UK/ Europe

IF YOU ARE TAKING THE PFIZER/BIONTECH VACCINE YOU MAY BE IN FOR FOR SOME RUDE SHOCKS. MANY UK HEALTH WORKERS HAVE HAD SIDE EFFECTS SUCH AS PARALYTIC FACE ATTACKS, ALLERGIC REACTION AND MANY HAVE HAD HIGH FEVER.

People with a "significant history of allergic reactions" should not be given the Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine, UK health authorities said on Wednesday. This was after two health care workers experienced symptoms post receiving the vaccine. Some of the vaccine recipients had a history of allergies and were on adrenaline auto-injector.

TECHNOLOGY GIANTS WILL FACE HUGE FINES UNDER EUROPE'S NEW CONTENT RULES.

Under the proposals, platforms that reach at least 45 million people across 27 country bloc must limit the ability of illegal material from spreading on their networks. New rules aimed at curbing online hate speech and the sale of illegal goods. If companies fail to meet the new obligations, they could be fined up to six per cent of their annual revenue, according to the Commission's draft document.

India/ South Asia

IN A POSITIVE MOVE, TEN ARMED NAXALS HAVE SURRENDERED IN DANTEWADA DISTRICT OF CENTRAL INDIA TO THE POLICE. THEY ARE FOLLOWERS OF THE MAOIST IDEOLOGY.

India has had a Maoist insurgency which one of India's prime ministers called the biggest threat to India. Thousands of people have lost their lives in strife. Their surrender is being considered a victory for the police that is running the Lon Varratu campaign encouraging the Naxals to quit violence and return to their homes.

THE INDIAN GOVERNMENT HAS FAILED TO CONVINCE FARMERS TO GIVE UP THEIR NATIONWIDE PROTEST AS IT ENTERS THE 16TH DAY.

Farmers aren't convinced that the new laws will benefit them. There is a trust deficit between the farm groups and the government of India. The farmer unions are convinced that the laws have been made to benefit the corporates. So far the agitation has not spread across India but slowly it's picking up steam.

US/ North America

DAILY DEATH IN US CROSSES 3000 DUE TO COVID.

The administration is prompting citizens to keep their Christmas celebration restricted to their families. Many Americans have refused to follow the restricted existence. Many Healthcare professionals have been trying to appeal to people to follow these guidelines but it has been a losing battle. US President-elect Joe Biden also announced that US will achieve the goal of vaccinating 100 million people within the first 100 days of his administration. He is scheduled to take TAKE CHARGE on January 20th.

THERE HAS BEEN A THAW IN RELATIONS BETWEEN ISRAEL AND MOROCCO. PRESIDENT TRUMP ANNOUNCED THAT AS PART OF THE ARAB AGREEMENT US WILL RECOGNISE MOROCCO'S CLAIM TO THE WESTERN SAHARA REGION.

In this quid pro quo, the two countries will restore diplomatic and other relations including the eventual opening of embassies and joint overflight rights. In the last year there have been many Arab countries who have restored relations with Israel.

Latin America/ South America

ARGENTINA WILL START COVID 19 VACCINATION BEFORE THE YEAR-END

Russia has agreed to supply 10 million doses of Sputnik V covid 19 vaccine. The South American nation will start vaccinating its people with Sputnik this month. President Alberto Fernandez says that he will be the first person to get it as he has no doubt in the quality of the Vaccine.

BRAZIL HAS ALLOWED AUTHORIZATION OF TEMPORARY EMERGENCY USE OF COVID 19 VACCINE

The country is facing the world's third-worst Coronavirus outbreak. Brazil's health regulator Anvisa decided that existing companies could apply for the emergency use authorization. This will allow the potential use of vaccines that are being tested in Brazil by AstraZeneca, Pfizer Inc, Johnson & Johnson's pharmaceutical subsidiary Janssen, and China's Sinovac Biotech.

Asia

THE INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT HAS DECIDED TO SLOW DOWN PACE OF TOBACCO TAX HIKE

In 2021 Indonesia will raise the excise tax on tobacco products by an average of 12.5%. On Thursday the country's finance minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said, "We are trying to balance the health aspect with the economic condition generally that is impacted by Covid-19, especially for workers and farmers". According to the world health organisation, every year approximately 225,700 people in Indonesia die from smoking or tobacco-related diseases. The country has the lowest price of cigarettes. Approximately 70% of adult men use tobacco products in Indonesia, one of the highest smoking rates in the world.

MEDIA TYCOON JIMMY LAI CHARGED UNDER NATIONAL SECURITY LAW

On Friday, Hong Kong democracy activist and media tycoon Jimmy Lai has been charged under national security law. He became one of the most high-profiled person charged under the new law. It was suspected that Lai colluded with foreign forces which directly endangers national security. Earlier this month, Lai was denied bail due to separate charge of fraud.