World News Briefs -- November 16, 2020 (Evening Edition)

COVID-19 vaccines in development being tracked by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine 

AFP: New vaccine breakthrough lifts global hope against pandemic 

Global hopes of vanquishing the coronavirus pandemic were boosted Monday after a second vaccine was found to be nearly 95 percent effective in a trial, bringing much-needed optimism amid surging infections and grueling new restrictions. 

The news from the US biotech firm Moderna comes after similar results were announced last week for a vaccine candidate developed by pharma giant Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech. Major stock markets surged Monday in response, building on a boom sparked by the Pfizer news one week ago. Moderna, whose results stem from a clinical trial of more than 30,000 participants, expects to have approximately 20 million doses ready to ship in the United States by year-end. 

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 MIDDLE EAST 

Trump 'to order further troop withdrawal' from Afghanistan and Iraq. 

Turkey seeks approval to deploy peacekeepers in Azerbaijan. 

Israel: Bahrain foreign minister announces landmark trip. 

Israeli military strikes Hamas targets in response to rocket fire. 

Trump national security adviser calls lifting blockade on Qatar 'priority' in next 70 days. 

Walid al-Moalem, Syrian FM and former ambassador to U.S., dies at 79. 

Gaza: Coronavirus pandemic ruins youth's hopes for a way out. 

Iran blasts ‘hate-mongering’ in Saudi king’s comments. 

 ASIA 

Asia-Pacific nations sign world's largest trade pact. 

US Senate chief blasts Trump Afghan troop withdrawal plans 

India, Afghanistan reject terror-related charges by Pakistan. 

Kim Jong Un calls for tougher COVID-19 measures at first appearance in 25 days. 

Cash-strapped North Korea seeks new sources of income. 

Report: Japan, South Korea reach preliminary pact on forced wartime labor. 

Taiwan hopes for close U.S. cooperation in call with Biden adviser. 

Coronavirus digest: Tokyo Olympics on course to go ahead with spectators. 

 AFRICA 

Ethiopia bombs Tigray capital as it rejects mediation calls. 

Ethiopia: African leaders seek mediation as conflict escalates. 

Ugandan president meets Ethiopian minister, urging talks over Tigray unrest. 

Morocco's king warns Polisario after rivals clash in W.Sahara. 

WSahara conflict to end when Morocco 'occupation' over: Polisario. 

Libyan rivals agree to unify forces safeguarding oil facilities. 

Guinea's Conde says there is no 'witch hunt' against opponents. 

Nigerian soldiers assault civilians with flogging and forced hair-cutting. 

Zuma seeks judge's recusal from state capture inquiry. 

African countries failing to progress in good governance: report. 

 EUROPE 

Kalbajar: Russian troops guard Armenian monastery. 

Belarus protesters battered, bruised but defiant after 100 days. 

COVID cases growing much faster than deaths except Europe. 

Sweden adds further restrictions on outdoor gatherings as coronavirus cases hit record highs.

‘Everything points to France having passed the peak of the Covid-19 epidemic’, says health minister. 

Hungary, Poland veto European Union budget. 

Time is running out for Brexit deal, EU warns UK, amid final crisis talks in Brussels. 

Brexit: PM confident UK 'will prosper' without EU trade deal. 

Moldova election: Pro-EU Maia Sandu wins presidency. 

France's Macron meets with Pompeo, calls for European independence. 

Turkey’s Erdogan says Cyprus should aim for ‘two separate states’. 

 AMERICAS 

Covid: States clamp down as US cases pass 11 million mark. 

Biden: 'More people may die' if Trump refuses to coordinate on vaccine plans. 

Biden urges ‘immediate relief’ for economy as COVID surges. 

Trump national security adviser vows 'professional transition' of power. 

California pulling 'emergency brake' to slow record surge of COVID cases. 

Peru's interim President Manuel Merino steps down amid protests. 

Peru's Congress picks centrist lawmaker Francisco Sagasti as president. 

Brazil: Voters deal political blow to Bolsonaro and Workers' Party in local elections. 

Hurricane Iota strengthens to Category 5 storm off Central America. 

TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR 

Iran denies report al Qaeda operative killed in Iran. 

EU mulls new anti-terror measures.

Trial begins for man accused in foiled 2015 terror attack on French train. 

Social 'segregation' of ethnic minorities is fuelling terrorism in France, campaigner says.

ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS 

Asia stocks gain after vaccine hopes push Wall Street to record highs. 

Moderna says coronavirus vaccine is 94.5 percent effective. 

Oil jumps 4 percent on upbeat COVID-19 vaccine news. 

Fascination in short supply as bitcoin enjoys powerful rally. 

Facebook, Twitter CEOs back in Congress hot seat over US election. 

SpaceX, NASA successfully launch first ‘operational’ private space mission. 

Huawei threat 'No. 1 concern' moving forward, Trump national security adviser says.