December 20, 2020 – Page 2 – THE OVAL CIRCLE

Less than 25% of Israelis prepared to take Covid-19 jab immediately, poll shows, as country heads for mass-vaccination campaign

Posted on December 20, 2020December 20, 2020By Editor

Israeli citizens have demonstrated great mistrust towards the immunization campaign against coronavirus, scheduled to kick off this weekend, a just-released poll shows, with only a fourth prepared to get vaccinated immediately. … Read More >Less than 25% of Israelis prepared to take Covid-19 jab immediately, poll shows, as country heads for mass-vaccination campaign

EU

Stay home for Christmas despite your FOMO, as ‘few more months of sacrifice’ lie ahead, WHO’s top official in Europe urges

Posted on December 20, 2020December 20, 2020By Editor

The World Health Organization’s director for Europe has asked people to avoid large gatherings during the holidays, despite the depression and anxieties caused by “social exclusion” amid the Covid-19 pandemic. … Read More >Stay home for Christmas despite your FOMO, as ‘few more months of sacrifice’ lie ahead, WHO’s top official in Europe urges

EU

GoFundMe fined €1.5mn by Italian watchdog for deceptive fees and commissions on crowdfunding donations

Posted on December 20, 2020December 20, 2020By Editor

US crowdfunding platform GoFundMe was handed down a hefty fine by the Italian competition regulator, which found its advertising and the way it takes a cut from donations to be deceptive and a violation of consumer rights. … Read More >GoFundMe fined €1.5mn by Italian watchdog for deceptive fees and commissions on crowdfunding donations

Multiple rockets fired at major US airbase in Afghanistan – officials

Posted on December 20, 2020December 20, 2020By Editor

At least five unguided projectiles have been fired at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan, a major US compound north of Kabul, local officials have said. No reports of damage or casualties have been immediately available. … Read More >Multiple rockets fired at major US airbase in Afghanistan – officials

World

Biden ignores calls from Venezuela’s self-styled president Guaido, eyes talks with Maduro – reports

Posted on December 20, 2020December 20, 2020By Editor

The Biden administration has reportedly been refusing to talk to Juan Guaido, the man the US considers to be Venezuela’s legitimate president, and may drop the demand for President Nicolas Maduro to step down from power. … Read More >Biden ignores calls from Venezuela’s self-styled president Guaido, eyes talks with Maduro – reports

Mask warning: don’t get lax because you’re vaccinated against Covid-19, say China’s health authorities

Posted on December 20, 2020December 20, 2020By Editor

China will vaccinate high-risk groups of its population against coronavirus throughout the winter, the country’s health authority has announced, but warned that even those who get a jab should continue wearing face masks. … Read More >Mask warning: don’t get lax because you’re vaccinated against Covid-19, say China’s health authorities

Look out for Patient 7379: Man with Covid-19 outruns doctors and ESCAPES from Hong Kong hospital

Posted on December 20, 2020By Editor

A coronavirus patient has fled from isolation in one of Hong Kong’s largest hospitals. A manhunt was launched as officials ask the public to help in capturing the fugitive. … Read More >Look out for Patient 7379: Man with Covid-19 outruns doctors and ESCAPES from Hong Kong hospital

Chilean president slapped with $3,500 FINE & ‘turns himself in’ after no-mask selfie with stranger stokes public backlash

Posted on December 20, 2020December 20, 2020By Editor

Chilean President Sebastian Pinera must pay a fine of $3,500 after he was seen posing for a selfie on the beach without a mask, flouting the country’s Covid-19 rules. He reported his own violation to health officials. … Read More >Chilean president slapped with $3,500 FINE & ‘turns himself in’ after no-mask selfie with stranger stokes public backlash

Projecting? US slaps sanctions on firm that provided voting tech for Venezuela over its role in ‘rigging’ elections

Posted on December 20, 2020December 20, 2020By Editor

The US has imposed sanctions on a tech firm that provided the Venezuelian state with voting equipment, so that a December parliamentary election could be held. Venezuela’s leader Nicolas Maduro blasted the move as “stupid.” … Read More >Projecting? US slaps sanctions on firm that provided voting tech for Venezuela over its role in ‘rigging’ elections

WHO sending Covid-hunting team to Wuhan, China in January to probe origins of pandemic

Posted on December 20, 2020December 20, 2020By Editor

Investigators from the World Health Organization (WHO) will head to China in January in a bid to unearth the origins of the coronavirus, officials said on Friday, more than a year after the first infections were reported there. … Read More >WHO sending Covid-hunting team to Wuhan, China in January to probe origins of pandemic