Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway to B&amp;H Olav Reinertsen said today in Sarajevo that free media and investigative journalism are one of the most important pillars for any democracy, including Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Ambassador Reinertsen, as a participant in the roundtable on "Fairplay Rules in Public Finances", organized by the Center for Investigative Reporting (CIN), said that in his country, a key role in ensuring free media and democracy falls on the government itself.
The ambassador stated that two documents prepared by C&amp;N would be presented at the roundtable. The first is about the benefits and privileges of elected representatives in B&amp;H, and the second is about employment in the civil service, public institutions and advisory positions.
-It is very important to look at the conclusions of these two studies, but also to follow the recommendations contained in these reports- said Ambassador Reinertsen.
An MP in the House of Representatives of the B&amp;H Parliamentary Assembly Saša Magazinović, as one of the panelists, said that this was the first time that an NGO opened numerous controversial topics in this manner, "not in a way to widen the gap between the governmental and non-governmental sector, but to open a dialogue".
-Also, we have to pose a question whether advisors are needed in this scope and whether maybe assistant ministers should be the ones who will be politically appointed, then we do not need advisors at all. Do we elect directors of public companies at competitions to satisfy the form alone, and are the best ones really being selected- stated Magazinović.

He also asked whether separate living benefits is really what it says it is 'separate living', do people who have different privileges, apartments at their disposal, are they really in those apartments, or maybe some of those apartments are being rented?".

-By opening a dialogue in this way on fair play in public financial management, we can take one big step. In addition to this necessary reconciliation between the non-governmental and governmental sectors and joint cooperation in better management of public funds, we as politicians can begin to restore the trust of citizens and show that politics has a human face- concluded Magazinović.
CIN Director Lejla Bičakčić said that the participants in the roundtable will focus on the different ways in which public funds are spent, "very often non-transparently, without any control and very often for purposes that may not be necessary."
She noted that CIN has been working on investigative stories on topics such as these ones for years, monitoring public money flows and the ways in which public money is spent.
According to her, an initiative has been launched to finally start discussing ways of better controlling public spending, to finally show that politics has a rational approach to spending public money, to work responsibly in the interest of citizens.
-The state budget at all levels can be used in an extremely efficient way and provide sufficient funds for all the needs we have in B&amp;H, especially during the pandemic- said Bičakčić.

"Fairplay Rules in Public Finances" was organized by the Center for Investigative Reporting (CIN)

Ambassador Reinertsen: It is very important to look at the conclusions of these two studies, but also to follow the recommendations contained in these reports

Ambassador Reinertsen: Public funds must be managed more responsibly

In the past 24 hours, 1,221 samples were registered with the Public Health Institute of the Federation of B&amp;H, of which 286 were positive for SARS-CoV-2.

New cases have been registered in all cantons in the Federation of B&amp;H, except Canton 10.
A total of 438,199 samples have been tested so far, and SARS-CoV-2 has been confirmed in 83,127 individuals.
As of today, 75,796 patients have recovered in the Federation of B&amp;H. There are currently 4,700 cases of SARS-CoV-2 positive.
In the past 24 hours, six new deaths were reported to the Public Health Institute of the Federation of B&amp;H.
As of today, the number of deaths in the Federation of B&amp;H is 2,631, the FB&amp;H Public Health Institute announced.
In Republic of Srpska, 449 laboratory samples were tested in the last 24 hours, and coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) was confirmed in 55 people.
In the last 24 hours, three deaths have been reported to the RS Institute of Public Health in which the presence of the coronavirus has been confirmed.
So far, 42,240 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the RS, and a total of 2,211 people have been confirmed to have been tested for the coronavirus.
So far, 34,109 people have recovered, and a total of 196,363 people have been tested.
Two new cases of coronavirus infection have been registered in the Brčko District in the last 24 hours.&nbsp;

New cases have been registered in all cantons in the Federation of B&H, except Canton 10

Two new cases of coronavirus infection have been registered in the Brčko District in the last 24 hours

COVID - 19 confirmed in 343 people in B&H with 9 deaths

The Central Election Commission of B&amp;H confirmed at a press conference at midnight that Boris Jerinić (SNSD) and Mladen Grujičić a joint candidate of ethnic Serb political parties won the most votes in the repeat elections for mayor of Doboj and mayor of Srebrenica.

As the president of the CEC, Željko Bakalar, explained, the votes from Sunday's elections were included in the total, as well as those from November last year from the polling stations where the elections were not annulled.
Thus, for the mayor of Doboj, where 96 out of 106 polling stations were processed, Boris Jerinić (SNSD) received the most votes, 67.44 percent, followed by Srđan Todorović (Socialist Party) 16.36 percent, and Cvijan Filipović (SDS) 16.20 percent.
Pro-Bosnian parties boycotted Sunday's elections in Srebrenica and announced an appeal to the B&amp;H Constitutional Court.
The results for the Doboj City Assembly and the Srebrenica Municipal Assembly will be announced this morning.
Among other information, Bakalar stated that the turnout on Sunday was 55.43 percent of voters in Doboj and 42.87 percent in Srebrenica.
All polling stations were closed at 7 pm, except for three in Doboj, which were closed a little later due to delays in opening.
Bakalar also said that the CEC did not receive any complaints about violations of the election process, and three were sent to the City Election Commission in Doboj. Also, the RS Ministry of the Interior constantly informed the CEC about the situation on the ground, and there was no information about the threat to the election process, except for one case of violation of public order and peace.

As Željko Bakalar explained, the votes from Sunday's elections were included in the total, as well as those from November last year from the polling stations where the elections were not annulled

Bakalar stated that the turnout on Sunday was 55.43 percent of voters in Doboj and 42.87 percent in Srebrenica

Jerinić and Grujičić won the most votes

The mayor of Nice in southern France called on Sunday for a weekend lockdown in the area to reduce the flow of tourists as it battles a sharp spike in coronavirus infections to triple the national rate.


The Nice area has France’s highest COVID-19 infection rate, with 740 new cases per week per 100,000 residents, according to Covidtracker.fr.
-We need strong measures that go beyond the nationwide 6 p.m. curfew, either tighter curfew, or a partial and time-specific lockdown. A weekend lockdown would make sense- Mayor Christian Estrosi said on franceinfo radio.
Health Minister Olivier Veran said on Saturday the government would decide this weekend on tightening virus control measures in the Mediterranean city.
Before ordering a second national lockdown in November, the government imposed curfews some cities and closed restaurants in Marseille, but it has generally refrained from regional measures due to protest from local politicians and businesses.
-We do not rule out local lockdowns- government spokesman Gabriel Attal said on LCI television.
He added that the trend in new cases was not good in recent days and that there was no case for loosening curfew.
-The weather is nice, everybody rushes to come here. A weekend lockdown would put a stop to that, without halting economic activity in the city- Estrosi said.
Estrosi said infection rates had leapt due to the massive inflow of tourists over the Christmas holiday. International flights to the city had jumped from 20 a day before Christmas to 120 over the holiday - all this without people having virus tests in their country of origin or on arrival.
-We will be happy to receive lots of tourists this summer, once we win this battle, but it is better to have a period while we say ‘do not come here, this is not the moment’. Protecting the people of Nice is my priority- he said.

They have highest infection rate, with 740 new cases per week per 100,000 residents

A man, wearing a protective face mask, rides his scooter in a local market in Nice amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in France, February 18, 2021.

French city of Nice asks tourists to stay away amid COVID surge

Britain has started to drive down cases of the more infectious South African variant of coronavirus and will only emerge from lockdown in stages to make sure that does not change, the country’s health secretary said on Sunday.A day before Prime Minister Boris Johnson sets out his plan to ease restrictions in England, Hancock said there was also early data showing that the faster-than-expected vaccine rollout was reducing transmissions and easing pressure on hospitals.
Britain has the world’s fifth-worst official COVID-19 death toll, with 120,365 fatalities, but an early drive to secure mass vaccine supplies means one in three adults has now had a first shot and daily death rates have started to fall.
Hancock said in total the United Kingdom had recorded around 300 cases of the more infectious South African variant of the disease that causes COVID-19.
-But most of those are now historic cases and from over a month ago- he told the BBC’s Andrew Marr show. -The latest data shows that there’s around a dozen new ones, so a much, much smaller number.-England has also introduced hotel quarantines to prevent variants from travelling from abroad.
So far, Britain has given a first dose of a vaccine to 17.2 million people, over a quarter of its 67 million population and behind only Israel and the United Arab Emirates in vaccines per head of population.
The government said on Sunday that all adults in Britain would be offered a first shot by the end of July, with a target to give a first dose to all over-50s by April 15.
But despite the improving picture, Hancock and leading epidemiologist John Edmunds said the restrictions must be eased gently and in stages, to see what impact the increased movement of people has on the virus.
Hancock suggested each easing could require a couple of weeks to detect the impact, before another part of the economy can reopen. Schools are expected to return first in early March.
Edmunds said it was difficult to say how widespread the South African variant was but that, like the rest of the pandemic, it was being held in place by the lockdown.-The risk comes when we release the lockdown- he said, adding that allowing the virus to circulate in younger healthier people could lead to further mutations that undermine the vaccine programme.Johnson will set out his thinking on the easing of lockdown on Monday. Despite pressure from a section of lawmakers in his party who have been shocked by the 10% contraction of the economy in 2020, the prime minister is expected to be wary.
-There should be no doubt - the route out of lockdown will be cautious and phased, as we all continue to protect ourselves and those around us- Johnson said in a statement.

Britain has the world’s fifth-worst official COVID-19 death toll, with 120,365 fatalities

A woman receives an Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine at a COVID-19 vaccination centre at Cwmbran Stadium in Cwmbran, South Wales, Britain February 17, 2021.

UK to reopen in stages after driving down South African variant, Hancock says

The head of the World Health Organization urged Tanzania on Sunday to share information on its measures to combat the coronavirus pandemic, saying the authorities there had repeatedly ignored his requests.President John Magufuli’s sceptical approach towards COVID-19 has caused alarm among WHO officials. A government spokesman told Reuters on Feb.12 that Tanzania had “controlled” the outbreak, but it stopped reporting new coronavirus infections and deaths in May last year. At the time it had registered 509 cases and 21 deaths.
WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Sunday that Tanzanians testing positive for COVID-19 abroad underscored “the need for Tanzania to take robust action both to safeguard their own people and protect populations in these countries and beyond.”
Tedros also repeated a call he made with Matshidiso Moeti, WHO’s Africa head, in late January for Tanzania to bolster public health measures against COVID-19 and prepare to distribute vaccines.
He added that since then he had spoken with several authorities there to no avail.
-This situation remains very concerning. I renew my call for Tanzania to start reporting COVID-19 cases and share data- Tedros said in a statement on WHO’s website.
Tanzania government spokesman Hassan Abbasi did not respond to a Reuters message seeking comment on Tedros’ remarks.
In a statement later on Sunday, Magufuli’s office said the president wanted Tanzanians to follow measures to protect themselves against coronavirus. However, it also said that:
-Magufuli wants Tanzanians to ... trust and put God first, given that wearing masks, social distancing and lockdowns have been seen to be insufficient as countries that implemented them have lost thousands compared to Tanzania.-Magufuli attended a funeral service on Friday for a senior official in his office whose cause of death was not made public, and declared three days of national prayer.
On Sunday, Magufuli said Tanzanians should wear only use locally-made face masks, saying foreign-made ones may be unsafe.
On Monday, Oman’s health minister said his country was considering suspending flights from Tanzania, after 18% of travellers arriving from Tanzania tested positive for COVID-19.
Thailand reported on Monday its first case of the highly contagious COVID-19 variant first identified in South Africa, in a Thai man who arrived from Tanzania.

On Sunday, Magufuli said Tanzanians should wear only use locally-made face masks, saying foreign-made ones may be unsafe

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) speaks during the opening of the 148th session of the Executive Board on the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Geneva, Switzerland, January 18, 2021.

WHO's Tedros says he still has no details from Tanzania on its COVID response

Argentina's new health minister took office on Saturday following the resignation of her predecessor after he was caught helping friends skip the line for Covid-19 vaccinations.

Carla Vizzotti, an internal medicine specialist, was sworn in by President Alberto Fernandez at the presidential residence in a brief ceremony broadcast on television. She did not issue a statement afterward or take questions from the media.
As a former deputy minister, Vizzotti, 48, was responsible for securing the Russian Sputnik V vaccine for Argentina.
Former health minister Gines Gonzalez Garci resigned late Friday after it emerged that the 75-year-old doctor had aided acquaintances in getting vaccinated ahead of their turn.
The scandal broke after a 71-year-old journalist, Horacio Verbitsky, announced on the radio that, owing to his longstanding friendship with the minister, he had been able to get vaccinated in his office ahead of the general population. 
So far only health workers have been vaccinated in Argentina and vaccinations for people aged over 70 only began on Wednesday in the province of Buenos Aires. 
Local media reported that other people close to the government were also vaccinated at the health ministry. 
The Public Prosecutor's Office has opened an investigation, local press reported.
So far Argentina has received 1.2 million doses of the Sputnik V vaccine and 580,000 of Covishield from the Serum Institute of India.
The country has recorded more than two million cases of Covid-19 and 51,000 deaths, out of a population of 44 million people.

Carla Vizzotti, an internal medicine specialist, was sworn in by President Alberto Fernandez at the presidential residence in a brief ceremony broadcast on television

As a former deputy minister, Vizzotti, 48, was responsible for securing the Russian Sputnik V vaccine for Argentina

Argentina has new health chief after vaccine line-jumping scandal

Argentina’s health minister resigned on Friday following reports that people had been able to use connections to get access to COVID-19 vaccines to which they were not entitled.


Gines Gonzalez Garcia said in a letter posted on Twitter that individuals were able to sidestep proper procedure for vaccinations due to “unintended confusion” in his office while he was away.
Two sources in the presidency said earlier on Friday that President Alberto Fernandez had asked for Gines’ resignation after allegations were made in the media of at least 10 people receiving vaccinations without following the proper procedure, among them a veteran journalist who claimed he had received a shot after speaking directly with the minister.
The growing scandal throws a spotlight on wider fears in the region over corruption and access to vaccines, which are in short supply.
Earlier this month, Peru’s health and foreign ministers quit and its former president was placed under criminal investigation after reports of hundreds of Peruvian officials and others receiving vaccine doses outside of clinical trials and before the national immunization program began.In Argentina, well-know local journalist Horacio Verbitsky said he had received a shot after approaching the minister.
-I called my old friend Ginés González García and he told me to go to the Posadas Hospital- Verbitsky, who is in his seventies, told radio station El Destape.
Since December, Argentina has been using Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine to inoculate frontline health workers, though deliveries have lagged far behind what it initially hoped for. The country has started inoculating some people over 70 this week but appointments are scarce and people are supposed to follow a procedure that involves registering first.
As of Wednesday in Argentina, about 250,000 people had received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. The country of around 45 million people has confirmed over 2 million coronavirus infections and 51,000 deaths.
Argentina’s state news agency said Carla Vizzotti, a current vice minister in the health ministry, would be the next health minister, although there was no official confirmation.

The growing scandal throws a spotlight on wider fears in the region over corruption and access to vaccines, which are in short supply

Argentina's Health Minister Gines Gonzalez Garcia looks on during the arrival of 580,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine at Ezeiza International Airport in Buenos Aires, Argentina, February 17, 2021.

Argentina health minister resigns after reports of VIP vaccine access

Britain's Prince Charles visited his father Philip in hospital on Saturday as the 99-year-old husband of Queen Elizabeth II remains in hospital as a precaution after feeling ill earlier in the week.

Charles, the first-born heir to the throne, was seen entering the rear entrance of the King Edward VII hospital in central London, with a face mask on.
Prince Philip, who turns 100 on June 10, was admitted on Tuesday. Sources say his admission was not coronavirus-related, and that Philip remains in good spirits. 
The duke of Edinburgh, as he is formally known, is expected to remain in hospital into next week for observation and rest.
He was able to walk into the hospital unaided after arriving by private transport rather than ambulance, a source said at the time.
Both Philip and the queen received first doses of a Covid-19 vaccine in January.
Charles paid his hospital visit the day after Buckingham Palace confirmed that his younger son Prince Harry and his American wife Meghan had permanently quit as working royals.
Queen Elizabeth ordered the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to relinquish their honorary titles and patronages, a year after they stepped back from frontline duties. They now live in California.&nbsp;

The duke of Edinburgh who turns 100 on June 10, was admitted on Tuesday

Prince Charles arrived at the back of the London hospital where Philip, the 99-year-old husband of his mother Queen Elizabeth, has been since Tuesday

Prince Charles visits father Philip in hospital

A year ago, Laura Ricevuti and Annalisa Malara, both doctors at Codogno hospital in Italy, had a hunch that something was different about a patient in the intensive care ward.Their decision to take matters into their own hands wound up triggering a national emergency - they had identified the first case of COVID-19 in the area that would become Europe’s first lockdown zone.
A previously healthy 38-year-old man, now known as Mattia, his first name, or “patient one”, had gone to the hospital with a high fever, cough and shortness of breath on Feb. 18, 2020. He refused to be admitted so was given antibiotics and went home.
He returned that evening in worse shape and was put on oxygen. Two days later, Mattia’s wife told doctors that a few weeks earlier he had gone to dinner with a colleague who had been in China.
But Mattia did not fit national criteria for mandatory coronavirus testing because he had not been in China personally.
-I had to explain many times why I wanted to perform it (a COVID swab) anyway- said Malara, 39.

-Doctor Malara and myself decided to break protocol- Ricevuti recalled. They performed the nasal swab and sent it to a lab in Milan.

At 9:30 p.m. the phone rang. The test was positive.
-We couldn’t believe it. We thought this was a far away problem that had to do with China, but it was already here with us, and not just from that February 20th but probably from much earlier- Ricevuti, 44, said.
In the days that followed, Codogno, a town of 15,000 residents, became the “capital” of the first “red zone” in Europe to be locked down.
-In the beginning I hoped - we all hoped - that the virus would be limited to a few people- said Malara. -But after a few hours a lot of people came to the emergency room with the same symptoms and after a few days it was clear that it had spread into the population.-
Since then 95,000 people have died of COVID-19 in Italy, the second-highest toll in Europe after Britain and the seventh-highest in the world.
Both women are still treating COVID-19 patients.
-This is our mission. We cannot really retreat- Ricevuti said. -Day-by-day we go forward, facing the difficulties and the changes that life presents us ... you need a lot of physical and mental strength.-

Laura Ricevuti and Annalisa Malara, both doctors at Codogno hospital had identified the first case of coronavirus in the area

Annalisa Malara, the doctor who diagnosed the first Italian patient with COVID-19, along with Dr. Ricevuti on February 20, 2020, poses for a photograph at San Matteo Hospital in Pavia one year after Codogno became Europe's coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epicenter, Italy, February 18, 2021. Picture taken February 18, 2021.

Italian doctors remember night that ushered in Europe's first COVID-19 lockdown

New Zealand started its official rollout of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine on Saturday, while Australia finalised plans to begin inoculations on Monday, a new phase in tackling the virus that both countries have kept largely contained.A small group of medical professionals were injected on Friday in Auckland ahead of the wider rollout which was officially starting with border staff and so-called Managed Isolation and Quarantine (MIQ) workers on Saturday, officials said.
In Australia, hotel quarantine and healthcare workers will also be the first cohort to be inoculated at 16 Pfizer vaccination hubs across the nation, alongside older Australians at aged care facilities.
-Today, we kick off the largest immunisation programme in our history, by vaccinating the first of our border workforce, a critical step in protecting everyone in Aotearoa- New Zealand health minister Ashley Bloomfield told reporters in Auckland, using the country’s indigenous Maori name.
-We will be moving through these first few days and weeks in a measured way to make sure our systems and processes are solid.-New Zealand expects its nationwide rollout covering the country’s population of 5 million will take a full year, while Australia aims to inoculate its 25 million citizens by October.
No new COVID-19 infections were reported in the communities of either country in the previous 24 hours despite tens of thousands of tests, officials said.
Both nations ended snap local lockdowns this week after a cluster emerged from a quarantine hotel in Melbourne and as New Zealand authorities investigate how a strain of a highly transmissible UK variant was found in three members of an Auckland family.
The two countries rank among the top 10 globally in a COVID-19 performance index for their successful handling of the pandemic.
Australia has recorded just under 29,000 cases and 909 deaths, while New Zealand has recorded just 26 deaths from 2,350 cases.

A small group of medical professionals were injected on Friday in Auckland ahead of the wider rollout

The Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine is administered to a vaccinator in Auckland, New Zealand, February 19, 2021 in this still image taken from video.

New Zealand begins COVID-19 vaccinations programme, Australia starts Monday

Lockheed Martin co, the United States’ largest weapons maker, has fielded interest from Croatia regarding the purchase of stealthy F-35 jets, a Lockheed executive said on Friday.

Greg Ulmer, the executive vice president of Lockheed’s Aeronautics unit, told reporters, “they’ve shown interest” in buying the jets, which are a big part of Lockheed’s revenue.
A representative from the Embassy of the Republic of Croatia in Washington said “we are evaluating an offer of the new U.S. F-16 Block 70/72 aircraft, together with some other responses to our tender for a multi-role fighter aircraft, new or used,” but did not address the F-35.
Croatia is evaluating U.S., French and Swedish offers for fighter jets as it looks to modernize its air force, which now flies Russian-made MiG-21 jets dating from its past within the former Yugoslavia.
Croatia wanted to buy 12 used F-16 fighter jets from Israel, but it fell through after Israel said here in 2019 it could not get approval from the United States for the sale.
Other international customers for the fifth-generation F-35 include Canada, Finland, and Switzerland, which are running competitions for a future jet purchase. Additional customer prospects for Lockheed’s F-35 include Greece, Spain, Eastern European and Middle Eastern countries, Ulmer said in a media conference call.
Lockheed has also seen international interest for as many as 300 of its fourth-generation F-16 fighter jets on top of the current production backlog of 128 jets, Ulmer said.

Croatia is evaluating U.S., French and Swedish offers for fighter jets as it looks to modernize its air force

A Lockheed Martin F-35 aircraft is seen at the ILA Air Show in Berlin, Germany, April 25, 2018.

Croatia has shown interest in F-35 jets - Lockheed executive

The EU's foreign policy chief on Saturday condemned increasingly deadly violence in Myanmar, after two protesters were killed as security forces fired live rounds, and said the bloc will "take appropriate decisions".

-I strongly condemn the violence against peaceful civilian protestors by the military. I urge the military and all security forces in Myanmar to immediately stop violence against civilians- Josep Borrell, the EU's high representative and vice president, tweeted.
He said a meeting in Brussels of EU foreign ministers on Monday "will discuss... the latest events in Myanmar to take appropriate decisions".
His comments came after security forces in Myanmar's second city of Mandalay fired live ammunition and rubber bullets at protesters demonstrating against the country's junta, which deposed civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi in a February 1 coup. Two people were killed, including a boy shot in the head, emergency workers said.
The European Commission on Thursday had already reacted to the death of another protester fatally shot in the head with a live round during a demonstration on February 9.
A spokeswoman called for a "transparent" investigation into that death so that "those responsible answer for their acts".
A senior EU official said the EU ministers' meeting on Monday was expected to move towards sanctioning Myanmar military officers.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I strongly condemn the violence against peaceful civilian protestors by the military. I urge the military and all security forces in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Myanmar?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Myanmar</a> to immediately stop violence against civilians. We will discuss on Monday <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FAC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FAC</a> the latest events in Myanmar to take appropriate decisions— Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) <a href="https://twitter.com/JosepBorrellF/status/1363122663586168836?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

His comments came after security forces in Myanmar's second city of Mandalay fired live ammunition and rubber bullets at protesters demonstrating against the country's junta

Josep Borrell, the EU's high representative and vice president

EU's top diplomat condemns Myanmar violence

Russia has registered and its Health Ministry approved a third coronavirus vaccine for public use, the country's prime minister announced on Saturday.

The vaccine, called CoviVac, was developed by the Chumakov Center for Research and Development of Immunobiological Drugs, Mikhail Mishustin said at a meeting with the government in Moscow.
-I want to start with some very good news: today, the third vaccine, CoviVac, was registered- he said, adding that by mid-March, -the first 120,000 doses will be launched into civil circulation.-Strict controls will ensure that stepped-up production will in no case affect the vaccine quality, he said.
With the start of the vaccination campaign in early December, the spread of coronavirus in Russia has slowed significantly.
On Saturday, the country's coronavirus emergency task force reported 12,953 new cases, 480 COVID-related deaths, and 17,484 recoveries.
The total number of people who have been exposed to the virus since the beginning of the pandemic stands at 4.15 million, and over the same period the virus has claimed the lives of 82,876 people.

Russian prime minister says third coronavirus vaccine – CoviVac – got Health Ministry approval for public use

The vaccine, called CoviVac, was developed by the Chumakov Center for Research and Development of Immunobiological Drugs

Russia registers its 3rd COVID-19 vaccine

Iraq said Saturday that restrictions imposed by the government to curb the spread of coronavirus will not affect Pope Francis’ visit to the country on March 5.

On Thursday, the Iraqi government declared a two-week partial curfew across the country with the exception of the Kurdish region in an effort to contain a sudden surge in COVID-19 infections. The measures include suspending attending to schools, sports activities, and closure of mosques and parks.
The restrictions are scheduled to be lifted on March 4, amid reports that the precautionary measures may be extended.
Speaking to the official Iraqi News Agency, Ismail al-Hadidi, an adviser to the Iraqi president, ruled out postponing Pope Francis’ trip to Iraq.
-Measures to welcome the pontiff are underway as planned- al-Hadidi said.
Pope Francis is scheduled to visit Iraq on March 5-8, his first-ever visit to the country. The pontiff’s schedule includes visiting Najaf, where he will meet with top Shia cleric Ali al-Sistani. He will also visit the capital Baghdad, Erbil and Nineveh.
Iraq has so far registered 661,477 virus cases, including 13,232 fatalities.

Pope Francis scheduled to visit Iraq on March 5

Pope Francis is scheduled to visit Iraq on March 5-8, his first-ever visit to the country

Virus lockdown won’t affect Pope Francis’ trip

Almost 300 homeless people have been vaccinated against coronavirus in Romania, making it one of the first European countries to single out people who are sleeping rough, health authorities said Saturday.

-These people are among the most exposed to infection risk. It's hard for most of them to follow infection control measures- junior health minister Andrei Baciu told AFP.
Bucharest decided to move the homeless up the priority scale -- following in Denmark's footsteps -- after pressure from charity groups.
Now people sleeping rough are on par with the over-65s, chronically ill people and teachers, and just below health workers.
Mobile vaccination teams have visited shelters in several towns including the capital over the past few days.
Over 1,300 people are registered as homeless in Romania -- with the real number estimated to be several times larger -- and 282 of them have received a first vaccine dose and 246 have had both.
One vaccination official said the government "wants to reach any homeless people who want to be immunised" and will keep up the programme in the coming days.
But many of those living on the street lack reliable information about the shots and can be distrustful, said Marian Ursan of charity Carusel, which distributes food, clothing and medicines to around 300 homeless people in Bucharest.
With almost 20,000 Covid-19 deaths among its 19 million people, Romania has so far vaccinated 771,000 since late December.
Around 224,000 people have received one dose and 547,000 both doses.

Now people sleeping rough are on par with the over-65s, chronically ill people and teachers, and just below health workers

Mobile vaccination teams have visited shelters in several towns including the capital over the past few days

Ambassador Reinertsen: Public funds must be managed more responsibly

COVID - 19 confirmed in 343 people in B&H with 9 deaths

Jerinić and Grujičić won the most votes

French city of Nice asks tourists to stay away amid COVID surge

UK to reopen in stages after driving down South African variant, Hancock says

WHO's Tedros says he still has no details from Tanzania on its COVID response

Argentina has new health chief after vaccine line-jumping scandal

Argentina health minister resigns after reports of VIP vaccine access

Prince Charles visits father Philip in hospital

Italian doctors remember night that ushered in Europe's first COVID-19 lockdown

New Zealand begins COVID-19 vaccinations programme, Australia starts Monday

Croatia has shown interest in F-35 jets - Lockheed executive

EU's top diplomat condemns Myanmar violence

Russia registers its 3rd COVID-19 vaccine

Virus lockdown won’t affect Pope Francis’ trip

Romania makes homeless a vaccine priority

News

Ambassador Reinertsen: Public funds must be managed more responsibly

COVID - 19 confirmed in 343 people in B&H with 9 deaths

Jerinić and Grujičić won the most votes

French city of Nice asks tourists to stay away amid COVID surge

UK to reopen in stages after driving down South African variant, Hancock says

WHO's Tedros says he still has no details from Tanzania on its COVID response

Argentina has new health chief after vaccine line-jumping scandal

Argentina health minister resigns after reports of VIP vaccine access

Prince Charles visits father Philip in hospital

Italian doctors remember night that ushered in Europe's first COVID-19 lockdown

New Zealand begins COVID-19 vaccinations programme, Australia starts Monday

Croatia has shown interest in F-35 jets - Lockheed executive

EU's top diplomat condemns Myanmar violence

Russia registers its 3rd COVID-19 vaccine

Virus lockdown won’t affect Pope Francis’ trip

Romania makes homeless a vaccine priority