Europe

UK registers 1,06,122 new COVID infections, highest since pandemic began

London [UK], December 22 (ANI): The UK reported 1,06,122 COVID cases on Wednesday, the highest single-day spike since the pandemic began.

2021-12-22T17:10:42.045744+00:00 IST

Emergency declared on Nantes-Porto Flight

Paris [France], December 22 (ANI/ Sputnik): An emergency has been declared on the flight from Nantes to Porto operated by EasyJet on Wednesday, tracker RadarBox said.

2021-12-22T16:48:51.868530+00:00 IST

COVID vaccine booster doses can't be ticket to go ahead with planned celebrations: WHO chief

Geneva [Switzerland], December 22 (ANI): Blanket booster programmes of COVID-19 vaccines are likely to prolong the pandemic, rather than ending it by diverting supply to countries that already have high levels of vaccination coverage, giving the virus more opportunity to spread and mutate, said the World Health Organisation's chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

2021-12-22T16:34:33.708391+00:00 IST

Bulgarian Prime Minister Petkov: There will be no 'state security' agents in government

Sofia [Bulgaria], December 22 (ANI/Novinite): I thank our colleagues from "There Is Such a People" and the Minister of Foreign Affairs for taking swift measures and people with files of a past in 'State Security' that have been announced in the media will not be appointed or will be released if they have already been appointed. This was stated today by Prime Minister Kiril Petkov in response to a journalist's question about the possible appointments of people in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who turn out to be connected with State Security structures.

2021-12-22T14:34:11.110134+00:00 IST

Sputnik V demonstrates high virus neutralizing activity against Omicron: Study

Moscow [Russia], December 22 (ANI): Sputnik V demonstrates high virus-neutralizing activity against Omicron variant, according to a study by Gamaleya Center's preliminary laboratory.

2021-12-22T13:11:52.054932+00:00 IST

Russia confirms 25,264 new COVID-19 cases over past 24 hours

Moscow [Russia], December 22 (ANI/Sputnik): Russia has confirmed 25,264 new COVID-19 cases over the past 24 hours, bringing the cumulative total to 10,292,983, the federal response center said on Wednesday.

2021-12-22T08:56:43.757374+00:00 IST

Al-Qaeda aims to benefit from Taliban victory in Afghanistan: Russian Foreign Ministry

Moscow [Russia], December 22 (ANI): Terrorist organizations consider the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan as a victory of radicalism, and Al-Qaeda aims to benefit from the situation, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Oleg Syromolotov said on Wednesday.

2021-12-22T08:49:21.256741+00:00 IST

Russian Embassy rejects Washington's claims blaming Moscow for escalation in Ukraine

Moscow [Russia], December 22 (ANI/Sputnik): The Russian Embassy in the United States called on Washington on Wednesday not to "distort the reality" by blaming Moscow for the escalating situation in Ukraine.

2021-12-22T07:11:47.632230+00:00 IST

UK Defence minister meets NATO General Secretary to discuss Ukraine: Ministry

London [UK], December 22 (ANI/Sputnik): The UK defense minister, Ben Wallace, met with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg to discuss the situation near Ukraine's border, the UK Ministry of Defence said.

2021-12-22T07:05:56.266402+00:00 IST

Putin, Scholz discuss European security, Ukrainian situation over phone

Moscow [Russia], December 22 (ANI/Xinhua): Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz discussed European security issues and the Ukrainian situation during a phone conversation on Tuesday.

2021-12-21T19:50:07.228851+00:00 IST

UK's Johnson says no new restrictions before Christmas despite Omicron surge

London [UK], December 22 (ANI/Sputnik): UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Tuesday that the government has no plans of issuing tougher COVID-19 restrictions despite a surge in cases of the Omicron variant.

2021-12-21T19:38:33.635304+00:00 IST

Spanish utility expects record electricity price on Wednesday

Madrid [Spain], December 21 (ANI/ Sputnik): Electricity prices in Spain will break the record of 360.02 Euros ($405) per megawatt-hour on December 22, the Spanish electricity market operator OMIE said on Tuesday.

2021-12-21T17:35:02.061138+00:00 IST

Putin told Scholz Kiev evading implementation of Minsk agreements

Moscow [Russia], December 21 (ANI/Sputnik): Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a conversation with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, noted that Kiev was still stubbornly evading the fulfillment of its obligations under the Minsk agreements, which hindered the holding of the Normandy format summit, the Kremlin said on Tuesday.

2021-12-21T17:26:07.933547+00:00 IST

UK court orders Dubai ruler to pay ex-wife USD 728 million divorce settlement

London [UK], December 21 (ANI): A UK court on Tuesday ordered the ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum to pay his ex-wife Princess Haya bint al-Hussein more than USD 728 million (Pound 500 million) in a divorce settlement.

2021-12-21T17:19:22.243390+00:00 IST

Over 3.3 mn lives lost due to COVID this year, 2022 must be year we end pandemic: WHO chief

Geneva [Switzerland], December 21 (ANI): Noting that over 3.3 million people have lost their lives to COVID-19 this year - more deaths than from HIV, malaria and tuberculosis combined in 2020 -- WHO has said that "2022 must be the year we end the pandemic".

2021-12-21T16:27:58.219865+00:00 IST

Russia confirms 25,907 new COVID-19 cases over past 24 hours

Moscow [Russia], December 21 (ANI/Sputnik): Russia has confirmed 25,907 new COVID-19 cases over the past 24 hours, bringing the cumulative total to 10,267,719, the federal response center said on Tuesday.

2021-12-21T08:56:26.676764+00:00 IST

NATO must abandon ideological prejudices, maintain security: Chinese Foreign Ministry

Beijing [China], December 21 (ANI/Sputnik): NATO must abandon ideological prejudices, do more to maintain international and regional security, the Chinese Foreign Ministry told Sputnik.

2021-12-21T06:11:52.345175+00:00 IST

China slams US, allies over remarks on Hong Kong polls

London [UK], December 21 (ANI): China on Tuesday rejected remarks made by the US and its allies regarding the erosion of democratic elements of Hong Kong's electoral system.

2021-12-21T04:34:56.383078+00:00 IST

US, UK send cyberwarfare teams to Ukraine amid concerns over Russia

Washington [US], December 21 (ANI/Sputnik): The United States and the United Kingdom sent cyberwarfare teams to Ukraine over concerns Russia could potentially launch a cyber attack, the New York Times reported.

2021-12-21T02:21:17.724170+00:00 IST

Belarusian Foreign Ministry Summons UK Diplomat Over Attack on Embassy in London

Minsk [Belarus], December 20 (ANI/Sputnik): An attack on the Belarusian embassy in London was committed on Sunday, one diplomat was seriously injured, UK charge d'affaires was summoned to the Belarusian Foreign Ministry, the ministry said on Monday.

2021-12-20T15:15:30.702607+00:00 IST

COVID-19 in Bulgaria: Fewer than 500 new cases in last 24 hours

Sofia [Bulgaria], December 20 (ANI/Novinite): 724,793 are the total confirmed cases of coronavirus in Bulgaria. This is shown by data from the National Information System.

2021-12-20T15:04:37.232005+00:00 IST