Reuters World News Summary
Following is a summary of current world news briefs.
WHO tells rich countries: stop cutting the vaccines queue
The head of the World Health Organization said on Friday there is a "clear problem" that low- and middle-income countries are not yet receiving supplies of COVID-19 vaccines and urged countries to stop striking bilateral deals with manufacturers. "Rich countries have the majority of the supply," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in strongly-worded comments on vaccine nationalism at a Geneva news briefing.
UK sees record daily COVID deaths, London hospitals on brink
The United Kingdom recorded its highest daily death toll on Friday since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic as London declared a major incident, warning that its hospitals were at risk of being overwhelmed. With a highly transmissable new variant of the virus surging across Britain, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has shuttered the economy and is rushing out vaccines faster than the country's European neighbours in a bid to stem the pandemic.
Snowstorm closes Madrid airport, creates travel chaos
Heavy snowfall from Storm Filomena left hundreds of drivers trapped in their cars on Friday as roads were blocked and Madrid airport was closed. The M-30 and M-40 motorways near Madrid were among more than 400 roads where snow hindered vehicles, traffic authorities said. Citizens were asked to avoid non-essential travel.
Reporters walk out on Portuguese, French far-right leaders over COVID-19 fears
The election campaign launch by Portugal's far-right presidential candidate, Andre Ventura, got off to a shaky start on Friday when reporters walked out on his joint news conference with visiting French counterpart Marine Le Pen due to a lack of social distancing. Invited to a small, windowless conference room in a hotel basement in Lisbon, most of the several dozen reporters decided to leave over fears of coronavirus contagion, just as Portugal reported record daily infections and deaths.
Lebanon's Hezbollah chief says nuclear button in hands of 'crazy fool' Trump
Lebanon's Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said on Friday that recent events in the United States would have global repercussions and prayed that God protect the world until Jan. 20 when President-elect Joe Biden is inaugurated. "The nuclear button is in the hands of a crazy fool called Trump," the leader of the Iran-backed organization said in a televised address.
Mexican president sees political intrigue in rape claims against candidate
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Friday allegations of rape made against one of his party's gubernatorial hopefuls appeared to be politically motivated, batting away suggestions that the candidacy be withdrawn. An ethics committee within the ruling National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) has ordered an investigation into the allegations against Felix Salgado, who is running to become governor of the southwestern state of Guerrero in June.
North Korea's Kim calls U.S. 'biggest enemy,' urges end to hostile policies
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called the United States the "biggest enemy" and said that Washington should drop its hostile policies to improve relations, state media reported on Saturday. Speaking at a party congress in Pyongyang, Kim said U.S. policy toward North Korea would not change regardless of who occupies the White House, state news agency KCNA said.
Canada's Trudeau says Trump, other politicians incited Capitol Hill violence
Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday said that U.S. President Donald Trump and other politicians incited the violent attack on Capitol Hill earlier this week. "What we witnessed was an assault on democracy by violent rioters, incited by the current President and other politicians," Trudeau said in a news conference. They are the most critical comments Trudeau has ever aimed at the Trump administration.
U.S. blacklists Iraqi militia leader in connection with deadly anti-govt protests
The United States on Friday imposed sanctions on an Iraqi militia leader and former national security adviser, connecting him to human rights abuses during the 2019 anti-government demonstrations in which hundreds of protesters were killed. The U.S. Treasury Department said in a statement it was blacklisting Falih al-Fayyadh, chairman of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Committee (PMC).
Saudi king receives first dose of a coronavirus vaccine -SPA
Saudi King Salman received a first dose of a coronavirus vaccine on Friday in the NEOM economic zone, the state news agency SPA said. The agency posted two pictures and a short video that showed a medical staff injecting the king with the vaccine.
