Europe

MOSCOW, November 6. /TASS/: The number of confirmed COVID-19 infections in Russia over the past 24 hours has increased by 20,582, a record high nationwide since the beginning of the pandemic. The total number of the infections has reached 1,733,440, the anti-coronavirus crisis center told reporters on Friday.

According to the crisis center, the relative daily growth has increased to 1.2%.

MOSCOW, November 6. /TASS/: Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov has refuted the article published by the British tabloid The Sun, which claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to resign due to health problems. Peskov assured that Putin has no such plans, and that he is in excellent health.

"No," the spokesman said in response to a question on whether the president plans to resign. "He is in excellent health," Peskov added.

LONDON, Nov 6 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Saudi Arabia will host a Formula One grand prix for the first time next year with a night race on the streets of the country’s second city Jeddah, the sport and organisers announced on Thursday.

The November race – along Jeddah’s corniche facing the Red Sea – will be the third in the Middle East with Bahrain and Abu Dhabi, subject to confirmation of a 2021 calendar that has yet to be published.

THE HAGUE, Nov 6 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The International Criminal Court (ICC) is investigating the recent crackdown on EndSARS protesters in Nigeria.

The Nigerian military is accused of opening fire on peaceful protesters who hit the streets against police brutalities.

According to Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari some 51 civilians, 11 police officers and seven soldiers were killed during the riots.

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil fell towards $40 a barrel on Friday as new lockdowns in Europe to halt surging COVID-19 infections sparked concern about the outlook for demand, while markets remained on edge over drawn-out vote counting in the U.S. election.

Italy recorded its highest daily number of infections on Thursday and cases surged by at least 120,276 in the United States, the second consecutive daily record as the outbreak spreads across the country.

GENEVA (Reuters) - The U.S. mission in Geneva urged World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Friday to invite Taiwan to a major meeting the body is hosting next week expected to focus on the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We encourage the WHO to expand its efforts to offer Taiwan increased meaningful cooperation and collaboration with the organization, and this (an invitation to participate) would be a needed step in that direction,” it said in a statement.

WARSAW (Reuters) - Former European Council President Donald Tusk has compared both Donald Trump and the leader of Poland’s ruling party to “bad-tempered brats” who use lies and conflict to stay in power.

Tusk, a former Polish prime minister who now heads the main centre-right grouping in the European Parliament, said Kaczynski and Trump used similar strategies of dividing society and using propaganda to keep their hold on power.

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg hit back at Donald Trump on Twitter late on Thursday saying the U.S. president should “chill” about the election, a riposte to his tweet last year mocking the teenager over what he called her anger management issues.

LONDON (Reuters) - Northern Ireland will not be ready on January 1 to implement the systems needed to keep trade moving with the rest of the United Kingdom as required by the Brexit divorce deal, the National Audit Office said on Friday.

The National Audit Office (NAO), which reviews government spending, said that all UK borders would face widespread disruption when Britain finally leaves the European Union’s orbit, whether or not it strikes a trade deal with the bloc.

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Sweden’s prime minister has gone into protective self-isolation after a person close to him came into contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, as Sweden experiences a fall surge of coronavirus infections.

Stefan Lofven broke the news on Facebook on Thursday, when the Scandinavian country passed the threshold of 6,000 overall coronavirus deaths.

“The developments are going in the wrong direction fast. More are infected. More die. This is a serious situation,” he wrote.