Johann Sattler, head of the European Union Delegation to B&amp;H, briefly commented on the work of the leaders of the three largest parties in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Milorad Dodik, Bakir Izetbegović and Dragan Čović. He commented Dodik in the context of B&amp;H's approach on the road to the EU, while he looked at the other two through the prism of securing the elections in Mostar, and the conversation about the Election Law, reports N1.
Inciting rhetoric does not suit politicians or young people, Sattler pointed out. In the past, we have witnessed this kind of rhetoric coming from Milorad Dodik. What does he think about Dodik's role in EU integration? Is his policy detrimental for the progress of B&amp;H and its citizens?
- Do not expect me to evaluate the work of politicians, but what I can say - The Presidency helped us in April to start the process of EU integration, all three members. Dodik played an important role there. He showed that he could move things forward. During the presidency he ensured participation in the roaming agreement, so that you can communicate without large fees. It is an example of the positive role he can play - said, among other things, Sattler.
He also spoke about Čović and Izetbegović and the word they gave about the elections in Mostar. Did they keep their promises?
- They did. Every part, like I said. I like that in politics. Sometimes it happens, more often it doesn’t, but politicians know how to keep their promises. Believe me, it wasn’t easy for either of them. It took courage and compromise from both of them. I can encourage them to continue that relationship in 2021., regarding the judgments of the international court and the Election Law - said Sattler.

Don’t expect me to judge the work of politicians

Sattler: Politicians know how to keep their promises

Johann Sattler: Dodik played an important role

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson discussed with his senior ministers on Saturday what urgent action to take after it was confirmed that a new strain of the COVID-19 virus could spread more quickly and lead to a surge in cases.The BBC reported that London and southeast England would be placed in a new higher tier of restrictions and the government would cut back on a planned relaxation of the rules over Christmas, but gave no further details.
Johnson will hold a news conference at about 1600 GMT during which he will discuss what his plans are in light of a rise in infections across London and southeast England linked to a new, more transmissible variant of the virus.
England’s Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty said that while there was no current evidence the variant of the novel coronavirus caused a higher mortality rate or impacted vaccines, urgent work was underway to confirm this.
-We have alerted the World Health Organization and are continuing to analyse the available data to improve our understanding- Whitty said in a statement.
Britain reported 28,507 new COVID-19 cases on Friday and 489 deaths, with the reproduction “R” number estimated to be between 1.1 and 1.2, meaning the number of cases is rapidly increasing.
Johnson said on Friday he hoped England would not need a third lockdown after Christmas and has so far resisted calls to change plans to ease restrictions for five days over the festive period, allowing three separate households to meet indoors.Much of the country, including London, is currently in the highest of a three-tier system of restrictions to curb the pandemic’s spread. The Daily Telegraph newspaper said ministers could now announce curbs on travel between southeast England, including the capital, and the rest of the country.
The BBC said these areas would now be placed in a new “Tier 4”, with a tightening of rules for Christmas.
-Failing to act decisively now, will mean further suffering- Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust and a member of the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), said on Twitter. -We must keep asking ourselves ‘are we doing enough, are we acting quickly enough’.-
The opposition Labour Party said the tiering system had failed to curb the virus’s spread.
-It has been apparent for some days that the virus is again out of control in parts of the country- said Jonathan Ashworth, Labour’s health spokesman.

Whitty: We have alerted the World Health Organization and are continuing to analyse the available data to improve our understanding

Pedestrians walk past a British government health information advertisement highlighting new restrictions amid the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), London, Britain, December 19, 2020.

UK discusses action after confirmation new COVID strain spreads more quickly

Donald Trump's outgoing administration is planning to close the two remaining US consulates in Russia, the State Department confirmed Saturday, as President-elect Joe Biden prepares to take office amid high tensions with Moscow.
The US will close its consulate in the far eastern city of Vladivostok and suspend operations at its post in Yekaterinburg, a department spokesperson told AFP.
The decision followed consultation with Ambassador John Sullivan and was part of "efforts to ensure the safe and secure operation of the U.S. diplomatic mission in the Russian Federation," the spokesperson said. 
CNN reported that a State Department letter to Congress this month said the move was a response to "ongoing staffing challenges for the US Mission in Russia in the wake of the 2017 Russian-imposed personnel cap on the US Mission."
Ten diplomats assigned to the consulates will reportedly be relocated to the US embassy in Moscow, while 33 local staff will lose their jobs.
The State Department did not confirm the numbers involved but said the "resulting realignment of personnel at U.S. Embassy Moscow will allow us to advance our foreign policy interests in Russia in the most effective and safe manner possible. 
-No action related to the Russian consulates in the United States is planned- the spokesperson added.
The closures would leave the embassy in Moscow as the United States' last diplomatic mission in Russia.
Moscow ordered the closure of the US consulate in St Petersburg in March 2018 during a diplomatic spat sparked by the poisoning of Sergei Skripal on British soil.
It was unclear whether the closures would happen before January 20, when President-elect Biden takes office.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Friday that Russia was "pretty clearly" behind a devastating cyberattack on several US government agencies that security experts said could allow attackers unfettered access to critical IT systems and electric power grids.
Yohannes Abraham, executive director for the Biden transition team, said the hack was of "great concern" and that the Biden administration would meet any cyberattacks with a response inflicting "substantial cost."
Russia has denied any involvement in the incident.

The US will close its consulate in  Vladivostok and suspend operations at its post in Yekaterinbur

Relations between Russia and the United States have soured as President-elect Joe Biden prepares to take office

US planning to close last consulates in Russia

The 300-year-old icon, presented to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov by the chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Milorad Dodik, will be returned to the donor, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced.
In a statement for "Avaz", foreign policy analyst Zlatko Dizdarević points out that this decision of the Russian state is smart and serious.
- Russia has admitted that it is a scandal and a fabricated story. They don't want to take part in it, and for me, no matter what I think about Russians or Americans, it is a gesture of serious politics.
Dizdarević states that, on the other hand, Dodik staged a great political embarrassment for Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- What Dodik did is the bottom line. It is a classic fakin crime, Dizdarević points out.
When asked how much damage this move can cause to our country, Dizdarević believes that B&amp;H has been at the bottom for a long time.
- We have already reached such depths of shame and ruin with our leaders that I do not see that anything can bury us deeper than we are buried now. What is most unfortunate, this is just a scandal that is in the range of a number of other scandals and even worse scandals, but, this one is interesting in the media, but it is pure crime as well as a thousand other things that are pure crime. I think that we have disintegrated to such an extent that I do not see what kind of scandal we can experience and be surprised, Dizdarević thinks.
According to Dizdarević, the icon's path probably leads to Serbian volunteers who fought in Ukraine.
- Some of the guys from RS or Serbia who went and fought in Ukraine probably stole that artifact and brought it here. How dodik got it is another story. The icon was obviously stolen, and it could only have been stolen in the face of the chaos of the war, just as it was stolen from Bosnia and Herzegovina during the war.
- This is a matter for the police, this is a scandal for the investigative bodies and it is unbelievable that Dodik did not say a word about everything, and it would be at least normal if he said something, even if he lied, it is obviously something in the background that this silence only fuels further. The Russians made the only logical move that a serious state could make, Dizdarević points out.

According to Dizdarević, the icon's path probably leads to Serbian volunteers who fought in Ukraine

Zlatko Dizdarević:  B&H has hit rock bottom

Dizdarević told "Avaz" about the scandal with the icon: What Dodik did is the bottom line

And while in Sarajevo you can't breathe from the fog and smog, on the mountains around the capital of B&amp;H, is a real winter idyll. Citizens fled to Trebević, Jahorina, Bjelašnica, where who prefers."Avaz" journalist is currently on Bjelašnica and as he informs us, hundreds of citizens came out to breathe fresh air.Take a look at the gallery.

"Avaz" journalist is currently on Bjelašnica and as he informs us, hundreds of citizens came out to breathe fresh air

See how it is on Bjelašnica today: Children's roar, the sun ...

Moscow said on Saturday it would return to Bosnia a centuries-old Ukrainian icon after Ukraine complained about it being presented as a gift to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. 
A representative of the Russian foreign ministry told AFP that the gilded Christian Orthodox icon -- believed to be 300 years old -- "will be returned" to Bosnia so that its provenance can be established with the help of Interpol.
According to reports, Bosnia's Serb president Milorad Dodik presented it to Russia's top diplomat Lavrov during a recent visit.
But the move riled Kiev, and the Ukrainian embassy in Bosnia sent a note demanding an "urgent explanation regarding the possession of their cultural heritage," the government in Bosnia said.
The artwork originates from Lugansk, a region in eastern Ukraine held by Russia-backed separatists.
Ukraine has been fighting Russian-speaking separatists in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions since 2014 following Moscow's annexation of the Crimean peninsula.

The artwork originates from Lugansk

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, left, meets the chairman of Bosnia and Herzegovina's tripartite presidency, Milorad Dodik, right, in Sarajevo

Russia to return icon to Bosnia after Ukraine complaint

This Sunday, 20 December, the citizens of <a href="https://avaz.ba/tag/18/mostar">Mostar</a> will have the opportunity to vote in the first local elections there since 2008. We, the undersigned*, encourage all Mostarians to participate in the democratic process, especially the younger generations that may not have had the opportunity until now.&nbsp; 
We commend the BiH Central Election Commission in organizing the Mostar <a href="https://avaz.ba/tag/103975/elections">elections</a> just after the 2020 Local Elections, in cooperation with the Mostar City Election Commission, under difficult circumstances. The elections must proceed in a peaceful environment in line with the applicable legal framework and international standards. All involved, including non-partisan observers, must be fully enabled to professionally perform their duties in accordance with existing rules and procedures.

Mindful of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we strongly encourage respect for relevant protective measures during the polling and counting processes, and encourage the authorities to provide all necessary personal protective equipment and ensure adherence to safety measures in polling stations to ensure a secure environment.

Lastly, we call on all parties and independent candidates ultimately elected to the Mostar City Council to implement the election results as soon as possible following their certification and proceed with the election of the mayor. Mostarians who have waited so long to exercise their rights deserve no less than a City Council fully committed to serving their interests.

* European Union Delegation/Office of the European Union Special Representative, the Embassy of the United Kingdom, the Embassy of the United States, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Mission to BiH, and the Office of the High Representative

we call on all parties and independent candidates ultimately elected to the Mostar City Council to implement the election results as soon as possible following their certification and proceed with the election of the mayor

This Sunday, 20 December, the citizens of Mostar will have the opportunity to vote

Delegation of EU, embassies, OSCE and OHR call on the people of Mostar to vote

China's top diplomat on Friday offered cooperation on key priorities of President-elect Joe Biden, warning that Beijing's many US critics were creating an atmosphere of "McCarthyism" and ignoring common interests.
Taking aim at the hawkish approach of President Donald Trump, Foreign Minister Wang Yi voiced hope for a return of talks and "mutual trust" between the world's two largest economic powers after Biden takes over on January 20.
-It is important that US policy toward China return to objectivity and sensibility as early as possible- Wang said in a virtual address to the New York-based Asia Society.
Wang said that China saw "space for cooperation" with Biden on three of the four issues he has identified as immediate priorities -- Covid-19, economic recovery and climate change. Biden's fourth stated priority is racial equity.
On the pandemic, Wang said China was ready to assist the United States, including through continued production of face masks, and said Beijing and Washington could cooperate in manufacturing vaccines and assisting third countries.
-We hope that we will expand cooperation and manage differences through dialogue- Wang said.
The Trump administration has declared that decades of US engagement have failed with China, speaking of a global challenge from Beijing through its alleged rampant theft of intellectual property, espionage and its blitz of infrastructure projects around the world.
In recent months, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has terminated Chinese-funded exchange programs for Americans and tightened visa rules for Chinese students as well as members of the Communist Party and their families, likely affecting hundreds of millions of people.
-We see McCarthyism resurging and jeopardizing normal international exchanges- Wang said, referring to the witch hunt for communists purported to be in the US government led by Republican senator Joe McCarthy following World War II.
Wang accused unnamed senior US officials of "irresponsible presumption of guilt and emotional lashing-out."
-They ignore the vast common interests and room for cooperation between the two countries and insist that China is a main threat- Wang said.
-This is like misaligning the buttons on clothing. They get things wrong at the very beginning.-
Biden, who invested significant time in diplomacy with China as vice president, has broadly agreed that Beijing poses a global challenge.
But he is expected to take a less bellicose tone than Trump, with his nominee for secretary of state, Antony Blinken, speaking of potential cooperation on climate change and the pandemic.

Wang: It is important that US policy toward China return to objectivity and sensibility as early as possible

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, seen on a November 2020 visit to Seoul, has appealed for cooperation with US President-elect Joe Biden

China offers to work with Biden, warns of new 'McCarthyism'

Croatia on Friday banned citizens from travelling between regions during end-of-year holidays but eased restrictions for Christmas masses as it battles one of the EU's highest coronavirus infection rates.
From Wednesday until January 8 only travel within regions will be allowed, Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic told reporters.
Also, in a bid to curb the spread of the respiratory disease, indoor gatherings will capped at two households with a maximum of 10 people, he said.
-The aim... is that the numbers (of infections) do not explode after Christmas and New Year- the minister added.
At the same time the authorities in the staunchly Catholic country decided to wave a limit on public gatherings to allow the faithful to attend masses on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
-People have a spiritual need to go to churches... so it was decided to enable the believers to do it on these two days- said the head of the national public health institute Krunoslav Capak.
Churches will have to provide seven square metres (75 square feet) per person, he stressed.
The move sparked some angry comments on social networks with users saying that similar measures could have been applied to bars and restaurants, which have been closed since late November.
-Church is not the only place where they (believers) can pray- a man commented.
After Lithuania, Croatia has the second highest infection rate in the European Union with 1,158 cases per 100,000 inhabitants cumulatively over 14 days, according to AFP data.
The country of 4.2 million people has registered nearly 200,000 Covid-19 infections and more than 3,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

From Wednesday until January 8 only travel within regions will be allowed

Bozinovic: The aim is that the numbers (of infections) do not explode after Christmas and New Year

Croatia curbs travel, spares Christmas masses

The European Union has called on the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina to take measures to alleviate the economic shock due to the coronavirus crisis, „Dnevni Avaz“ has learned. Namely, in the document that our paper received from Brussels, the Union pointed out six key economic recommendations on the basis of the annual economic dialogue with the countries of the Western Balkans and Turkey.

The Union appeals to B&amp;H authorities to respond urgently and to keep accurate statistics on the consequences and to transmit them to the Union institutions.
- Take the necessary fiscal measures to mitigate the economic shock of the crisis caused by COVID infection, especially by protecting the most vulnerable groups. To accelerate economic recovery, increase public investment that stimulates growth as a share of GDP, based on a comprehensive investment strategy. Improve the precision of social transfers by increasing the share of benefits checked in total social spending - the recommendations state.
Also, during this year's dialogue, it was stated that the plans submitted earlier had to adapt to the global crisis.
- Carefully monitor the challenges to financial stability arising from the coronavirus pandemic and take appropriate action if necessary. Protect the integrity of the currency board and the independence of the Central Bank - it was pointed out.
However, Brussels also gives precise instructions that a plan to help companies must be implemented during the corona crisis, especially since a recovery in B&amp;H cannot be expected before 2022, according to CBBH estimates.

- Establish an effective, coordinated and transparent mechanism to support companies affected by the crisis, especially small and medium-sized enterprises and self-employment. Expand social protection coverage and provide incentives to firms. Simplify operations with the aim of a quick recovery after the COVID-19 crisis and take measures to preserve employment - it is stated, among other things.

<h2>Centralized procurement of medicines and equipment</h2>

It is also recommended to ensure adequate and sustainable funding to strengthen the health sector with the aim of improving access to quality public health care for all citizens.
It would be good to determine the scope and apply centralized procurement of medicines and medical equipment, especially for expensive costs and large quantities of drugs, it was said in the EU recommendations addressed to the B&amp;H authorities.

"Avaz" reveals: EU document alarms B&H authorities due to the pandemic

Facsimile of EU document: Precise statistics must be kept and submitted to the Union

The economy is in shock, take action!

Yesterday, the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of B&amp;H Zoran Tegeltija, when asked to comment on the quarrel between the state and federal levels of government due to lack of funds for the procurement of vaccines against COVID-19 infection, briefly told Dnevni Avaz that he did not know how the FB&amp;H Government makes decisions and that this is an issue for the Bi&amp; Ministry of Civil Affairs.

Bh. citizens were alarmed by the information that our state could be left without the vaccines that everyone is eagerly awaiting due to the fact that the Federal Government has not paid its share of the funds.
The FB&amp;H Government announced yesterday that "they have secured the necessary funds for the procurement of coronavirus vaccines."
- Procedural possibilities are currently being considered within the legal solutions, because from the state level, even through the relevant ministry, the FB&amp;H Government was not informed in time that the full amount of funds should be paid by December 15th, 2020. for the procurement of vaccines through COVAX mechanism - it is stated.
Due to the late notification, they say, they could not plan or pay the full amount earlier. Also, in the signed agreement, for which the Federal Minister of Health Vjekoslav Mandic is authorized, the deadlines for payment of reserved doses of vaccine, as well as delivery, are not specified, so funds could not be planned in this year's FB&amp;H budget.

They emphasized that the ministries of health and finance are working on resolving this issue, and told the citizens not to worry and that the vaccine will be available within the deadlines as planned.
We remind you that the Council of Ministers warned the Government of FB&amp;H that non-payment of the amount of 11.5 million KM endangers the procurement of vaccines.

Assistant of Federal Minister of Health Goran Čerkez said that the FB&amp;H Government was asked to pay more than 11 million KM by December 15th, which could not be procedurally complied with.
- It is not a problem in financial means, it is up to the procedures. The Council of Ministers of B&amp;H has signed a contract with GAVI and it says who should sign the guarantee and for what period. The state was supposed to provide a guarantee. Relations within the state are regulated by another contract, by which time the advance should be paid, and the FB&amp;H Government paid it on time - said Čerkez and said that he would try to solve the problem in every possible way.

After the warning that the FB&H Government did not pay the money

B&H could end up without vaccines due to unpaid money

Continued quarrel over vaccines

Slovenian Health Minister Tomaz Gantar resigned Friday over tensions within the ruling coalition prompted by Prime Minister Janez Jansa's handling of the health crisis and attacks on the media.
Gantar's resignation came a day after his party DESUS, which represents the country's pensioners, quit the four-party coalition led by Jansa.
The party accuses Jansa of using the coronavirus pandemic to attack critical media and strengthen his control over state institutions in the mould of his ally, nationalist Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
Even while in coalition, DESUS had joined the opposition in its criticism of Jansa's actions, including the suspension of funding for public news agency STA earlier this month.
Jansa's coalition still controls 47 out of 90 seats in parliament, but Slovenian media have been speculating that several MPs from another junior coalition partner, the Modern Centre Party (SCM), could also join the opposition in the following days.
Karl Erjavec, the head of DESUS, explained the party's decision on Thursday by saying: -We don't want the 'Orbanisation' of the state or the introduction of an autocratic system.- 
He added the party would support an opposition plan to hold a parliamentary vote of no confidence in Jansa's government.
Jansa has announced he would temporarily take over the post of health minister.
Gantar's resignation comes as Slovenia, which was spared the worst of the first wave of the pandemic, battles a harsh second wave.
The Alpine state of two million has suffered 2,270 deaths and has one of the highest coronavirus death rates in the European Union.
Earlier this month, Gantar and Jansa had been at loggerheads over virus policy, with Gantar proposing a total two-week shut-down of the country to stem infections. 
Jansa rejected this, saying a halt to industry would be devastating for Slovenia's export-oriented economy.
Despite health experts' warning against easing virus restrictions, earlier this week the government allowed a temporary re-opening of some shops and businesses until Christmas.

Gantar's resignation came a day after his party DESUS quit the four-party coalition led by Jansa

Gantar's resignation comes as Slovenia battles a harsh second wave

Slovenian health minister resigns as coalition wobbles

As a friend of BiH, I'd like to share a message with the people of Mostar as they prepare to cast their votes in a few days. 
For a decade, political infighting prevented Mostar's citizens from exercising their constitutional right to vote. On December 20, the wait is over. Thanks to the important agreement that paved the way for the necessary changes to the election law, Mostar's citizens will finally be able to elect their local government.
I encourage every citizen in Mostar to participate in the upcoming elections. You have had to wait too long for this precious right, which is the fundamental basis of a democracy. Exercise that right to empower yourselves and make your voices heard. In my own country’s elections last month, a global pandemic did not deter citizens from embracing their right to vote and turning out in record numbers across the United States.
To the young people in Mostar, I especially hope you embrace the power you have to influence what happens next in your beautiful and historic city. For many young voters in Mostar, this is very likely your first time ever participating in a local election. Know that every vote counts and casting a vote is your way to take charge of the future.
Citizens, each of you deserve leaders ready to work for you, not leaders working for self-enrichment or the narrow benefit of their party. That's why it is so important for you to take an active role in choosing who will represent you. At stake are local issues that directly matter to you and your family.
Exercise your right to vote. As you do so, the United States will continue to support efforts to make the election process fairer and more transparent.

Nelson: I encourage every citizen in Mostar to participate in the upcoming elections

Nelson: United States will continue to support efforts to make the election process fairer and more transparent

Ambassador Nelson's message to the citizens of Mostar

A motorbike loaded with explosives blew up in east Afghanistan on Friday, killing at least 11 people at a religious ceremony, officials said.
-The explosives detonated at a gathering in Gilan district of Ghazni province- said provincial governor's spokesman Waheedullah Jumazada, adding that at least 11 people were killed and 20 wounded.
He said the wounded included children.
Interior ministry spokesman Tariq Arian confirmed the blast at a house where a Quran recitation was being held, but said 15 people were killed. 
No group immediately claimed the attack.&nbsp;Taliban and Afghan government forces have regularly clashed in Ghazni.
Thirty security personnel were killed last month when a suicide car bomber struck an army base near Ghazni city, the provincial capital.
The Taliban have primarily targeted government forces in rural areas since signing a deal with Washington in February that paved the way for the withdrawal of foreign forces by May 2021. 
The latest violence comes as peace talks in the Qatari capital between the Taliban and Afghan government to end the country's grinding war are on pause until January. 
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has called for the next round of peace negotiations to be held in Kabul, saying it was inappropriate to meet in "luxurious hotels".
Taliban negotiators have flown to Pakistan where they met Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday, who called on both sides to reduce violence and agree to a ceasefire.&nbsp;

The explosives detonated at a gathering in Gilan district of Ghazni province

At least 11 killed in east Afghanistan bomb blast

The head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Epiphanius, commented on the scandal in Sarajevo, when Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was presented with an ancient Ukrainian icon from occupied Lugansk.
Let us remind you, the icon was gifted to him on December 14th, during his visit to our country, by a member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Milorad Dodik.
- This is a political gesture towards the Russian Federation because this icon is from the territory that is now, unfortunately, under occupation. And it doesn’t depend on us as a church. It is really good that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of B&amp;H reacted to this event, because such things should not happen at all. Every nation must respect other nations and not do such things - said the Metropolitan of Ukraine Epiphanius in an interview for the Ukrainian service of RSE.
It is suspected that the icon was taken out of Lugansk, a city in eastern Ukraine, which is located on the territory that has been under the control of pro-Russian forces since 2014.
The Embassy of Ukraine in Bosnia and Herzegovina sent a note to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of B&amp;H asking for detailed information why the 300-year-old Ukrainian icon was given to Lavrov.

This is a political gesture towards the Russian Federation, because this icon is from the territory that is now, unfortunately, under occupation. And it doesn’t depend on us as a church

Metropolitan Epiphanius commented on the whole situation

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church about the icon that Dodik gave to Lavrov

Friends and families kept apart by COVID this Christmas and New Year will not find their virtual gatherings over Zoom cut short by the usual 40-minute limit for free subscribers.
Zoom Video Communications Inc, whose technology has become a feature of household get togethers in 2020’s socially distanced world, said it was removing the time limit for its free accounts on all meetings globally for the holiday season.
This covers the Christian celebrations of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, the end of Hannukah for Jews and Kwanzaa marked by African-Americans, as well as New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. All of them fall in late December or early January.
The coronavirus pandemic has roared to new highs around the world during a second wave, forcing many people to stay home and plan gatherings with friends and family over the Internet instead.
-Whether coming together on the final day of Hanukkah, celebrating Christmas, ringing in the New Year, or marking the last days of Kwanzaa, those connecting with friends and family won’t get cut short- a Zoom spokesman said.
Alphabet’s Google Meet has already said free users would not have to limit conversations to 60 minutes till March.
Microsoft Teams and Cisco’s Webex, who have usage grow during the pandemic, have so far not announced any relaxation in meeting length caps.

Many people are forced to stay home and plan gatherings with friends and family over the Internet

Whether coming together on the final day of Hanukkah, celebrating Christmas, ringing in the New Year, or marking the last days of Kwanzaa, those connecting with friends and family won’t get cut short

Johann Sattler: Dodik played an important role

UK discusses action after confirmation new COVID strain spreads more quickly

US planning to close last consulates in Russia

Dizdarević told "Avaz" about the scandal with the icon: What Dodik did is the bottom line

See how it is on Bjelašnica today: Children's roar, the sun ...

Russia to return icon to Bosnia after Ukraine complaint

Delegation of EU, embassies, OSCE and OHR call on the people of Mostar to vote

China offers to work with Biden, warns of new 'McCarthyism'

Croatia curbs travel, spares Christmas masses

The economy is in shock, take action!

Continued quarrel over vaccines

Slovenian health minister resigns as coalition wobbles

Ambassador Nelson's message to the citizens of Mostar

At least 11 killed in east Afghanistan bomb blast

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church about the icon that Dodik gave to Lavrov

Zoom's Christmas gift: no cap on call lengths over the holidays

News

Johann Sattler: Dodik played an important role

UK discusses action after confirmation new COVID strain spreads more quickly

US planning to close last consulates in Russia

Dizdarević told "Avaz" about the scandal with the icon: What Dodik did is the bottom line

See how it is on Bjelašnica today: Children's roar, the sun ...

Russia to return icon to Bosnia after Ukraine complaint

Delegation of EU, embassies, OSCE and OHR call on the people of Mostar to vote

China offers to work with Biden, warns of new 'McCarthyism'

Croatia curbs travel, spares Christmas masses

The economy is in shock, take action!

Continued quarrel over vaccines

Slovenian health minister resigns as coalition wobbles

Ambassador Nelson's message to the citizens of Mostar

At least 11 killed in east Afghanistan bomb blast

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church about the icon that Dodik gave to Lavrov

Zoom's Christmas gift: no cap on call lengths over the holidays