WORLD
Singapore-UK free trade deal kicks in as Brexit transition period ends
The EU-Singapore Free Trade Agreement will no longer apply to trade between UK and Singapore when the new deal kicks in, said the Ministry of Trade and Industry on Thursday. Both countries have completed their respective domestic procedures for the FTA's provisional application, which enables them to apply treaty commitments on a provisional basis until the FTA is ratified by both countries and enters into force, The Straits Times reported.
US deploys warships in Taiwan strait on 2021 eve: Caustic message to China
USS John S. McCain and USS Curtis Wilbur, steamed through the Taiwan Strait on New Year's Eve, according to the U.S. Naval Institute. This was the 13th occasion in 2020 that US warships had passed through the Taiwan strait, which China claims as its own. The US 7th Fleet described the passage as adhering to international law and demonstrating the American commitment to a "free and open Indo-Pacific," according to the report.
WHO approves Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use
While many countries rely on their own regulatory systems for vaccine approvals, some countries with weak system depend on WHO's nod to a great extent for rolling out their national vaccination programmes. The WHO's emergency validation also enables Unicef and the Pan-American Health Organization to procure the vaccine for distribution to countries in need, the UN health agency said on Thursday.
UK Court slaps $28.7 million penalty payment to Pakistan High Commission
A high court in London has ordered debiting at least $28.7 million from the accounts of the Pakistan High Commission in London over non-payment of the penalty by Pakistan's National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to the foreign assets recovery firm Boardsheet LLC. As per the court's order, the amount had to be debited from the accounts of the Pakistan High Commission in the UK by December 30.
We have to be remembered for what's been done: Donald Trump
The US President posted a video on Twitter in which he said, "We have to be remembered for what's been done." Trump hasn't accepted his defeat in the Presidential elections of November 2020 yet. Amid fight with Congress over a defence bill and coronavirus aid, he returned to Washington from his Florida resort.
Trump administration extends freeze on H-1B visas until March 31; Indian IT professionals to be hit
The decision will impact a large number of Indian IT professionals and various American and Indian companies who were issued H-1B visas by the US government for the fiscal year 2021.
Moderna Covid-19 vaccine trial shows 94.1% efficacy: Study
The study, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, provides evidence that the vaccine, mRNA-1273, can prevent symptomatic infection. The results are similar to the first interim analysis of the study announced by Moderna in November which showed vaccine efficacy of 94.5 per cent.
25 killed in Syria ambush
Also confirming the attack, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the Islamic State (IS) terror group targeted three buses carrying soldiers in the road to Deir al-Zour province.
22 killed in Yemen airport explosions
According to a statement released by the pro-government Ministry based in the southern port city of Aden, 50 others were also injured in the blasts on Wednesday
US adjusts tariffs on certain EU products
Washington started to impose additional tariffs on a wide range of European products worth $7.5 billion in October 2019, after a World Trade Organization (WTO) ruling on subsidies to the EU aircraft Airbus, reports Xinhua news agency. Following a similar WTO decision on subsidies to Boeing earlier this year, the EU slapped additional tariffs on US products worth $4 billion in November.
Don't Miss
Advertisement