News Archives for World - 2021-01-22

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World

WHO, Pfizer strike Covax deal for 40mn Covid vaccine doses

"I'm glad to announce that Covax has signed an agreement with Pfizer-BioNTech for up to 40 million doses of its Covid-19 vaccine,"

Published 22 Jan, 2021 11:43pm

USA

Yellen wins unanimous Senate panel vote for Treasury despite Republican tax, debt concerns

Yellen's nomination was approved 26-0 in the evenly split committee, with concerns expressed by Republicans about President Joe Biden's ambitious plans for massive coronavirus relief spending.
There is no question she is qualified for this role.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 09:34pm

Europe

EU urges Ivory Coast to comply with new sustainable cocoa laws

The European consumer wants to eat chocolate without having to think about child labour, deforestation or the poverty of those who grow cocoa.
The EU represents the leading destination for Ivorian beans, accounting for 67% of the country's cocoa exports.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 09:23pm

Europe

German CDU confirms Laschet as new leader in postal ballot

Laschet, premier of Germany's most populous state and the self-styled Merkel continuity candidate, won 83.35% of the valid postal votes cast by 1,001 delegates.
"The CDU remains Germany's Europe party," Laschet told reporters, stressing that he wanted his leadership of the party to be marked by dialogue with its grass roots.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 09:16pm

USA

US factory activity races to more than 13-1/2-year high in early January

Data firm IHS Markit said on Friday its flash US manufacturing PMI accelerated to a reading of 59.1 in the first half of this month.
The IHS Markit survey's measure of new orders received by factories raced to its highest level since September 2014.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 09:10pm

Africa

Zambia, IMF to hold talks on credit facility from next month

The programme discussions will centre of the government's objectives to attain fiscal and debt sustainability.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 09:06pm

South Asia

Indian farmers to step up protests after rejecting offer to defer controversial new laws

Farm leaders said hundreds of thousands of farmers from neighbouring states including Haryana, Punjab and western Uttar Pradesh would drive tractors through New Delhi on January 26.
There is a sort of deadlock as the government repeated the offer of deferring the laws, which is not acceptable.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 08:28pm

USA

Canadian retail sales jump in November, but December looks gloomier

Food and drink sales rose by 5.9% and helped push overall retail trade up by 1.3%.
Most retail businesses were open in November but as the second wave of the coronavirus spread.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 08:17pm

Europe

‘Delays cost lives’: Baltic states seek swift EU approval for AstraZeneca vaccine

The European Medicines Agency said last week it would review the vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Britain's Oxford University this month under an accelerated timeline.
Precision of procedures matters. But so does speed. The delays cost lives.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 08:02pm

World

Twitter suspends account of top Iran leader Khamenei after he posted a call for an attack on Trump

The development was made after he posted a depiction of a man resembling the former US president playing golf in the shadow of a warplane or large drone.
The tweet from Ayatollah Khamenei's account refers to General Qasem Soleimani, who was assassinated by a US drone in Baghdad a year ago.

Updated 22 Jan, 2021 08:41pm

Europe

Irish court grants extension to Norwegian Air's debt restructuring

The extension to Feb. 25 was granted after a lawyer representing the Irish examiner told the court that the examiner believed the budget carrier had a reasonable prospect of survival.
I will grant that application and extend the time for reporting... to the 25th of February.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 07:18pm

Europe

EU will seek clarification from Pfizer over new vaccine delays

"We will seek clarification from the company," the spokesman told a news conference in reply to a question about a new slowdowns in deliveries reported by EU countries for next week.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 07:11pm

Europe

Erdogan says 10mn CoronaVac doses could reach Turkey by weekend

"(The second consignment) was approved in China," Erdogan told reporters in Istanbul. "It is highly probable that it could come by the end of this week. We expect 10 million to come."
Some 600,000 people were vaccinated in two days when the rollout began just over a week ago, but the pace later slowed.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 07:08pm

South Asia

China authorises coast guard to fire on foreign vessels if needed

China has maritime sovereignty disputes with Japan in the East China Sea and with several Southeast Asian countries in the South China Sea.
The coast guard is allowed to use "all necessary means" to stop or prevent threats from foreign vessels.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 07:04pm

USA

How US CDC missed chances to spot COVID's silent spread

"CDC does not approve this study," an official at the quarantine site wrote to Lawler in a Feb. 8 email obtained by Reuters. "Please discontinue all contact with the travelers for research purposes."
At a crucial moment in the pandemic when Americans were quarantined after possible exposure to the virus abroad.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 06:58pm

USA

Walmart expands vaccinations in boost to US COVID-19 program

The move from the world's largest retailer comes as US President Joe Biden races to accelerate a frustratingly slow vaccination campaign.
Walmart is already vaccinating healthcare workers in New Mexico and its home state of Arkansas.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 06:47pm

Europe

Hungary buys Russia's Sputnik V vaccine, first in EU, minister says

Under the terms of our agreement, we are buying an amount sufficient to inoculate 1 million people.
This represents 2 million doses in three tranches. An amount to inoculate 300,000 people in the first month.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 06:35pm

USA

Mexico early-January prices rise faster than expected

The median forecast of 12 analysts polled by Reuters was for inflation to tick up to 3.17% in early January from 3.08% in the second half of December.
The closely watched core price index, which strips out some volatile food and energy prices, climbed 0.24% in early January.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 06:30pm

Europe

UK body sets billion-pound budget for COVID financial firm collapses

The Financial Services Compensation Scheme's (FSCS) budget of 1.04 billion pounds for the 2021/22 financial year that starts in April is its highest in six years.
In any other sector, a forecast for compensation of over one billion pounds would be the focus of national scandal.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 06:16pm

Europe

UK police break up COVID rule-breaching wedding with 400 guests

Weddings are currently supposed to take place only under "exceptional circumstances".
We are absolutely horrified about last night's event and condemn it in the strongest possible terms

Published 22 Jan, 2021 05:57pm

Europe

Denmark suspends UAE flights over virus test concerns

All air passengers arriving in Denmark need to show a negative virus test from the previous 24 hours.
The flight ban will run from Friday until Wednesday, during which time Denmark will not accept any negative tests from the UAE.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 05:41pm

Europe

Double-dip Europe recession 'increasingly inevitable': PMI

A double-dip recession for the eurozone economy is looking increasingly inevitable as tighter Covid-19 restrictions took a further toll on businesses in January.
This was due to the "ongoing relative resilience of manufacturing, rising demand for exported goods.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 05:40pm

Europe

Russia 'welcomes' Biden proposal to extend New START treaty

"We can only welcome the political will to extend this document," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
She said the extension was needed now more than ever given "adversarial" ties between Russia and the United States.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 05:36pm

Europe

UK economy faces another recession on virus curbs: survey

The composite purchasing managers' index (PMI) sank to an eight-month low at 40.6 points, compilers IHS Markit and the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) said.
The shift below 50 -- indicating contraction -- compared with 50.4 in December.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 05:34pm

Europe

In call, EU chief urges Putin to release Navalny

The EU had already condemned an attempt to assassinate Navalny and his arrest on his return to Russia after treatment, but Michel has now expressed "grave concerns" directly to Putin.
Navalny's allies are planning demonstrations on Saturday in dozens of Russian cities in support of the Kremlin critic.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 05:31pm

Europe

German virus death toll tops 50,000 as new cases ease

The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) disease control centre said 859 people died from the virus in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of fatalities to 50,642.
"That is a distressing, incomprehensible number to me," RKI chief Lothar Wieler told reporters.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 05:20pm

South Asia

Malaysia reports 3,631 new coronavirus cases with 18 new deaths, highest daily fatalities

That brings total infections in the Southeast Asian country to 176,180 cases and 660 total deaths.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 05:14pm

Top Iran leader posts Trump-like golfer image, vows revenge

USA

After big hack of US government, Biden enlists 'world class' cybersecurity team

It is great to see the priority that the new administration is giving to cyber.
The leading candidate for Cyber Director is Jen Easterly, a former high ranking National Security Agency official, according to four people familiar with the selection process.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 05:03pm

USA

Yellen vote in US Senate committee to test support for Biden economic plan

Yellen, who would be the first woman to head Treasury after breaking that same barrier as Federal Reserve chair from 2014 to 2018.
Republican Senator Pat Toomey, a longtime fiscal hawk, said at Yellen's hearing: "We're looking at another spending blowout."

Published 22 Jan, 2021 05:00pm

Europe

German government sees 2021 GDP growth of 3pc

German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier is due to present the government's official forecast next week. The new number was first reported by Der Spiegel magazine earlier on Friday.
The government introduced a lockdown in November, and tightened measures further in December and January.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 04:43pm

Africa

Another storm, growing stronger, set to hit central Mozambique

Tropical storm Eloise is currently over the Mozambique channel and is expected to slam into the country's central region on Saturday.
Idai killed more than 1,000 people across Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe, with Mozambique the worst affected.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 04:31pm

Europe

Lithuania says expects enough COVID-19 vaccines for herd immunity by July

We received assurances from the European Commission president that Lithuania will be able to vaccinate 70% of population by early summer.
he challenge is about to change from vaccine shortages to setting up mass vaccinations, so that we use the time optimally and can fully reach collective immunity (by early July).

Published 22 Jan, 2021 04:25pm

South Asia

China says 10 workers trapped in gold mine are searching for others

The physical condition, psychological condition and living environment of 10 miners in the middle section of the mine are good.
A total of 22 workers were trapped in the Hushan mine by the Jan 10 blast in Qixia.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 04:18pm

Europe

German minister warns against relaxing COVID-19 measures too soon

Spahn told a news conference that new, more transmissible strains of the virus made it imperative to reduce case numbers further.
Germany, in lockdown since early November, reported over 800 deaths and almost 18,000 new infections on Friday.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 04:15pm

World

'I will fire you on the spot', Biden warns staff if they disrespect colleagues

"I'm not joking when I say this: If you're ever working with me and I hear you treat another with disrespect, talk down to someone, I promise you I will fire you on the spot," Biden said.
The US president further said that everybody is entitled to be treated with decency and dignity, adding that it has been missing in a 'big way in the last four years'.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 03:02pm

Europe

Hungary PM says too early to talk about lifting COVID-19 restrictions

Hungary is also in talks with China's Sinopharm to buy its coronavirus vaccine.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 12:28pm

World

Germany virus death toll tops 50,000

It said 859 people died from the virus in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of fatalities to 50,642.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 12:17pm

USA

Biden nominates Kashmiri-origin diplomat for key State Department role

President Joe Biden nominated a Kashmiri-origin diplomat as Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights - a key State Department position, as the new administration takes office.
Uzra Zeya, who resigned from the foreign service in 2018, in protest against President Trump's policies, has been nominated by the Biden Administration for the key position in the Department of State.

Updated 22 Jan, 2021 02:03pm

World

Republican McConnell proposes Trump get two weeks to prepare for Senate impeachment trial

In a statement, McConnell said he had sent his proposal to Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 12:15pm

World

New China swine fever strains point to unlicensed vaccines

But it has issued at least three warnings against use of unauthorised African swine fever vaccines, cautioning that they could have severe side effects and that producers and users could be charged with a criminal offence.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 12:06pm

World

Japan to start coronavirus vaccinations with Pfizer vaccines

Kono told reporters the next priority after medical workers was to vaccinate the elderly.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 11:50am

World

China reports 103 new mainland COVID-19 cases vs 144 a day earlier

The National Health Commission said in a statement that 94 of the new cases were local infections. The number of new asymptomatic cases.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 11:48am

USA

Democrats with BJP/RSS links excluded from Biden Administration

Obama administration staffer Sonal Shah and Amit Jani, who worked on the Biden campaign team, have so far been excluded, allegedly due their RSS-BJP links.
These allegations were reportedly brought to the Biden campaign by over a dozen Indian-American organisations.

Updated 22 Jan, 2021 12:11pm

World

Mexico marks new daily record in deaths from pandemic

As in other countries, Mexico has begun rolling out its vaccination program, but at the same time the ranks of infected people swells, some days by the tens of thousands.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 11:30am

World

Islamic State claims responsibility for Baghdad's suicide attack

Two men blew themselves up in a crowded Baghdad market on Thursday, killing at least 32 people.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 11:20am

World

Argentina hails German Falklands travel request as support for sovereignty claim

The German government did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 11:14am

World

Bernie Sanders, bundled up at Biden inauguration, goes viral in a meme

The 79-year-old senator made a sartorial statement on Wednesday by showing up in a jacket by snowboarding equipment company Burton and home-made wool mittens, carrying a large brown envelope.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 10:45am

World

Thailand reports 309 new coronavirus cases

The tally included 12 imported cases and there were no new deaths reported, the country's COVID-19 taskforce said.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 10:34am

World

Brazil awaiting 2 million vaccine doses from India

But it had to be satisfied with the release last week of six million doses of CoronaVac, which was developed by the Chinese lab Sinovac with the Brazilian Butantan Institute in Sao Paulo.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 10:15am

World

Japan cabinet approves bill for tougher virus measures

Despite the recent spike, Japan has seen a comparatively small Covid-19 outbreak, with around 4,700 deaths overall.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 10:13am

Europe

EU leaders 'discourage' travel, eye tougher border rules

"It is absolutely important to keep the single market functioning," von der Leyen said, so that workers and freight can continue to cross borders.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 10:05am

World

IS propaganda arm claims twin suicide blasts in Baghdad

Iraq declared IS defeated in late 2017 but its sleeper cells continue to operate, usually in the country's desert zones.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 10:01am

World

Fauci says he feels liberated to speak on science under Biden

"The idea that you can get up here and talk about what you know. What the evidence, what the science is, and know that's it -- let the science speak -- it is somewhat of a liberating feeling."

Published 22 Jan, 2021 10:00am

USA

Biden seeks five more years for last Russia nuclear pact but no 'reset'

Several experts as well as anti-nuclear campaigners disputed Billingslea's analysis, saying there were no signs that Russia was going to budge or that China would join.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 09:56am

World

UN Security Council fails to find common ground on Darfur

The Darfur conflict that erupted in 2003 killed some 300,000 people and displaced 2.5 million, according to the UN.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 09:52am

World

Biden orders masks, travel clampdown in new war on Covid

In the Senate, the two parties are split 50-50, with a tie-break vote by the new vice president giving Democrats the most razor-thin of margins.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 09:48am

World

Non-essential travel 'strongly discouraged': EU chief

Freight transport should continue but EU Council chief Charles Michel said.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 09:46am

USA

Canada governor general resigns over harassment claims: media

Current and former staff at the governor general's office alleged that Payette bullied, yelled at and publicly humiliated staff, some of whom left her office in tears.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 09:42am

World

Biden proposes five-year extension of New START treaty with Russia

She said the United States would also investigate bounties reportedly paid by Russian intelligence to extremists in Afghanistan who killed US troops.

Published 22 Jan, 2021 09:38am

Europe

At least 15 dead in Ukraine nursing home fire

KIEV: At least 15 people were killed Thursday after a blaze tore through a residential home for the elderly in the...