December 17, Thursday, 2020 (1:30 p.m.) Newsline

1. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government confirmed a record 822 new cases of the coronavirus in the Japanese capital on Thursday.  The figure surpasses the previous record of 678 new infections reported on Wednesday.

2. The U.S. Federal Reserve says it’s going to keep buying bonds at its current pace to make ample funds available to the financial system, in a bid to support the economy amid a resurgence of coronavirus infections.

3. Health authorities in the U.S. state of Alaska have reported that a health worker developed a severe allergic reaction shortly after getting a COVID-19 vaccine shot. The health officials said on Wednesday that the woman developed breathlessness and other symptoms of anaphylactic reaction about 10 minutes after receiving a shot of Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine.