European Union
EU leaders resume ‘grumpy’ summit on budget, virus fund
European Union (EU) leaders were chasing for compromises Saturday as a summit to reach a deal on an unprecedented 1.85 trillion euro ($2.1 trillion) EU budget and coronavirus recovery fund entered its second day with tensions running high.
EU condemns Turkish decision over Hagia Sophia
Foreign ministers of the European Union condemned the Turkish decision to convert Istanbul's iconic Hagia Sophia back to a mosque, saying " It will inevitably fuel mistrust, promote renewed divisions between religious communities and undermine efforts at dialogue and cooperation."
Earlier on Friday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan denounced rising criticism over Ankara's intention to convert the Hagia Sophia museum into a mosque, claiming that "The accusations against our country on the Hagia Sophia mean a direct attack on our sovereignty rights."
"We will continue to protect the rights of Muslims, the dominant faith in our country, and those of other religions," Erdogan said Friday in Istanbul.
The meeting on Monday was the first physical get-together of EU foreign ministers since the coronavirus pandemic.
Turkey topped the agenda of the 27-member bloc, which reached "a consensus among member states that EU-Turkey relations were currently under strain because of worrying developments affecting the EU's interests."
The EU foreign ministers also called for what they say is "illegal" and "unilateral" drilling by Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean to stop and asked Turkey to contribute actively to a political solution in Libya and to respect the commitments it had taken, including the UN arms embargo.
Hagia Sophia is an iconic Byzantine church built in the 5th century.
Throughout the centuries, the former Greek Orthodox Christian church had also served as a Roman Catholic cathedral and an Ottoman mosque as the city changed rulers.
Since 1935, the 1,500-year-old Hagia Sophia has been open as a museum. It has been recognized by UNESCO as a monument of world cultural heritage since 1985.
On Friday, the Turkish State Council reached a verdict on the fate of the monument and Erdogan announced that the first Muslim prayer at the site will be held on July 24.
However, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Erdogan discussed in a phone conversation developments in Syria and Libya, as well as the fate of Hagia Sophia on Monday, the Kremlin said.
The United States said on Friday that it was "disappointed" by the Turkish government's decision of changing the Hagia Sophia museum into a mosque.
Germany to press for EU deal on taking in rescued migrants
Germany on Tuesday urged other European Union members to reach a better and more just solution for the distribution of migrants who have been rescued from the Mediterranean.
EU supports early action in Bangladesh anticipating severe floods
The European Union is providing EUR 100,000 for early anticipatory action to reduce the negative impact on the most affected communities due to floods in Bangladesh.
The aid is coming in response to severe flooding that submerged many parts of Bangladesh in late June.
The aid will benefit over 3,300 families in some of the hardest hit areas in Kurigram, Gaibandha and Jamalpur districts, said the EU Embassy here on Tuesday.
The EU funding supports the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society in using reliable scientific forecast information and risk analysis to foresee the potential impact of the floods and to conduct early actions aimed at reducing human suffering, losses and damage.
The aid includes evacuating the most vulnerable communities to safe shelters with their assets and livestock, providing unconditional cash grants, as well as providing first aid treatment.
The funding provided is part of the EU's overall contribution to the Forecast-based Action (FbA) by the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
Heavy monsoon rainfall triggered extensive floods in northern and eastern areas of Bangladesh, causing extensive damage to homes and farmlands across the delta nation’s vast northern regions.
Thousands of people have found themselves marooned or displaced, said the EU.
The flooding could affect up to a million households over the first days of July, it said.
EU commits € 32mn for host communities, Rohingyas in Cox’s Bazar
The European Union (EU) has announced €32 million or Tk 304 crore in funding to contribute to the needs of Bangladeshi host communities of Cox’s Bazar and Rohingya in the camps.
EU allows few nations to enter 31 European countries
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, the European Union on Tuesday announced a list of nations whose citizens will be allowed to enter 31 European countries.
EU launches new naval mission to police Libya arms embargo
The European Union announced Tuesday the launch of a new naval mission in the Mediterranean Sea aimed at enforcing the U.N. arms embargo on Libya, after Italy blocked a previous operation claiming that the warships attracted migrants to Europe's shores.
EU to support Bangladesh to fight COVID-19; welcomes Khaleda's release
The European Union has said it stands ready to support Bangladesh as it deals with the challenges of the coronavirus outbreak and welcomed BNP chief Khaleda Zia's release.
Italian virus death toll nears China's as outbreak spreads
The Chinese city where the coronavirus first took hold reported no new homegrown cases Thursday, while the death toll in Italy was poised to overtake that of China in a dramatic illustration of how the outbreak has pivoted toward Europe and the United States.
EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has coronavirus
Michel Barnier, the European Union's chief negotiator for the bloc's future relationship with Britain after Brexit, has been infected with the new coronavirus.