Europe

MOSCOW, November 23. /TASS/: Coronavirus cases in St. Petersburg grew by an all-time high of 2,926 in the past twenty-four hours to 100,864, according to the data released by the federal anti-coronavirus crisis center on Monday.

On November 22, St. Petersburg registered a record high of 2,668 new COVID-19 cases.

Moscow identified 6,866 new coronavirus cases in the past twenty-four hours, bringing the total coronavirus case tally in the Russian capital to 560,579.

MOSCOW, November 23. /TASS/: The number of confirmed COVID-19 infections in Russia over the past 24 hours has increased by 25,173, bringing the total to 2,114,502, the anti-coronavirus crisis center told reporters on Monday.

This is the new record high number of infections in the country. The previous record high of 24,822 detected daily cases was documented on Saturday, November 21.

The lowest daily growth rates were registered in the Republic of Dagestan (0.5%), Kalmykia, the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Region (0.6% each), the Republic of Mari El (0.7%).

MOSCOW, November 23. /TASS/: The Kremlin regrets the United States’ walkout from the Treaty on Open Skies, because without the American side participating in it the document loses viability, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the media on Monday.

"With the United States’ pullout the treaty will lose viability, of course," Peskov said. "We regret this. We believe that the treaty is an important means of building up mutual trust and keeping weapons under control," Peskov said about the US decision.

BRUSSELS, Nov 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Top European Union (EU) officials, welcomed the Group of Twenty (G20) leaders’ united commitment, to addressing major global pandemic and economic challenges.

A declaration adopted at the 15th G20 summit showed, the group leaders are committed to shaping a strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive post-COVID-19 era.

“We agreed that global action, solidarity and multilateral cooperation are needed, to build a better future,” European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, tweeted after the summit.

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin said on Monday he hoped that by the end of the week the outline of a Brexit free trade deal will have emerged.

Talking to reporters in Dublin, he added that he got a sense from both negotiating teams that they had made progress.

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices rose more than 1% on Monday, extending last week’s gains as traders anticipated coronavirus vaccine trials would spur a recovery in demand.

Sentiment was also bolstered by expectations that the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Russia and other producers, a group known as OPEC+, would extend a deal to restrain output.

Brent crude rose 66 cents to $45.62 a barrel by 1247 GMT while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude gained 52 cents to $42.94 a barrel. Both benchmarks jumped 5% last week.

BERLIN (Reuters) - Turkey prevented German forces belonging to a European Union military mission carrying out a full search of a Turkish cargo ship that they suspected of taking weapons to Libya, both countries confirmed on Monday.

Soldiers from the frigate Hamburg boarded the Turkish freighter, the Rosaline A, overnight, but had to abandon checks and withdraw after Turkey protested to the EU mission, the German defence ministry said.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union’s Brexit negotiator said on Monday that big differences persisted in trade talks with Britain but that both sides were pushing hard for a deal.

“Time is short. Fundamental divergences still remain, but we are continuing to work hard for a deal,” said the EU negotiator, Michel Barnier.

Trade negotiators resumed talks on the shape of the new EU-UK relationship after a post-Brexit standstill agreement expires on Dec. 31.

MOSCOW, November 22. /TASS/: Russia will seek firm guarantees that the remaining parties to the Treaty on Open Skies will meet their commitments in full, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Sunday in connection with the US withdrawal from the treaty.

MOSCOW, November 22. /TASS/: Russian President Vladimir Putin believes there are some problems in the US electoral system, but it’s up to Washington to change the old scheme, he said in an interview with "Moscow. Kremlin. Putin" TV program on Rossiya-1 TV channel.