Europe

THE HAGUE (AP) — The Netherlands is banning flights from the U.K. for at least the rest of the year in an attempt to make sure that a new strain of coronavirus that is sweeping across southern England does not reach its shores.

The ban came into effect Sunday morning and the government said it was reacting to tougher measures imposed in London and surrounding areas on Saturday by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The Netherlands said it will assess “with other European Union nations the possibilities to contain the import of the virus from the United Kingdom.”

19 Dec 2020; MEMO: The EU allocates more than $7 billion to Turkey in exchange for receiving refugees.

The European Union (EU) on Thursday disbursed financial aid directed to Turkey amounting to more than $7 billion, in exchange for receiving refugees, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).

The aid will finance hosting and supporting the refugees, in compliance with the treaty regarding migrants signed between Ankara and Brussels in 2016.

19 Dec 2020; MEMO: TATNEFT Company suspended its operations in Libya following the revolution of 17 February, 2011 – NOC

A Russian oil company intends to resume production and exploration operations in a number of sites in Syria and Libya, after its activities were halted following the events of the 17 February Revolution.

19 Dec 2020; MEMO: A new report issued by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) shows how European Union (EU) migration policies have led to a mental health crisis among thousands of asylum seekers trapped in the Greek islands.

19 Dec 2020; MEMO: Iran's ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Friday rejected the agency director's suggestion that reviving the Iranian nuclear deal after the new US administration comes to power will require a new agreement.

Geneva, Dec 19 (AP-PTI) The head of emergencies at the World Health Organisation says a team of international experts looking into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic will travel to China the first week of January.

Dr Michael Ryan says there will be quarantine arrangements for the team, which will visit the suspected site of the outbreak in the city of Wuhan.

MOSCOW, December 17. /TASS/: Russian military experts named the S-500 surface-to-air missile/anti-ballistic missile system and a modernized interceptor missile as a possible ‘antidote’ against an enemy’s hypersonic weapons mentioned by Russian President Vladimir Putin during his annual press conference.

MOSCOW, December 19. /TASS/: Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin is confident that the most acute period of the fight against the spread of coronavirus should end in a few months, he said in an interview with Rossiya 1 TV channel.

"I think we will fight COVID-19 for a long time, but the most acute period should end in a few months," Sobyanin said.

Earlier, he said that the situation in the capital, which ranks first in Russia in terms of the number of cases, remains difficult, and almost 13,000 patients with coronavirus remain in hospitals.

MOSCOW, December 19. /TASS/: Russia’s Roscosmos will be able to send an additional supply of oxygen to the ISS in February, if necessary, General Director of the organization Dmitry Rogozin told reporters.

"First, the station itself has oxygen reserves. That is, if it is necessary to replenish oxygen and nitrogen in the event of atmospheric pressure losses, we have such reserves. And we are going to send a cargo ship to the ISS, our Progress from Baikonur, in February. It already has a supply of oxygen," Rogozin said.

MOSCOW, December 19. /TASS/: The coronavirus pandemic may end in Russia by spring or even earlier, Head of the Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Welfare Anna Popova said on Saturday.

"Well, it will be over by spring, if we try, it may end earlier. It depends on everyone today," she said in an interview with Rossiya 1 TV channel.

Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko confirmed that vaccination will help in the fight against the pandemic, but "the circulation of the virus is likely to remain to a certain extent.".