#PORTUGAL: Parliament Again Passes Euthanasia Bill

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Portugal’s parliament voted for the third time in almost two years Friday in favor of allowing euthanasia, though as happened in the previous attempts the country’s Constitutional Court or president could stop the bill becoming law.

Left-of-center parties in the mostly Catholic country were the driving force behind the bill, as they were with laws allowing abortion in 2007 and same-sex marriage in 2010.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UK: Scottish Emergency Rooms See 10x Increase in Wait Times

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Official figures showed the number of patients enduring extreme waits in Scottish emergency rooms has risen around 10-fold since the COVID pandemic.

In September 2019, the number of patients waiting more than eight hours for treatment was 1,618 (1.1%) and more than 12 hours was 369 (0.3%).

In September this year, the figures were 13,506 (10.6%) and 5,296 (4.2%) respectively.

Pictured: Scottish National Party Health Secretary Humza Yousaf

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UGANDA: Bill Would Allow In-Country Organ Transplants

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The Ugandan Parliament is considering a bill that would make it possible for the first time to perform organ transplants in this East African country. A small revolution that would transform the lives of thousands of people waiting for surgery.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UGANDA:: Law Seeks to Curb Illicit Organ Trade

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A law to regulate the harvesting and trade in human organs and tissues has been introduced in Uganda’s parliament, the health minister said, as authorities move to curb a growing illegal market in body parts such as kidneys in the country.

There has been a public outcry in Uganda over the trade in organs and tissues derived from unwilling donors

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CANADA: Chief Public Health Officer Gets 22% Pay Hike

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The Liberal Party government has greenlit a 22% hike to Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam’s salary. 

According to a published report, Tam will now be earning $324,000 a year – a $59,400 boost from her previous salary of $265,000. Additionally, Tam had her contract for the role extended by another three years. 

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ISRAEL: Health Minister Wants To Make Abortions Easier

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Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz intends to spearhead major reforms to the country’s abortion policies with the aim of making it easier for women to end a pregnancy.

Under current laws, the right to an abortion is only granted by three-member pregnancy termination committees held in the country’s hospitals.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News us dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#RUSSIA: "Immunity Passport" With QR Codes Required To Visit Public Places From Dec. 1

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QR codes on telephones acts as a vaccine passport for Russian citizens who want to visit public places, starting December 1.

On November 12, the government submitted to the State Duma two bills, which introduce QR codes for visiting public places, as well as for travel by rail and air. 

The first document spells out that citizens will be able to visit places of public events, cultural institutions , catering and retail facilities with the presentation of either a QR code on vaccination, or a document confirming that a person has had the coronavirus, or a medical withdrawal from vaccination. 

According to the second initiative, QR codes were introduced on railway and air transport for intercity and international transportation. and access to the Internet for access to sites included in the list of domestic socially significant sites are provided to the subscriber free of charge.

It's been suggested in the Russian Parliament that the QR codes be called an "immunity passport."

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#GERMANY: Incoming Chancellor Supports Mandatory Vaccinations

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Germany's incoming Chancellor Olaf Scholz favors mandatory coronavirus vaccination for all Germans as early as February.

Such a measure would have to be approved by the German Bundestag.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#AUSTRIA: Gov't Will Require mandatory Vaccinations For All; Fine, Jail For Unvaxxed

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Austria is to become the first European country to make vaccinations against Covid 19 mandatory, and will go into its third nationwide lockdown for at least 10 days from Monday, the chancellor, Alexander Schallenberg, has announced.

The government said it was preparing the legal groundwork for a general vaccine mandate to come into effect from 1 February, with exemptions for those unable to receive a jab on medical grounds.

Those refusing to be vaccinated are likely to face administrative fines, which can be converted into a prison sentence if the fine cannot be recovered.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#BENIN: Abortion Legalized In First Trimester

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Legislators in Benin have voted to legalize abortion in the West African country, where it was already authorized under very restricted conditions.

Under the new law, women In the West African nation, can terminate a pregnancy within the first three months if it is likely to “aggravate or cause material, educational, professional or moral distress, incompatible with the woman or the unborn child’s interest."

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#SPAIN: Those Fined For Violating Lockdown In 2020 Will Be Reimbursed

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Spanish citizens who were fined for violating a nearly three-month COVID-19 lockdown last spring will be reimbursed.

In the announcement Friday, the Ministry of Territorial Affairs said the measure would apply to the 1.1 million fines that were issued to hundreds of thousands of people for violating stay-at-home orders that began in March 2020.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CANADA: Ontario Bill Would Mandate Vax In Healthcare, Education Sectors

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Legislation has been introduced in the Ontario legislative assembly that would require mandatory covid-19 vaccinations in the education and healthcare sectors throughout the province.  

The Bill, introduced by Ontario Liberal Party member John Fraser, requires specified education sector organizations and healthcare sector organizations to require their employees and other individuals that they retain to provide services to be fully vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine.

Certain exceptions are provided for, such as where complying with the requirement would result in a contravention of the Human Rights Code. In such cases, the education sector organization or healthcare sector organization must ensure that the individual’s duties do not require direct contact with specified persons and that the individual undergo training respecting the benefits and risks of COVID-19 vaccinations

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#AUSTRALIA: Pranksters Signing Into Restaurants As "Donald Duck" Thwarting Contact Tracing

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At a news conference, New South Wales Minister for Health Brad Hazzard slammed individuals who pull ‘pranks’ when signing into venues, putting their names down as cartoon characters. This has made contact tracing incredibly difficult to do.

Hazzard stressed the importance of signing a real name into venues and using QR codes to help make contact tracing easier. Apparently, there have been quite a few Donald Ducks roaming around Sydney.

“That must stop. This is a worldwide COVID pandemic. And thinking it’s smart to call yourself Donald Duck or Mickey Mouse is about as stupid as it gets," he said.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#AUSTRIA: Politicians, Health Officials Can't Convince Many To Take Covid Tests

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Nearly a month after Austria started mass Covid-19 tests, the masses have stayed away.

Vienna denies the push has been a failure, but weak participation so far mirrors growing doubt in the population towards a looming vaccination program.

Out of a population of 8.8 million people, about two million have been tested to date – with the participation rate dropping as low as 14 per cent in the capital.

A month ago, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz unveiled the program, a nod to a similar one in neighboring Slovakia using fast PCR tests, as the best way to have “as safe a Christmas as possible”.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ESWATINI: Prime Minister Of Former Swaziland Dies Of Covid-19

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Eswatini Prime Minister Ambrose Dlamini, who tested positive for COVID-19 four weeks ago, has passed away at age 52- Govt statement. 

Dlamini was hospitalized in South Africa on Dec 1 to fast track his recovery.

Dlamini had announced in mid-November that he had tested positive for coronavirus but said that he felt well and was asymptomatic.

A businessman but political novice, he was named prime minister in October 2018.

The head of government's role is limited in Eswatini where the current king, in power since 1986, names all ministers and controls parliament.

Formerly known as Swaziland, the kingdom of Eswatini has reported over 6,700 coronavirus cases and 127 deaths among its population of 1.2 million people.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UK: London Mayor Wants Non-Whites To Get Covid-19 Vaccine First

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London Mayor Sadiq Khan has demanded that black people and other ethnic minorities receive priority access to the Chinese coronavirus vaccine.

The left-leaning mayor claimed that so-called BAME (Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic) groups are disproportionally affected by the virus, and therefore should be placed at the top of the list when the vaccine is distributed.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#GERMANY: Thousands Protest Infection Protection Law, Comparing It To Nazi Era Legislation

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Thousands of protesters gathered in Berlin to protest the country’s amended Infection Protection Law, which gives the government the legal basis to issue coronavirus restrictions, such as closing stores and other public venues and imposing rules about masks and social distancing.

While the amendment was swiftly approved by both houses of parliament, Right wing groups compared it to the Enabling Act of 1933, a law that had solidified Adolf Hitler’s dictatorship over the country.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ISRAEL: Lawmakers Allow Security Agency To Use Contact Tracing Of Cell Phones For COVID-19 Cases

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Israeli lawmakers have voted in favor of a new law authorizing the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) to track cellular network data of citizens as part of the state’s efforts to contain the spread of Covid-19. Of the parliament’s 120 members, 53 voted in favor of the government-backed bill and 38 against.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UK: Gov't "Furious" Over China Disinformation Campaign, Warn Of Diplomatic "Reckoning"

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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government is furious with the Communist Chinese government for spreading disinformation about the coronavirus, and said there would be a diplomatic “reckoning” when the global pandemic ends.

Earlier this month, China began pushing an unfounded conspiracy theory that members of the US Army brought the virus to Wuhan last October when they attended the Military World Games.

The first cases of the virus were reported in Wuhan in December.

The report also said scientists have told Johnson that they believe Beijing is downplaying the number of coronavirus cases in the country “by a factor of 15 to 40 times.”

[FULL STORY HERE AND HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CANADA: Ruling Liberal Party Backs Off Plan To Push For 21-Month "Blank Check" To Spend, Tax, Without Parliament

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Hours before introducing a bill to spend up to $82 billion and increase federal powers to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, the Liberals backed off a measure that the Opposition decried as an attempt to get Parliament to sign them a blank check.

While Conservatives said they were prepared to quickly approve the billions in emergency financial aid and economic stimulus as promised by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last week, they balked at a proposal to give the government sweeping new powers for up to 21 months to unilaterally spend, borrow and tax Canadians without seeking Parliament's approval.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.