UK cut off over new coronavirus variant fears

The list of European Union countries stopping flights from Britain continued to grow on Sunday as alarmed officials reacted to a new, highly contagious variant of the coronavirus that has sent London and south-eastern England into lockdown.

Aircraft carrier group on way to South China Sea: China

An aircraft carrier group led by China’s newest carrier, the Shandong, has sailed through the Taiwan Strait on its way to routine drills in the South China Sea, China’s navy said on Monday, after Taiwan mobilised its forces to monitor the trip.

EU, Britain still hooked on fish

Wrangling over a post-Brexit trade pact between the EU and Britain brought no breakthrough over the weekend, stoking fears that the sides will be unable to break the impasse before year’s end.

Lockdowns tightened across Britain over new coronavirus variant fears

Lockdown rules in London and parts of south and eastern England have been tightened due to concerns about a new variant of the coronavirus, as Scotland and Wales took their own measures in response to the new strain.

Thailand to test thousands after shrimp market COVID outbreak

2020-Thailand on Sunday began testing tens of thousands of people for coronavirus and extended curbs on movement, a day after locking down a province following the country’s worst outbreak yet.

South Korea sets record COVID-19 cases as prison reports major outbreak

South Korea reported a record 1,097 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, including an outbreak in a Seoul prison that infected 185 as the country’s latest wave of COVID-19 worsens. With daily infections over 1,000 for a fifth consecutive day, some medical experts criticised the government as being slow to introduce tighter social distancing rules.

Pence gets COVID vaccine as U.S. deaths top 3,000 for third straight day

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence received his COVID-19 vaccine live on television on Friday, seeking to shore up public support for vaccinations after U.S. deaths from the coronavirus topped 3,000 for a third straight day. Pence, his wife Karen Pence, and Surgeon General Jerome Adams each rolled up their sleeves and took injections from medical staff in white coats, becoming the highest-profile recipients to receive the vaccine publicly.

Britain, EU strike pessimistic tone on Brexit trade talks

Britain and the European Union struck a pessimistic tone in trade talks on Thursday, with a spokesman for Prime Minister Boris Johnson saying it was “very likely” there would be no agreement unless the bloc changed its position “substantially”.

22 die during protest against Indian farm laws

At least 22 protestors have died, several of them due to the biting cold weather, during the three-week agitation by farmers on the Indian capital’s borders, a spokesman for a farmers’ unions spearheading the agitation said on Friday

Several EU leaders self-isolate as Macron tests positive for Covid-19

After he had met an array of high-ranking French and international politicians in recent days, President Emmanuel Macron tested positive for Covid-19, the presidential palace said on Thursday.

India records 24,010 new Covid-19 cases in 24 hours

India recorded 24,021 new cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in the last 24 hours, according to the Union health ministry update on Thursday. The nationwide case count has now reached 9,956,557.

Tokyo raises COVID-19 alert to highest as medical crunch looms

The Japanese capital Tokyo, faced with acute strains on its medical system from the COVID-19 pandemic, raised its alert level to the highest of four stages on Thursday as the number of new cases spiked to a record daily high of 822.

MacKenzie Scott gives $4.2 bn to help the vulnerable 

MacKenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, said Tuesday she has given $4.2 billion to groups helping the vulnerable as the pandemic hits lives like “a wrecking ball.”

Taliban team in Pakistan, calls grow for Afghan cease-fire

A Taliban team, led by the co-founder of the insurgent movement, arrived Wednesday in Islamabad for talks with Pakistani government leaders amid growing calls for a reduction in violence in Afghanistan.

Europe set to approve COVID-19 vaccine

Europeans are set to start getting coronavirus vaccines before the new year after the regional drug regulator accelerated its approval process following the launch of immunisation campaigns in the United States and Britain.

US ELECTORAL COLLEGE VOTING CONFIRMS BIDEN VICTORY

Russia’s ‘Sputnik V’ vaccine over 91% effective: Analysis

The developers of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine said on Monday that it had shown an efficacy of 91.4% based on the final analysis of data from clinical trials. It said a report was being prepared for accelerated registration of the vaccine in various countries.

Japan, S. Korea fret as surging coronavirus undermines leaders’ support

Japan and South Korea grappled with surging coronavirus cases and growing public frustration on Monday, with Japan suspending a contentious travel subsidy programme and South Korea closing some schools and considering its toughest curbs yet.

5 million Yemenis ‘one step away from famine’: UN

The United Nation’s (UN) Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) on Sunday warned that 5 million Yemenis “will likely be living just one step away from famine in the upcoming year.”

Ethiopia’s war-scarred Tigray region regains some services

Ethiopia sent civil servants in Tigray back to work on Monday and ordered gun owners to disarm as Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government sought to show normality in the still-isolated northern region after weeks of war.

Historic US COVID vaccine campaign launches with convoy of trucks

Workers at a Pfizer Inc factory in Michigan dispatched the first shipments of its COVID-19 vaccine shortly after 6:30 a.m. on Sunday - launching the largest and most complex vaccine distribution project ever in the United States.

EU, Britain carry on trade talks, pledge to go ‘extra mile’ for deal

Britain and the European Union are to push on past yet another self-imposed deadline with negotiations for a post-Brexit deal on their future relationship, with just over two weeks left to clinch an agreement.

Nigerian military in firefight with gang who kidnapped students

The Nigerian military had located and exchanged fire with gunmen who kidnapped scores of secondary school students in northwestern Katsina state, according to a statement from the president on Saturday.

No deal on Brexit trade ’very very likely’: Johnson

Britain is likely to leave the European Union without a trade deal in just under three weeks’ time, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said on Friday. Britain quit the EU in January but remains an informal member until Dec. 31 - the end of a transition period during which it has remained in the EU single market and customs union.

US to execute 1st of 5 inmates before Biden’s inauguration

The Trump administration is planning an unprecedented five more federal executions before President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration, starting with a Texas street-gang member set to be put to death Thursday for his role in the 1999 slayings of an Iowa religious couple whose bodies he burned in the trunk of their car.

UN backs Afghan peace talks in resolution

The UN General Assembly (UNGA) approved a resolution over Russian objections Thursday commending progress in peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban while urging stepped-up efforts to tackle terrorist attacks by the Taliban, al-Qaida, the Islamic State extremist group and their affiliates.

Sunday, deadline for post-Brexit trade talks decision

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen have decided on Sunday as a deadline for a decision over their severely jammed trade talks.

Indian farmers’ protest enters 15th day

The ongoing farmers’ protests which laid a siege to the national Capital entered its 15th day on Thursday, a day after the farmers rejected Centre’s final proposal of amendments to the three farm laws and announced a bigger movement. The stalemate is likely to continue as there is no further meeting scheduled between farmers and the Centre.

To combat COVID-19 third wave S. Korea to build hospitals in containers

South Korea authorities scrambled on Thursday to build hospital beds in shipping containers to ease strains on medical facilities stretched by the latest coronavirus wave, which shows little sign of abating with 682 new cases.

Johnson warns EU over Brexit trade talks: back down or it’s no-deal

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned the European Union on Wednesday it must scrap demands which he says are unacceptable if there is to be a Brexit trade deal to avoid a turbulent breakup in three weeks.