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12 Jan 2021; MEMO: The health ministry of the Palestinian Authority (PA) has approved the main Russian vaccine against COVID-19, known as Sputnik V, for use in Palestinian self-ruled territory, Russia's sovereign wealth fund said on Monday, reports Reuters.

In the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Palestinian Health Minister Mai Alkaila confirmed that her ministry had granted "emergency approval" for the Russian vaccine to be administered in areas under limited Palestinian self-rule.

12 Jan 2021; MEMO: Turkey and Greece said on Monday they wanted to resume suspended exploratory talks over territorial claims in the Mediterranean Sea which brought them close to conflict last year, reports Reuters.

Plans for talks last year foundered after a disagreement over a Turkish seismic exploration vessel deployed to disputed waters, but the ship has since returned.

The Turkish Presidency and military have moved their messaging systems away from WhatsApp and onto a local Turkish messaging app due to new private data concerns, Anadolu Agency reports.

Officials said that the media office will update journalists via BiP, a unit of Turkish communication company Turkcell, from today.

New Delhi, Jan 12 (PTI) The government has committed to buy from the Serum Institute further 4.5 crore doses of Oxford COVID-19 vaccine, Covishield, at a price of Rs 200 per shot plus applicable taxes by April, in addition to a firm order given to the company for 1.1 crore doses.

Flights have started ferrying the vaccines to different cities from Pune from Tuesday morning.

According to the purchase order placed on Monday, each dose of the vaccine has been priced at Rs 200 and with GST of Rs 10, it would cost Rs 210.

Ghaziabad, Jan 11 (PTI) A section of farmers protesting against the three central farm laws on Monday threatened to gherao' Uttar Pradesh Raj Bhavan on January 23.

Bhartiya Kisan Union spokesperson Dharmendra Malik in a statement said the agitating farmers would also burn copies of farm legislation on that day.

New Delhi/Pune, Jan 12 (PTI) The first consignment of Covishield vaccines reached Delhi from Pune on Tuesday, four days ahead of the launch of a nationwide drive against the coronavirus

A SpiceJet flight carrying the vaccines landed at the Delhi airport around 10 am. It had left for the national capital around 8 am, three hours after three trucks with the maiden consignment of the vaccines rolled out of the Serum Institute of India (SII) facility, 15 km from the Pune airport

11 Jan 2021; MEMO: The United Arab Emirates' Foreign Minister Anwar Gargash has expressed his country's desire to normalise and re-establish relations with Turkey, following tensions between the two.

Gargash made the remarks in an interview with the Emirates-based Sky News Arabia yesterday, saying: "What we want to tell Turkey is, we want to normalise our relations within the framework of mutual respect for sovereignty."

11 Jan 2021; MEMO: Iraq's Water Resources Minister Mehdi Rashid Al-Hamdani yesterday warned that his country would face a water crisis if it does not reach a deal with Turkey, the New Khaleej reported.

Al-Hamdani stressed on the importance of finalising the issue of water with Turkey, the news site reported Al-Arabiya TV saying, "but Turkey wants two months to study this issue."

11 Jan 2021; MEMO: The first shipment from illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank were exported to the UAE yesterday, local media reported.

The Jerusalem Post reported that the shipment included olive oil and honey from the Tura Winery in the Rehelim settlement and Paradise Honey in the Hermesh settlement.

New Delhi, Jan 11 (PTI) The Supreme Court Monday pulled up the Centre for its handling of the farmers protest against the new farm laws saying it is extremely disappointed with the way negotiations between them were going and it will constitute a committee headed by a former Chief Justice of India to resolve the impasse.