November 30th - December 6th 2020

Gracie Linthwaite

Image: Getty Images

This week Brexit negotiations between the UK and the EU continue, Russia begins vaccinations against Covid- 19, and Rome bans horse drawn carriages from its streets. 

Europe 

UK: 
A new UK immigration system has launched. Applications have opened for people applying for visas to come and work in the UK from 1 January, when free movement from the EU ends. 
https://workpermit.com/news/new-uk-points-based-immigration-system-launched-skilled-worker-visa-20201201

Following a deadlock in Brexit negotiations, EU sources say the two sides are nearing an agreement on access to UK waters by EU fishing fleets. 
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/dec/06/major-breakthrough-on-fishing-rights-brings-brexit-deal-closer

Germany: 
Five people including a baby were killed when a drunk man drove a car into a crowded pedestrian area in an apparently deliberate attack in Trier. The driver was identified by police as a 51-year-old German from the Trier area. He was overpowered and arrested at the scene after officers took his car off the road to prevent further deaths. 
https://www.dw.com/en/car-kills-5-injures-several-in-trier-pedestrian-zone/a-55785758

Italy: 
Italy fines Apple €10 million over iPhone water-resistance claims. The national competition authority, AGCM, found Apple’s claims did not hold up under real world conditions. Instead, the water resistance claims were valid only with pure water in laboratory conditions. 
https://www.euronews.com/2020/11/30/apple-fined-10-million-in-italy-over-iphone-water-resistance-claims

Rome bans horse-drawn carriages from its streets. The city wants to protect the animals, but some have criticised this saying it doesn’t go far enough. 
https://www.wantedinrome.com/news/rome-bans-horse-drawn-carriages-from-city-streets.html

France:
Four policemen are now under criminal investigation over the beating of black music producer Michel Zecler in Paris. The assault happened at his studio earlier in November and the video surfaced last week. There have since been huge protests across France against Article 24 of a security bill, which aims to regulate how people share film or photos of police. Christopher Castaner, the head of President Emmanuel Macrons’ group of centrist MPs in parliament, said Article 24 ‘will be completely rewritten and a new version will be submitted’. 
https://www.fr24news.com/a/2020/11/four-french-police-officers-accused-of-beating-a-black-music-producer-world-news-2.html#

Norway: 
A rare excavation south of Oslo will provide new details about Viking culture. 
https://www.forbes.com/sites/square/2020/11/24/click-and-collect-how-retailers-and-restaurants-can-take-it-to-the-curb/?sh=6bfc57a351d3

Russia:
Covid vaccinations begin in Moscow; the home-grown Sputnik vaccine is being used. 
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2020/12/07/coronavirus-in-russia-the-latest-news-dec-7-a69117

Africa 

Aid agencies say that a low cost strawberry-flavoured tablet for children living with HIV will be rolled out in African countries next year. It is to be the first generic paediatric version of a key antiretroviral therapy which will even be available for babies. 
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/strawberry-flavoured-hiv-drug-designed-children-could-slash/

Ethiopia:
Tigray politicians release thousands of federal soldiers. The officials said they had been part of the army’s northern command but were detained when Tigrayan troops attacked a federal military base. 
http://www.channelafrica.co.za/sabc/home/channelafrica/news/details?id=12a1bfab-f5bb-4af89f9ee23a91c8091e&title=Ethiopia%27s%20Tigray%20politicians%20release%20thousands%20of%20federal%20soldiers

Nigeria:
Boko Haram says its fighters killed 78 farmers in Zabarmari area near Maiduguri in north-east Nigeria. There has been growing outrage across Nigeria over the killings, described as the worst in recent months. 
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-55120638

Middle East 

Iran: 
A top Iranian nuclear scientist was shot ‘by remote control gun mounted on a car’. Iran accuses Israel of a hand in the death of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh. 
https://news.sky.com/story/mohsen-fakhrizadeh-iranian-nuclear-scientist-assassinated-by-remote-controlled-gun-mounted-on-car-12147006

Asia and Oceania 

Australia:
Australia bushfire spreads across Fraser Island. The fire is sweeping through the World Heritage site off the east coast, destroying unique forests. 
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/world-australia-55207620

China:
China gets tough on firms over single-use plastics. It is part of a wider push to improve China’s ranking as the world’s biggest producer of plastic waste. 
https://ecoese.com/en/p/china-gets-tough-on-firms-over-single-use-plastics

Singapore: 
Singapore approves lab-grown ‘chicken’ meat. It is the world’s first country to approve Eat Just’s ‘breakthrough’ chicken nuggets. 
https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2020/12/eat-just-inc-gets-approval-in-singapore-for-lab-grown-chicken/

India:
An Indian village school teacher wins the Global Teacher Prize and shares the award with the runners-up. Ranjutsinh Disale, from a village school in India, was praised for improving the education of girls. 
https://www.globalteacherprize.org/winners/ranjitsinh-disale-2020

Bangladesh:
Bangaldesh ships Rohinggya to remote island. More than a million Rohingya Muslims have fled atrocities in Myanmar for tent cities in Bangladesh. Some are now being taken to a low-slung landmass in the Bay of Bengal. 
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/04/world/asia/rohingya-bangladesh-island-camps.html

Americas 

US:
Trump raises $200m for post-election legal battles. 
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/04/trump-gop-fundraising-election-vote-fraud-claims.html

Venezuela:
Venezuela is engulfed in a political crisis with two rival politicians claiming to be the country’s legitimate leader. 
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-55171253

Sources for general further reading:

Europe: https://www.euronews.com
Africa: https://africa.com
Middle East: https://www.aljazeera.net
Asia and Oceania: https://asianews.network and https://www.news.com.au
Americas: https://www.newsamericasnow.com