Landslide hits residential area in Norway, 10 hurt, 15 unaccounted for

The landslide struck a residential area in the municipality of Gjerdrum, about 30 km (19 miles) north of the capital Oslo. Police said some 700 people had been evacuated from the area.

Graphic: Location of landslide in Southern Norway –

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-norway-landslide/landslide-hits-residential-area-in-norway-10-hurt-15-unaccounted-for-idUSKBN29416M?il=0

New York is preparing emergency hospital facilities in case of potential Covid-19 surge, official says

New York is currently “undertaking preparations” to have emergency hospital facilities ready in case there is another Covid-19 surge, including Javits Center in New York City, an official in the governor’s office said. 

“The Governor has made clear that we’re laser focused on preserving hospital capacity and protecting our healthcare system as cases increase and continue to do so as we move through the holiday season,” saidΒ Rich Azzopardi, senior advisor to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.Β 

https://edition.cnn.com/world/live-news/coronavirus-pandemic-vaccine-updates-12-30-20/index.html

US hits record for daily Covid-19 deaths. Winter will be ‘awful’ before we see ‘some light,’

(CNN)The US set two more devastating Covid-19 records as it counted down the hours to the end of what has been a calamitous year for the nation.Β On Tuesday, it recorded more than 3,700 new deaths linked to the virus, a chilling new high. The US also reported the most Covid-19 hospitalizations, with more than 124,600 patients nationwide, according to theΒ COVID Tracking Project.

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/12/30/health/us-coronavirus-wednesday/index.html

Three quarters of England to be under strict Tier 4 Covid-19 regulations, beginning at midnight

More areas of England will move into Tier 4 “stay at home” coronavirus restrictions – meaning three quarters of the population will be under the strict regulations, UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock said Wednesday.

Hancock told the House of Commons over 21,000 people are currently in hospital with coronavirus in England. 

“Unfortunately this new variant is spreading across most of England,” he warned.

The Midlands, the North East, parts of the North West and parts of the South West of England are among those escalated into Tier 4 from midnight local time. 

Between Dec. 18 and 24 theβ€―weekly Covid-19 case rateβ€―in England roseβ€―toβ€―402.6 per 100,000 – a 32% increase on the previous week – the Department of Health said in a press release Wednesday.

https://edition.cnn.com/world/live-news/coronavirus-pandemic-vaccine-updates-12-30-20/index.html

Second explosion heard near presidential palace in Yemen’s Aden after deadly blast at airport where unity govt arrived – reports

Local news have reported yet another explosion in Yemen, this time near the presidential palace, to which the new cabinet fled following the blast at the Aden airport.

Yemen’s new government has been transferred to the palace right after an explosion disrupted their arrival to the Aden airport earlier today. It occurred as the officials were arriving to Aden from Riyadh, where cabinet members had a swearing in a ceremony that followed prolonged coalition talks brokered by the Saudis.

The destructiveΒ explosionΒ at the airport resulted in more than 20 people being killed, and at least 60 injured, according to Salem Al-Shabhi, a senior health official who spoke to The Independent.

https://www.rt.com/news/511132-yemen-aden-second-blast-palace/

Ontario sets new record high as daily COVID-19 cases near 3,000

Ontario reported a new record high of COVID-19 cases on Wednesday as infections neared the 3,000 mark.

Provincial health officials said there were 2,923 new cases, which was an increase from the previous record high of 2,553 cases reported on Tuesday.

Most of the new cases were in Toronto (998), followed by Peel Region (441), and York Region (408), Durham Region (158), Windsor-Essex County (144).

‘Overwhelming combat power’: U.S. bombers fly over Persian Gulf in clear warning to Iran

The U.S. Air Force on Wednesday flew bombers over the Persian Gulf for the third time in the past 45 days, delivering a clear warning to Iran and showing America’s ability to unleash β€œoverwhelming combat power” against its enemies.
The deployment of the B-52H β€œStratofortress” aircrews comes amid concern inside the Pentagon that Iran or its proxy militias could soon launch attacks against American forces in Iraq or elsewhere in the Middle East. This weekend will mark the one-year anniversary of a U.S airstrike that killed top Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani and there are indications that Tehran may seek to avenge his death.

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/dec/30/us-bombers-fly-over-persian-gulf-clear-warning-ira/?utm_source=onesignal&utm_campaign=pushnotify&utm_medium=push