World News Australia - Europe

Five million given swine flu jab in EU

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 08:17:47 +1100

The European Medicines Agency announced that five million people in the European Union have been vaccinated against swine flu.

Britons kidnapped by pirates interviewed

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 07:53:43 +1100

A British couple being held hostage by Somali pirates have said in an interview that they fear they will be killed if a ransom is not paid soon.

CERN atom-smasher restarts

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 07:39:15 +1100

The world's biggest atom-smasher, shut down after its inauguration in September 2008 amid technical faults, has restarted, a spokesman says.

Mussolini's brain 'up for sale on eBay'

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 07:38:20 +1100

Italian dictator Benito Mussolini's blood and brain went on sale for 15,000 euros ($A24,343) on auction website eBay before the company pulled the ad.

Shroud of Turin 'bears hidden text'

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 07:08:43 +1100

A Vatican researcher claims a nearly invisible text on the Shroud of Turin proves the authenticity of the artifact revered as Jesus' burial cloth.

Midday shooting in Paris kills one

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 06:59:44 +1100

Police say a man with an automatic rifle opened fire on a car near a Paris train station, killing one man and wounding two others.

Mutation found in Norway swine flu virus

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 06:59:37 +1100

The World Health Organisation says a mutation had been found in samples of the swine flu virus taken following the first two deaths from the pandemic in Norway.

Briton who killed wife in sleep freed

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 06:50:05 +1100

A British man who strangled his wife in his sleep because he dreamt she was an intruder has been freed after prosecutors withdrew the case against him.

Floods devastate UK Lake District

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 06:03:58 +1100

Military helicopters winched dozens of people to safety and emergency workers in inflatable boats rescued scores more as floods swamped northern England.

British poll reveals sexual ignorance

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:59:32 +1100

More than one in 10 British people don't realise that a woman can still get pregnant if she has sex standing up, according to a poll on Friday.

Belgian PM chosen as first EU president

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:07:19 +1100

EU leaders picked Belgian Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy as the European Union's first president, the EU presidency announced on Thursday.

Crews rescue hundreds from UK floods

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:22:59 +1100

Hundreds of people have been rescued by emergency service workers after rising floodwaters caused chaos in England's northwest.

Ship frees itself from ice in Antarctic

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:01:01 +1100

A Russian shipping company says its icebreaker carrying more than 100 tourists, scientists and journalists on an Antarctic cruise has freed itself from ice.

EU President gets Obama's thumbs up

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:48:59 +1100

The US has welcomed the appointment of the EU's first president, but critics say the relative unknown doesn't deliver the clout that the EU needs in international capitals.

Pope meets Anglican leader amid tensions

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:01:25 +1100

The pope is to meet his Anglican counterpart, just two weeks after a Vatican overture to disgruntled Anglicans to convert to Catholicism.

Sarko says sorry to Irish for goal

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:19:47 +1100

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has told the Irish PM that he is sorry for the Irish people following France's hugely controversial ticket to the Football World Cup.

Can the Copenhagen summit succeed?

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:43:54 +1100

As the Copenhagen summit approaches and a legally binding deal looks increasingly unlikely, SBS investigates what will be the significance of these historic talks.

Copenhagen will be a success: UN

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:20:12 +1100

Efforts to craft a comprehensive climate treaty in Copenhagen next month will certainly "yield a success", the UN's top climate official has pledged.

French boy charged with attempted murder

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:02:00 +1100

A 13-year-old French boy who allegedly set out to mow down his teachers with a shotgun has been charged with attempted murder, officials say.

Britain urged to act as debt mounts

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:05:49 +1100

The OECD has urged action as new data shows Britain plunging ever deeper into debt, one day after PM Gordon Brown pledged a new law to fix public finances.