hope of achieving only a 1.5 Celsius rise in average global temperatures, we must stop these leaks." Altogether, CATF counted 271 incidents, with some sites leaching methane from several places. Turitto said over 90% of the sites he visited in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Poland and Romania were emitting methane while his hit rate in Germany and Austria was lower. LEAKS AND HOLES A selection of the CATF thermography, which shows hydrocarbons and volatile organic compounds, was reviewed by five technical experts contacted by Reuters. Given emissions were at installations handling natural gas - and methane is its main component - they concluded the emissions recorded by CATF were almost certainly methane. At one gas plant owned by Italy's Eni near the town of Pineto on the country's Adriatic coast, methane appears to be leaking from a rusty hole in the side of a tank. The footage captures a snapshot of each site's emissions on a given day so it cannot quantify the amount of methane being emitted over longer periods. What it does reveal is emissions that could be avoided if infrastructure owners used commercially available measurement and abatement technology, emissions experts said. "If there are cracks in the storage tanks, it is a relatively easy fix to patch the tanks," said Jonathan Dorn, an air quality expert at Abt Associates. Turitto said he called an emergency number for reporting leaks at the Eni site but the line was dead. Eni said the leak at Pineto was from a water tank which would have had negligible amounts of gas and that it had been detected and fixed during regular maintenance. "We are strengthening our efforts in the implementation of periodic leak detection and repair monitoring campaigns," Eni said, adding that it was supportive of EU regulations to address methane emissions. COMPANIES ON NOTICE Brussels put energy companies on notice in October that it would target them with new rules on gas leaks and was also considering restrictions on venting or flaring of methane. "The Commission calls on companies in the oil, gas and coal sectors to set up more robust leak detection and repair programmes to prepare for upcoming proposals for legislation that would make such programmes mandatory," it said. An EU official told Reuters this month that because the EU has few methane "super emitters", the legislation would focus on tackling the smaller but far more frequent emissions that occur throughout energy sector infrastructure. "The first thing is to really try to address these more diffused emissions of methane, covering the whole energy sector," the official, who declined to be named, said. Experts say the new rules will shake things up for every oil and gas firm in Europe, not least because the EU is considering forcing companies to find and fix even the smallest leaks. "Each company has a lot to do," said Andris Piebalgs, professor at the Florence School of Regulation and a former EU energy commissioner. It is unlikely the new rules would take effect before 2023 but Brussels wants to get them in place early enough to contribute to its goal of cutting net emissions of all greenhouse gases by 55% by 2030 from 1990 levels. INTENTIONAL EMISSIONS The EU is not alone. US President Joe Biden's administration plans to propose new rules this year to reduce methane emissions. The New York Times used an infrared camera to identify large methane leaks at U.S. oil and gas sites in 2019 while satellite footage made available to Reuters revealed massive methane leaks from Russian gas pipelines. https://nyti.ms/3iCpJyn CATF's footage shows Italian energy company SNAM was venting hydrocarbons consistently over three dates during a two-week period from two stacks at its Panigaglia LNG terminal near La Spezia on the Mediterranean coast. Tim Doty, a consultant in thermographic imaging in the energy sector and a former official at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, said the footage showed the stacks were "openly venting hydrocarbon emissions". At a SNAM underground storage facility at Minerbio near Bologna, the infrared footage showed a plume of methane flowing out of a vent stack. SNAM said it was a member of the Oil and Gas Methane Partnership (OGMP), a voluntary group of energy companies that is committed to improving methane measurement and abatement. Eni is also a member. "Emissions recorded by CATF at the Minerbio and Bordolano storage sites are fugitive emissions resulting from blowdown valves that are internally leaking ... the full replacement, starting in 2021, will be completed in 2024," SNAM said. "The (Panigaglia) emission recorded by CATF at the vent stacks was due to the temporary mechanical failure of an air compressor," it said. "We are confident to be able to fix the air compressor during the second half of 2021." HUNTING THE SOURCE An expert with nearly two decades of experience at major oil companies who advises U.S. firms and authorities on methane emissions said the CATF footage showed the EU had a problem. "There is this urban legend that the U.S. natural gas system is disproportionately leaky compared to the rest of the world," said the expert, who declined to be named. "When I look at these videos, they don't seem very different than the United States." Globally, the concentration of methane in the atmosphere is rising. The U.N. said in April that without deep cuts in methane emissions this decade, the Paris Agreement's goal of limiting warming to 1.5 Celsius would slip out of reach. Once methane is in the atmosphere, it is all but impossible to trace it back to a specific source which means better monitoring at the point of emission is key. A growing web of satellites searching for methane means major leaks of thousands of tonnes a year are easier to identify but many smaller leaks go unnoticed. In Hungary, the footage showed a MOL site which separates gas from oil venting emissions. The Hungarian energy company said it was aware of the emissions and they were an unavoidable part of normal and safe operations to avoid pressure building up in storage tanks. MOL said there were no existing regulations requiring it to measure or report emissions but it aimed to end routine methane emissions from gas activities by 2030. In Austria, at an OMV oil facility near onshore wells north of Vienna, the camera showed a number of smaller leaks. OMV said it fully supported new EU methane rules. It said the minor leaks at the site had been fixed and it was planning to replace pressure regulation systems that release methane with equipment that stops such emissions. "The presence of these emissions indicates that this site has ongoing maintenance issues," said Doty, pointing to four different sources. "These emissions are very troubling."

Gas infrastructure across Europe leaking planet-warming methane

Europe's major stock markets rose Thursday as investors marked time&nbsp;before&nbsp;a Bank of England interest&nbsp;rate&nbsp;decision, and after a mixed performance in Asia.

In late morning deals, London&nbsp;stocks&nbsp;gained 0.2 per cent with the British central bank's monetary policy committee (MPC) forecast to hold rates at a record low 0.1 per cent at 1100 GMT.

In the eurozone, Frankfurt&nbsp;stocks&nbsp;climbed 0.8 per cent and Paris won 0.9 per cent, compared with Wednesday's close.

"Stocks&nbsp;seem to be largely marking time until there is more clarity on economic data like inflation&nbsp;with the major&nbsp;European&nbsp;bourses a little higher this morning," noted Markets.com analyst Neil Wilson.

"Sterling trades&nbsp;close to $1.40 ahead of the Bank of England. No change is expected but there are signs that inflation might run hotter than the MPC currently forecasts so we will be watching for any commentary around this."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/almost-2000-venezuelan-refugees-murdered-in-colombia-in-five-years-ngo-says-393564">Also Read |&nbsp;Almost 2,000 Venezuelan refugees murdered in Colombia in five years, NGO says</a>

The BoE is the latest major central bank to weigh fears of spiking inflation against the need to nurture economic recovery from Covid.

Both the US Federal Reserve and&nbsp;European&nbsp;Central Bank kept their own ultra-low rates and economic support measures intact in recent weeks, insisting that high inflation is a temporary side-effect from the global rebound.

Back in Asia on Thursday, equities traded mixed as investors took a breather after the latest rally and attempted to assess when the Fed will begin to wind down its vast monetary easing programme.

After a troubled start to the week, equities across much of Asia have enjoyed healthy gains in the past two days as US central bank chiefs looked to temper fears that record-low interest rates and colossal bond-buying were in their final throes.

Traders have for months worried that the blistering global recovery will fan inflation and force officials to act.

And the Fed -- which has consistently said recent inflation spikes were temporary and it will maintain its policy as long as the economy needs -- last Wednesday suggested for the first time it could lift borrowing costs in 2023, a year earlier than initially targeted.

The past few days have seen a number of top officials try to tame expectations, which provided some solace, but traders remain nervous.

Oil climbs

Oil prices rose again, having dipped slightly after Saudi Arabia's energy minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said OPEC and other major producers had a part in "taming and containing, by making sure that this market doesn't get out of hand".

The sharp&nbsp;rise&nbsp;in commodities this year has also played a key role in the global spike in inflation.

His comments come just ahead of the latest output policy meeting of the group and as crude prices sit around multi-year highs.

Oil has rallied this week to hit October 2018 peaks on Wednesday, propelled by hopes of a global demand recovery.

Key figures at 0930 GMT&nbsp;

London - FTSE 100: UP 0.2 percent at 7,088.45 points

Frankfurt - DAX 30: UP 0.8 percent at 15,574.03

Paris - CAC 40: UP 0.9 percent at 6,610.39

EURO STOXX 50: UP 0.9 percent at 4,113.86

Tokyo - Nikkei 225: FLAT at 28,875.23 (close)

Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: UP 0.2 percent at 28,882.46 (close)

Shanghai - Composite: FLAT at 3,566.65 (close)

New York - Dow: DOWN 0.2&nbsp;percent at 33,874.24 (close)

Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1927 from $1.1926 at 2100 GMT

Pound/dollar: UP at $1.3972 from $1.3964

Euro/pound: DOWN at 85.37 pence from 85.41 pence

Dollar/yen: DOWN at 110.86 yen from 110.96 yen

Brent North Sea crude: UP 0.4 percent at $75.45 per barrel

West Texas Intermediate: UP 0.3 percent at $73.27 per barrel

Europe's major stock markets rose Thursday as investors marked time before a Bank of England interest rate decision, and after a mixed performance in Asia. In late morning deals, London stocks gained 0.

Europe's major stock markets rose Thursday as investors marked time before a Bank of England interest rate decision, and after a mixed performance in Asia. In late morning deals, London stocks gained 0.2 per cent with the British central bank's monetary policy committee (MPC) forecast to hold rates at a record low 0.1 per cent at 1100 GMT. In the eurozone, Frankfurt stocks climbed 0.8 per cent and Paris won 0.9 per cent, compared with Wednesday's close. "Stocks seem to be largely marking time until there is more clarity on economic data like inflation with the major European bourses a little higher this morning," noted Markets.com analyst Neil Wilson. "Sterling trades close to $1.40 ahead of the Bank of England. No change is expected but there are signs that inflation might run hotter than the MPC currently forecasts so we will be watching for any commentary around this." Also Read | Almost 2,000 Venezuelan refugees murdered in Colombia in five years, NGO says The BoE is the latest major central bank to weigh fears of spiking inflation against the need to nurture economic recovery from Covid. Both the US Federal Reserve and European Central Bank kept their own ultra-low rates and economic support measures intact in recent weeks, insisting that high inflation is a temporary side-effect from the global rebound. Back in Asia on Thursday, equities traded mixed as investors took a breather after the latest rally and attempted to assess when the Fed will begin to wind down its vast monetary easing programme. After a troubled start to the week, equities across much of Asia have enjoyed healthy gains in the past two days as US central bank chiefs looked to temper fears that record-low interest rates and colossal bond-buying were in their final throes. Traders have for months worried that the blistering global recovery will fan inflation and force officials to act. And the Fed -- which has consistently said recent inflation spikes were temporary and it will maintain its policy as long as the economy needs -- last Wednesday suggested for the first time it could lift borrowing costs in 2023, a year earlier than initially targeted. The past few days have seen a number of top officials try to tame expectations, which provided some solace, but traders remain nervous. Oil climbs Oil prices rose again, having dipped slightly after Saudi Arabia's energy minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said OPEC and other major producers had a part in "taming and containing, by making sure that this market doesn't get out of hand". The sharp rise in commodities this year has also played a key role in the global spike in inflation. His comments come just ahead of the latest output policy meeting of the group and as crude prices sit around multi-year highs. Oil has rallied this week to hit October 2018 peaks on Wednesday, propelled by hopes of a global demand recovery. Key figures at 0930 GMT London - FTSE 100: UP 0.2 percent at 7,088.45 points Frankfurt - DAX 30: UP 0.8 percent at 15,574.03 Paris - CAC 40: UP 0.9 percent at 6,610.39 EURO STOXX 50: UP 0.9 percent at 4,113.86 Tokyo - Nikkei 225: FLAT at 28,875.23 (close) Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: UP 0.2 percent at 28,882.46 (close) Shanghai - Composite: FLAT at 3,566.65 (close) New York - Dow: DOWN 0.2 percent at 33,874.24 (close) Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1927 from $1.1926 at 2100 GMT Pound/dollar: UP at $1.3972 from $1.3964 Euro/pound: DOWN at 85.37 pence from 85.41 pence Dollar/yen: DOWN at 110.86 yen from 110.96 yen Brent North Sea crude: UP 0.4 percent at $75.45 per barrel West Texas Intermediate: UP 0.3 percent at $73.27 per barrel

European stocks rise before UK rate decision

Have you been working extra hours since switching to work from home? Are you expected to take calls, reply to e-mails way beyond office hours? European lawmakers are now pushing for the Right to Disconnect. Palki Sharma has the details.

Gravitas: Europe pushes for the Right to Disconnect

Britain is working on easing travel restrictions for the fully vaccinated to allow people to enjoy a summer holiday on Europe's beaches but the plans are not finalised yet, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said on Tuesday. 
 
Currently, British citizens are essentially prevented from travelling to most countries, including those in the European Union, as the quarantine and testing rules are so cumbersome and expensive. 
 
British tourists are the second biggest outbound holiday spenders in Europe after Germans so their absence hurts the economies of southern Europe while the British tourism sector is reeling from a ruinous loss of income due to the restrictions. 
 
Hancock told Sky News that the government did want to let people have a family holiday abroad, but only when it was safe to do so. 
 
"The whole point of the vaccine programme is to be able to remove restrictions, and for people to be able to be kept safe by the vaccine, rather than by these rules," Hancock told LBC. 
 
"So we are working on a plan for double vaccinated people, using tests, to have that testing regime in place, instead of having to have the quarantine, in some circumstances," he said. 
 
Asked by Sky if vaccinated people would get their freedom back by August and so enjoy a foreign holiday this year, Hancock said he understood people wanted their freedoms back. 
 
For months, British ministers have given a host of contradictory signals about when and how travel rules will be eased more than a year since the most onerous restrictions in Britain's peacetime history were imposed to halt the virus. 
 
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday that travellers would face hassle and delays this year if they sought to go abroad because the priority would be keeping the country safe. 
 
Johnson, who was slow to impose an initial lockdown in 2020, is wary of moving too fast to open up travel as the Delta variant first detected in India spreads. 
 
Britain has the seventh highest death toll from COVID-19 globally of nearly 128,000 deaths but has one of the fastest vaccine rollouts in the world, with 80% of adults having received a first COVID-19 vaccine dose and nearly 60% a second shot. 
 
Popular European holiday destinations for Britons, including Spain, Portugal, France, Italy and Greece, are currently rated 'amber', which require returning passengers to take three expensive COVID-19 tests and isolate for 10 days on return. 
 
But travel companies are desperate to avoid another summer lost to COVID-19, and have demanded the government acts. 
 
European Union countries have already agreed to an easing of travel restrictions over summer that will allow fully vaccinated tourists to avoid tests or quarantines and broaden the list of EU regions from which it is safe to travel, but Britain has yet to announce a similar scheme. 
 
Britain's leading travel companies, such as the British Airways-owner IAG and easyJet, have cut thousands of jobs and raised billions of pounds to survive the pandemic. 
 
The Times newspaper reported that Britain would announce an easing on Thursday to allow British holidaymakers, who have had both coronavirus jabs to enjoy more quarantine-free travel from August. 
 
It is unclear how children, who have not yet been offered a vaccine in Britain, will travel. Hancock refused to give details or a timeframe for an easing of restrictions but said he was supportive of a change. 
 
"It is absolutely something we're working on - it's something I want to see," he said.

Britain is working on easing travel restrictions for the fully vaccinated to allow people to enjoy a summer holiday on Europe's beaches but the plans are not finalised yet, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said on Tuesday.

Britain is working on easing travel restrictions for the fully vaccinated to allow people to enjoy a summer holiday on Europe's beaches but the plans are not finalised yet, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said on Tuesday. Currently, British citizens are essentially prevented from travelling to most countries, including those in the European Union, as the quarantine and testing rules are so cumbersome and expensive. British tourists are the second biggest outbound holiday spenders in Europe after Germans so their absence hurts the economies of southern Europe while the British tourism sector is reeling from a ruinous loss of income due to the restrictions. Hancock told Sky News that the government did want to let people have a family holiday abroad, but only when it was safe to do so. "The whole point of the vaccine programme is to be able to remove restrictions, and for people to be able to be kept safe by the vaccine, rather than by these rules," Hancock told LBC. "So we are working on a plan for double vaccinated people, using tests, to have that testing regime in place, instead of having to have the quarantine, in some circumstances," he said. Asked by Sky if vaccinated people would get their freedom back by August and so enjoy a foreign holiday this year, Hancock said he understood people wanted their freedoms back. For months, British ministers have given a host of contradictory signals about when and how travel rules will be eased more than a year since the most onerous restrictions in Britain's peacetime history were imposed to halt the virus. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday that travellers would face hassle and delays this year if they sought to go abroad because the priority would be keeping the country safe. Johnson, who was slow to impose an initial lockdown in 2020, is wary of moving too fast to open up travel as the Delta variant first detected in India spreads. Britain has the seventh highest death toll from COVID-19 globally of nearly 128,000 deaths but has one of the fastest vaccine rollouts in the world, with 80% of adults having received a first COVID-19 vaccine dose and nearly 60% a second shot. Popular European holiday destinations for Britons, including Spain, Portugal, France, Italy and Greece, are currently rated 'amber', which require returning passengers to take three expensive COVID-19 tests and isolate for 10 days on return. But travel companies are desperate to avoid another summer lost to COVID-19, and have demanded the government acts. European Union countries have already agreed to an easing of travel restrictions over summer that will allow fully vaccinated tourists to avoid tests or quarantines and broaden the list of EU regions from which it is safe to travel, but Britain has yet to announce a similar scheme. Britain's leading travel companies, such as the British Airways-owner IAG and easyJet, have cut thousands of jobs and raised billions of pounds to survive the pandemic. The Times newspaper reported that Britain would announce an easing on Thursday to allow British holidaymakers, who have had both coronavirus jabs to enjoy more quarantine-free travel from August. It is unclear how children, who have not yet been offered a vaccine in Britain, will travel. Hancock refused to give details or a timeframe for an easing of restrictions but said he was supportive of a change. "It is absolutely something we're working on - it's something I want to see," he said.

Vaccinated Brits could be back on Europe's beaches soon: Minister

As demands for transparency from China grow, Beijing is blaming everyone else for the pandemic. A Chinese scientist suggested that the virus could be a bioweapon from US. While the Chinese press is painting Europe as the original epicentre. Palki Sharma has more.

Gravitas: China blames everyone but itself for the pandemic

Many multinationals' websites have been experiencing online outages around the world, according to the monitoring&nbsp;site Downdetector.

They include the websites of major US Airlines companies like Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, American Airlines and Delta Air Lines.&nbsp; 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/several-global-media-websites-go-down-white-house-uk-govt-sites-go-dark-too-390160">Also read: Several global media websites go down; White House, UK govt sites go dark too</a> 
 
According to Downdetector, over a thousand user complaints showed problems with Southwest Airlines, with over 400 user complaints indicating the same for Delta Air Lines. For the other two airlines, the figure was roughly 300.&nbsp;

Major Australian banks have also reported problems with their websites and mobile apps. The companies stated that they were looking into the situation right now.&nbsp; 
 
The Commonwealth Bank, Westpac, and ANZ and Virgin Australia all tweeted about the disruptions.

A range of banks was scrambling to determine the source of an outage that was impacting internet banking and access to online apps across the country.

"We understand that some of our customers are currently experiencing issues accessing our services," the country's largest financial firm Commonwealth Bank told AFP. "This issue is affecting multiple organizations, including many of the major banks."

The outages in Australia began around 2:10 p.m. local time (0510 GMT), according to Downdetector. 
 
Earlier on June 8, the websites of global media organisations including The Guardian newspaper, Financial Times of London and CNN international went down. All the pages showed 'error 503' for several minutes. The UK government's website gov. The UK had also gone down. Reports said the BBC website had also gone down but returned later.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Many multinationals' websites have been experiencing online outages around the world, according to the monitoring site Downdetector. They include the websites of major US Airlines companies like Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, American Airlines and Delta Air Lines.

Many multinationals' websites have been experiencing online outages around the world, according to the monitoring site Downdetector. They include the websites of major US Airlines companies like Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, American Airlines and Delta Air Lines. Also read: Several global media websites go down; White House, UK govt sites go dark too According to Downdetector, over a thousand user complaints showed problems with Southwest Airlines, with over 400 user complaints indicating the same for Delta Air Lines. For the other two airlines, the figure was roughly 300. Major Australian banks have also reported problems with their websites and mobile apps. The companies stated that they were looking into the situation right now. The Commonwealth Bank, Westpac, and ANZ and Virgin Australia all tweeted about the disruptions. A range of banks was scrambling to determine the source of an outage that was impacting internet banking and access to online apps across the country. "We understand that some of our customers are currently experiencing issues accessing our services," the country's largest financial firm Commonwealth Bank told AFP. "This issue is affecting multiple organizations, including many of the major banks." The outages in Australia began around 2:10 p.m. local time (0510 GMT), according to Downdetector. Earlier on June 8, the websites of global media organisations including The Guardian newspaper, Financial Times of London and CNN international went down. All the pages showed 'error 503' for several minutes. The UK government's website gov. The UK had also gone down. Reports said the BBC website had also gone down but returned later. (With inputs from agencies)

Many US airlines and Australian banks hit by online outage

A transparency survey has found that a third of Europe used personal contacts to secure healthcare. 62% of respondents cited corruption as a major issue in government. Is Europe's reputation of integrity a facade? Palki Sharma gets you a report.

Gravitas: Europeans bribed their way to beds & vaccines

US pop star Miley Cyrus has won the right to use her name as a trademark on a wide range of products in the European Union, after Europe`s top court on Wednesday annulled a decision by the EU patent office to limit the scope of her brand. 
 
The case dates to 2014 when the 28-year-old 'Wrecking Ball' singer`s company Smiley Miley Inc. sought to trade mark MILEY CYRUS with the EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) for audio and video discs, mobile phone cases, e-books, electronic board games, calendars and other goods. 
 
British Virgin Island-based Cyrus Trademarks Ltd, which had registered the mark CYRUS in 2010, however opposed the application for some of the products. 
 
EUIPO backed part of its argument, citing the likelihood of confusion between the two trademarks. Smiley Miley appealed but failed to convince the patent office last year and subsequently took its case to the Luxembourg-based EU Court of Justice (CJEU). 
 
The Court overruled EUIPO`s decision, dismissing its arguments that the brands could be confused and that the name Miley Cyrus had no conceptual meaning. 
 
"The mark applied for, MILEY CYRUS, has a clear and specific semantic content for the relevant public given that it refers to a public figure of international reputation, known by most well-informed, reasonably observant and circumspect persons...," the CJEU said. 
&nbsp;

US pop star Miley Cyrus has won the right to use her name as a trademark on a wide range of products in the European Union, after Europe`s top court on Wednesday annulled a decision by the EU patent office to limit the scope of her brand.

US pop star Miley Cyrus has won the right to use her name as a trademark on a wide range of products in the European Union, after Europe`s top court on Wednesday annulled a decision by the EU patent office to limit the scope of her brand. The case dates to 2014 when the 28-year-old 'Wrecking Ball' singer`s company Smiley Miley Inc. sought to trade mark MILEY CYRUS with the EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) for audio and video discs, mobile phone cases, e-books, electronic board games, calendars and other goods. British Virgin Island-based Cyrus Trademarks Ltd, which had registered the mark CYRUS in 2010, however opposed the application for some of the products. EUIPO backed part of its argument, citing the likelihood of confusion between the two trademarks. Smiley Miley appealed but failed to convince the patent office last year and subsequently took its case to the Luxembourg-based EU Court of Justice (CJEU). The Court overruled EUIPO`s decision, dismissing its arguments that the brands could be confused and that the name Miley Cyrus had no conceptual meaning. "The mark applied for, MILEY CYRUS, has a clear and specific semantic content for the relevant public given that it refers to a public figure of international reputation, known by most well-informed, reasonably observant and circumspect persons...," the CJEU said.

Miley Cyrus can use name as trademark in Europe after long-running row

There is a risk of a 'sausage war' breaking out between UK and EU. Cold cuts have become a bone of contention between the two sides. UK is threatening to delay Brexit deal implementation. Palki Sharma has a report.

Gravitas: Why are UK and EU fighting over sausages?

China's mission to the European Union urged NATO on Tuesday to stop exaggerating the 'China threat theory' after the group's leaders warned that the country presents 'systemic challenges'. 
 
NATO leaders on Monday had taken a forceful stance towards Beijing in a communique at United States President Joe Biden's first summit with the alliance. 
 
"China's stated ambitions and assertive behaviour present systemic challenges to the rules-based international order and to areas relevant to alliance security," NATO leaders had said. 
 
The new US&nbsp;president has urged his fellow NATO leaders to stand up to China's authoritarianism and growing military might, a change of focus for an alliance created to defend Europe from the Soviet Union during the Cold War. 
 
The NATO statement 'slandered' China's peaceful development, misjudged the international situation, and indicated a 'Cold War mentality',&nbsp;said China's response, posted on the mission's website. 
 
China is always committed to peaceful development, it said. 
 
"We will not pose a 'systemic challenge' to anyone, but if anyone wants to pose a 'systemic challenge' to us, we will not remain indifferent." 
 
G7 nations meeting in Britain over the weekend scolded China over human rights in its Xinjiang region, called for Hong Kong to keep a high degree of autonomy and demanded a full investigation of the origins of the coronavirus in China. 
 
China's embassy in London said it was resolutely opposed to mentions of Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Taiwan, which it said distorted the facts and exposed the 'sinister intentions of a few countries such as the United States'.

China's mission to the European Union urged NATO on Tuesday to stop exaggerating the 'China threat theory' after the group's leaders warned that the country presents 'systemic challenges'.

China's mission to the European Union urged NATO on Tuesday to stop exaggerating the 'China threat theory' after the group's leaders warned that the country presents 'systemic challenges'. NATO leaders on Monday had taken a forceful stance towards Beijing in a communique at United States President Joe Biden's first summit with the alliance. "China's stated ambitions and assertive behaviour present systemic challenges to the rules-based international order and to areas relevant to alliance security," NATO leaders had said. The new US president has urged his fellow NATO leaders to stand up to China's authoritarianism and growing military might, a change of focus for an alliance created to defend Europe from the Soviet Union during the Cold War. The NATO statement 'slandered' China's peaceful development, misjudged the international situation, and indicated a 'Cold War mentality', said China's response, posted on the mission's website. China is always committed to peaceful development, it said. "We will not pose a 'systemic challenge' to anyone, but if anyone wants to pose a 'systemic challenge' to us, we will not remain indifferent." G7 nations meeting in Britain over the weekend scolded China over human rights in its Xinjiang region, called for Hong Kong to keep a high degree of autonomy and demanded a full investigation of the origins of the coronavirus in China. China's embassy in London said it was resolutely opposed to mentions of Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Taiwan, which it said distorted the facts and exposed the 'sinister intentions of a few countries such as the United States'.

China urges NATO to stop exaggerating 'China threat theory'

After almost 9 countries agrees to Europe's new COVID-19 certificate plan rolled out to unblock travel within the bloc. The European Parliament is all set to vote for its clearance.

European Parliament to vote on COVID-19 travel certificate

It's a jam-packed schedule for US President Joe Biden as he heads to Europe. This will be Biden's first foreign trip as the President of America. The 8-day trip will conclude on June 16.

US President Biden heads to Europe, meet with Queen & Putin on the cards

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