FACTBOX-Latest on worldwide spread of the coronavirus

* The U.S. government does not intend to impose COVID-19 screenings for passengers travelling from Britain after the emergence of the new virus variant there, people briefed on the decision said. ASIA-PACIFIC * Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen called on people to keep calm after the island confirmed its first locally transmitted case since April 12. * Malaysia is in talks to buy 6.4 million doses of Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine and wants to increase its purchases from U.S. drugmaker Pfizer-BioNTech.

At least four drugmakers expect their COVID-19 vaccines will be effective against the new fast-spreading virus variant that is raging in Britain, while Americans were warned again not to travel for Christmas as the latest surge in cases overwhelmed hospitals.

DEATHS AND INFECTIONS * Eikon users, see COVID-19: MacroVitals https://apac1.apps.cp.thomsonreuters.com/cms/?navid=1592404098 for a case tracker and summary of news.

EUROPE * In England, angry truck drivers briefly scuffled with police in the streets of Dover as a partial blockade by France designed to stop the spread of a new highly infectious coronavirus variant left thousands stranded before Christmas.

* France will reopen its borders to passengers from England, ending a blockade intended to stop the spread of a new coronavirus variant, but which has held up thousands of lorries before Christmas. * The ban on flights from Britain to Norway will be extended by at least three more days due to ongoing concerns over a mutated variant of coronavirus.

* The British government will review whether it needs to impose its strictest restrictions on more of the country as the highly infectious variant continues to spread but will not change Christmas rules. AMERICAS

* U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to not sign an $892 billion coronavirus relief bill that includes desperately needed money for individual Americans, saying it should be amended to increase the amount in the stimulus checks. * Brazil's Health Ministry expects to have at least 150 million doses of vaccines available in the first half of 2021, with a third or more coming from a Chinese company despite the president's early scepticism.

* Peru surpassed 1 million confirmed cases, as concerns about a potential second wave of infections began to grow in the hard-hit Andean nation. * The U.S. government does not intend to impose COVID-19 screenings for passengers travelling from Britain after the emergence of the new virus variant there, people briefed on the decision said.

ASIA-PACIFIC * Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen called on people to keep calm after the island confirmed its first locally transmitted case since April 12.

* Malaysia is in talks to buy 6.4 million doses of Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine and wants to increase its purchases from U.S. drugmaker Pfizer-BioNTech. * As Singapore prepares to roll out COVID-19 vaccinations its striking success in controlling the virus is making some question whether they should take the jabs.

* South Korea reported its second-highest daily tally of cases as a survey underscored growing public dissatisfaction with President Moon Jae-in's handling of the latest wave of infections. * Japan will ban the entry of non-Japanese people from the United Kingdom following the emergence of the new virus strain.

MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA * Dubai will start inoculating people with the COVID-19 vaccine produced by Pfizer and BioNTech for free from Wednesday.

* Kenya's parliament voted to end tax cuts put in place in April to cushion the economy from the impact of the pandemic. MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS

* British drugmaker AstraZeneca Plc told Reuters its COVID-19 vaccine should be effective against the new coronavirus variant, adding that studies were under way to fully probe the impact of the mutation. * A vaccine candidate developed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) was found to be safe and triggered immune responses in early and mid-stage trials, researchers said on Tuesday.

* Moscow's Gamaleya Institute, the developer of the first Russian vaccine against COVID-19, said volunteers in its final-stage trials for the Sputnik V shot will no longer receive placebos. ECONOMIC IMPACT

* Stock futures wobbled and commodities fell after U.S. President Donald Trump threw a last-minute spanner into pandemic relief plans, although Asian equities rose as traders looked through fears about an infectious new coronavirus strain.