December 11, 2020 – Page 2 – THE OVAL CIRCLE

EU

Hungary and Poland accept German EU budget proposal after rule of law standoff – reports

Posted on December 11, 2020December 11, 2020By Editor

Hungary and Poland have reached a compromise with Germany to end their standoff with the EU, officials said, after Budapest and Warsaw vetoed the bloc’s €2.2 trillion, seven-year budget over a rule of law provision. … Read More >Hungary and Poland accept German EU budget proposal after rule of law standoff – reports

World

Canada 2nd in world to greenlight Pfizer’s Covid vaccine, roll-out could start next week

Posted on December 11, 2020December 11, 2020By Editor

The coronavirus vaccine developed by Pfizer-BioNTech has been approved in Canada, the second country to do so after the UK, where the first members of the public were inoculated with the jab on Tuesday. … Read More >Canada 2nd in world to greenlight Pfizer’s Covid vaccine, roll-out could start next week

Tehran sanctions US ambassador to Yemen in tit-for-tat move after Washington blacklisted Iranian envoy to Houthis

Posted on December 11, 2020December 11, 2020By Editor

Iran has announced sanctions against the US ambassador to Yemen, Christopher Henzel, in retaliation for Washington imposing similar penalties on Iran’s envoy to the country’s Houthi rebels a day earlier. … Read More >Tehran sanctions US ambassador to Yemen in tit-for-tat move after Washington blacklisted Iranian envoy to Houthis

EU

EU medicines regulator to use Pfizer Covid vaccine data from UK & states outside bloc in deciding approval

Posted on December 11, 2020December 11, 2020By Editor

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) will use data from the UK and other countries on the safety of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine before giving it the go-ahead, after some concerns were flagged in Britain over allergic reactions. … Read More >EU medicines regulator to use Pfizer Covid vaccine data from UK & states outside bloc in deciding approval

EU

Swedish parliament takes a ‘decisive step’ toward defense alliance with Finland and NATO membership

Posted on December 11, 2020December 11, 2020By Editor

A majority of the Swedish parliament favors having the option to join NATO at some point in the future, after the populist Sweden Democrats reversed their earlier opposition to joining the alliance. … Read More >Swedish parliament takes a ‘decisive step’ toward defense alliance with Finland and NATO membership

Russia

Ukraine SWIFT threat likely a bluff but US weaponization of financial system only encourages Russia & China to dump dollar faster

Posted on December 11, 2020December 11, 2020By Editor

American sanctions and threats to exclude countries from payment systems like SWIFT are hastening the superpowers’ decline and reducing the leverage of the dollar. Recent comments from Kiev have only served to highlight this. … Read More >Ukraine SWIFT threat likely a bluff but US weaponization of financial system only encourages Russia & China to dump dollar faster

Russia

After suggestion that two month dry-spell required, Sputnik V’s developer denies need for lengthy coronavirus vaccine booze ban

Posted on December 11, 2020December 11, 2020By Editor

The leader of the team which developed the Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine has denied reports of that a prolonged abstention from alcohol is needed for it to work fully. He did warn, however, that excessive boozing never does any good. … Read More >After suggestion that two month dry-spell required, Sputnik V’s developer denies need for lengthy coronavirus vaccine booze ban

Russia

‘Upper Volta with helium?’ Russia’s new status as squeaky-voiced ‘superpower’ makes it a threat, says New York Times

Posted on December 11, 2020December 11, 2020By Editor

Russia’s ballooning helium industry is the latest target of the NYT’s hysterical coverage of the country, with America’s ‘newspaper of record’ floating the idea that Moscow could cut off supplies and blow up the world economy. … Read More >‘Upper Volta with helium?’ Russia’s new status as squeaky-voiced ‘superpower’ makes it a threat, says New York Times

USA

‘First black Defense Secretary in 200 years’: Biden officially picks retired Gen. Lloyd Austin to head Pentagon

Posted on December 11, 2020December 11, 2020By Editor

Democratic presumed president-elect Joe Biden has nominated former General Lloyd Austin as Secretary of Defense, despite Austin having retired from the service just four years ago – meaning he’ll need a congressional waiver. … Read More >‘First black Defense Secretary in 200 years’: Biden officially picks retired Gen. Lloyd Austin to head Pentagon

USA

Billionaires’ ‘pandemic profits’ alone could pay for $3K stimulus checks to EVERY American – report

Posted on December 11, 2020December 11, 2020By Editor

American billionaires made so much money during the Covid-19 pandemic that their profits since March are enough to give every US resident a $3,000 check without cutting into their pre-virus wealth, a new report shows. … Read More >Billionaires’ ‘pandemic profits’ alone could pay for $3K stimulus checks to EVERY American – report