Covid-19: US Pres-elect Biden says will push Congress for another relief bill

WILMINGTON (Delaware, US), Dec 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — President-elect Joe Biden said he will ask Congress for another Covid-19 relief bill when he takes office, insisting that Americans want Republicans and Democrats to work together again after Donald Trump goes. Biden cast himself as a leader eager to work for the…

UN praises municipal elections in western Libya

Boys walk through Benghazi Old Town in Libya TRIPOLI, Dec 23 (NNN-Xinhua) — The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) on Tuesday commended the municipal elections in the western towns of Ar-Rajban and Al-Zawiya Al-Gharbia. UNSMIL “congratulates the citizens of Ar-Rajban and Al-Zawiya Al-Gharbia on the conduct of peaceful…

Ethiopia unrest: UN refugee agency appeals for urgent support to ease crisis

UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grande meets refugees from Ethiopia in the Hamdayet Border Reception Centre in Eastern Sudan GENEVA, Dec 23 (NNN-Xinhua) — The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, together with 30 humanitarian partners, appealed for 156 million U.S. dollars to meet “the critical humanitarian needs” of…

Update: UK reaches deal with France to allow trucks to cross border from Wednesday

A sign showing “French Borders Closed” is seen at the closed Port of Dover in Dover, Britain LONDON, Dec 23 (NNN-Xinhua) — Britain and France have reached a deal to reopen their border to haulers and some passengers from Wednesday, the British Department for Transport announced. As part of the…

Covid-19: Pres Trump rejects US relief bill, calling it ‘a disgrace’

  WASHINGTON, Dec 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — President Donald Trump rejected a $900 billion bipartisan Covid stimulus package, calling it “a disgrace” and demanding that lawmakers more than triple relief payments to Americans. While he did not explicitly say he would not sign the bill, which passed overwhelmingly Monday in both…

Covid-19: WHO reports all-time high of 4.6 million cases registered in one week

GENEVA, Dec 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — More than 4.6 million newly confirmed novel coronavirus cases were registered worldwide in the past week, which is the all-time-high weekly count since the start of the pandemic, the World Health Organization said. According to the global organization’s data, a total of 4,612,790 novel coronavirus…

Covid-19: South Africa makes down payment for vaccine

A nurse administers a vaccination against the coronavirus disease PRETORIA, Dec 23 (NNN-SANEWS) — South Africa has made a down payment to secure the COVID-19 vaccine for 10% of the country’s population. “The National Department of Health and the Solidarity Fund are pleased to announce that a down payment of…

Covid-19: Virus surge puts South African hospitals under severe strain

The COVID-19 pandemic first peaked in Africa’s most industrialized economy in late July 2020 PRETORIA, Dec 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — South African private hospital operators have warned that they are facing severe capacity constraints due to a resurgence in coronavirus cases.The COVID-19 pandemic first peaked in Africa’s most industrialized economy in late July…

Covid-19: Forty plus countries ban travel from UK

LONDON, Dec 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — More than 40 countries have suspended travel from Britain in a bid to contain a fast-spreading new strain of the coronavirus. Scotland had already closed its border with the rest of the United Kingdom. Here are some of travel bans announced so far. FRANCE: France…

UK PM, EU chief held eleventh-hour talks on Brexit, Covid: EU source

BRUSSELS, Dec 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen discussed Brexit and the coronavirus crisis in a phone call on Monday evening, an EU source said. The previously undisclosed conversation came as London and Brussels try to thrash out a last-gasp…