Новости за 24.12.2020

The United States will open a "virtual" diplomatic post in Western Sahara ahead of a consulate, the State Department said Thursday, after recognizing Moroccan sovereignty over the disputed territory earlier this month. Announcement of the virtual presence follows US President Donald Trump's surprise declaration in early December supporting Morocco's control of the desert territory, which is claimed by the Algerian-backed pro-independence Polisario Front rebels. The move was part of a larger agreement revealed by Trump... Читать дальше...

The European Union and Britain on Thursday agreed a post-Brexit trade deal after almost ten months of tortuous negotiations to govern ties when the UK exits the single market.

Bethlehem on Thursday ushered in Christmas Eve with a stream of joyous marching bands and the triumphant arrival of the top Catholic clergyman in the Holy Land, but few people were there to greet them as the coronavirus pandemic and a strict lockdown dampened celebrations in the traditional birthplace of Jesus.

Britain and the European Union agreed terms of a trade deal on Thursday after months of knife-edge negotiations and seven days before transitional arrangements come to an end. That gives Britain's parliament just days to scrutinise and pass the laws needed to implement the deal before a Dec. 31 deadline. FRANCE 24's Bénédicte Paviot tells us more.

Frontline medical workers in Mexico and Chile were among the first to be vaccinated against the coronavirus Thursday as several countries in hard-hit Latin America launched mass immunization programs. "It's the best gift I could receive in 2020," 59-year-old Mexican nurse Maria Irene Ramirez said as she received the injection at a hospital in the capital on Christmas Eve. "It makes me safer and gives me more courage to continue in the war against an invisible enemy. We're afraid but we must continue."... Читать дальше...

Paris Saint-Germain have fired their coach Thomas Tuchel with former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino lined up as his replacement, according to various media reports on Thursday. The French champions declined to make any comment when contacted by AFP to confirm the reports carried by L'Equipe newspaper and RMC and German tabloid Bild.

Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin hailed the UK-EU post-Brexit deal as "a good compromise" on Thursday, saying it represented the "least bad version of Brexit possible" for the Republic. In a statement, Martin said the Christmas Eve pact sealed by London and Brussels gave "a balanced outcome" to guide UK-EU relations when the Brexit transition period ends on January 1. FRANCE 24's Business Editor Stephen Carroll tells us more from Dublin.

A group of 220 Cuban health care professionals arrived in Panama on Thursday to help fight the coronavirus pandemic despite objections from the United States, Panama's health ministry said. The Cuban medics will "reinforce the health system in this fight against covid-19," the ministry said on Twitter. Panama announced o0n December 15 it would hire doctors from Cuba, the US, Mexico, Venezuela and Colombia to tackle the pandemic despite a law restricting medical practice to locals. Panama is the... Читать дальше...

An invisible foe indifferent to man-made borders, the world's greatest pandemic in a century triggered fear, anxiety, and sometimes the worst but also the best in humanity. In Italy and elsewhere, we clapped for care workers who appropriately bore the name of front-line workers, heading into battle desperately short of protective equipment and all too often sacrificing their own lives.

A rebel coalition that has been fighting the government in Central African Republic says it will observe a unilateral ceasefire in the runup to elections on Sunday.

After months of diplomatic wrangling – notably over fishing and state aid – the UK and EU finally struck a deal on their post-Brexit trade relationship on Thursday, averting a costly no-deal departure on December 31.

Two years ago, a group of young French Jews and Arabs decided to put up a united front against anti-Semitism and racism, through an SOS Racisme initiative. Through their different backgrounds and religions, they set out on a nationwide awareness campaign in a bid to open up an unfiltered dialogue in communities where these topics have become completely taboo. Reporter Hanna Assouline followed the youths on their mission to make people open up and talk.

Paris Saint-Germain have fired coach Thomas Tuchel with former Tottenham boss and ex-PSG defender Mauricio Pochettino lined up as his replacement, according to various media reports on Thursday. The French champions declined to make any comment when contacted by AFP to confirm the shock Christmas Eve axing carried by L'Equipe newspaper, news outlet RMC and German tabloid Bild. "No idea" a club spokesman replied when asked when the news would be confirmed. The 47-year-old German arrived at the Parc des Princes on a two-year contract in 2018... Читать дальше...

Israel on Thursday announced the arrest of a Palestinian in connection with the murder of a Jewish settler in the occupied West Bank, in a case that raised tensions in the area. Esther Horgan, a 52-year-old mother of six and a French-Israeli dual national, was found dead this week in a forest near the Tal Menashe settlement in the north of the Palestinian territory. Relatives said she had gone out jogging on Sunday and never returned. Following investigations by multiple branches of Israel's security services... Читать дальше...

Israeli virtuoso violinist Ivry Gitlis has died in Paris aged 98, his family told AFP Thursday. As one of the modern greats of classical music, he not only performed with the best orchestras in the world but never stopped experimenting, seeking new fans far beyond the elite. Gitlis was as comfortable playing with the Rolling Stones or jazzman Stephane Grapelli, with African storytellers or gypsies, as he was with classical repertoire. Hugely charismatic, he took "the time to meet people, to seduce them... Читать дальше...

At least 20 African migrants died when their boat sank off Tunisia on Thursday as they tried to cross the Mediterranean to the Italian island of Lampedusa, a Tunisian security official said.

Negotiators from the European Union and Britain worked through the night and into Christmas Eve to put the finishing touches on a trade deal that should avert a chaotic economic break between the two sides next week. But what will happen to British living in the EU? A look at the situation in Spain, with FRANCE 24's Sarrah Morris.

Kuwait began coronavirus vaccinations on Thursday, following several other Gulf states in rolling out a mass inoculation campaign. "This vaccine is safe and has been approved by many countries," said Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah, who was the first to receive the jab, state media reported. Kuwait, which has officially confirmed more than 148,000 coronavirus cases including 924 deaths, received the first 150,000 doses of the the vaccine developed by US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech on Wednesday. Читать дальше...

Tammy Abraham brings a lot to Chelsea but he still needs to carry on working to make further progress said the Premier League club's manager Frank Lampard. The 23-year-old became Chelsea's second-youngest player to hit 20 Premier League goals, behind Belgian star Eden Hazard, with a double in Monday's 3-0 victory over West Ham. It was his first double since September 2019. His goals -- taking him to five for the campaign in what was his first start for a month -- took his tally to 20 goals in 47 Premier League appearances. Читать дальше...

Brussels and London were putting the final touches to a Christmas Eve trade deal Thursday, seeking to cushion the economic blow of Britain's imminent departure from the bloc after a half-century of partnership. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen had hoped to announce the accord on Wednesday after 10 long months of cross-Channel wrangling over how to ensure fair trade as separate sovereign powers. FRANCE 24's Bénédicte Paviot tells us more.

Ethiopia's military killed 42 people allegedly among those responsible for massacring more than 100 civilians in a troubled western part of the country, local officials said Thursday. The federal troops also seized firearms and arrows during the operation, the government of the Benishangul-Gumuz region said, after gunmen waged the brutal pre-dawn assault on Wednesday in which dozens were also injured. FRANCE 24's Maria Gerth-Niculescu tells us more.

In our Christmas show we’re at the Chateau Vaux-le-Vicomte juste outside of Paris for some festive French magic. If you recongise the castle and its grounds it might be from one of the 75 films shot there such as “Moonraker”, “Marie Antoinette” and “The Man in the Iron Mask”, starring Leonardo DiCaprio. This stunning château was also in the headlines a couple of years ago because of a €2 million heist.

Shelley Kerr, who guided the Scotland women's team to their first ever World Cup finals in 2019, is stepping down from the job, the Scottish Football Association said on Thursday. The 51-year-old leaves the role after three years having failed to secure qualification for the Euros in 2022 -- a home defeat by Finland earlier this month ending their hopes. Kerr -- who also coached Scotland at the Euro 2017 finals where they went out in the group stage -- said it was time to confront new challenges. Читать дальше...

Mexico on Wednesday became the first Latin American country to receive coronavirus vaccines for mass immunization against a disease that has had a devastating impact across much of the region. The government plans to start inoculations on Thursday after the first 3,000 doses produced by US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech arrived by courier plane from Belgium.

Trucks inched slowly past checkpoints in Dover and headed across the Channel to Calais on Thursday after France partially reopened its borders following a scare over a rapidly spreading new virus variant — but most drivers remained trapped in mass gridlock on Christmas Eve.