Update: EU Parliament says it will decide on Brexit deal in new year

BRUSSELS, Dec 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) –The European Parliament said it will analyse the post-Brexit trade deal clinched by the EU and Britain in detail before deciding whether to approve the agreement in the new year. The two sides reached the deal just seven days before Britain exits one of the world’s biggest trading…

Israel arrests Palestinian over West Bank settler murder

JERUSALEM, Dec 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Israel on Thursday arrested aPalestinian man in connection with the murder of a Jewish settler in theoccupied West Bank, in a case that raised tensions in the area. Esther Horgan, a 52-year-old mother of six and a French-Israeli dualnational, was found dead Monday in a…

Update: 42 killed in crackdown on perpetrators of latest civilians’ killing in W. Ethiopia

ADDIS ABABA, Dec 25 (NNN-XINHUA) – The Ethiopian Defense Forceskilled some 42 “anti-peace elements” as part of the crackdown on perpetrators of the latest “gruesome” attack that killed at least 100 civilians in Ethiopia’s western Benishangul-Gumuz regional state, local governmentofficials said. On late Wednesday, the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC),…

US shooting: Police killing of 2nd unarmed Black man in a month ignites fresh outrage

COLUMBUS, Dec 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The fatal shooting of an unarmed Black man by police in Columbus, Ohio — the US city’s second such killing this month — sparked a fresh wave of protests on Thursday against racialinjustice and police brutality in the country. Andre Maurice Hill, 47, was in…

6.3-magnitude earthquake rocks Philippines: USGS

MANILA, Dec 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A 6.3-magnitude quake rocked thePhilippines Friday, the US Geological Survey said, with residents in thecapital Manila reporting buildings shaking and Christmas Day massesinterrupted but there were no reports of damage. The quake struck in Batangas province on the main island of Luzon at adepth of…

Covid-19: LatAm countries begin mass vaccinations as Europe fears new strain

MONTEVIDEO, Dec 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Three Latin American countrieslaunched mass immunization programs on Thursday as fears grew in Europe over a variant coronavirus strain that is believed to be far more contagious than the original version. Frontline medical staff in Mexico and Chile were among the first to receivetheir vaccines…

Covid-19: Iran allocates funds to import vaccines; Kuwait starts national vaccination campaign

CAIRO, Dec 25 (NNN-Xinhua) — IRAN said that it has allocated funds to buy COVID-19 vaccines from abroad as the obstacles created by US sanctions have been removed. Meanwhile, Kuwait kicked off its national vaccination campaign. Iranian Central Bank Governor Abdolnasser Hemmati said that Iran has allocated 200 million euros…

Covid-19: Indian state withdraws night curfew following public outcry

MUMBAI, Dec 25 (NNN-Xinhua) — Following public outcry, India’s south western state of Karnataka on Thursday withdrew the night curfew imposed amid fears of the new COVID-19 strain. The night curfew was not well received by the hotels and restaurant operators as well as retailers, who were hoping that the…

Russia says new US sanctions outraging, destructive to bilateral ties

MOSCOW, Dec 25 (NNN-Xinhua) — The expanded sanctions list published by the US authorities in relation to Russian companies allegedly classified as “military end users” is a destructive move for bilateral ties, the Russian Foreign Ministry said. “The latest innovations of the US Department of Commerce aimed at modernizing its…

Syrian air defenses confront Israeli missile attack in Masyaf

DAMASCUS, Dec 25 (NNN-Xinhua) — Syrian air defenses responded to a fresh Israeli missile attack that targeted the western Masyaf area in Hama Governorate after midnight Thursday, Syrian state TV reported. The TV aired footage of the air defenses intercepting Israeli missiles in the sky over Masyaf. The Syrian army…