Covid-19: Nurse gets first shot as US begins vaccinations

NEW YORK, Dec 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United States kicked off a mass vaccination drive Monday hoping to turn the tide on the world’s biggest coronavirus outbreak, as the country’s death toll neared a staggering 300,000. A nurse in New York became the first person in America to receive the…

Brexit: EU chief says there is ‘movement’ in talks

PARIS, Dec 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — EU chief Ursula von der Leyen expressedsatisfaction over talks with Britain to agree a post-Brexit tradepact, saying there was progress as negotiators entered the “last mile”. “First of all there is movement. That is good… We are talking about anew beginning with old friends,” she…

Electoral college: key states confirm Joe Biden’s victory in presidential election

 Georgia Democratic electors cast their electoral college votes at the state capitol on Dec 14 in Atlanta, Georgia WASHINGTON, Dec 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Joe Biden was formally elected as the next president of the United States by members of the electoral college on Monday, all but ending Donald Trump’s unprecedented bid…

Argentine Lower House passes bill legalizing abortion; a harder battle forecasted in the Senate

BUENOS AIRES, Dec 14 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — Argentina’s lower house of Congress has approved a bill to legalize abortion, a big step forward for the legislation that could set the tone for a wider shift in conservative Latin America. The draft law, which would allow the legal termination of pregnancies up…

UK and Brazil to boost economic relationship

LONDON, Dec 14 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — The UK and Brazil made agreements on financial services, taxation, sustainable growth and Green Finance, helping to boost jobs and investments for UK companies. The fourth Economic and Financial Dialogue (EFD) between the UK and Brazil saw the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, and the Brazilian Economy…

Covid-19: Italy suffers 484 new deaths after surpassing Britain

A worker wearing protective garments sanitises the Duomo square ROME, Dec 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Italy reported 484 coronavirus-related deaths on Sunday after surpassing Britain the previous day as the European country with the worst toll of fatalities. Sunday’s tally was down from 649 deaths reported on Saturday. There were 152,697…

Panama suspends flights by Venezuelan airlines in tit-for-tat measure

PANAMA CITY, Dec 14 (NNN-Xinhua) — Flights by Venezuelan airlines to Panama would be cancelled beginning on Sunday until Panama receives “fair and equal” treatment, Panama’s aviation authority said in a statement. The authority said it took the measure after Venezuela restricted access to Panama’s Copa Airlines, saying that flights…

Covid-19: Algerian President says to “return home soon” from recovery in Germany

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune ALGIERS, Dec 14 (NNN-Xinhua) — Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune announced that he “will soon return home” from his recovery process in Germany following contracting COVID-19 in October. The announcement came in a five-minute video Tebboune posted on his official Twitter account, the first appearance of the…

Covid-19: France sees slowdown in new cases, rise in hospitalization

A man wearing a face mask walks on the street in Paris PARIS, Dec 14 (NNN-Xinhua) — Another 11,533 people in France tested positive for COVID-19 in a 24-hour span, the lowest daily tally this week, while more patients were admitted to hospital, ending a week-long decline in coronavirus-related hospitalization,…

Celebration in Laayoune after US adopts map of Morocco that includes Western Sahara

RABAT, Dec 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United States adopted a “new official” map of Morocco that includes the disputed territory of Western Sahara, the ambassador to Rabat said.“This map is a tangible representation of President Trump’s bold proclamation two days ago — recognising Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara,” Ambassador David…