1Search for kidnapped Nigerian bishop under wayWednesday, December 30, 2020

Police in Nigeria have reportedly deployed specialist teams in their search for Catholic Bishop Moses Chikwe who was kidnapped by armed men on Sunday in Owerri, the capital of Imo State in the east of the country. Local media reports say his car and vestments were abandoned near the Assumpta Cathedral. Vatican radio... Read More

2Uganda's Bobi Wine says he has been arrestedWednesday, December 30, 2020

The Ugandan opposition presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, says he has been arrested along with his entire campaign team. The police have not yet commented on the arrest. Bobi Wine is seen as the strongest challenger to President Yoweri Museveni who is seeking re-election 35 years... Read More

3Jonathan Pollard: Israel spy greeted by Netanyahu after flying to Tel AvivWednesday, December 30, 2020

Jonathan Pollard, the former US Navy analyst who spent 30 years in prison for spying for Israel, has flown to Tel Aviv a month after a travel ban ended. Mr Pollard, 66, and his wife Esther were greeted at the airport by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who recited a Jewish blessing with them. "You're home," Mr Netanyahu... Read More

4Covid-19: Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine approved for use in UKWednesday, December 30, 2020

The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine has been approved for use in the UK, with the first doses due to be given on Monday amid rising coronavirus cases. The UK has ordered 100 million doses - enough to vaccinate 50 million people. This would cover the entire population when combined with the full order of the Pfizer-BioNTech... Read More

5Covid-19: Concern at 'unprecedented' infection level in EnglandTuesday, December 29, 2020

England's "very high" Covid infection level is a "growing concern" as the NHS struggles to cope with rising patient numbers, a health official has said. On Monday, a record 41,385 Covid cases and 357 deaths were reported in the UK. NHS England said the number of people being treated for the virus in hospital is now 20,426,... Read More

6Covid: South Africa's Ramaphosa announces new restrictions as cases soarTuesday, December 29, 2020

President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced new tougher coronavirus restrictions, a day after South Africa recorded more than one million Covid-19 cases. Indoor and outdoor gatherings will be banned, a curfew introduced from 21:00 to 06:00, and alcohol sales prohibited. Mr Ramaphosa said the country was at an extremely... Read More

7Russia admits its death toll is three times higherTuesday, December 29, 2020

More than 80% of the excess deaths in Russia this year are linked to the coronavirus pandemic, Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova has said. According to the Rosstat statistics agency, there were almost 230,000 additional deaths between January and November this year compared to 2019 - which would give Russia a total... Read More

8Iran begins testing own vaccineTuesday, December 29, 2020

Iran has begun testing its own locally-made vaccine for the first time, local media report. Tayebeh Mokhber, the daughter of senior official Mohammad Mokhber, was the first person to receive a dose of the Cov-IranBlessing on Tuesday. "This was a message to the Iranian people that we already believe in what we will... Read More

9More than 500,000 tests conducted in a day in UKTuesday, December 29, 2020

More than 500,000 coronavirus tests were carried out in a day for the first time in the UK on 23 December, according to government data. There were 507,384 new tests conducted - which was still below lab-based testing capacity, which is now at 708,293 per day. A total of 49,434,314 tests have been conducted in the UK. The government's... Read More

10Brexit deal: What is in it?Saturday, December 26, 2020

A post-Brexit agreement on trade and other issues has been agreed, just a week before the transition period between the UK and the EU comes to an end. It avoids the disruption of a no-deal Brexit in the middle of the Covid pandemic, and marks a new era after more than 40 years of UK membership of the European Union. We've... Read More